Frugal living shares tips and ideas that will hopefully help you run a more efficient household, and minimize on unnecessary waste. My mum always used to say, "Waste not, want not", and I think with the way the economy is going at the moment, this is as true today as it was in the past. Frugality is about changing your lifestyle, because if you do not change how you live, you will not save anything. We really need to tighten our belts and save where we can. It really is not that difficult, but you need to know the difference between living frugally and being a 'cheapskate', and a miser. That is not what I want to propose, because at the end of the day we need to enjoy life too. What we can do, however, is to be careful with resources and learn how not to waste. We are a consumer driven society and puppets of the advertising corporations telling us what we should be buying next. In order to be frugal one has to look at what one wants and what one needs, and to know the difference. In the end it becomes fun and challenging to see how clever you are at frugal living and creative in being able to save money. So here are some frugal tips for you:
FRUGAL TIPS FOR THE GARDEN:
Frugal Living and making your Own Compost
The most obvious saving for gardeners and homesteaders alike, is of course your household waste from your egg shells, vegetable scraps, newspaper and the like. Here is an ideal opportunity to be frugal make your own garden compost using what you have used in a recycling process that goes back to nourishing nature using nature. You can make compost in just 4 months with very little fuss at all. If you are interested in this area, I have written an article on this subject that is also with EzineArticles.
Frugal Living and Growing your Own
Another frugal tip is growing your own plants from seeds, which is a lot of fun, and very much cheaper than buying instant plants and vegetables for your garden. Growing these, especially herbs and cress in a decorative container can be a lovely cheap gift for friends and family. Growing sprouts is a great past time for children and as they have grown them, they will be more eager to eat them in their salads and sandwiches. And you do not always have to buy seed from seed suppliers. The next time you have a great tasting tomatoes take one and dry it out and save the seed. Save seeds from rock melons, papayas, green peppers etc. and plant them out when the season it right. As long as they are kept in an air-tight container after thoroughly being dried out, they will be fine.
Growing your own therefore also refers to growing your own vegetables. You can be totally self-sufficient on an acre of ground. And if you live in an apartment, grow vegetables and herbs on your windowsill, or create a container garden. If you have a rooftop, create a container garden there. If you live in the UK owning an allotment of about 150 - 200 sqm is a way of life for many, and allotments are cheap enough to secure from the council and the land will allow you to grow your vegetables, fruit and herbs on ground that you did not have before. By growing your own, suddenly frugal living also becomes a healthier alternative lifestyle. You will eat better and get more exercise!
Frugal Living and Using Vinegar as a Herbicide, Insecticide and Pesticide
What about a natural herbicide and pesticide, that costs next to nothing? Do you have a rabbit problem, or too many slugs and snails eating your lettuce? Or are you being invaded by ants? Or perhaps you have grass growing in between those pavers and your really don't want to use Roundup or something similar. Well have you thought about using vinegar? Using vinegar is a great frugal tip as you will be amazed just how many uses it has, and we all know how cheap it is, therefore a far cheaper method to use, and eco-friendly too. The full article is again with Ezine Articles on this subject.
FRUGAL TIPS FOR SHOPPING:
Frugal Living and Buying Bulk when you Can
Saving money starts in the kitchen and when you go shopping. Buy bulk where you can, and make sure that when you get home you divide this bulk buying into smaller packages and make sure that you have proper storage. Buying bulk meat for example is great if you have a big chest deep-freeze. Buying a whole lamb at your butchers and a hind-quarter may be expensive when you first buy it, but it will be a lot cheaper for you in the long run. If your butcher is any good, not only will he cut it and pack it according to the numbers of family members for portions, but he will also label it for you too, so that you do not end up with 'mystery meat'. However, too much red is not good for you, so your meat meals should be interchanged with fish, chicken and a meatless dish once a week. In that way, your meat will last longer and your health will be better for it.
Frugal Living and Cooking and Baking it Yourself
As a working mum myself, I know that it is a struggle to find things to feed the family. But do a reality check the next time you shop. Are you buying tv dinners and pre-cooked meals or do you make your own from scratch? Do you buy packets of biscuits or do you make your own? Do you buy shredded vegetables and pre-made up salads? Buying convenience food like this, all comes with a price. If you are serious about saving money, make your own meals, biscuits and buy a cheap food processor to slice and dice those onions etc. I am a lazy cook, and if you have a look at my recipes, you will find a lot of quick and easy recipes for all occasions that you will knock up in a jiffy.
And it not just the pre-prepared meals but what you are throwing in your trolley that you should be looking at. How many bags of crisps, fizzy drinks, chocolates, sweets and other rubbish is going into the trolley that will send any child who is borderline ADD& H totally off into swinging from the light bulbs and hanging from the fans. The diet that you have your children on affects them, and buy buying loads of fruit and vegetables and staying away from foods packed with preservatives, tartrazine and other horrible beasties will not only be cheaper on the pocket, but you will notice a considerable improvement in your children's behaviour if they do suffer from ADD & H. So avoid impulsive shopping, buy only what you need, creating a list is good for this if you find you are undisciplined, and check and compare brand prices. Normally shop fitters place the more expensive grocery brands at eye-level. The cheaper brands are on the lower shelved. Look there first.
Frugal Living by visiting Farmers' Markets & Farm Shops
Farmers' Markets and Farm Shops are great places to visit for your cheap fruit and vegetables. You know that you will be getting quality produce at a fraction of the cost and because its fresh it will last longer in your fridge if it is stored correctly. Farmers' Markets are also places to ferret around for those little arts and crafts, jams and preserves that make cheap but attractive gifts for later on.
Frugal Living regarding Eating Out & Take Outs
This brings me to another related issue, eating out. It's fun to eat out, and we all love doing it, but how much money are you throwing away? Going out to clubs, bars, restaurants and take-aways on a regular basis all costs money. Frugal living does not have space for excessive eating out. You should limit these outings to once a month. By doing this, not only will you save, but you will actually appreciate times you do go out more, rather than taking them for granted.
FRUGAL TIPS FOR THE HOUSE:
Frugal Living and Cleaning your Kitchen with Vinegar
So, I'm back to vinegar again, and before you think I have a total fixation, I do not, but really it is a great little substitute as a cheap cleaning product and a must-have if you want to be frugal because it has so many good uses. Half a cup of vinegar added to your soapy dishwater will cut through the greasy pots and dishes, saving you on the amount of soap you would have needed. 2 teaspoons of vinegar added to your dishwashing cycle, instead of Rinse Aid and the like, will do the job just as well. Looking to clean those mirrors and windows in your house? Mix one half teaspoon of liquid soap, 3 tablespoons of vinegar and 2 cups of water. Keep in a spray container and start cleaning those windows! And by the way, you do not need expensive cleaning cloths for cleaning windows and mirrors. Scrunch up some newspaper and use that, it gives a far better result. Finally if you have a clogged drain, take a quarter of a cup of baking soda and pour it into your drain. Follow that up with a half cup of vinegar. Let it fizz and then follow through with boiling water. It should do the trick.
FRUGAL TIPS FOR GIFTS:
Frugal Living: Card and Gifts
We all know how expensive Xmas time is and those family birthdays can be a killer. Commercial cards are exorbitant and at the end of the day will probably end up in the bin. Have you thought about making your own? For a fraction of the price you can download free software that allows you to create your own card that can be personalized for the occasion. And will be far more meaningful. Secondly, if you are good with your hands, create a card using dried grasses and pressed flowers glued onto card. Thirdly, if you like creating cross-stitch pictures, make a small sampler, paste it into a card border and write your message in your card. I have had several of these given to me, and have ended up framed and on display, rather than in the bin, where the commercial card would have gone.
So if you have made the card, what about making a gift? You don't have to be artistic to do something clever. Put a basket together of goodies and ring the changes. You could create a basket of bubble soap, candles, lotions and potions, or a themed basket for an Italian or Mexican meal. If you are a good baker and cook people appreciate homemade biscuits, jams pickles, preserves and sweets because it tells people that you care. At Xmas time you can spend a little more putting a couple of luxury food items in a basket, but still end up spending a lot less than you would have done. Cover the basket with cellophane and top it off with either raffia string or a bow. Those sorts of things you can find very cheaply at those shops. A final gift idea is to buy some graphic paper and using your favourite family photos make a personalized calendar for family members who perhaps don't see you as often as they should. You can put all the birthdays down and other special events for your calendar.
FRUGAL TIPS FOR BOOKWORMS:
Frugal Living and Using your Library
I have to confess that I love my books and tend to spend more money than I should. However, I have an excuse in that where I live there is no public library. However, if you have access to a library and you love spending money on books, magazines and CDs join your local library and visit it once a week to read your book and magazines without having to pay for them. If you have a lot of novels and books at home that you have not read for a while, and probably are not likely too either, find a book-exchange shop and either sell your books to them or exchange your books for others.
FRUGAL TIPS FOR GAMBLERS:
Frugal Living and Weaning yourself off Gambling
More money is wasted in households on gambling then any other thing. Gambling only leaves the bookies rich and the Casino bosses gloating. These are the only true winners. Yes, occasionally you may get lucky, but how much have you spent to get there? It is only a million-to-one chance that you will strike it big. As a gambler you would know that the odds are really too high. Take that money and rather invest it in land and property which will always appreciate, especially between 5 - 10 years when you should see your investment either double or triple in value over that time period.
FRUGAL TIPS FOR FRUGAL LIVING:
Frugal Living and Learning to Budget
Learning to budget means that you have to live within your means, and that does not mean that when you have blown your budget for the month you bring out the credit card. If you have a credit card, cut it up. You don't need it. Start with what you earn and do the math. How much are you spending and where can your economize? You will always find ways of spending less if you are driven and committed to do so. Yes, there is always the unexpected expenses, and that is where so many people fall foul, because they don't anticipate these. They are so stretched financially every month, basically because they are living above their means, that when an unexpected expense occurs, the only way out is to bring out the credit card. This is a sure slide into financial hell. When you have your salary the ratio for spending it on housing should ideally be a quarter, and definitely no more than a third. If you are spending more than that, you are already way over your head. Start modest and live comfortably. Life is stressful enough without having to worry about finances as well. If you have read these frugal tips and take some on board, your finances should see a difference. Remember, if you are serious about frugal living, if you look after the pennies, the pounds will take care of themselves.
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