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Yesterday, I bought 14 maple chairs. The fellow wanted $3 per chair. I got them for 75 cents a chair plus my gas cost. I will take these to the local tombstone-making store and have them sandblasted. Then I will stain and/or urethane them and they will have a new home in our camping cabins.
Here is a tip. When you see something you know is a deal on Craigslist or Kijiji and you really do have the money and can pick it up, email the person (or phone if they’ve left a number) and say, “I am interested in the (item). I live in ________ City and I can pick up tomorrow. My telephone number is 905-555-1212.” The phone number is crucial. The seller knows you are serious and they will choose you over 50 other emails because they can reach you.
By the way, I got all of the chairs for $10 because I bought every last one of them, even though a couple needed a nail or two. He was happy to have them all sold.
My stepson was going to store some items in his storage section of our attic. I have a new rule - something comes in, something has to leave. That day, we were able to get rid of a lot of junk.
I was telling this to the lady at the post office. What a good idea, she commented. Her husband was apparently a borderline hoarder who would exclaim, “We might need it” when he saved some piece of old carpet or a bent lamp.
Get rid of it. If you haven’t used it in the last three years, it’s unlikely you will use it in the next three years. You will make space and be able to find what you do have. You will be calmer and happier with what you have. It’s easier and faster to clean. You’ll have more time to spend on life and meaningful activities.
Zen Living - simplify your life.
Rarely do your clothes need to be washed at high temperatures. I only wash sheets in hot water if someone has been sick and I want to kill all the germs. By lowering the hot setting to warm, your washing machine will use 30 percent less energy. As a bonus, your clothing will last longer too. Imagine what you’ll save if you switch to cold.
from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit
In the DIY world of home health and beauty products, deodorant seems to be the most feared replacement. Stinking is not okay in some cultures, right? This deodorant uses a natural moisture absorber (cornstarch), a natural deodorizer (baking soda), and a natural anti-bacteria/fungal oil (tea tree oil) to keep any stink from developing in the first place. If you’re really paranoid, make this stuff ahead and use it on a day off, or a sick day, or any day you aren’t going to see anyone special, so you’ll feel secure and not look like a nut obsessively sniffing your underarms all day. Once you get over the stink phobia and let your body get used to it, you’ll never go back.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup baking soda
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 10+ drops tea tree oil
- 2+ TBSP shortening
- The deodorant in this example uses LouAna coconut oil
Steps
- Put baking soda and cornstarch (see Warnings) in a bowl with tea tree oil. The deodorant in this example was made with 20 drops due to an enthusiasm for tea tree oil. Lavender oil will work as well.
- Stir enough shortening in until it’s a consistency you like.
- Smash into empty deodorant container. It will be a bit sturdier once it sets a day or so.
Tips
- When applying this deodorant, use a lighter hand than you would with normal stick deodorant, especially the first couple of days or it’ll drop little balls on your bathroom rug.
- Used correctly, this stuff is invisible and lasts for ages, as it works with a very light layer. You should not be able to SEE it once applied.
- If you don’t want a stick, exclude the shortening and use the deodorant as a powder.
Warnings
- If you have especially sensitive skin, increase the amount of cornstarch to 6T and decrease the baking soda to 2T.
- Be sure to store in a cool place. LouAna coconut oil starts to melt at 76 degrees. There are coconut oils you can purchase that won’t melt until it’s 92 degrees.
Sources and Citations
Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make Stick Deodorant. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.
Don’t be afraid to get a second opinion on an expensive car repair. We had a problem with our car recently and took it to a mechanic. He checked it all out and said it would cost about $850 to fix. We decided to have somone else look at it. So $150 and we’re all fixed up. Runs fine.
There are times when it will cost $50 to $100 for a shop just to check the car out so it’s not something I’d always do for a small repair. On the other hand I’ve had those small repairs done, the car not fixed, and had to do it all over again until they found the real reason. Fortunately we have one mechanic who doesn’t charge to look at it, so we go there first, and if we’re in doubt we’ll get a second opinion from the dealer.
-Phil
This might strike you as odd being on a frugal blog but I have a Starbucks card. Sacrilege, you exclaim. But wait! I have the card registered online and monthly they send me notices of specials that I can pick up gratis at my local Starbucks. In the last year, I have received morning oatmeal, a free birthday beverage, smoothies, specialty tea and other drinks for free. I do buy the coffee beans occasionally.
Other benefits:
* Free syrup and milk options (like soy) for your beverage
* Free brewed coffee refills (hot or iced)
* Free Tall (12 fl oz) beverage with your 1 lb. whole bean purchase
* Up to two hours free AT&T Wi-Fi per day
Another tip: If you’re trying to kick the latte habit, consider this: Try Starbuck’s Misto (aka café au lait). This is brewed coffee with steamed milk rather than the espresso with steamed milk) and costs about a dollar less than the latte or cappuccino. I always ask for “no foam” so that I get more beverage instead of all that fluffy stuff.
I’m not buying super concentrated any more - not dishwashing soap, not laundry soap. I know those smaller containers are enticing because they’re easier to haul out of the store. I find whoever does laundry just blithely adds the same amount they always do. It doesn’t matter if I put big notes on the laundry soap. It disappears in a jiffy. No one seems to think that putting an itty-bitty amount of the stuff will do the job.
So I try to buy the big, already-diluted version. The laundry soap just lasts longer and I think I’m saving some money and the environment.
A couple of weeks ago, my brother wrote a post called, “The Formula for Saving Money”, where he talked about being organized. To some, this might seem obvious. Many people do not know how to organize.
A few tips. If you are trying to organize a closet, take EVERYTHING out and then clean the closet. Then lump together things that are alike. In my kitchen cupboard photo below, you will see that I have bins for batteries, party items, shoe polishes, tapes and whatnot. Your objects might be different but you will have things that go together. I bought some cheap bins at the dollar store and labeled them.
This is the key - label bins and boxes. When I put things in the basement on shelves, it is clearly labeled as to what is in that box. I have a box of car paraphernalia - booster cables, Armor All, car wash stuff like Turtle wax - the outside has a label with the list of the contents.
This saves money in the long run because you don’t end up buying something that you already have. You don’t run out to buy light bulbs when you already have them. Saves time and money. And you can find things.
A lot of people frequent consignment shops to save money. You can often find quality items at a fraction of their original price, and they’re usually in much better condition than those from thrift stores.
But in these difficult ecomonic times don’t forget that you can also take advantage of these shops for moving out your own unwanted items. If you’ve lost weight and have some nice clothes that just don’t fit anymore, take them to the consignment store. Baby items are also great to move this way. A few extra dollars earned are always nice.
Developing a frugal lifestyle can allow one to live within ones means. Too many people have relied on credit, credit cards, and loans to get by. With good economy you can bring this under control and actually spend less than you make. But, once you do this, don’t go spending it on other things and get back into the ‘upside down’ game. Take some of the money you save on the little things each day, and sock it away. You’ll find that after a period of time you have a nice little nest egg building up.
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