View Full Version : 100 Frugal Habits
I was surprised to peruse this list (https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/frugal-living-268059) and see that I/we have been doing 90% of these things as course of habit for years.
How about you?
I was surprised to peruse this list (https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/frugal-living-268059) and see that I/we have been doing 90% of these things as course of habit for years.
How about you?
Good list for review.
I agree about most of the ideas are great and part of my routine.
Some are harder to do or justify. I rarely find refurbished items are that much cheaper and they also lack the warranty for a new version that is doubled when purchased with my credit card. I rarely have success shopping for used clothes and buy so few new clothes anyway.
I get a 53% at this moment in my life.
I get about a 75% over the course of my lifetime.
Obviously my high paying but time consuming job has lowered my free time and impeded some of these activities.
But I prefer things like they are now - I was poor and in debt when I hit 75%.
When I retire I expect to go back to 75% just because of the extra free time.
Teacher Terry
4-14-19, 9:14pm
I am at about 50%. I try to do the things that have the most impact like washing our clothes in cold water except for towels and sheets.
Interesting list. I made up my own scoring system with four categories and actually went over it item by item putting hash-marks on a piece of paper. My results were as follows:
Always do: 50
Doesn't apply, but in a good way: 26
Mostly/sometimes do: 16
Never do: 8
The first category is self explanatory, although there were several items where I actually do a more frugal version, like yes a save scraps for making stock, so I marked that as an always, but I don't actually buy chicken - I am making stock from free venison, since that's the only meat I eat.
The second is for things like "Turn down the AC" (I don't have AC to turn down) or that relate to children which I don't have, or ways to save money on activities I don't engage in in the first place. (I think those could basically be combined in to a total of 76% frugal, but separating them made going over the list less confusing somehow.)
The third, "mostly/sometimes" category was primarily things like using rags instead of paper towels, which for me is an always for kitchen use and general household cleaning, but I pet sit for ill or special needs dogs, and do some animal rescue as well, so if I'm cleaning up certain types of messes from an animal who isn't even mine, I don't really want to have to wash it out of a rag. . . Also for things like LED light-bulbs, which I've done for all the lights that get a lot of use, but not for lights in spare rooms or for lamps that are rarely turned on. I actually think that on that I am being frugal - as rarely as they are used, it wouldn't really make sense. Still, there were also a few things in that category that I could be better about than I am.
Most of my "never" answers were in the shopping category, and some were things I didn't even know what meant. I don't shop a lot, and buy everything but groceries used, so it is possible that some of the things I answered "never" to without really knowing what they were, should actually have gone in my "doesn't apply, but in a good way" category instead. I just wasn't sure. The only definitely non-frugal thing I do from this list is buying salad dressing. When I was growing up, my family couldn't afford store-bought salad dressing, and always made oil and vinegar dressing. It was okay, but it seemed like no matter what herbs we put in it it always tasted the same. Now that I have the luxury, I like trying new and different store-bought dressings. My only rule is, we have to use it up completely before opening a new kind.
Has anyone used a depiller?
I didn't count up what I do and what does not apply. I'm doing all I'm going apply to my life right now and many have been habits for more than 20 years:)
And aren't there always exceptions when the clock is ticking?
I couldn't find jeans or slacks at the thrift stores 2w ago and mine are beyond presentable. I've been checking the thrift stores for a few months now. Sooooo, I had to shop (hate shopping), I got 2 new jeans and 2 black slacks for $54 so I was beyond thrilled! I had a professional meeting out-of-town and these became a must. AND, i'm set for 1-2 years! And I splurged on a new top for $11....I enjoyed wearing a 100% new outfit for the first time in who knows how long?
I too love salad dressing roulette. I'm currently in love with the yogurt based dressings.
If I had to take a wild guess, i'm likely 60% (no kids here so that could make it higher).
Has anyone used a depiller?
I have one and when an old favourite sweatshirt or fleecy top needed some refreshing, the depiller worked very well. I think that fleece-type tops have improved a great deal so things don't pill as much.
frugal-one
4-15-19, 8:42pm
Has anyone used a depiller?
Have used on sweaters that have lumps.... works well.
Are women's clothes fundamentally different somehow? I read the depiller suggestion and couldn't think of any time in my life where I had a piece of clothing that would have benefitted from such a device.
If I were going to try and save by extending the life of my clothing I'd probably get the most bang for the buck by darning my socks and underwear. But in reality I have zero interest in taking that on as a project. I'd rather expend my limited life energy elsewhere.
Currently I have gloves and a jacket that could use depilling but it would not be worth the $42.50 for the machine. It would take years to get a payback unless I started buying pilled clothing at thrift stores.
frugal-one
4-17-19, 8:02pm
Currently I have gloves and a jacket that could use depilling but it would not be worth the $42.50 for the machine. It would take years to get a payback unless I started buying pilled clothing at thrift stores.
I guess I have used a depiller tool or defuzzer and it is costs $5-$11 and it does a decent job.
Mine is an electric one about the size of a small hair dryer. I have never used a manual depiller.
On certain items, those throwaway razors (especially after regular use on legs or whatever) used lightly are good at removing pills.
Some of those I don't find as frugal. I'm not sure making my own lemonade would be that frugal. Lemons are very expensive where I am. I'm not sure how much I would save on washing my own lettuce. I used to insist, but I've found that I just buy two big packages of lettuce and eat those for dinners a lot and use it more because I'm tired and I might just not bother with making a salad if I have to drag out the lettuce and wash it and dry it, so, being lazy like that, I lose money! I think I'd have to have some high dollar shoes to make reparing and resoling them worth while. I find myself quite the pauper these days and it's thrift store shoes for me.
happystuff
4-20-19, 8:11am
I do a lot of those things already as well. I do need to get back to doing better meal planning, which will hopefully bring down my grocery bill again. Things are all getting so expensive, maybe I should just hope for it to stay the same instead of going up - LOL.
catherine
4-20-19, 10:21am
Some of those I don't find as frugal. I'm not sure making my own lemonade would be that frugal. Lemons are very expensive where I am. I'm not sure how much I would save on washing my own lettuce.
I agree. I once tried saving money by making my own lemonade, and even beyond my initial investment of a juicer, lemons are very expensive, as you said, Tiam. I think I spent 20 minutes or so on my first and second batches and the next day I happened to be in a local natural food store and they had quarts of organic lemonade for $1. That was the end of my homemade lemonade endeavor and the juicer has been collecting dust ever since.
I agree. I once tried saving money by making my own lemonade, and even beyond my initial investment of a juicer, lemons are very expensive, as you said, Tiam. I think I spent 20 minutes or so on my first and second batches and the next day I happened to be in a local natural food store and they had quarts of organic lemonade for $1. That was the end of my homemade lemonade endeavor and the juicer has been collecting dust ever since.
My juicer is wonderful for making lemon curd which I give away as gifts, also the lemon drizzles on baked quick bread is not the same with bottled lemon juice. I find that lemons come on special and I make these gifts then.
That said, making lemonade is costly so I rarely have it at all. Tea is my all-round beverage.:D
catherine
4-20-19, 10:39am
My juicer is wonderful for making lemon curd which I give away as gifts, also the lemon drizzles on baked quick bread is not the same with bottled lemon juice. I find that lemons come on special and I make these gifts then.
That said, making lemonade is costly so I rarely have it at all. Tea is my all-round beverage.:D
I wish I were a baker--then maybe I could use your tips, razz, but I rarely bake anymore. My KitchenAid mixer also collects a lot of dust, sad to say.
Here in Phoenix sometimes you can pick lemons off trees for free. We have too many. It was surprising to find all the free/cheap citrus back when we moved here.
I have a pair of loafer dress shoes that I've had resoled at least half a dozen times, back when I wore them to work regularly. The $25 at the ancient cobbler around the corner from my apartment every six months or so was much better than buying new shoes every six months. Now I wear rubber soled shoes when I need to dress for work and sneakers most other days so it's not an issue.
rosarugosa
4-21-19, 7:55am
Some of those I don't find as frugal. I'm not sure making my own lemonade would be that frugal. Lemons are very expensive where I am. I'm not sure how much I would save on washing my own lettuce. I used to insist, but I've found that I just buy two big packages of lettuce and eat those for dinners a lot and use it more because I'm tired and I might just not bother with making a salad if I have to drag out the lettuce and wash it and dry it, so, being lazy like that, I lose money! I think I'd have to have some high dollar shoes to make reparing and resoling them worth while. I find myself quite the pauper these days and it's thrift store shoes for me.
Tiam: That is funny since you are absolutely my HERO for the long-ago advice to use the salad spinner to both wash and store lettuce in the fridge. I found that advice to be life changing!
rosarugosa
4-21-19, 7:57am
On certain items, those throwaway razors (especially after regular use on legs or whatever) used lightly are good at removing pills.
I am with you on the disposable razor. I had both an electric de-piller and a de-pilling stone, and I find a disposable razor to work better than either on the rare occasion that I need to do this.
I just tried a razor and it worked pretty well. Thanks!
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