Spring 2010 [s]CHEAP[/s] frugal thread

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Originally Posted By: PRND3L
Been cutting my own hair for years.


do you keep very short hair? I told my wife that I could buy a haircut kit and she could cut the back of my hair but she thought that was ridiculous. So I've been using coupons at supercuts, sportsclips, and a great cut. I rotate whoever has a special.
 
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Instead of buying expensive low-suds detergent for my frontload washer, I use automatic dishwashing detergent. But I only do this for stuff I don't care much about such as rags or towels.

I sign up for those 0% APR credit cards then use them exclusively until the 0% period expires. Then pay it off and get a new 0% card, then cancel the old one.
 
Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
Originally Posted By: PRND3L
Been cutting my own hair for years.


do you keep very short hair? I told my wife that I could buy a haircut kit and she could cut the back of my hair but she thought that was ridiculous. So I've been using coupons at supercuts, sportsclips, and a great cut. I rotate whoever has a special.


I pretty much go with the high n' tight. 1" (aka #4 guard) is the longest setting I use for the clippers on top, tapering down to #2 (.25") or sometimes #1 (.125") guard on the sides/back. If I want the top longer I'll just use scissors on top and then clippers on side/back. Go for it! You'll get the hang of it quickly and if your wife is willing to help, even better.
 
Left-overs - come on now, we're all guilty here. We put it away because we hate to waste it or feed it to the dog - just to let it sit in the fridge and never get to it in time. My family and I have really been working on this one. Such a shame to let perfectly good food go to waste.


Since I change oil in my scooters every 1,000 miles (it comes out looking like new), I always have top-off oil for my other vehicles, oil for changes in my ope, and oil for the oil cans.

The oil is not bad by any means, and hate to get rid of it. I hate to change it that often (not really), but since the scooters don't have an oil filter (just a screen) I do it for my own piece of mind.

Rob

P.S. - 2 more words = Big Lots
 
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On any other site, I would say I change my own oil
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The Neon needs new strut mounts so I'm going to get a spring compressor kit and do it myself while upgrading the springs and bumpstops.

I don't know exactly how much we save with our chickens, pigs, and goats. I guess grassfed pork is $8+/lb in the big city, truly free range eggs are $5+/dozen. Goat milk is expensive to buy too, but right now 60 cents in feed gets us 2 or 3 quarts a day. I guess if we bought all that stuff we save a couple thousand a year doing it ourselves.
 
Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
do you keep very short hair? I told my wife that I could buy a haircut kit and she could cut the back of my hair but she thought that was ridiculous.
I go from #4 to #2, depending on the season... although sometimes in late autumn through winter it'll be months between clipper sessions. My wife is typically happy to clean up around my ears and the back of my neck. Only takes her about 2 minutes flat.

$30 for a Wahl Chromepro kit that's made in the USA is hard to beat. Plus Wahl will re-sharpen your blades for a measly $7.
 
Originally Posted By: tonycarguy
Instead of buying expensive low-suds detergent for my frontload washer, I use automatic dishwashing detergent. But I only do this for stuff I don't care much about such as rags or towels.


The foam might blow past your seal and shorten your front loader's life, not really a saving to me.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: Pablo
2) I always dilute my shampoo. Sometimes, nearly 50% with water. Hair stays clean, less soap build up. Save money.

Not to nitpick, but instead of diluting it, you can just use half the dose to begin with. Once it mixes with your wet hair it'll be no different.

While we're talking about shampoo, every soap dispenser in our house is a "pump" style.

We've found we can use a LOT less soap/detergent by "pumping" once or twice, into the palm of our hand, rather than "dumping" the bottle of shampoo/soap into our hands, or into the sink, etc. :)

But yea, about the "HE" detergent - I don't know about dishwashing soap - afaik, automatic dishwasher soap contains bleach (or at least an ingredient/component of bleach) - you'd be bleaching your clothes.

My tip for laundry: Fill up the soap to line 1 instead of line two for "normal loads" - and I generally use either Borax and/or Baking Soda in my detergent dispenser, granted, I know neither of them contain the "HE" symbol - they appear to be working fine in our HE washer (Maytag Bravos top loader) for the past 3 years.
 
Originally Posted By: ahoier
I know neither of them contain the "HE" symbol - they appear to be working fine in our HE washer (Maytag Bravos top loader) for the past 3 years.


Top loader don't need HE, it is the front loader that does.
 
Originally Posted By: ahoier
While we're talking about shampoo, every soap dispenser in our house is a "pump" style.


We've found we use a LOT less shampoo/conditioner now that we buy the bottles with the pump tops too.
 
I cleaned out some old solvents in my garage last year... BBQ fluid, kerosene, old paint thinner, and alcohol. I filtered it through a paper towel before putting it in my car's tank, bit-by-bit, every fuel fill until it was gone. My car didn't run any worse for it.
 
Originally Posted By: Kestas
I cleaned out some old solvents in my garage last year... BBQ fluid, kerosene, old paint thinner, and alcohol. I filtered it through a paper towel before putting it in my car's tank, bit-by-bit, every fuel fill until it was gone. My car didn't run any worse for it.


That's no worse for your car than some of the miracle brews people pay for and dump in their gas tanks.
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Originally Posted By: Kestas
I cleaned out some old solvents in my garage last year... BBQ fluid, kerosene, old paint thinner, and alcohol. I filtered it through a paper towel before putting it in my car's tank, bit-by-bit, every fuel fill until it was gone. My car didn't run any worse for it.

At first I read "BBQ Sauce", not "BBQ fluid".
 
I cut all juices at least 50 % with water. I have a Zojirushi bread maker and I make raisin bread for PBJ sandwiches for lunch. Whenever possible, I recycle good used parts from my parts cars. I recycle a lot of found stuff, lumber, bricks etc. I havent bought a lawnmower in 15 yrs. I re-hab freebies. Most of the furniture is from yard sales as is the china .
 
I use only cold water for clothes wash, letting stuff soak for a day or so. We don't have a dryer, it's an indoor clothesline and a small fan if needed.

To save some more energy, we don't cook pasta now, just eat it raw. You get used to it. (just kidding)
 
We moved to a new location, closer to things. Last year, we were spending $500 month on gas. Me $300 and the wife $200, both driving 4 cyl cars. I doubt we spend $100 total now.
 
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Originally Posted By: tonycarguy
Instead of buying expensive low-suds detergent for my frontload washer, I use automatic dishwashing detergent. But I only do this for stuff I don't care much about such as rags or towels.


The foam might blow past your seal and shorten your front loader's life, not really a saving to me.


Say what? The purpose of using automatic dishwashing detergent is that it doesn't foam. Besides why would it shorten the life of the washer when it's chemically the same as laudry detergent?
 
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