the frugal lifestyle plan
TRANSCRIPT
1
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
Copyright
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form, by any means, (electronic, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise) without the prior written permission of the author. No liability is
assumed with respect to the use of the information contained within. Although
every precaution has been taken, the author assumes no liability for errors or
omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of
the information contained herein.
2
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
Table of Contents
Copyright ................................................................................................................ 1
Table of Contents ................................................................................................... 2
Introduction ............................................................................................................ 3
Chapter One: Planning - Where Are We? ............................................................ 7
Chapter Two: Feeding the Family-Meal Planning ............................................ 12
Chapter Three: Coupons Are King ...................................................................... 19
Chapter Four: Around the House ....................................................................... 24
Chapter Five: Frugal Fun ...................................................................................... 37
Chapter Six: Saving Energy-Your Utilities ......................................................... 47
Chapter Seven: Getting From Here To There .................................................... 53
Chapter Eight: Shopping Strategies- The Frugal Lifestyle Looking Good ..... 59
Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 66
3
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
Introduction
In January 2009, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported unemployment at 11.1
million amid one of the worst recessions we have ever experienced. Even more
worrisome was that hundreds of thousands of workers who were looking for
work had to settle for part time or reduced hourly work. In that same year, my
wife and I found ourselves as one of those faceless government statistics - both
unemployed and watching our savings shrink monthly. Our common sense told
us that we could not continue spending as when we were a two paycheck family.
We took action by cancelling our planned vacation and deciding not to eat out as
often at our favorite restaurants. That was a good and necessary start but the
question soon came up - What do we do now?
After many months of job interviews falling through and no response to our
resumes, we realized that our focus on bringing more money in each month was
not working. We had to reverse course and concentrate on how to get more for
the money we had. Put simply, we has to stop the money leaks and learn how to
stretch our dollar. Through our research, numerous books and articles and our
own trial and error experiences, the Frugal Lifestyle Plan evolved.
The main objective of the Frugal Lifestyle Plan is to help you have a mindset
adjustment in managing your money to save money. Through the Plan‟s eight
building blocks, you will be able to start immediately with the tools, techniques
and tips that can produce hundreds of dollars in savings for you each month.
This means thousands of dollars over a period of a year or more.
I can hear your moans now about the frugal lifestyle being boring, not any fun,
4
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
and viewed as cheap. Let me address this by dispelling the four myths about
frugality:
Myth # 1: Frugality Means Cheap.
Reality: Cheap means paying the lowest price for a product or service no matter
what. Frugal living is about getting a good value for a product or service. Frugal
people are some of the most educated consumers there are. They know the best
allocation of their money for the best value.
Myth # 2: Frugal People Do Not Have Fun.
Reality: Because frugal people develop an increased flexibility and creativity,
they find different approaches to doing what they consider fun. They are
challenged and have fun cutting costs without substantially altering their lifestyle.
The savings they realize from their cost cutting efforts can then be applied to
doing or buying the things they really enjoy. For example, you can still go
shopping but with a plan that will get you what you really need and what
represents a great value. You can still have the fun of shopping but not shopping
for entertainment purposes. I am finding that stretching a dollar until it screams
can be a lot of fun.
Myth # 3: You Can’t Eat Healthily While Saving Money.
Reality: This is quite frankly not true. When we first looked into starting a frugal
lifestyle, we thought we would have to eat like our poor, student college days-
spaghetti and noodles every day. The truth is you can serve your family fresh
vegetables, chicken, pork and a wide variety of healthy foods. You can do this by
meal planning, super market sales and the use of coupons. By buying in bulk and
using your freezer efficiently, you can enjoy all types of healthy foods because
5
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
you have been able to purchase them at big savings, store them and use them
when you need them.
Myth # 4 It’s Too Much Effort To Be Frugal.
Reality: There is some time and effort required to start and maintain a frugal,
money saving lifestyle; however, I believe most of the work is in the start up
phase. This is where you have to obtain the knowledge, tools and techniques
that will show you how to systematically develop the money saving lifestyle we all
want and need. Once you have a plan and the blueprint for building the plan,
then saving money and stretching that dollar will become easier and easier.
Who Will Benefit Most from the Frugal Lifestyle Plan?
Those who have lost their jobs and there is no money coming in.
Two income families where one wage earner has lost his/her job and only
one paycheck is supporting the family.
Those whose jobs have been cut back to part time.
Mothers who want to stay home and raise their children on a full time
basis.
Those who want to save money to meet certain objectives such as credit
card debt reduction, a special vacation, etc.
Retired persons or those about to retire who are now trying or will have to
try living off social security.
Finally, all those who simply want to make ends meet.
I would urge you not to expect to accomplish everything overnight. You do not
want to get that overwhelmed feeling and lose your motivation. Read the Frugal
Lifestyle Plan through in its entirety and then go back to the beginning and start
6
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
working on the first steps. Take small steps that will lead to small successes.
These successes will give you the motivation you need to stretch your dollar.
Each of our financial situations are different. Some of you will need to use only
parts of the Plan, while others will need to develop a full frugal lifestyle for
survival. The Frugal Lifestyle Plan will provide you not only a starting point but
will assist you in building a foundation for managing your money rather than
your expenses managing you. You can do it. Take the first step.
7
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
Chapter One:
Planning - Where Are We?
Just as a detailed blueprint is needed to build a house, the same can be said for
building a frugal lifestyle. The Frugal Lifestyle Plan is your blueprint. If we
continue with the analogy of building a house, one of the first things the
blueprint will specify is a strong, well constructed foundation. With our frugal
lifestyle blueprint, our first building block is a budget. I know for most of you this
is second behind doing your federal taxes each year. However, you must know
what your money is being spent on so that you will have a starting point to
identify areas of opportunity for expense reduction or even complete expense
elimination. This step will also give you a great opportunity to see products,
services and activities that cost more than what they are worth in terms of value.
To make this as easy for you as I can, visit our web site, www.frugal-living-
way.com, where you can download sample budget sheets that you can print out.
If you are one who really wants to go in depth and use interactive budgets, you
can find numerous websites such as www.mvelopes.com.
I would like to emphasize again that this first step is vital in helping you get back
in the driver‟s seat for controlling your money. Creating a workable budget takes
a little time and effort but, in the long run, this will become a comfortable habit
that will benefit you the rest of your life.
To get started, you will need to get together the last three or four month‟s
receipts and records of everything you have spent money on. These will include
your grocery receipts, credit card bill summary, bank statements, mortgage/rental
statements, all utility bills, cable and other entertainment expenses and any
8
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
receipts you might have for small, everyday cash purchases.
Group all of your monthly expenses by the following categories:
Home- rent/mortgage,
Home Miscellaneous- Property taxes, cleaning supplies, other non food
items
Utilities- Electricity, water/sewer, telephone( cell and land line), gas/oil
Insurance- Life, health, auto, renters, ( if your homeowners insurance is
included with your mortgage payment, don‟t include it here. Record
it under mortgage payment)
Food- Groceries, take-out, meals ordered in
Debt Obligations- Car loans, student loans, other loans, alimony and child
support.
Health(not covered by insurance)- Glasses, dental, cosmetic, hearing aids,
gym memberships
Transportation- Gas/oil, auto repairs, tolls, subway, taxi, commuter train
Entertainment- Hobbies, movies, video rental, on-demand movies, cable,
vacations, magazine subscriptions, books
Clothing- Everyday clothing, work uniforms
Child care- Monthly day care, school supplies
Miscellaneous- Personal care( health and beauty aids), haircuts, gifts, pet
expense
Other expense- Expenses that you are not sure where they go, i.e.
computer expense
Using the budget worksheets found on our web site, www.frugal-living-way.com,
enter all of the expenses that you have collected in the proper category. If you
9
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
have not been saving your everyday cash receipts, you will want to take several
months to collect these. Get in the habit of saving these receipts and putting
them in an envelope. We use an accordion file in which each pocket is labeled
with a month of the year. This is also good when you have to return an item for a
refund. You will know exactly where the receipt is located. If you find yourself in
the position of having to take the time to collect your monthly cash receipts and
other expenditures, don‟t worry, you can use this time to start entering the other
budget items on the worksheet.
At this point, you will have all or most of your monthly expenses recorded on the
budget sheet. Start examining each expense in detail to see which ones can be or
have to be reduced or eliminated. These new expense numbers will form the
basis of your new budget. As you review each expense item, remember frugal
living requires a mindset adjustment in the way you look at and manage your
money. During the review of what you are now spending money on, begin to
think in terms of needs versus wants (do you really need five pair of designer
jeans?) You will want to look at alternatives available for purchasing the same
products or services. To help you in your new way of thinking about how to cut
your expenses and tighten your money belt, start with these suggestions:
Change Your Way of Thinking About Spending
For most people, one of the biggest reasons for spending more than you can
afford is the easy access to credit, mainly through credit cards. The overuse of
credit cards is closely associated with “impulse buying” and fosters an attitude of
buy now-pay later. It is time to begin changing our thinking to-Save money in
order to spend money. This means that we can use a frugal lifestyle as a means
of reaching clearly defined goals through the best management of our money.
10
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
We need to make it a subconscious habit to save money everyday, even if it is
only a few dollars. Our concentration should be on accumulating (saving) money
instead of accumulating material possessions. Buy only what represents a good
value and what you really need.
Skip the Name Brands
Just as you are doing now with your prescription drug costs, buy generic brand
products as much as possible. Almost all grocery and drug stores have their own
brands for many products.
Change Shopping Destinations
Try shopping at thrift, outlet and consignment stores. The key here is to know
what an item would cost for its full retail price at the more traditional retail stores.
For bulk buying, shop at the warehouse clubs such as Costco, BJ‟s and Sam‟s
Club. Shop online especially for excellent bargains found on web sites such as
Ebay and Craig‟s List. The big advantage to online shopping is it can save you
time. The time saved can be used in planning your frugal lifestyle.
Reduce and Reuse
Think of ways that you can do with less consumption around the house. This can
range from conserving energy by turning down your thermostat to walking more
and reducing your car gas usage. You can save a lot of money by reusing things
around the house.
Pay With Cash
Many merchants and providers of services will offer a discount if you pay in cash.
More importantly, having cash with you will make you more aware of how you
11
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
are spending your money. Using credit cards makes buying things too easy.
Credit cards increase impulse buying and fosters carelessness in spending.
12
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
Chapter Two:
Feeding the Family-Meal Planning
The U.S. Department of Labor in 2008 estimated that the average cost of food for
a family of four was $ 851 per year. This amounts $ 709 per month. The monthly
figure will have to be adjusted up or down depending on your family size and
whether you eat out often, cook at home most of the time or use take-out or
delivered-in services. If the above monthly average food cost is adjusted by the
increase in food prices over the past several years, this monthly amount will be
more in the range of $ 800-850 per month for a family of four.
When we were faced with how to dramatically and immediately cut our monthly
expenses, we thought our options were limited. We felt the planning components
of making a budget, planning our meals for each day of the week, using coupons,
buying in bulk and so on would not stretch our limited dollars enough to result in
a significant amount of savings. We were very wrong. We were wrong because we
had no idea how much money we were spending, especially for food. We had
never used a budget because when the money was coming in, we could easily
pay all of our bills. We did not know how to get started with an effective planning
process. Our new circumstances changed our attitude toward cutting cost and
saving money. We learned how to make a basic budget and keep track of all of
our expenses as discussed in Chapter One. This chapter will provide the second
building block for developing your plan by providing the guidelines that you will
need to consider in planning your meals and shopping for the ingredients for
those meals.
Our planning process will focus on the dinner meal; however, this program is just
13
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
as applicable to breakfast or lunch. The process is the same and the objective is
to always save you time and money. The more time spent planning, the less time
spent in the store. By planning your meals, you‟re less likely to do impulse
purchasing. All manufacturers use heavy psychology to attract you when you are
in the grocery store. This ranges from one of a kind specials to eye level
placement of their products. Planning will shield you from the temptation to eat
out or go get take-out because you did not know what to fix for dinner.
Let’s Get Started
A. The first step in meeting your cook at home meal planning is to write
down or collect at least 15 to 30 of your family‟s favorite recipes. The more
recipes you can come up with the better for adding variety to your meals.
You will most likely have these on index cards, old magazine pages or
those printed out from the internet. The ingredients for these recipes will
form your basic grocery list that will coincide with the meals you will be
preparing. You can have fun with this by compiling all of these recipes into
a nice binder or album and calling it the (your name) Family Cookbook.
B. Do a survey of all items that you have on hand in your pantry, freezer and
kitchen cabinets. This not only prevents duplication on your shopping list
but will help you identify products that are too old to use or are now past
their expiration date.
C. Make a list of meals that you will be preparing for the entire week. You will
enjoy much greater flexibility by not designating a particular meal for a
particular day. Your work and social schedules may cause you or the entire
14
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
family to get home late which will require you to choose one of your
quicker meals from your week‟s plan.
D. Check the Sunday and midweek newspaper or other circulars for grocery
store sales, specials and coupons (we will be discussing the use of coupons
in more detail in Chapter 3.) Your purpose here is to find what stores have
the lowest discount prices for items that match what you need for one of
your weekly meals. If at all possible, plan your meals or as many as you
practically can around the store sales ads. You can now prepare your
shopping list.
E. If your budget and storage space allows, buy as many of the sales items as
you can and particularly look for loss leaders which are items that stores
offer at very low prices to entice you to come in the store. This strategy is
referred to as stockpiling and will be one of your most important tools in
saving on your monthly food costs. Moreover, you will be buying these
items at great sale prices so that when you need them again, you will not
be paying full price. It will take a few months for you to build up a
meaningful stockpile of the ingredients and foods that are your family‟s
favorites. There is no need to go overboard with your stockpiling. Buy
what you can afford and try to do it over a six week period. Grocery items
appear to have a sales cycle rotation of six weeks. The stockpiling strategy
was the one thing that saved us the most money. We were able to cut our
grocery budget by about 25%.
Additional Thoughts on Meal Planning…
15
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
The main purpose of meal planning is to keep you organized, save time, save
money, provide nutritious meals for the family and most importantly, make each
meal go as far as possible. With these thoughts in mind, you might want to try
one or all of the following:
Bulk Cooking
The basic concept here is to double or even triple what you are cooking and what
freezes well. If, for example, you are making lasagna, use an extra baking pan to
prepare a second lasagna recipe that will go into the freezer. This, of course, will
take some extra time but what a time and stress saver you now have for those
days you get home late and everybody is asking-What’s for dinner. I think you
can understand now how buying in bulk that was previously discussed ties in to
this part of the Frugal Lifestyle Plan.
In order to keep the freezer full, you will need to dedicate a certain amount of
time each week to do your double/triple main meal preparations. As you replace
the meals you have taken out, rotate your replacement meals among different
food groups such as meat, fish, poultry, casseroles, etc. in order to provide
variety.
Left Over Cooking
This is a great way to add even more organization to your time saving meal
planning. The bulk cooking just discussed was meant for the freezer. Left over
cooking is preparing a bigger than needed meal so that what is left over is used
the next day or two in a different recipe or as the same meal but with a different
side dish. Our favorite is home made chicken soup that gives us several hot meals
out of the one preparation.
16
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
Multi Meal Day
Using this technique will require the better part of a day (usually over the week
end) to cook multiple recipes for next week‟s main courses. This approach to
meal planning allows you to maximize your kitchen and appliances. For example,
you could use your oven to roast two chickens or cook several casseroles. While
these are cooking, you can have a roast or tri-tip in the crock pot or pressure
cooker and on the stove you could be cooking chopped vegetables, rice or other
side dish favorites. After each item has finished cooking, divide into family
portion sizes and put these in your freezer.
Using the Freezer
When freezing foods, try and use plastic baggies rather than the bulkier plastic
containers. This will allow you to store much more in your freezer, especially if the
only freezer you have is in your refrigerator. Use a magic marker and label each
item your are freezing as to what it is and put the date on the package. I would
also keep a list of what you have in the freezer so that you can delete the meals
as they are used and add your new ones as they are made. To further add to your
ability to store your prepared main courses, items purchased in bulk and store
specials, you may want to look into purchasing a chest freezer. Chest freezers are
ideal for the extra freezer storage you need. They are compact and can fit easily
in a small storage area. The most practical sizes for our purposes are:
1. 5 cubic feet- This size will hold a few meat packages and leftovers. The
prices usually are less than $ 150.
2. 7.2 cubic feet- This freezer will hold a little more such as a week‟s worth
of prepared main courses as well as bulk item purchases. This is
good for singles and couples and small families. The prices start at
under $ 200.
17
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
3. 8.8 cubic feet- This size is good for a larger family and will allow storage
for bulk purchases as well as a combination of leftovers and pre-
prepared meals.
These will start at just under $300.
There is a lot of confusion about the subject of freezing foods. The questions
seem to revolve around what foods can you freeze and for how long. Use these
general guidelines:
A. Almost any food can be frozen. Some exceptions are canned foods and
eggs in shells.
B. Some foods do not freeze well such as mayonnaise, crème sauces and
lettuce.
C. It is always good to rewrap meat and poultry to prevent freezer burn.
D. Thaw frozen foods in the following preferred order of importance:
(1) Place overnight in the refrigerator.
(2) Place in a water tight container and soak in cold water.
(3) Microwave defrosting.
E. Freeze leftovers within 3-4 days.
F. While frozen foods may remain safe indefinitely, for quality purposes it is
suggested to go by the following:
ITEM MONTHS
Bacon and sausage 1 to 2
Casseroles 2 to 3
Frozen dinners and entrees 3 to 4
Gravy, meat and poultry 2 to 3
18
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
Ham, hotdogs, lunch meats 1 to 2
Meat, uncooked roasts 4 to 12
Meat, uncooked steaks and chops 4 to 12
Meat, uncooked ground 3 to 4
Poultry, uncooked whole 12
Poultry, uncooked parts 9
Poultry, uncooked giblets 3 to 4
Poultry, cooked 4
Soups and stews 2 to 3
Wild game, uncooked 8 to 12
Source ( USDA-6/03/2010)
19
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
Chapter Three:
Coupons Are King
There is an old saying in the Wall Street investment world “ cash is king.” It simply
means that when the market is down, many stocks are offered at discounted
prices if you have the cash to take advantage of the bargains. Coupons can be
considered cash, especially if used to their maximum effectiveness. In reality if
you save $ 50 on one store visit using your coupons, this is the same as making $
50. Entire books and thousands of web sites are devoted to couponing. The
purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview that will get you started on
using coupons in a way that can slash your food costs dramatically. Nothing
stretches your dollar better than the use of these advertised gems to save money
not only on groceries but everyday household and personal care products. When
you are able to do bulk purchases in the above three areas, your real money
savings begins. The best way to add to your stockpile is through the use of
coupons and store sales. An effective coupon strategy is our third building block
in assembling our frugal house.
Where To Get Coupons
1. Newspapers- One of the best sources for coupons is the Sunday paper. If
you live in an area that has several major newspapers, buy the one that has
the largest circulation as this will generally attract the most advertisers. If
you have friends and neighbors that get a Sunday newspaper, ask them
for the coupon section. I have found that most people just throw this
section away. For additional coupons, you can purchase several Sunday
newspapers but evaluate the cost against what your potential savings are
20
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
going to be. In my area, many sales specials and coupons also come out in
the Wednesday edition of our local paper.
2. Internet- Printable coupons are rapidly becoming the frugal family‟s best
friend. Many times these coupons will offer a higher value than those
found in the newspapers or in more traditional sources. To find coupons
for your favorite products or those on your stockpile or bulk buying list, try
using these sources:
Manufacturer‟s Website- By going directly to the manufacturer‟s
website, you will find a great source of coupons. It may require a
little searching around on their website to find them but they are
there.
Coupon Websites- There are numerous websites that are available
whose sole function is to offer a wide range of printable coupons
for a variety of products. There is usually a limit on the number you
can print. It is also good to keep in mind that you are not allowed
to photocopy coupons. Your local grocery store or drug store will
not accept these if photocopied. Two of the most popular coupon
websites are: www.coupon.com and www.couponmom.com.
Google or Yahoo Search Engines- If you are looking for a particular
product such as Windex Spray Cleaner, just enter “Windex Printable
Coupon” or “Windex+Printable Coupon”.
Coupon Clipping Services- This type of service is not my favorite
due to some costs involved. However, when you need a quantity of
21
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
coupons for one of your stockpile items or the coupon coincides
with a special store sale or double coupon promotion, these sites
can offer you some additional saving opportunities. These services
offer thousands of coupons but they will charge a handling or
administrative fee and the coupons have to be mailed to your home
address. This is the industry‟s way of fighting back against
fraudulent coupons. As an example, one of my favorite stockpile
items is Kraft Sliced Cheese. A recent coupon offered by Coupon
Masters showed the offering of buy 2 packages of Kraft Cheese for
$ 1.00. There was a limit of 15 coupons per order. The handling fee
was 12¢ per coupon. If I were to order 8 coupons, the cost would
be 96¢. If I wait until there is a sale on the Kraft Cheese product, I
can combine the coupons with the sale and offset my 96¢ cost. This
is also cheaper than buying eight Sunday papers. As you
accumulate your coupons, keep in mind that the best strategy for
maximum savings is to stack them against existing sales, store
specials and double coupon days.
Organizing Your Coupons
It will take you several weeks to build up a good coupon base. You can start by
clipping coupons from the Sunday paper, printing out coupons or by using a
coupon clipping service. A simple way to file these is to use an accordion type file
products. Some of and label each section as poultry,fish,meat,vegetables, dairy,
etc. Don‟t forget to add a section for personal care and household products.
Mark each coupon filed with a magic marker that will show the expiration date;
however, do not cover any of the bar codes. Next you will need a large three
22
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
ringed binder. We use a 4”, 3- ring zippered binder. Inside the coupons are
inserted into vinyl 9 pocket pages. These are most commonly used to hold
baseball cards but work well for our coupons. We devote one to two pages per
major categories of food and household our main categories are:
Beverages
Canned Foods
Breakfast Foods
Dairy
Meats and Deli
Pasta
Household Products
Personal Care
The purpose of this binder is to easily carry and display the coupons that you will
be using on your day‟s shopping trip. This type of binder makes it easy to see
your coupons and also pull them out quickly at the checkout counter.
Some Further Thoughts…
It is a good idea to get to know your store manager and assistant manager. By
having a conversation with them, you most likely will realize more savings and
certainly will save a great deal of time. The questions that I would ask the
manager are:
1. Does the store have a loyalty program? Many stores allow you to sign up
for a store card, generally free, which will allow you to get early
notification of special sales and promotions. Also certain stores will only
23
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
give double or triple coupons to loyalty club members.
2. Does the store offer double or triple coupon promotions?
3. Does the store accept printed coupons from the internet?
4. Does the store accept competitor coupons or will they do price matching?
5. Does the store do daily markdowns on such products as meat?
If you have gotten to this point in the Frugal Lifestyle Plan, congratulations.
However, try to be patient and start slowly. Don‟t overload your pantry or freezer
so fast that it breaks your budget. Do the best that you can with what you have.
Keep in mind that you want to be buying for your stockpile with products and
ingredients that go to make up your family‟s favorite recipes. Focus on building
your stockpile.
24
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
Chapter Four:
Around the House
In the previous chapters we developed some significant building blocks for
building our frugal lifestyle. These were defined as (1) determining and
documenting what our money was being spent on, developing a beginning
budget, and deciding where in our monthly budget we could cut back or
completely eliminate certain expenses and activities, (2) we focused on our food
expenses and learned certain meal planning tools and techniques for saving
money and time on this significant expense area, and (3) we learned how to
develop an effective plan for using and saving with coupons.
Our next building block in the Frugal Lifestyle Plan is to look at those expenses
associated with cleaning and maintaining our home and how we can save money
in this area. The starting point is to focus on how we can make and use
homemade cleaning products. As you go back and look at where your money is
going, add up the amount spent on commercial cleaners, deodorizers, fabric
softeners ,drain cleaners, paper towels, etc. These products are not only
expensive but most are not particularly healthy for you, your family and the
environment. After researching various alternatives and substitutes for
commercial cleaning products, I was gratified to see how easy it was to make
homemade cleaners and how much savings could be realized. I now had another
tool with which to grip my dollar and stretch it even further. The majority of the
items most commonly used in making up homemade cleaners are probably
already familiar to you and can be found right in your kitchen. If you need to
purchase some of these, they are usually found in the household cleaning section
of grocery and drug stores.
25
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
Basic Products for Non-toxic Cleaning Recipes
A. White vinegar
B. Washing soda (also known as soda ash or sodium carbonate)
C. Borax
D. Baking soda
Basic Homemade Recipes
Window Cleaner
Mix together 2 tsp vinegar and 1 quart of warm water.
(Note: The cost of 1 qt of Windex is $ 2.97. The cost of 1 gal of vinegar is $2.28.)
General Household Cleaner
Mix together ¼ cup baking soda, ½ cup borax, ½ cup vinegar, 1gal water
Disinfectant
Mix together ¼ cup borax, ½ gal hot water
Drain Cleaner
Pour ¼ cup baking soda down the drain . Next pour ½ cup vinegar down the
drain. Wait 15-20 minutes and finish by pouring 2 qts of boiling water down the
drain.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Pour ¼ cup of baking soda into the bowl, spritz with vinegar which you have
added to a spare spray bottle. Let this combination work for about ½ hour. If
stains are still present, add some borax and scrub.
26
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
Bath Tub and Sinks
Mix together ½ cup of baking soda and 3 tsp of liquid soap.
Carpet Stains
Mix 2 cups of vinegar and 2 cups of water in a spray bottle. Spray directly on the
stain and let it remain for 5 minutes. Using warm, soapy water, scrub with a soft
brush until the stain comes out. It is best to test in a hidden area for
colorfastness.
Floor Cleaner
Mix together ½ cup of white vinegar and 1 gal of warm water.
Laundry Soap
Add 1/3 cup of washing soda ( also known as soda ash or sodium carbonate) to
water as machine is filling. Place clothes in washer and add up to ½ cup of soap
flakes. For heavily soiled laundry, add up to ½ cup of borax
Fabric Softener
During the final rinse cycle, add 1 cup of vinegar or ¼ cup of baking soda.
Oven Cleaner
Make a paste by mixing together ¾ cup of baking soda, ¼ cup of salt and ¼ cup
of water. Spread the paste over the oven interior and let sit overnight. The next
day, wipe clean with mesh sponge or fine steel wool.
The Really Tough Problems…
27
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
Wine Stains - Sprinkle 1-2 tsps of salt or pour hot water on the stain and soak in
milk prior to washing.
Blood Stains - The best choice is to remove the stain with hydrogen peroxide but
a word of caution, hydrogen peroxide is a bleach so be careful with any cloth
items such as clothing or dinner napkins. You can also try soaking in cold water
for fresh blood stains.
Crayon Stains - Use a recycled toothbrush soaked in vinegar. If the stain is in
clothing, scrub and then wash.
Coffee Stains - Rub the stain with a combination of egg yolk and luke warm
water.
Rust Stains - Remove rust stains from clothing by moistening the stain with
vinegar or lemon juice. Rub in a little salt and dry in direct sunlight.
I believe vinegar and baking soda are as close to miracle products as possible for
helping us clean our homes the natural way without toxic side effects and
unnecessary expense. After all, you pay for the packaging, advertising, and the
water and a little bit of chemical that is in most commercial cleaning products.
Because these two products have so many multi-purpose uses I would like to
include here 20 additional and popular uses for vinegar and baking soda.
28
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
20 Additional Uses for Vinegar
1. Clean the Microwave.
Mix ½ cup of vinegar and ½ cup of water in a glass bowl. Bring to a brief boil
and then wipe the inside clean.
2. Deodorize and Clean the Garbage Disposal.
Using an ice cube tray, freeze full strength vinegar into cubes. Put several cubes
down the disposal while running the faucet‟s cold water.
3. Remove Odors From the Dishwasher.
Pour 1 cup of vinegar into the soap holder and run through a complete cycle
without dishes. This will also help remove soap build up. If your water is hard, do
this monthly.
4.Clean Cutting Boards.
Pour full strength vinegar on the cutting board or wooden butcher block and
wipe clean.
5. Clean Plastic Food Containers.
For those plastic food containers or lunch boxes that have developed an odor,
place a slice of bread which has been soaked in vinegar and leave overnight. If
you are short on time, simply wipe them with a cloth dampened with vinegar.
6. Clean your Grout.
In order to whiten the grout for your tile floors and bathroom showers, wet a
recycled tooth brush with full strength vinegar and apply to the grout. Let this
29
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
stand for a few minutes and rescrub.
7. Freshen the Bathroom.
To freshen the air in the bathroom, mix together 1 tsp of baking soda, 1 tbls of
vinegar, and 1 cup of water in a spray bottle and spray around the room.
8. Remove Mildew From Shower Curtains.
Place the shower curtain in a bathtub with cool water. Add 2 cups of vinegar and
let stand for one hour. After this, use a stiff brush and scrub all areas where there
is mildew showing. Drain the tub and rinse the curtain in cool water.
9. Clean the Washing Machine.
Pour in 2 1/2 cups of vinegar and run the washing machine on a full cycle while
empty.
10. Clean the Grill.
Using a spray bottle, spray full strength vinegar over a cold grill and let stand for
5 minutes. Scrub clean with a firm brush.
11. Clean the Iron.
In the event that spray starch or other material has built up on the soleplate of
your iron, clean it by making a paste made up of equal parts vinegar and salt. Mix
these in a small glass bowl and apply the paste to the bottom of your iron. Use a
cloth dipped in water to wipe off the paste. The iron should be cool when
cleaning.
12. Ring Around the Collar.
30
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
To remove perspiration odor and stains on clothing, spray a full strength solution
of vinegar on the soiled areas before putting them in the washing machine.
13. Remove Water Rings on Wooden Furniture.
To remove white rings on wooden furniture left by water, add together equal
parts vinegar and vegetable or olive oil. Apply the mixture with a soft, clean cloth
and rub with the grain.
14. Aluminum Care.
The minerals found from cooking acidic foods will often leave a dark stain on
your aluminum cookware and utensils. To remove these, mix 1 tbls of vinegar per
cup of water needed to cover the stain areas. Boil the mixture for three to four
minutes, then rinse with cool water.
15. Clean Hardened Paint Brushes.
Pour full strength vinegar into a pot and let the paint brush soak for about an
hour. Bring the pot mixture to a simmer until the paint starts to soften. Wipe the
remaining off with a cloth.
16. Clean Cloudy glasses and bottles.
If your drinking glasses and other glass containers have become cloudy due to
hard water or soap build up, mix up equal parts full strength vinegar and water
and combine in a pot. Heat the mixture and soak the glassware in it for 30-40
minutes.
17. Clean off Grease.
Vinegar is one of the best grease cutters for cleaning up grease splatters
31
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
after cooking.
For grease splattered counter tops, use a sponge soaked in vinegar to pick
up the grease and rinse with a different sponge soaked in water.
For grease splattered oven door windows, spray full strength vinegar on
the window and let sit for 20 minutes with the oven door open. Wipe off
grease with a sponge.
For removing grease build up on your cook top grates, use a sponge
soaked in full strength vinegar.
18. Remove Fireplace Soot.
Fill a small pan with full strength vinegar. Soak a brush in the vinegar and scrub
off the soot. Clean up any wet residue with a towel.
19. Clean Outdoor Furniture.
Mildew can easily build up on your patio chairs, tables and wooden deck. For
fabric backed or plastic chairs, use a spray bottle filled with full strength vinegar
and spritz the mildew spots and wipe clean. For wooden furniture and decks, mix
together 1 cup of amonia, ½ cup of vinegar ¼ cup of baking soda and 1 gallon
of water.
20. Remove Old Wallpaper.
To easily remove wallpaper, scrape off as much as you can with a wall scraper,
then mix together equal parts vinegar and water and spray over the wallpaper
until it is thoroughly wet. Remove the remaining wallpaper with your scraper.
32
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
20 Additional Uses for Baking Soda
1. Clean and Refresh Your Refrigerator.
To clean the inside of your refrigerator, sprinkle some baking soda on a sponge
and wipe up any spills from the sides and all compartments. Rinse with another
damp sponge. To keep your refrigerator ordor free all year, open a box of baking
soda remembering to stir or shake the box from time to time.
2. Clean Your Trash Can.
To reduce or eliminate odors and clean your kitchen garbage/trash can, sprinkle
baking soda on a damp sponge and wipe the container clean. Rinse with a
clean,damp sponge. Before replacing the plastic bag liner, sprinkle a little baking
soda on the bottom of the trash can.
3. Clean Dishwasher.
To have a clean and fresh smelling dishwasher, use baking soda instead of
dishwashing detergent and run a full cycle.
4. Clean Your Coffeemaker.
To greatly reduce the chance of having bitter or off tasting coffee, mix together
¼ cup of baking soda and 1 quart of water and run this solution through one
brewing cycle. Repeat the above step for one more brewing cycle and finish the
cleaning process by running plain water through one final brewing cycle.
Remember to leave in the plastic or metal coffee filter during the brewing cycles.
5. Clean Fruits and Vegetables.
To wash pesticides and chemicals off fruits and vegetables before cooking and
33
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
serving, soak them in a mixture of 4 tbls of baking soda and water.
6. Brighten Your Clothes in the Washer.
Add ½ half cup of baking soda to a full washing load to help brighten your
clothes and eliminate odors. If you are still using laundry detergent, substitute
baking soda for one half of the normal detergent measure to make your laundry
detergent go further.
7. Refresh Your Rugs and Carpets.
To deodorize your rugs and carpets, sprinkle them with a little baking soda and
let sit for 10-15 minutes and vacuum up.
8. Deodorize Mops.
After damp mops sit for awhile, they can develop some strong odors. To clean
and deodorize your mops, mix a gallon of water with 5 tbls of baking soda and
let it soak of a few hours. Wring out the mop and let it dry in direct sunlight.
9. Remove Cigarette Smell From Furniture.
To eliminate most of the smell of cigarettes from your upholstered furniture,
sprinkle baking soda on your chairs and sofas. Let it sit for two hours and then
vacuum up the residue. Because cigarette smoke is so pervasive, you may have to
repeat the above several times.
10. Remove Stains.
For safe stain removal on porcelain sinks and toilet bowls, apply baking soda to a
damp sponge and scrub the affected areas. The use of abrasive cleaning agents
can lead to the scratching of your sink.
34
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
11. Clean Children’s Toys.
Mix together ¼ cup of baking soda and one quart of water. Where appropriate,
soak the toys in the mixture or wipe the toys with a sponge dipped in the
mixture. Rinse with clear water.
12. Deodorize Smelly Shoes and Sneakers.
To keep those topsiders and tennis shoes smelling really fresh, sprinkle a healthy
dose of baking power into each shoe and let sit overnight. In the morning, shake
out the baking soda for a fresh start on the day.
13. Clean Gold and Silver Jewelry.
To clean your silver pieces, mix together into a paste, 3 parts baking soda and 1
part water. Apply with a damp cloth and rub until the tarnish disappears. Wipe
clean with a damp sponge and polish with a soft cloth. For gold jewelry, apply a
coating of baking soda, spray a little vinegar on the jewelry and rinse clean. I
would limit this suggestion to just gold and silver jewelry. Do not use this with
gemstones or pearls.
14.Baby Diapers.
To reduce baby diaper odor in the diaper pail, pretreat the diapers with baking
soda. This is very helpful for those in between wash times.
15. Clean Your Car’s Battery Terminals.
Over time, corrosion builds up on most battery terminals reducing battery
effectiveness. To remove any corrosion, mix together 3 tbls of baking soda and 1
tbls of warm water. Using a recycled toothbrush, scrub the terminals with the
mixture and wipe clean and dry.
35
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
16.Neutralize Acid Spills On Clothes.
In cases where acid spills have occurred from car batteries, drain cleaners, etc.,
rinse off the acid spill as soon as possible and sprinkle baking soda on the acid
spot. This will neutralize the acid and allow you to wash the item in your washing
machine.
17. Freshen Up the Litter Box.
Add baking soda to the bottom of the litter box before adding in the kitty litter.
You can ,also, mix the baking soda in with the litter as you are changing it.
18. Dog Odor.
To get rid of that doggy smell, sprinkle 7-8 tbls of baking soda over your dog‟s
fur and brush it out. This is a cheap, quick shampoo in between the water
shampoo. Along these same lines, you can sprinkle some baking soda in your
vacuum cleaner to reduce pet smells that can accumulate in the bag.
19. Perspiration Stains.
Mix together into a paste 4 tbls of baking soda and ¼ cup of warm water. Apply
this paste to the stain area and let dry for about an hour before washing. For
particularly tough stains such as collar stains, scrub the area with the paste and
add a small amount of vinegar to the soiled area before putting in the wash.
20. Refresh Camping Gear.
Prior to putting your camping gear away after a trip, sprinkle all of the gear with a
little baking soda.
As you get more into the frugal lifestyle and begin to use more and more of the
36
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
natural substitutes mentioned above, you will be buying a lot of baking soda and
vinegar. Baking soda in the small boxes or vinegar in small bottles probably will
not be cost effective. The best way is to buy these items in bulk. You might try
the internet for bulk buying opportunities. Additionally, contact local wholesale
cleaning suppliers, bakery supply companies or contacting the manufacturer
directly.
37
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
Chapter Five:
Frugal Fun
Getting away from our day-to-day responsibilities and concerns is very important
to our mental and physical health. Following the frugal lifestyle doesn‟t limit you
and your family to boring activities or no activities at all. This is not about
denying yourself the once in a while splurge, rather it is about making choices
that offer cost effective alternatives to the expense of traditional entertainment.
As with our approach to saving money on the grocery bill, meal planning and
home cleaning and maintenance, reducing our entertainment expenses requires
planning, flexibility and creativity. This chapter will introduce you to the next key
building block to be added to your frugal life foundation and will provide you
with a great number of options for having fun on a frugal budget.
Let’s Get Specific About Saving Money…
Local Community Activities.
The following list is a great place to start to find free and low cost local activities:
Local newspaper community events calendar
Visitor welcome center or convention bureaus
Local high schools, colleges and universities
YMCA/YWCA
Bullentin boards in neighborhoods, grocery stores and community centers
Radio stations
Church newsletters
38
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
Local and state parks and recreation departments
Dining Out
This is certainly one of the most popular forms of entertainment; however, when
we looked back at our expenses over a year of eating out, we were shocked at
the amount we had been spending. You can have a large, positive impact on your
budget and still enjoy inexpensive dinning out by trying the following:
1. Lunch.
Most restaurants serve many of the same entrees for lunch as for dinner. The
portions are generally smaller but the mid-day prices will be cheaper. There are
also many more lunch specials offered than during the dinner hour. It is possible
to save over 25% on a lunch over what you would pay for the same dinner meal.
2. Avoid High Profit Items.
Alcoholic drinks, sodas and appetizers carry high profit margins in restaurants.
The simple way around this is to order water. If you ask for lemon with it, you can
add sugar and have a lemonade.
3. Coupons and Specials.
Just as we used coupons in planning our grocery food savings, the same idea can
be used here for saving on our dining out expenses. Look for the 2 for 1 specials,
the buy one entrée and get the second one at a reduced price or kids eat free
offers. Try the website www.restaurant.com which allows you to buy for $ 10, $25
gift certificates good at over 15000 restaurants. Another good source of discount
restaurant coupons is an entertainment book. These coupon books typically cost
39
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
around $ 30 and have many buy-one-get-one-free restaurant offers in them. You
can find information on these by going online and entering in Google the search
term “Entertainment Book”.
4. Go Online.
Send each of your favorite restaurants your email address and birthday and
request to be added to their birthday club. On your birthday you may receive
anything from a free appetizer to a completely free meal. Once you join one of
the restaurant‟s clubs or just simply register with them, you can receive coupons
on a regular basis regardless of whether or not it is your birthday. One of my
favorites is the Mimi‟s restaurants breakfast club. Almost every month I receive a
coupon for buy one entrée and get the second entrée free for up to a maximum
of $ 9 for the second entrée. One additional idea is to go to one of the search
engines such as Google or Yahoo and enter in the search area “Kids Eat Free”.
You will be surprised at how many you will find.
5. Affinity Cards.
If you have a AAA (Automobile Association of America), AARP or other
organizational membership cards, ask at the restaurant if you can get a discount
for using one of these.
6. Share a Meal.
Most restaurants over serve in terms of quantity. You can order one main meal
and your partner or guest can order one appetizer.
7. Early Bird Special.
Many restaurants offer discounts on meals served between 4:30-6:00 PM. These
40
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
are no longer limited to seniors but can be taken advantage of by everyone.
Movies
Going to the movies several times a month can put a major dent in the family
budget. The full price tickets alone will range from $ 7.50 for children up to $
14.50 for adults. The higher adult prices are generally for 3D movies. If you factor
in highly overpriced popcorn and sodas, your tab skyrockets.
If movies are a big part of your entertainment, here are some ways to reduce or
eliminate monthly movie entertainment costs:
1. Get a Subscription To Netflix.
The basic monthly subscription to Netflix is $ 9.99 and this allows you to receive
through the mail as many movies as you like. After watching the movie, you mail
it back and Netflix sends you your next movie within a few days time. The secret
here is to watch the movies as soon as you can and get them back quickly. If
you manage this process correctly, you can get the price of first run movies
down to just over $ 1 per movie per month. In addition to new movie releases,
Netflix has thousands of TV episodes. Also, If you don‟t mind using your
computer monitor, Netflix provides immediate play movies which are included in
your monthly subscription fee. You can get many great movies from Netflix for
the price of one full fare movie ticket at the theater.
2. Redbox.
Redbox offers DVD overnight rentals for $ 1. These are rented from vending
machines (mostly grocery stores or drug stores) at over 12,000 locations. You pick
41
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
the movie you want, swipe your credit card and take the movie. You can return
the DVD to any location which makes it great for road trips.
3. Entertainment Book.
Just as the Entertainment Book works for discounted dinning out(as previously
discussed), it can offer savings of 20% -30% on movie tickets. On several
occasions, we have been able to get tickets as low as $6. The Entertainment Book
will cost $ 30-$ 35 but you will get your money back many times over.
4. Hulu.Com.
If you have an internet connection, you can watch movies and previously aired TV
shows for free by going to Hulu.com. Registration will be required to set up your
account but this is free. My computer monitor is 22 inches which makes watching
Hulu‟s movies very similar to watching a regular, small TV.
5. The Library.
This may be a good time to make sure that your library card is up to date. In
addition to books, today‟s libraries have a wide selection of movies and past TV
episodes and, once again, they are free. You have to make sure that they are
returned on time because the late fee fines can add up. Most libraries have a
“hold” list which allows you to place a request for a particular movie that may be
currently unavailable.
6. Organization Discounts.
Various clubs and organizations will offer movie ticket discounts from 20%-30%.
For example, use your AAA membership to enjoy up to 30% discounts. The
warehouse club Costco offers significant discounts if you buy in bulk,usually five
tickets at a time. Check out any rewards program you are in for possible member
42
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
discounts.
Sports
There are many ways to get out of the house and stay physically active without
putting a hole in your wallet. Of course, some sports do not lend themselves to
frugal living such as golf, horseback riding, and skiing but there are some good
alternatives you might consider such as:
1. Hiking.
In most sections of the country, one can find many hiking trails especially in state
and national parks. Hiking only requires a good set of shoes, a backpack and a
modest entry fee in some of the state and national parks.
2. Camping.
This is one of the best frugal outdoor activity you can find. Investigate camping
sites at your local state park or commercial campground, as well as the National
Forest and Bureau of Land Management offices. The activities you can enjoy can
include cooking inexpensive meals by a campfire, identifying stars at night and
taking nature hikes during the day. To get your basic camping equipment at
good discounts, go to Ebay, Craiglist or Freecycle. Walmart and Target have really
good prices on a basic tent. If you can‟t afford to go camping at all, put up a tent
in your backyard and enjoy the same activites as a formal camping trip, i.e.,
sleeping under the stars and cooking out.
3. Biking.
You will need a bicycle but once again through Craigslist, Ebay or Freecycle, you
43
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
can get tremendous bargains. Also, you may get lucky at garage and yard sales,
Goodwill, The Salvation Army and used bike shops. Once you have your bike,
explore local bike trails and destinations for inexpensive fun.
Additional Frugal and Thrifty Entertainment Ideas
By using your imagination and creativity, there are numerous places to go and
things to do either free or inexpensively in your own local neighborhood. To help
you brainstorm what you might do in your area, look at some of these ideas:
Zoo or local museum.
Many museums offer free or discounted admission one night a week, especially
for members of certain organizations. The easiest way to check out discounted or
free admissions is to go to the museum's web site.
Libraries.
We discussed earlier that libraries offer free rentals for videos and dvds; however,
don't forget books as a wonderful form of entertainment. In addition, libraries
offer a wide variety of magazines, free internet use and workshops. For children,
most libraries have summer reading and special craft programs.
College Campuses.
Colleges and universities offer many sources of free or inexpensive
entertainment. These will include concerts, plays and interesting lectures.
Festivals and Fairs.
44
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
During the year, most communities have county and craft fairs, ethnic events and
other food tasting events. Always investigate ways to not pay full price to any of
these events by researching the cheapest days to go.
Craft and Building Supply Stores.
This resource area is particularly good for entertaining children. Several craft
stores, such as Michael's, offer free or low cost craft classes for kids on Saturdays.
Once a month on Saturdays, Home Depot and Lowes offer children from ages 5-
12 classes on building simple construction projects. Go to the respective store
web sites to find out the times and register for a class. To find additional activities
in your area, you can go to www.gocitykids.com.
Manufacturing Companies.
Many large manufacturing plants will offer tours of their facilities. These are
almost always free and can be highly entertaining and informative. Check your
local yellow pages for listings of large manufacturing plants and give them a call.
If the companies require a minimum number of tour visitors, invite some of your
friends and neighbors.
Potluck Parties and Game Nights.
A great and frugal way to spend time with friends is to host a potluck dinner
where each guest brings something for the dinner. After the dinner, break out
some of the fun board games you have enjoyed in the past. Chances are that
your old Monopoly, Scrabble and dictionary games are gathering dust in your
attic or closet.
45
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
Art Galleries and Book Clubs.
Attend art gallery openings and special artist presentations. At these events there
is usually food and drinks served without charge. If you like reading and literary
discussions, see if there are book clubs in your area; if not, think about starting
one with like minded friends.
Volunteers.
This is an area that is very much over looked when searching for thrifty
entertainment. If you love animals, volunteer at your local animal shelter. You will
enjoy the experience of walking shelter dogs or taking care of the shelter cats.
This is also a good entertainment source for your children and a good way to
teach them responsibility. Be a volunteer at your local community theater or
music festival. This will enable you to see some of the live entertainment as well
as get discounted or free tickets for later performances.
Botanical Gardens.
Even many small towns have botanical gardens where you can view exotic plants
and flowers from all over the world. Look for butterfly gardens, nature centers
and wildlife refuges sponsored by State and Federal governments and private
organizations such as the Audubon Society.
Water Front Areas.
Do you live in an area that has a port, water front area or beach? If so, you can
spend a good part of a day experiencing all of the activities associated with these
areas. It can be exciting watching large commercial ships come in or out of a port
and unloading their cargo. Observe local fishing boats bringing in a wide variety
46
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
of today's fish catch. If you live near a beach, long walks in these areas provide
some of the best free entertainment, but don't stop there. Fly a kite, throw a
Frisbee or build a sand castle.
47
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
Chapter Six:
Saving Energy-Your Utilities
Depending on the season and where you live, your utility bills are probably one
of your largest expenses after your mortgage/rent payment, car loan or other
large debt payments. In order to focus on those areas where you can get the
greatest energy savings. Let‟s review the following average family‟s energy cost
breakdown:
Home Heating 31%
Home Cooling 12%
Water Heating 12%
Lighting 11%
Electronics 9%
Appliances 9%
Refrigeration 8%
Other 8%
If you think your utility costs are fixed and there is not much you can do about
them, you are wrong. Simple, practical changes can bring big monthly and yearly
savings. This chapter will introduce our sixth Frugal Lifestyle Plan building block
which will give us additional tools and techniques to continue on our frugal living
way path.
Local Power and Light Company
As a first step, this is the best place to start. Most utility companies will offer a
48
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
free or low cost energy audit which will show you areas where you can reduce
your monthly electric bill in areas such as attic and roof insulation, leaky windows
and doors and heating and air conditioning problems. In my area, Florida Power
and Light (FPL) allows you to enroll in a program called “ON Call”. In this
program, you agree to let FPL occasionally turn off equipment you select for
short periods of time during peak seasons of the year. The equipment usually
involved is central air conditioning, central heating, water heater and pool pump.
In return, I receive credit on my electric bill even if “ On Call” is not activated. My
potential savings can be up to $ 137 per year. Your utility company may also have
a rebate program in which you will receive rebate money for adding new
insulation, buying energy saving appliances or fixing problems that showed up in
your energy audit. It is helpful to know that most utilities offer financial aid for
income qualified customers. For example, Southern California Edison has the Care
Program providing a 20% discount for income qualified customers. The best
thing to do is to contact your local utility company for the specific programs in
your area.
Tax Credits and Rebates
The Federal government is currently allowing a 30 percent tax credit up to $1500
on duct sealing, heating and cooling equipment,insulation,window /door
improvements and other miscellaneous energy efficient improvements. As of this
time, the program ends December 31, 2010. However, the program may be
extended so keep checking back at www.energystar.gov.
State Rebates
49
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
The Department of Energy has allocated $ 300 million among the states for cash
rebates for the purchase of new, energy efficient appliances such as dishwashers,
refrigerators, washers and dryers, etc. This program runs until February 2012. You
will need to check with your individual state to see if money is still available.
Heating and Air Conditioning
1. Programmable Thermostats - Energy Star programmable thermostats can save
as much as 20%-30% on your heating and air conditioning costs. They do this by
allowing you to program different temperature settings for different times of the
day and night and these settings will come on automatically. If you are away all
day at work, you do not need as much cooling and heating as when you are at
home. Keep in mind that for every one degree you change your thermostat
setting you can save 2-6% on your electric bill.
2. Ceiling Fans - Install ceiling fans where possible. The movement of air from a
fan can help cool down a room quickly. Be sure to turn off the fans when the
room is not occupied.
3. Cooling and Heating Ducts - Leaky ducts that move air to and from a forced air
furnace, central air conditioner or heat pump, can account for large energy loss. If
your budget can afford it, pay a qualified technician to seal and insulate cooling
and heating ducts throughout the house, including unconditioned spaces. An
average home can save approximately $400 for this effort.
4. Fireplace - Fireplaces add a great deal of ambiance to the home but not a lot
of efficient heat. Keep your fireplace flue closed when not in use so that warm air
doesn‟t go out and cold air doesn‟t come in.
50
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
5. Heating and Cooling Maintenance - Clean or change the a/c filters regularly to
help your unit run more efficiently. Once a year have a qualified technician come
out and do a full maintenance check on your furnace and condenser. For all
outside units, make sure they are clear of tree branches, leaves and other debris
that can block air flow or interfere with fan operation.
6. Curtains - Use heavy drapes, shades or curtains to cover window areas
during both the summer and winter.
Refrigerator and Freezer
The refrigerator and freezer are appliances that account for some of the biggest
energy uses in the home. Maintain the refrigerator and freezer by keeping the
coils clean and defrosting when needed. Check that the cooling appliances are at
least 2 inches away from the wall. Set the thermostat on the refrigerator between
44°-45°F and the freezer at 0°F. Be energy efficient by not putting warm foods in
either space.
Stove and Oven
During cooking, keep lids on the pots. Without a lid you can lose about 2/3 of the
energy. Do not pre-heat the oven and keep the door closed as much as possible.
Five minutes before your dish is done, cut the oven off. Use crockpots and
pressure cookers where possible as they use less energy than the electric stove.
Use a toaster oven to heat small, quick items such as bagels or muffins.
Washer and Dryers
51
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
It is estimated that about 90% of the energy used to wash clothes comes just
from heating the water. Therefore, wash and rinse your clothes in cool or cold
water for significant savings. When is time to dry, hang your clothes out in the
sunshine. If this is not possible and you have a basement, run some lines down
there to hang clothes on. If you have to use a dryer, look into getting a gas dryer
if gas service is available in your area. Clean the lint filter after every load to keep
your dryer running at peak efficiency.
Dishwasher
Stop pre-rinsing dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. According to
Consumer Reports, pre-rinsing or pre-washing wastes 6500 gallons of water per
year in addition to the costs of heating the water. When the dishwasher finishes
the rinse cycle and before the drying cycle starts, turn off the dishwasher, pull out
the racks, and let everything air dry.
Home Electronics
This category covers such items as televisions, computers, DVD players and home
game systems. Many electronic appliances continue to draw a small amount of
power when they are off. In the average home, between 5 to 10 percent of
residential energy goes to power these devices. This can be easily corrected by
unplugging each device when not in use or by using a power strip with an on/off
switch which will shut down all devices plugged into it.
CFLs (Compact Fluorescent lamps)
52
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
According to Energy Star, CFLs use 75% less energy than your traditional
incandescent bulbs. By replacing your incandescent bulbs, you will save
handsomely on your energy costs. You will pay more for the CFLs but they will
last 10-13 times longer so your long term savings is assured.
It may appear that some of the above techniques may save you small amounts of
money on your ever increasing electric and water bills but by incorporating some
or all of these, you will realize significant overall savings.
53
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
Chapter Seven:
Getting From Here To There
No part of frugal living is complete without addressing our most popular form of
transportation-our car. Most US households have one car and many have two or
more. Our cars account for one of the highest expenses in our monthly budget,
particularly if you are making a monthly car payment. This seventh building block
will add to our foundation for building our frugal lifestyle by showing us ways we
can save on our car expense and make our cars last longer.
I. Regular Maintenance
Most of us on a tight budget have a tendency to put off car maintenance
expense. By doing regular maintenance tasks, you can extend the lifespan of your
car many thousands of miles as well as possibly avoiding costly accidents or
breakdowns. If in doubt about which maintenance items to perform, always refer
to your owner‟s manual rather than what a dealer‟s service department tells you.
After all, the car manufacturer is the one who built your car.
To save money, try to provide maintenance on the following common
requirements:
1. Consistent Oil Changes
As a general guideline, change your oil every 3000 miles. Regular oil
changes keep your engine running clean and well lubricated.
2. Change Filters At Regular Intervals
Change the oil filter at 3000 miles or at the same time you have your oil
changed. Check your air filter on a monthly basis and change it if it appears
54
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
dirty. A dirty air filter can reduce gasoline mileage by approximately 10%.
3. Tires
Check your tire pressures often because under inflated tires can cost you 6%
or more in gasoline mileage. Refer to your owner’s manual for the proper tire
pressure. Rotate your tires about every 6000 to 7000 miles by moving the
front tires to the rear and vice versa. If your budget allows, have your tires
aligned every year to extend the life of your tires. To add even more gas
mileage, buy steel belted radial tires.
4. Fluid Levels
While your car is in for an oil change, have the coolant, transmission, clutch
and brake fluid levels checked. Don‟t overlook the water levels in your
battery.
5. Timing Belt
If your car uses a timing belt, change it at the recommended mileage found
in the owner‟s manual. Timing belt failure will stop your car and has the
potential to cause costly damage.
6. Brakes
Avoid letting your brakes wear down to the “metal-to metal” point. Have
your entire brake system checked once a year. This will include inspection of
your disc pads, shoes, rotors and master brake cylinder.
7. Belts and Hoses
The belts and hoses are essential to controlling your air conditioning,
55
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
cooling and charging systems. All belts and hoses should be inspected at
each oil change.
The best approach to frugally maintaining your car is to understand what is
needed, what the parts will cost and what an average repair cost will be. To this
extent, you can go online to www.automd.com to get your repair questions
answered as well as average repair costs for your particular vehicle. It will be well
worth your time to try and find a local, independent auto mechanic that you
trust. I always avoid the car dealership service departments because their prices
are typically much higher than the independent repair shops.
II Car Insurance
1. Raise Your Deductible
Talk with your insurance agent about how much you can save by increasing your
collision deductible. In many cases, increasing this deductible from $ 200 to
$ 500 can save you 15% to 30%. If you can afford it, raising the deductible to
$ 1,000 could save you around 40%.
2. The Right Car
If you are thinking about changing cars, check with your insurance agent to see if
the model you are thinking about is classified as having a high theft rate, high
repair costs and below average safety record. These models will increase your
insurance premiums.
3. Comparison Shopping
The successful frugal lifestyle is about being an informed consumer. Get at least
five quotes for your car insurance because the comparable coverage can vary by
56
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
as much as $ 500 for six months coverage. Try to get quotations from different
types of insurance companies. An example would be a quotation from a direct
insurance writer such as Geico, another quotation from a middleman writer such
as State Farm and other quotations from local independent agents and brokers.
4. Discounts
The discounts by insurers are incentives offered to get your business. They vary
by insurer and by state. You should ask about these:
Combination Discounts- Save 10% to 20% by insuring more than one car
with the same company. If you are a homeowner, you can include your
homeowner insurance for possibly greater savings.
Safe Driving Record- If you have been accident free, you can qualify for a
discount. In conjunction with a safe driving record, if your car has certain
safety features such as anti-lock brakes and varied anti-theft devices, these
may earn you an additional discount.
Defensive Driving Classes- You may be eligible for up to a 10% discount
off your premium by completing one of these classes.
Reduced Driving- If you are no longer working and/or retired, you will no
longer have a commute to work and therefore you may be able to show
that you only drive a few miles a day at this time.
Student Discount- If your son or daughter has maintained a grade point
average of 3.0 or higher, you may be eligible for a discount of up to 25%.
57
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
History With Insurer- If you have been insured by the same insurer for a
number of consecutive years, you may qualify for a discount under their
loyalty program.
III Driving Habits
We all become creatures of habit and this is reflected in our driving habits. By
taking time to think about the following tips and techniques, we can incorporate
effective money saving routines that will enhance our frugal lifestyle. Let‟s look at
a few of these:
1. Avoid Unnecessary Acceleration
Romping down on the accelerator to get ahead of your fellow commuters cost
you money. Hard acceleration and braking can increase your fuel consumption by
35% to 40%. Accelerate slowly and smoothly and add a much longer life to your
transmission and tires. On the other side of the spectrum, avoid unnecessary
deceleration. This also causes abnormal wear and tear on drive train components,
brakes and tires. Where safe to do so, focus on minimizing the use of the brake
petal. Each time you use your brakes, you are converting gasoline into brake dust
and heat.
2. Avoid Idling
Idling waste fuel. When not in stop and go traffic, turn off the engine when you
stop for more than one minute. With most of today‟s cars, it is not necessary to
warm the engine before driving off.
3. Slow Down
Driving at a moderate speed means more miles per gallon. If the speed limit is
58
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
75, try driving at 60 or 65. Gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above
60 mpg. The advantage of going slower than the traffic flow is that most of the
traffic will pass you which will allow you to maintain a more constant speed and
perhaps use your cruise control more. Moderate speed driving can keep the
speeding tickets at bay as well as reduce accident possibilities.
4. Remove Excess Weight
Take time to clean out the trunk or truck bed because an extra 100 pounds you
are carrying can reduce your mpg by two percent. This could save you 5¢ per
gallon at the pump.
5. Avoid Drag
Sunroofs and windows that are open all the way can increase the aerodynamic
drag on your car and use more gasoline,especially at higher speeds. It is efficient
to open the sunroof or window a crack to allow fresh air in thereby avoiding the
use of your air conditioning. To further minimize drag, It is best to place luggage
inside the vehicle rather than on the roof or trunk.
By using some or all of the suggestions discussed above, you can have a direct,
positive impact on cutting down the costs of owning and operating an
automobile.
59
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
Chapter Eight:
Shopping Strategies- The Frugal Lifestyle
Looking Good
In today‟s challenging and stressful times, attention to our purchases for clothing,
household products and gifts becomes a high priority because these expenses for
ourselves and our family historically have taken up a big part of the family
budget. The shopping strategies discussed in our eighth and final building block
for our frugal lifestyle will show you how and where to get top quality
merchandise, including designer labels, at a fraction or deep discount to their
comparable retail price. We are able to do this by shopping for resale items
through thrift stores, consignment shops and online stores.
1. Thrift Stores
Thrift stores are sometimes referred to as resale stores and are represented by
such organizations as Goodwill Industries and the Salvation Army. Many
charitable and religious organizations also have their own thrift stores and are
found in most communities. The thrift stores take in donated men„s, women‟s and
children‟s clothing, books, furniture, appliances and miscellaneous household
goods. These stores are nonprofit entities and the money collected from resales
goes to their sponsored charities. Among all of the donated merchandise, used
items will make up the majority of the merchandise but new, never used items
can also be found, including designer and name brand products. Thrift stores are
a gold mine for the follower of the frugal lifestyle. You will find some of the best,
rock bottom bargains at these stores, especially when their weekly sales are
going on. This is our favorite way of saving money on clothing and assessories.
60
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
My wife recently bought a Coach leather handbag for $ 25 and high heel Lauren
by Ralph Lauren sandals for $ 6. I was able to get a Ralph Lauren Men‟s stripped
long sleeve shirt, like new, for $ 5. We would never be able to pay full retail for
these products nor would we.
The disadvantages to shopping at thrift stores are (a) they only have one of a
particular item, (b) you have to examine clothing carefully for slight tears, stains
and unworkable zippers, and ( c) there is usually a limited or no return policy.
2. Consignment Shops
Outstanding bargains can be found at consignment shops. These stores operate
as for profit organizations so their merchandise is somewhat higher in price than
the thrift stores. However, the merchandise is also of a higher quality and will
include many new, and brand name items. They operate in one of two ways: (1)
they can take items in from an individual and when they sell that particular item,
the profit is split betweeen the consignment shop owner and the consignor. The
owner usually gets 60% of the sale and the consignor 40%, (2) the shop can buy
an item from the seller and resell it at a markup. Most consignment shops
specialize in specific areas such as men and women‟s clothing, children‟s clothing,
toys, sports equipment, etc and can be found in most communities. You will
often find many of these stores offer coupons and conduct regular sales. One of
my favorites is Plato’s Closet which is a national franchise store with locations
throughout the United States. For children‟s clothing and toys, look for
Children’s Orchard. You can also find consignment shops online at websites
such as www.recycleourfashions.com and www.mykidscloset.com.
3. Online Shopping
61
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
If you would rather use your computer for shopping, you can find incredible
bargains online if you know where to shop. Most major thrift and consignment
shops have their own website. Instead of getting in your car and going around to
several Goodwill Centers, try their website at www.shopgoodwill.com. This is an
auction site where you can bid on an average of 11,000 items daily that include
antiques, books,toys, clothing, electronic equipment and jewelry.
Examples of other online shopping destinations that will make living the frugal
way easier are:
(a) www.15dollarstore.com
This site is a deep discount store that provides fashion conscious juniors with a
wide variety of merchandise including dresses, skirts, pants,handbags, jewelry,
etc., all for a fixed price of $15. Examples of their name brands would include
XOXO, Rampage, La Belle, Necessary Objects, Jessica Simpson and Grass Jeans.
(b) www.599fashion.com
This site is a wholesale discount store that gives consumers the chance to buy a
wide variety of jewelry, dresses, pants, and jackets direct from an actual wholesale
company. The best part of shopping here is that all items are no more then $
5.99. For orders under $100 you will have to pay some shipping charges. At this
time, the lowest shipping charges are $ 6.95 for orders $ 25 or lower.
(c ) www.overstock.com
Overstock.com is an online retail discount store which offers a hugh amount of
brand name merchandise. You can find some good bargains but not as good as
the thrift or consignment stores. You will have many more choices but to get a
62
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
really good deal, you will have to look around.
(d) www.gone-tomorrow,com
This is both a thrift and consignment store. They offer a wide range of products
that include books, clothing, shoes, and collectibles. They have a section that
offers $1 only merchandise as well as a section where you can name your own
price and, if accepted, you purchase your item at the price you offered.
(e) www.wunderbarvintage.com
This is a great site for clothes from the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s. You will find
fabulous bargains for vintage dresses for that special occasion or just when you
want to be different.
(f) www.ebay.com
Ebay is an online auction service where shoppers bid on items that sellers have
listed for sale. Ebay is one of the world‟s largest online auction companies and
sells just about everything imaginable. The auction for a particular item will last a
set period of time, ranging from a few days to several weeks. At the end of the
auction period, the highest bidder is awarded the product. When we first began
our frugal lifestyle, we used Ebay often for purchases of clothing. Our experience
with this site has been positive and saved us a tremendous amount of money
over the years. You just have to be patient and know what makes a great bargain.
(g) www.groupon.com
This website offers discounts from 40% to 90% from selected merchants in your
city for such things as travel, merchandise and services. The local merchant will
offer a substantial discount through Groupon if a certain number of customers
63
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
sign up and pay for the promotion. For example, one of my local merchants
offered a $65 one-hour massage for $30. The spa required 10 customers to sign
up for the deal to go into effect. The spa received 279 buyers for the offer.
7 Tips for Saving Money at Thrift and Consignment Stores
1. Knowledge
To recognize a real bargain, it is necessary to know what the thrift or
consignment item costs at its full retail or new price. Once you know what you
need to buy, it pays to visit some major department stores or go online to the
manufacturer‟s website for comparable prices. You want to be able to know when
you are looking at a rock bottom price. One website that may save you some
time in finding prices is www.mysimom.com. This is a comparison shopping site
that has a database of prices on millions of products at thousands of stores. For
example if you know that your favorite thrift or consignment store has a Cannon
digital camera for sale, you can search Mysimon for “Cannon Powershot” and the
site will give you a list of all of its registered stores that have the Cannon
Powershot in stock and what their prices are. This way you will be able to
compare retail prices with the camera you have the opportunity to purchase at
the thrift or consignment store.
2. Patience
Patience and flexibility are two of the most important assets you can have when
thrift shopping. Take time to browse through all of the racks. If you are looking
for a particular product, keep checking back with the store because inventory
changes daily in most stores. Also many stores will keep a customer “wish list”
with your request and phone number with which to reach you.
64
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
3. Shop Location
Where possible, shop in affluent communities and near large population areas.
Resale items from affluent neighborhoods are generally of higher quality and
being near a large city offers more variety.
4. When To Shop
Periodically check in with your favorite stores to see when they may be having
special sales or better yet, end-of-season sales. Mid-week is the best time for
finding prime deals because many donors or sellers clear out their closets over
the week-end. It usually takes the stores a few days to get the merchandise
sorted and tagged for the floor.
5. Check It Out Carefully
Carefully inspect each item to be purchased. You will want to try on clothing
because the previous owner may have had the item altered. Check the joints and
hardware on furniture products and make sure all electrical and electronic
appliances are working before leaving the store.
65
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
6.Negotiate
In many areas, second hand stores give their staff some leeway in pricing. If an
item has some minor damage or is clearly overpriced, ask for an additional
discount.
7. Shop For What You Need
It is good to keep a list of things that you both need and want and have this with
you when you visit the thrift store or consignment shop. No matter how
outstanding the bargain is, don‟t buy it unless you have a definite use for it.
Avoid the temptation to buy something you might have a possible use for in the
distant future. Stick to your list.
If you have found what you want to purchase online, you can still go one step
further for possible, additional savings by checking to see if a coupon code exists
for your product. A coupon code is a code consisting of letters and/or numbers
that consumers can enter into a promotional box on a site‟s shopping cart
checkout page to get an additional discount or perhaps free shipping. One of the
most popular websites to use is www.retailmenot.com. To understand the
popularity of this website and its contribution to the frugal lifestyle, the company
reported that from January-June 2010, the number of coupons downloaded was
1,663,836 and total savings by users was $ 8,169,186.
66
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
Conclusion
As we look back on our journey away from a lifestyle of instant gratification and
hyper-consumption to the development of a frugal lifestyle, we continue to be
amazed and surprised at the positive changes that have come into our lives. We
have learned how to manage and make the most of the money we have. We have
developed a strong, disciplined approach to buying what we need versus what
we think we want. We learned to acquire less things but were rewarded with
more time, less stress and more freedom. Most importantly, we have learned that
building and embracing the frugal lifestyle has helped us focus on and
accomplish our two most important goals of debt reduction and living within our
means.
It was not easy at first because we simply did not have the knowledge to
establish a money saving, frugal lifestyle in an organized, step by step fashion.
We also had to make a major change in our attitude and habits in the way we
were spending our money. We learned through trial and error and common
sense that being frugal was all about making short term sacrifices of things that
really didn‟t matter all that much for long term rewards that did matter. We
learned that by making small changes in our daily habits, we could realize big
savings. We came to understand that frugal people live very happy lives because
they focus on achieving goals that make their investment in frugality satisfying
and worthwhile.
Our new and simple way of frugal living has rewarded us with a debt free life and
money left over at the end of the month. We continue to learn new and creative
ways to live a simpler life. Many of these ideas have come from the feedback we
67
TH
E F
RU
GA
L L
IFEST
YLE P
LA
N
get from the ever growing frugal lifestyle community. We in turn developed the
Frugal Lifestyle Plan to help families across the country by providing the tools,
techniques and encouragement to help them save money, time and resources.
This book will help you identify easy-to-adopt differences you can make in your
day-to-day living that can add up to substantial savings-not in the distant future
but right now.
We will continue to share with you what we learn on our continuing journey and
hope to learn from you about your successes.