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It’s also the last one.
When I started this site a year and a half ago, I wanted to write about how to get the most for your money. If you’re new to the site, I encourage you to go back through the archives and read about budgeting, buying food, saving on transportation and tips in general. Rather than let the blog die a slow death, I thought that I would just pull the plug and leave it up for anyone who wants to peruse the posts.
As much as I’ve enjoyed doing Frugal-Bugle, I am now concentrating on other projects.
Computer monitors use about 90 watts of power per hour. This is even when screensavers are on. In hibernate or power save mode, they only use 3 to 5 watts of power per hour. So make sure your computer isn’t using up unnecessary energy by setting the screensaver so it goes blank.
In an effort to be a more responsible cat owner, I decided to get our two kitties a dental cleaning. Some feline tooth scaling. How much could it be? My own dental cleanings run around $90 so I figured a cat has a smaller mouth but there’s an anaesthetic (I wouldn’t want to ask kitty to open wide).
I called around.
First vet. $700 and up per cat. Yikes. I wonder if that includes a polishing.
After an email to a friend of mine, I found out she paid $260. Her cat was 14 and she figured she was loaded with plaque before she went. It was $200 for the scaling and $60 for the anaesthetic.
Call around to lots of vets. There is a difference in price.
Your pants’ pocket rips. The button pops off on your shirt. You leave it for a week until you fix it. You let your hair grow a little longer before having it cut. You live with that dated furniture until you can afford to replace it.
Passive frugality. Also known as letting it ride. Saves money by not lifting a finger or spending a dime.
Now, active frugality is not always easy. The office above our kitchen was dated and decorated in what I would refer to as “early attic”. At first, I just wanted to paint and put in an inexpensive carpet. When we pulled up the carpet and the plywood, there was old 1796 pine planking. Husband exclaimed, “Oh easy, I’ll sand and urethane.” This was not easy. Days of sanding with different grades of sandpaper and then wood filler and more sanding and then four urethane coats. But it is gorgeous.
Hanging up clothes on a line, making your own clothes, cooking meals – active frugality. Lots of advantages but it’s work.
Below is our new floor.
The gas pedal thing on various Toyota models is an easy fix, and won’t cost anything for the consumer. For the most part I think they build a pretty good car. I’ve had lots of cars with way more problems than that. Prices could drop by 5% or more on most Toyota cars. There could be some great bargains out there.
-Phil
A free download of Coldplay’s new live album, LeftRightLeftRightLeft, is now available at Coldplay.com.
My husband only needs glasses for reading. Rather than buy them from the optometrist or from the drug store, he buys them three-four pairs at a time from the dollar store. I keep them in a drawer in the kitchen. I have been told that if your eyes are checked by a good optometrist, there’s nothing wrong with dollar store eyeglasses because they’re only worn for magnification (reading).
Pet costs can be kept down by keeping Fido and Tigger in the best of health. This means proper care, exercise, and nourishing food. Make your own pet food (find out about the BARF diet), learn to do your own grooming, and above all, shop around for a vet.
I worked briefly for a fellow in the eighties. He traveled all over Canada and I made sure that money was deposited and bills were paid. I noticed an interesting thing about him If he thought there was a lot of money in his account, he would spend more – upgrading his car rental to a more ‘luxe car, more expensive meals and a nicer hotel. If he thought his account was low, he’d cut way back.
So what did I do? I told him there wasn’t much in the account. He scaled back. I was able to pay off a load of bills and got him back in the black. If I had had a chance, I could have put aside quite a bit of money in savings for him.
I have noticed over the years in working for different people that this mindset is common. Account is high – spend like drunken sailors. Account is scraping the bottom – whoa back on spending.
How can you trick yourself? Build in an automatic savings plan. Have your money taken out directly by ING Direct or your own bank savings plan. That way the money is gone and you’ve paid yourself before you can think about it.
Here in Canada, I have a Telus mobile phone and contract. My main impetus for going with that company was that they had a booth just outside the Home Depot. I figured if I needed help, they’d be close by. They moved out the month after I signed with them. Sigh.
I was in the mall last month and chatted with the Virgin Mobile fellow. Their setup appeared to be a way better deal with how I used my phone.
I called Telus to find out how much longer I had on my contract. I decided to tell him I was considering leaving them and going with Virgin. He said - without even asking what their deal was - that they could match or do better on anything Virgin was doing. I said “Free text messaging?” YUP. “Five people I can call long distance for free anytime?” YUP. And on and on.
I have since found out there is this mystical person at the cell phone companies called CUSTOMER RETENTION. This is who you can ask for. It is their job to keep you. I suggest you rant on and on how you’ve been a loyal customer for years and how you want a better deal.
Good luck with your negotiations.
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