Ramona Byrd

Stop buying chips and stuff like that. I overheard a nurse telling a massively obese patient that no one EVER died from lack of potato chips. Those things are very expensive if you count how much they cost by the pound.
And the pre-packaged foods are non-foods, and are not good for your health either.
Eat foods that LOOK like they are supposed to, especially something heavily advertised. You will save a lot by cooking your own. And you can even grow veggies and herbs in pots if necessary.

loves_2_quilt

I dry my laundry on the clothes line as much as I can.

Psychomomquilter

I keep my thermostat at 80 or 82, wal mart is the store I go for my meds and like the multivitamins and all, I am on the savings program with the light company,

does that help to unplug the computer & printer??

I heard the 1/2 dryer sheets before, and to get fabric softener, and put it on a rag and throw it in dryer, I got those wooden dryers(2) thrift store, #2.00, and have decided to start using them more as well. as for candles. a good idea.

And y'know, I don't think theres a(day old) bakery around here, that sells the day old bread, going to have to look that up!!

I just googled it here in Raleigh,NC Merita is waaaay on the other side of Raleigh, theres a place called Jerusalem bread at the state university. I will be looking some more. yeah that day old bread is just as good or better than the bread at the store! thanks for a reminder on that.

tmw

i buy suave hair conditoner when it's on sale and dilute it by half and pour it into a bottle i have saved just for that, and use it for laundry softener, but i use vinegar most of the time in the rinse cycle , it takes all the build up stuff off the clothes, there's no smell either,

boysmomoflabs

I'll jump in here since I just received my electric/gas bill.

2 months ago I hung a clothesline out under the patio cover. The first month, bill went from $160 down to $70. This month it's at $60.

I usually heat my house with a wood stove so I purchased a wire clothes rack for winter. Would like the savings to continue.
Thought maybe my dryer needed upgrading with all the savings, googled it and discovered the dryer is number one source of high energy bills.

Psychomomquilter

I seldom use my dryer, but like maybe every two weeks.

good thought there though, didn't realize the dryer would be the one thing that would use so much electricity. again a good one!

Aurora

I cook from scratch one day a week (usually Sunday). So I have food for a week.

didi

Wow, there is some really good ideas here. Thanks to everybody

Psychomomquilter

yeah isn't it great, have a question or problem, just come to the board and theres the answer! Love this board, and the people on it!

Psychomomquilter

oh, heres a frugalness idea, the plastic bags we use for left overs and all? after you emptied the bags, wash them, thoroughly, hot enough water to kill germs, dry them and re use.

the empty spools we have can be recycled for pincushions
empty cans of cat/dog food, thoroughly cleaned of course and use/create pincushions.

paper towel?toilet paper rolls can be used for protection when you send packages of perisable things, plants , etc.
the old c'd s maybe the floppy discs could be used for coasters, our neat quilting stuff, or crochet around them,
those empty spice bottles with the holes, could be used for sprinkling seeds onto your garden, or used for other spraying items.
I guess learning to be creative in what we do have is the key. hey our grand parents did it, so can we. and thats what I am going to so and learn, help others too get the idea.
stretching that dollar...
making our own soap, starch, gravy, and everything else! gotta stretch!!!