How do I make my money stretch? I buy used as much as I can. Garage sales, thrift shops and www.craigslist.org are my go to places for everything. I purchase most non-food items from thrift shops. Many have sale days, frequent buyer cards and coupons sent to you when you sign up via email (see www.gooodwill.org and www.thrifttown.com). I also scan my local newspaper for church sales, senior sales and fundraiser sales, noting them on a calendar so I can look for them next year as well.
Clothes: At garage sales I always ask for a discounted price especially if I am purchasing more than one item. I am open and flexible to what I might need, so I usually am able to find a complete wardrobe with classic neutral colors in no time. If I need a specific hard to find item or undergarment, I usually purchase them new at a discount retailer. When I lose a button, I sew on a replacement I have salvaged from another garment. If my sock has a hole, I darn it or use it as a rag. Nothing leaves my house unless it has been used or donated to a needy organization or posted on www.freecycle.org.
Car Repairs: This year we were told that I needed a new engine by a trusted mechanic. My husband took it to a slower, but methodical mechanic and we did not need a new engine after all. We relied on riding our bikes to work/shopping for several weeks and on friends for rides occasionally, but we managed-even in the Texas heat! We also have learned to change car brakes, do our own oil changes, and replace broken parts (eBay is a great place to find replacement car parts).
Food: One change we have made at my house is to manage food waste. We refuse to throw anything away and eat leftovers always! When I cook a whole chicken, not only do we save money per pound, but we have meals for several days. I always cook the carcass in a pot of boiling water to make chicken stock and freeze for future soups along with saving odd meat and vegetable scraps in a freezer bag.
Yes, it takes time, creativity and determination to be frugal, but I am proud of the savings we have achieved. In the process we have learned these four rules:
By karin from Benbrook, TX
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Great advice! I didn't know you could shop Goodwill online, until I read you post. Thanks for the information. :)
We do the same. A couple of years ago, my husband lost his job (the company relocated to Mexico). We lived on his unemployment just fine and even put some money into our savings account, unlike several of his co-workers.
A few pulled him aside and questioned how we did what we do and whether he'd share with them our secrets. He told them a few things, to which they immediately said that they couldn't do "that", they didn't "want to do the next, and it was "too much trouble" to do another. He told them that it was up to them to choose what to do and how much to do, but you couldn't have it all, and they'd have to choose their priorities.
Unfortunately, even though they couldn't pay their bills, they were unwilling to make the sacrifices to get their family through. For one, it was more important for both to drive new vehicles and later to have them repossessed than to drive a used vehicle.
They chose to have their children go hungry rather than plant a small garden in their yard. They couldn't live without their cell phones and direct TV. They made such stupid choices.
But what really upset me, is how they talked about us; how my husband didn't deserve a job because we had a savings account, how selfish we were for not giving them money, and how we didn't deserve anything (that we worked so hard and sacrificed for). I sometimes don't understand how some have no clue about what they are doing or their feeling of entitlement.
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