Today we are half way through our journey to 1000 Ways To Save!
If you missed the first 4 days, click on the links below to read the first 400 tips!
Don’t forget to let me know if you have any tips for the next 500 tips!
First and Foremost…
401. Does your check book reflect Christ? I have to ask myself this from time to time. As Christians in a materialistic society, how we spend our money can be one of our strongest witnesses to other non-believers! We have a hope that never fails and we should work to let that shine in our finances!
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to bring you a future and a hope!”
402. Develop your self control. This is such a toughie for a lot of us! We have to fight against our own sinful/human nature to build our self control! Prov. 25:28 states “Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.” When we break down and give in, we are literally like a city who has just broken down its last defense against attacks from enemies of all kinds. The city can easily be taken over and influenced, the city is no longer a place of community, the city has even lost some of its radiance and attractiveness.
We become just like that city when we choose not to put self-control into place.
Check out what Crown Financial Ministries has to say about self control HERE and HERE.
Stretch your food budget!
403. Use those bread ending pieces! I always wonder what to do with these– the texture gets tough to eat. I read an idea stating that you can use those ending pieces to make your own bread crumbs for recipes that call for them. You can save up your bread ends in the freezer while you wait to use them.
404. Save those browning bananas! Bananas can be used in banana bread, banana muffins and smoothies! I stick ours in the freezer while I wait to use them.
405. Make your own applesauce! I am doing this for my classroom on Thursday! I loved this post by kate from katescreativekitchen.blogspot.com! Read HERE for a great recipe/tutorial!
406. Make your coffee at home! There’s a reason there is a Starbucks on every corner; Americans love their coffee! Don’t think I’m un-American, but I don’t like coffee! Needless to say, this saves us a lot of money on our grocery bills, but still, I have multiple blogs and sites that state making your coffee at home can save you hundreds a dollars a year!
407. Take advantage of double dipping days! These are the days at the end of each month that Walgreen’s rebate/easysaver coupons overlap! For example, you can use both September and October coupons and rebates the last few days of September! This is the best way to maximize savings! The deals get even sweeter when Walgreens issues a coupon for dollars off your total purchase– you can really rock the savings then!
408. Grab doubles! Grab doubles of the easysaver coupon books at Walgreens. That way, at the end of the month when they switch to the new easysaver catalog, you still coupons from the old month to use!
409. Get the most out of your leftovers! I always saved leftovers if there was enough for a lunch the next day. Otherwise, I’d often toss whatever was left. I recently have made an effort to reuse even the teeniest bit of leftovers and its working! I saved the leftover veggies– just little bits over and over each night for about 2 weeks. I had enough of each veggie to then heat up and serve with dinner! The little bits added up to an appropriate size for a side dish!
410. Living on a dime! When you sign up for the living on a dime newsletter, you get a mini e-course on five steps to help you save $500 plus other tips and frugal advice! Click HERE for more!
411. Buy bags of frozen veggies over boxes! Most the time, you get more ounce for your money.
412. $10 in coupons! Sign up for the Dinner Made Easy newsletter from Betty Crocker and get $10 in coupons! Not a bad deal! Plus, the recipes are actually good! Click HERE for more!
413. Bigger can be better! When produce has a set price instead of a price per pound, try to get the biggest one you can. Weigh them if you need to. If they cost the same, might as well buy the one with more! (livingonadime.com)
414. Watch that scanner! Sometimes things ring up wrong or the clerk forgets a coupon, don’t let that happen! Pay attention as they scan your stuff! Things can happen!
415. Steer clear of the deli! Or temptation island as I like to call it! Most meats and cheeses are going to be cheaper by once in the meat and dairy sections. Want a salad? Go home and make one yourself, you know how to use what you already have!
416. Beat the game! Marketers put those handy little snacks and single serve drinks right at the checkout for a reason! Those hungry/thirsty shoppers are suckers for them! (I used to work at Target and say so many people fall prey to that!)
417. Go shopping prepared– beyond the list! Eat before hand, pray before hand, and take a water bottle with you. Also, you may want to have pain killers and/or cough drops on hand as well.
418. Loss leaders! These are the items that stores put on sale to draw shoppers in! You are savvy though, you only come in for those loss leaders and walk away with a full wallet and a full cupboard!
419. Lost on all the jargon? Once you start reading other finance/deal seeking blogs, it can get confusing! Couponing requires a second language, did I tell you that? Learn the jargon so you know how to save when you see good deals shared on blogs. Nicole at Being Frugal is Fabulous has a great description HERE!
420. Debbie Meyer Green Bags! According to tiphero.com, these little babies to make your veggies last much longer and are worth the initial investment! Read the post HERE!
421. The sale will return! Don’t freak out and go after every little sale that comes along. Sales usually run again every 6-8 weeks. It will come around again! Stick to your once a week shopping and weekly budget. If you miss some deals because of that, reassure yourself with the fact that you saved money this week sticking to your plan.
422. Check those bins! Some grocery stores have bins or shelves with clearanced merchandise available. It may be worth your time to shuffle through and see what you can find. I saw a box of South Beach granola bars marked down to $2 on clearance. With a $.50-1 coupon, that’s a steal!
423. Yesterday’s bread. Also check the day old bread section! I once got a loaf of italian bread for just $.85!
424. Make your own mayo! A lot of women do this and it can cut the cost a bit. Click HERE for the recipe and how to.
425. Make your own granola! I saw a box for over $7 today! Eek! Try this very basic recipe HERE, it only calls for 3 ingredients! I may try this!
426. Other fabulous ways to use oats! Oats on the cheap! I found this great post filled with wonderful oat recipes. If you buy in bulk, oats can come in very low! Click HERE for more!
427. Make your own granola bars! Click HERE for more!
428. Ground meat in a tube! I buy my ground turkey in a tube vs. in a packaged box. Its usually about $1 cheaper if not more. It’s less convenient as far as prep goes, but it works!
429. Shop in a hurry! For some women, this works. For me, it makes me feel all frazzled and I can’t think as well! I need my brain to calculate the best deals!
All things Halloween!
430. More pumpkin goodness! Monica from Homespun Heart wrote an amazing guest post on how she used her pumpkin her home to maximum degree! I LOVED some of her ideas! I never thought to use it as a vase! Check it out HERE!
431. Spruce up the celebration for you kids in simple ways. Kate Gosslin from Jon and Kate plus 8 beefs up her normal day routine for holidays instead of purchasing a lot of stuff to make ther day special. Have you seen the Valentine’s Day episode? She served heart shaped pancakes, heart shaped snacks, and put little bags of goodies she’d been collecting at each spot in the morning. I love the little ways that she makes the day special for such a large brood. We can learn a lot from her!
432. Halloween clothing! Target and Wal-Mart make Halloween themed shirts. After the holiday, they mark these down 50% and sometimes more! Buy them in the size up for your little ones to use for next year, or find ones that will work during the rest of the year.
433. Candy bags. I’ve seen little Halloween candy buckets for $3-7 at the stores. Why not use a grocery sack or a pillow case or reuse a gift bag?
434. Caramel Apples. Nate and I made these for a date night the first year we were married. We went without the candy thermometer. Click HERE for more.
435. Make that candy last! Stash away candy to use later on! I’ve heard of families that make Halloween candy last until Christmas. 1-2 pieces for a treat after dinner stretches out for a while!
436. Did your kids get Hersheys or plain chocolate candies? Save them to break up into smaller pieces to use in chocolate chip cookies or other desserts! You can also do this with post holiday sale candy!
Concerning water and energy conservation..
437. Brush your teeth in the shower! Use that water! Jennifer Aniston does this!
438. Close the fridge door! Watch how long you stand there and stare blankly into the fridge! You let out the cold air and your fridge has to work harder to cool it back down.
439. Blanket for your water heater! This can save you 30% over the year on your heating costs. These are even available at amazon.com for as low as $20.
440. How’s your weather stripping? Ours is looking a little shabby! I’ve read that good weather stripping can save money by preventing cold air in the winter.
441. Plug those leaks! One of my co-workers paid a $600 water bill in August! They had a leak that got out of control! She mentioned that their water bill the previous month was $200. They didn’t do anything until after the $600 bill. Imagine how much they would have saved if they looked into it right away.
442. Faucet aerators. These mix air with your water allowing for a strong flow with less water. They come as low as $.50 each!
443. Caulk it up! Hold a candle to the window and watch which way the smoke blows. If the smoke blows horizontally, that means you have air coming through. Smoke will rise normally if there is no problem. You can also use incense.
Concerning spending in general…
444. The average American spends 10% more than they make. Can you believe that? That amazes me. We need to let go of those credit habits and live on what we make.
445. “There is no u-haul behind the hearse.” This is a quote from Louis Barajas, a financial planner, and I love it! What a concept. Buy less, you won’t get to take stuff with you!
446. Avoid spending in airports. Wow! The costs at those little stores are outrageous! Bring your own magazine or book from home along with a granola bar to get your through the wait. You’ll save so much vy avoinding those spending trap stores!
Home remedies…
447. Ladies, when things get weird down under… eat yogurt to help your body rebalance from yeast infections. If you are taking antibiotics for any reason, be sure to eat yogurt! The anti-biotics kill some of the bacteria your body needs to stay balanced.
448. Athletes foot. Click here at home-remedies-for-you.com.
449. Burns. Click HERE for home-remedies-for-you.com.
450. Canker sores. Click HERE for more!
451. Chicken Pox. Click HERE for more!
452. Ear ache. Click HERE for more!
453. Head aches. Click HERE for more!
454. Indigestion. Click HERE for more.
455. Poison Ivy! Click HERE for more.
456. Sun burns. Click HERE for more.
457. Rachel’s sun burn remedy for sensitive skin. I have sensitive skin so I just use non-scented lotion and freeze it. I then apply it to the burn and the cold helps sooth and the lotion helps repair skin.
Concerning Cars…
458. Be careful when using gasbuddy.com. I checked today and I noticed that the cheapest prices on gas were farther than I was willing to drive. Is it cheaper to drive across town to save $1 on gas? Or go down the block and pay $.05 more a gallon?
459. Wash your own car! Nate and I do this and then also use my dad’s shop vac to vacuum the car out as well. Before we started doing this, we’d spend as much as $7.50 on a car wash and vacuuming!
For the home…
460. Ladies, pack your purses! With your needed supplies that is! Tampon vending machines cost so much! I have a little make-up bag that I fill and then when I switch purses, I make sure to put the make-up bag in there.
461. Ink refills. Walgreens has an ink refill program and occassionally will have free refills! watch those sale papers! A black ink refill costs $10, color $15.
462. Ink credit programs. Many office supply stores have credit programs where you can bring in old cartridges and get money off your next ink purchase. Call around to see what you can do.
463. Donate your ink cartridges! Most schools and some churches accept donations ok ink cartridges. If you find that its difficult to give beyond your budget in other ways, this may be a great option for you to give back with!
464. Make that shower curtain liner last! I went looking for a way to make my husbands shower curtain last. Its getting grimy, and we have guests coming soon. I don’t want to spend $5 to replace it! Because the its plastic, I didn’t think I could wash it. But apparently, I can! I just need to use cold water and hang it out to dry! Yippee! I just saved $5!
465. Ways to reuse old shower curtains number 1: Not fit to be washed? Use it as a drop cloth when painting or doing home projects.
466. Cover your BBQ. This will make your BBQ last longer by protecting it from the elements and give you a way to extend the life of that shower curtain!
467. Make a slip and slide! This is a genius idea! I remember seeing slip and slides at Target for $19.99 this last summer! Go for free and use a shower curtain liner!
468. Use them as weed barriers in the garden!
469. Make a painting apron! Use the grommets to your advantage here.
468. Make a hair cutting apron! Just cut out a large piece, clip it together in the back. You have the perfect devise for keeping hair off your husband or child while you cut their hair!
469. Use it under your tent when camping! Great moisture barrier!
470. Make a beach bag out of it! Perfect for those watery days! This would take very little sewing too!
471. Make a rain poncho! Good idea of your going to Sea Wold! Here’s a picture of me after meeting Shamu!
I was soaked!!
472. Make a car seat cover!
473. Cover your bike! Or any thing of value that needs to be protected from the elements!
474. Make a cape! Remember the tip to make your kids costumes? Here you go!
475. Make baby bibs! You’ll want to sterilize first I’m sure!
Since we’re on the topic of finding ways to repurpose stuff…
476. Repurpose old sheets! One of my friends mom used a sheet to make a decorative shower curtain by cutting down into the sheet to make little strips. She then tied the strips attractively to a set of basic shower curtain rings. It looked so cute!
477. Use sheets for coordinating curtains! They’ve already got that nice seam that would work nicely along the top! Use ribbon for curtain ties, hem the bottom if needed, wow! Looks good!
478. Reuse those jelly jars! Wrap a piece of ribbon around it and use it for a cute little pencil/pen holder!
479. Make a hanging candle! I saw this in a wedding magazine once. Use wire to wrap around the top and form a loop/handle on the top. The example I saw had them hanging from tree branches with tea lights inside– it was stunning!
480. Reuse food containers of all kinds! Word of caution, please do not become like my grandmother. When she passed away, we found boxes and boxes of yogurt containers! I think there is a time and a place for keeping containers. Just remember moderation. Here is a great post on reusing containers at 0-my-goodness.livejournal.com!
481. Prego jars! I’ve mentioned before that Prego is a staple at our place. I reuse my Prego jars occasionally for a memory keeping craft. I cover that outside with scrapbook paper, cover the lid with some cute ribbon, then write tons of memories down that I have with the person I am creating the gift for on scraps of paper. Its fun and means a lot to the person receiving the gift.
482. Reuse old socks! For this tip, you’ll need a sock without holes. Fill it with rice and tie a knot in the top. You can then use this as a heating pad. Heat it up in the microwave! They work great!
483. Use your socks in place of a swiffer! Place your hand inside the sock and use it to dust with! I’m going to try this one!
484. Use socks as drink insulators! Cut the top of and place around your beverage! believe it or not, this actually became a trend at my high school back in the day!
485. Use socks to protect your delicates in the wash!
486. Use as dry erase board erasers! We do this at my school!
487. Create a sock box. My family did this when we were little. Have a box in the laundry area where all unmatched socks live. Once a month go through the box! You will find all kinds of pairs in there!
488. Reuse magazines! I loved the idea to make your own bows out of magazines, which I’ve already done! You can also roll them up to keep your couch cover in place!
489. Use magazines to keep your boots nice! Roll them up and place them inside. This will keep the shape of the boot.
490. Got a little one learning to read? One of our homework assignments for our kindergartners is to have them go through magazines and look for environmental print. (McDonalds Arch, Oreos, Nike, extra.) Have them cut out words they can read on their own. Have them “practice reading” these on their own!
491. Have a little fun with your hubbie! Leave a little ransom note using magazine letters. Spice up the ransom due and he will enjoy paying that ransom later! (wink wink!)
492. Make magazine beads! Click HERE for more!
493. Reuse milk jugs! People often use milk jugs as bird feeders in gardens.
494. Use a milk jug for a funnel! Cut the top of and your good to go!
495. Use the bottom half too! The bottom half would be the perfect size for a small trash can for your car!
Random tid bits…
496. Push through discouragement! I had to that just today! The deal I was trying to get didn’t turn out to be a great deal. I was bummed. Its easy to feel like your never quite getting to where you want to be. The truth is, if your heart behind your efforts to save money is right, your efforts are going to be such a blessing to your family, and to God as well. We won’t always do everything perfectly, and that’s okay!
497. Make a gorgeous fall table set! I love Chisrty’s blog, Christy’s thrifty decorating. She has so many great ideas! I love how she spiced up the chargers for her table with a little paint. You should look at how cute this is! Click HERE!
498. Try E-bates and make $10! Nicole at Being Frugal Is Fabulous has the hook-up for you! Click HERE for more!
499. Are a college alums? Take advantage of any discounts you may get for being a graduate form your school! I looked up some of the discounts available to Nate and I and was pumped to see some awesome discounts! Plus, one of our pictures from our trip to CA was put in the magazine! We went with our friends who are also EWU grads and held up the magazine as we plummitted down splash mountain! What a great memory we now have and the magazine put us in there for free!
500. Stingy vs. frugal. There is a difference! Be sure that you are not passing to the stingy side of life. Frugality is wise living, using what you have, going without, making the most of what you are given, and helping others along the way. Stinginess takes it to “all about me and my money” side, and friends– I really truly hope that you all grow to love the frugal side of life.
I know I am.
Thanks for reading and come back tomorrow! I will have 100 more tips! Let me know if you have any tips!
7 Comments
October 1, 2008 at 2:40 pm
with regards to 442 keep in mind there are different levels of water / money saving faucet aerators. Most aerators allow 2.5 gallons per minute to flow out of your faucet. You can however purchase low flow aerators that can restrict your water to 1.5 gallons per minute or as low as .5 gallons per minute. This can help you save even more water. They are found at any local hardware store.
October 1, 2008 at 5:20 pm
sux0rz1,
What an awesome idea for the top 1000 ways to save. I come back everyday to see what’s next.
And do we ever need it in today’s economy!
Thanks for the Crown mention too.
Lee @ Crown
October 1, 2008 at 10:39 pm
So…it actually uses more water to brush your teeth in the shower. If you brush your teeth at the sink, the water is turned off until you rinse your mouth. If you do it in the shower, you’re in longer and the water is running the whole time. Hope this doesn’t mess up your list!
Hope you’re doing well
Heather
October 2, 2008 at 3:10 pm
though, you could brush your teeth while you are rinsing off or shaving your legs..multitasking
(i’m not so good at this one..)
October 3, 2008 at 3:53 pm
I LOVE your 1000 ways to save posts! It’s been so inspiring and I’ve already used a lot of your ideas. I tried out the potatoes in your taco meat last night and sent it to work with my hubby for his supper and he RAVED about it this morning! And I was able to cut the ground meat I used down to 1/2 lb. instead of a whole one! LOVE IT!
I have a few ideas for your next 500 tips, and I blogged about them on my blog at http://www.moneysavindiva.blogspot.com
I would love for you to use them as part of your next 500 tips!
Have a great day, can’t wait until your next 100 tips are up!
October 4, 2008 at 10:02 pm
[...] the Debt Free Dowds as they continue in their 1000 ways to save posts. Lots of great tips in this [...]
October 5, 2008 at 12:54 am
I am coming to you by way of Happy to Be at Home. Those are some great tips and I am happy to see that I partake in a lot of them. Seems like I am on the right track.