Larissa's Place - Be Frugal and Wise

You'll be frugal and wise

if you don't buy everything

they say you need

FLYLADY
(this link takes you offsite)

I was reading the newspaper recently when my eye caught an ad which was shouting "Buy now and save 30%!". Being the frugal soul that I am, my first reaction was "Oh, yeah? I can save 100% by not buying it at all!"

Thus came about the topic for this feature.

The advice in frugal circles is to create a price book listing the prices of things you buy often, mainly groceries, but other things you buy too, from different sources. It's then easy to compare prices and recognize savings wherever you shop.

That's a great frugal idea, but...

How about making a don't buy list?

There are a lot of things it's not necessary to buy, such as:
Paper napkins, paper towels, dishcloths, potholders, minute rice, plastic wrap, tv dinners, and so many more things that they could (and do) fill large stores.

The other day I saw a thin walled plastic bucket with a sponge in it. It was sold as an 'auto cleaning kit'. Did you get the absurdity of that? What's wrong with the same bucket you use to mop the floor? Is it really frugal to buy a special bucket to wash the car?

Other frugal basics you don't have to buy:

Paper napkins - Make real ones by cutting and hemming any absorbent cloth.
Paper towels - Use rags.
Dish cloths - any absorbent cloth. Hem, and embroider, if desired. (They're called "dish RAGS" in some parts of the country. That's a hint.)
Liquid handsoap - Bar is cheaper, but make your own, if you wish. Melt bar soap, add water. Or use cheap shampoo; mix half and half with water.
Canned soup - When you make your own stew, make twice as much, and put the rest in the freezer.
'Minute' rice - precook a big batch of regular rice, package and freeze.
Yeast - Use sourdough or "everlasting" yeast.
Laundry soap - Make your own.
Plastic wrap - Use bread bags. Slit a bread bag down one side, leaving the bottom intact. This will fit over almost any container. Simply slip the end over a container, twist the other end tightly and set the container on the twisted part.
Garlic - grow it on a windowsill, in a thrift store cup or an empty vegetable can.

That's only the tip of the iceberg.

Make your own personal don't buy list and put it where you'll see it often. You don't have to list the same things as above, but as time goes on, try to add to it. Cutting out just one or two things from your shopping list each month will make an impact. If you only cut one thing each month, that's twelve things in the next year you've learned to substitute or do without, and that translates into hard, cold cash - in your pocket, not someone else's.

In Grandma's day using what was on hand, or making what wasn't on hand, wasn't something you did when your paycheck was short, it was a way of life. It would make frugal sense to keep that attitude all the time.

Pics and Background

by Ritva's Gallery