Posts
1. Stop Eating Out
A. Make stews and soups using a crock pot.
B. Make your own desserts such as cookies, brownies, fruit salads, cakes and pies. (I am learning how to make pie crust.)
C. Brew your own coffee.
D. Make your own potato salad and egg salad.
2. Shop at Aldi Supermarket
A. You will find prices from the 1970s without buying in bulk.
3. If you can’t grow your own vegetables, and you have enough sunlight, try growing herbs and tomatoes.
4. Do not go into a department store unless you need underwear or socks, but sew the holes in your socks first. (I know no one does that anymore.)
5. Turn your thermostat down to a temperature you can stand during the day, even lower at night. When you go to sleep, get under a comforter in bed and you will be warm and toasty.
6. Set the water temperature on your washing machine to cold and adjust water levels according to size of load. Use the low dry heat setting on your dishwasher and only wash full loads.
7. Unplug small appliances when not in use.
8. Subscribe to one newspaper and no magazines. Get books from the library.
9. Buy prescription drugs from Walmart or A&P. Much cheaper than drugstores.
10. Barter with neighbors. For example, rake your neighbor’s leaves and they will snow blow your driveway.
11. Sell whatever you don’t need or want on Craigslist or bring it to a consignment shop.
12. If you can’t cut your own hair, go to Great Clips, a discount beauty parlor. This was a leap for me. You may even get a senior discount.
13. If you color your hair or manicure your nails, do it yourself.
14. Use coupons that come in the mail for any local merchants you patronize.
15. Eliminate the luxury of gift giving at the risk of being perceived differently.
16. And finally, in all things, know the difference between need and want.
Some of these suggestions are common sense. Others will take extra effort. Sometimes it seems like a drop in the bucket but over time will add up.
Some of these suggestions are common sense. Others will take extra effort. Sometimes it seems like a drop in the bucket but over time will add up.
I welcome any other ideas.
Dear Tiny: Decades ago I enjoyed telling students "dog food is too expensive-live on chicken food". Wheat. At the farm today, 12 cents a pound. Slow cooker untill tender/chewey. Eat about one half pound a day and a very few other thing. My wife and I enjoyed infrequent, small servings for years. We then discovered she has gluten intolerance. That's life. Need vs. wants. Right on.
ReplyDeleteI think your comment, "That's life" is right on.
ReplyDeleteVery good advice :)
ReplyDelete