I’ve been a money-saving maverick for a while now. I realize some of my tactics may seem a little nutty, but hey, I’m debt-free, I’ve got an emergency fund and money in the bank, so it can’t be that bad, right? I share a lot of ideas for pinching pennies on this blog, but here are a few that may seem a little more extreme.
I write what I paid for food on the box. Open my cereal cupboard and you’ll see everything from $1.33 to $.01 written on the box lids. I guess I do it because it encourages me and I see it as proof that I’m winning this little game of saving money.
I just add water. Juice can be expensive and way too sweet. So I make it go further by filling half of my glass with water and the rest with juice.
I refuse to pay full price. Shopping online may take me longer than the average person. Before I click “purchase” I not only comparison shop, but I Google coupon codes, and use sites like Ebates.com to make sure I’m getting the best deal. When it comes to restaurants, I use my Entertainment Book to pick a place to eat out. And I certainly never pay full price at the grocery store.
I’m always selling something. Winter isn’t so good for yard sales so I use Craigslist and Ebay instead. Sometimes it takes a while to unload something on Craigslist, but when I get a buyer it’s like a mini-windfall of money that I wasn’t expecting.
I juggle prescriptions. I almost always transfer my prescriptions to take advantage of gift card deals at various retailers. I even transfer my dog’s insulin prescription to cash in on deals. This week I’ll transfer a prescription from one grocery store to another just to get a free $25 gift card.
I keep track of people crazier than I am. This person has vowed to spend only $750 THE ENTIRE YEAR on groceries. This husband and wife committed to spending no money through the entire month of January except a few dollars on milk.
January 28th, 2009 at 9:29 pm
I laughed when I read your point about filling your glass with half water and half juice- you’re over-doing it on the juice!
I only go 1/4 juice and 3/4 water!
Great post and nice to find another good PF blogger out there. Come visit us at http://www.financialnut.com when you get a minute!
February 18th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
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March 27th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
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March 27th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
[...] Do More With Your Money. His interview focused on an article I wrote for Out of Debt Christian about Six Crazy Things I Do To Save Money. It is a topic I love talking about so I was happy to do it. You can listen to the interview [...]
March 27th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
[...] Do More With Your Money. His interview focused on an article I wrote for Out of Debt Christian about Six Crazy Things I Do To Save Money. It is a topic I love talking about so I was happy to do it. You can now listen to the interview [...]
April 5th, 2009 at 2:53 am
haha you write what you paid for on the box? LOL My friend used to do that. Then she’d write her name on the stuff so no one else would touch it.
April 9th, 2009 at 10:46 am
Glad to know I’m not the only one with odd juice habits … I go to a lot of trouble to buy 100 percent juice, and I won’t pay a premium for fancy tropical juice ‘blends’ that are mostly just apple or grape juice (check what’s listed first on the ingredient list). And then just like you, I come home and only add a splash or so to my glass of water!
Don’t know if you live near a Trader Joes, but that market sells 100 percent juice concentrates, so you can reconstitute it yourself.
April 29th, 2009 at 9:13 am
Hi! I just embarked on this journey to having an emergency fund and becoming debt free too! I think I’ll stop by your blog a little more now, although being Aussie, not all tax etc comments apply!
What is your story? Did you start out this way, or did you have to learn the hard way??
April 29th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
I was a TV reporter for six years, earning just above the poverty line. My card got declined once at the grocery store which is embarrassing enough, but made worse when they recognize you from TV. That, combined with my parents’ constant talk of how evil credit cards are, helped me form my frugal ways. Plus, I have a crazy passion for travel which I probably couldn’t do so much if it weren’t for my obsessiveness about saving money. Thanks for reading and I do hope you keep coming back often! Maybe some day I’ll save up enough to head to Australia!
July 16th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
Also, don’t forget nix the church giving. Weekly savings that really add up.
October 18th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
I like the idea of writing what you pay on the box. It’s helpful when you run out of something and have to go shopping for it again to compare what you paid to what the price at the store is so you know if you’re getting a good deal. I so often buy things when they’re cheap that it’s sometimes a while until I consume them, and I forget my prices.
February 12th, 2010 at 4:38 am
Simple ways but it can help a lot.
Thanks for this. i do same on my credit cards. i always make a list in every purchase i have. Simple way, but it can manage your credit cards well.