First off, I LOVE this site! When I told my son what I'm doing, he said I should write a book! :o) A year ago, I moved from an apartment to a house with a gas furnace and water heater. I got real frugal! (I live alone.)I take two showers a week, shutting water off while I soap/shampoo/condition, not purposely rinsing until all finished. I do NOT just let water run, even while washing dishes.
First I run about 1/2 a gallon of water into a gallon jar until it gets hot, then run just enough hot water into a pan with a little detergent, and rinse them with cold water. When I have very few dishes, I heat a small pan (used for warming up supper) while I eat; by the time I'm done, water is hot (stove is electric). I squirt in a little detergent, use a dish mop to wash the few dishes and rinse with cold water. With the gallon of water I run (as above), I pour it into the water distiller and distill it, or in the wintertime, I pour it into the humidifier. I could also pour it into the washer, now that I have one.
I look forward to getting my bills to see how I'm doing! I took an energy efficiency test and they said that I am using less than other houses in my area! DUH! :o) With my utility bill, I must not be using the minimum because every other month it says I don't even use any! And what I'm charged must be the minimum. The alternate months it's only a couple dollars more.
I have no a/c, I use a fan. I do have lots of shade around my house. Years ago, we used to have a leaky bathroom faucet that just wasn't getting fixed so I propped a quart jar under it and caught the drips. Then when it was full, I poured it into the pan of water on top of the space heater to go into the air! :o) I also stack as many cans as I can inside of each other to take up less space in the recycling bin. That's fun! I just plain have fun doing what I can with what I have!
Oh yeah, I almost forgot! Last fall and winter, I kept the furnace at 58 degrees! I turned it up a little before I took a shower, but I'm done before it even shuts off, and I've got to go shut it down because it's getting too warm; and it's only maybe 62 degrees! I am so used to 58! I also wear two layers. I have an electric oil-filled heater under one end of my bird cage.
My landlord had lowered the rent $100 a month so I could afford to live here, and he just loves how I am so frugal!
I shop at Dollar General for what I can get there, Fareway for what I can get there, HyVee for what I can't get the other two places, and at the Treasure Chest (resale shop) for treasures as I find them! The last Friday of the month is even 50% off! Can't miss that! ;o I get so many really nice books and games for myself and my grandkids there!
I've let my hair grow so no cuts, no perms, etc. Now I can tie it up, back, or put it up! ;o)
I was given an automatic washer and dryer, so I wash one load of clothes, sometimes two, a week and hang them out on the line. When it gets too cold, I read on here that you can tumble them for 10 minutes and then hang them up, which I will do as I did last winter, hang them on hangers on the shower rod, or on the clothes rack. The dryer will make them softer, I bet, and only 10 minutes in the dryer!
I have to have an earth phone for the internet so that bill is $16.19 a month and I use a phone card from the gas station, 204 minutes for $10.70, a little over 5 cents a minute. I'm going to check out some other tips I just got off of here to see if I can save some more! Even with what I have now, I just don't even think about it when I call my kids. But we do mostly email.
As for gas, I fill'er up when my check comes, then try to KEEP'er full! I hardly ever will go to do just one thing. Mondays are my most-on-the-road days. I accomplish 4 weekly tasks.
Oh, and another thing! I cut WAY down on postage stamps! I pay most bills by automatic debit, or online! Saves a lot!
I hardly ever wrap gifts! And I send e-cards to most except immediate family whom I buy special cards for. :o)
I'll probably think of more right after I send this off, but it's been fun! I love getting other ideas on here!
I'm cooking very simply for myself what Fifi, my dog, can also eat so I don't have to eat the same leftovers so long, and I don't have to buy dogfood that she won't eat anyhow! I've gotten some recipes for her treats that I'm having fun trying out on her, and my cat! :o) We have a lot of fun around here! They have lots of fun playing hide 'n seek, and Fifi chases Kitty around the figure 8 they can run in this house and get their exercise.
God bless all you frugal people out there! Mwah!
Ginny from Charles City
Do you have a frugal story to share with the ThriftyFun community? Submit your essay here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_myfrugallife.ldml
Add your voice! Click below to comment. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
You are not only saving your money but in many of the things you are doing you are saving the environment! Keep up the good work!
I am very impressed with how frugal you are and how you have fun with it. While I am not as frugal as you are I feel that now that I have started to live a more frugal life I live a better life and have my priorities in check. Thanks for the inspiration.
Congratulations! You are doing a great job and you will be blessed for your efforts.
One tip for you: Check your local churches for food ministry programs. We have a local church that sells food for $28.00. It is comprised of meat, canned goods, flour, sugar, muffin and waffle mixes, potatoes, and onions. These items are obtained from local restaurants that purchase too much and donate them to the food ministries in the area for people like you that live frugally or are on fixed incomes to be able to purchase good quality food items for less money.
Hello Ginny,
Terrific! You've mastered the art. I am stationed in Turkey and go out on trash days to find treasures. You would be amazed at what folks throw out. I found two huge bags of beautiful baby clothes that I donated to the migrant workers here who live in tents and have nothing. I collect scraps and bones from local restaurants and pressure cook them for the stray animals. I also love this site. People are so kind. Peace, Sharon
What a wonderful thing you are doing Sharon I am sure it is appreciated by all
Love your ideas! I am a 59 year old widow of 5 years and also have an extremely frugal lifestyle! I do most of the same things as you, but do my laundry at the laundromat so I can use the dryer there too. I love the way it fluffs my laundry! Good luck to you and let us know when you publish your book!!!
I'd like to help with your phone bill. i have a Magic Jack that I bought several years ago. It hooks up to your internet just as the one you have now. I paid $50 for it. That comes with your first year of phone access. After that, it's $35 a year. You can get unlimited calls. I have family in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. I call them all for free and talk as long as I want. I realize there is that initial lay out of fifty dollars, but you'll get it back pretty quickly.
Another thing you can do is make your own laundry detergent. Very little cost and washes as well as anything you can buy. If you don't know how, e-mail me and I'll tell you. Just click on my name an click on send message at the far right.
I use a lot of things you do - been on limited income for some years now. Darned if I'm going to let my hair grow though (my only luxury expense), i look like hell with long straight hair!
I know this is an old post, but the idea of only taking two showers a week? Ick.
I grew up in a house with no indoor plumbing, other than cold water in the kitchen sink. We took baths once a week. If I can't afford to take daily showers, I'll try to find a job to pay for them.
Add your voice! Click below to comment. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
