Off-topic, but have you had glasses made by the, in the last year or so? They messed up and had to redo a bifocal pair for me and a run-of-the-mill pair for a co-worker. Been using them for years and I was really surprised.
On-topic, I clip my address out of paper before recycling it for a return address label that I don’t have to write out legibly (my handwriting is awful now due to tendinitis). Other stuff I do has already been mentioned and has NOTHING to do w/ toilet habits, I’m happy to say.
I keep a roll for them, which I need to replace every five or ten years, and costs a quarter a the dollar store. I save maybe $100 a year by not consuming rolls of TP and paper towels and table napkins and printer paper and note pads, and you can include plastic in there, too, then likes of trash bags and ziplocs and freezer tubs… My supermarket gives me plenty of those that can be repurposed.
Do not call me Dude unless you intend for me to take it as demeaning and condescending insult.
By the way, I also expect my guests to take off their shoes at the front door, which saves on vacuum bags.
A whole $100 a year? That is almost 28 CENTS A DAY!
I am just fucking with you but not really. People call me cheap too because I greatly prefer Dollar Tree over Whole Foods but you are trying to outclass me. There is no way I am going to wash my butthole with a shower sprayer every time I need to go. I will just pay the admittedly steep financial penalty or just go in public bathrooms. Bidets are cool if you have the money and space but I am not going to try to improvise one. If I wanted to bring out my inner redneck, I would just go outside and break out the pressure washer.
Haven’t you ever seen anyone tear off a whole super Brawny, to wipe a condensation ring where a cold glass has been sitting, and just throw it away? Don’t even get me started on paper plates, doubled, and then both thrown away if there was one slice of white bread on it. maybe a third plate on top to keep it fresh for the spoiled little darlings.
This is just silly, of course not.
You’re also substituting the expense of water, soap, time, etc… for the cost of some relatively cheap paper made from recycled products anyway.
…and if you are just giving it one quick swipe and calling it good enough , there’s a reason why you need the bidet/tub.
How is not seeing clearly not at the top of your priorities? Hey, I’m all for saving a buck or two but not at the expense of my vision.
It amazes me that people will sacrifice their health, hygiene, and well being on menial things then waste more money on junk that will not last, can’t be fixed, or they don’t need.
It’s like buying Monistat 7 because it’s cheaper than 3 or 1.
From years of experience and working in the trades, I can fix almost anything that’s broken which includes automotive, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, electronics/computers, etc… Parts, manuals, and instructions are a lot easier to find with the internet these days.
I have a fairly extensive tool collection but you’d be amazed how much can be repaired with WD-40 and Superglue (FTR I NEVER use Duct Tape)
Tip - At big box stores i.e. Home Depot, Lowe’s, etc… all big ticket items go to clearance eventually and they are very motivated to negotiate to get rid of them.
We save tens of thousands on home repairs renovations etc…
I browse Habitat, Salvation Army, Thrift, Goodwill and Dollar Stores regularly. My wife is an avid church sale shopper.
We save thousands on clothes, toys, tools, furniture, camping gear, household items etc…
I always buy cars that are a few years old and just coming to the end of their warranties. I have everything checked then maintain them myself as long as possible.
Tip- If you keep an eye on the dealership lot or on-line, you may see a late model that’s not moving, go in, point it out and make them an offer.
I agree with that. Yes, eyeglasses from Zenni are inexpensive, but they are definitely poorer construction than the ones from the big mainstream retailers.
You should be aware that much merchandise at most factory outlet stores is made to be sold in the factory outlet stores. In other words, it’s not the same stuff sold in the expensive department stores. Some brands have entire product lines that are designed and manufactured to be sold in factory outlet stores.
there is no guarantee that any car, regardless of age, will always start and won’t break down - just sayin’. Of the 6 cars owned by my family: all were purchased used, none cost more than $6k, none has fewer than 125k miles and none has ever broken down and left anyone stranded (knock on wood).
the “buy used and maintain” method does require that one know a bit about cars AND is willing to put time and effort into routine maintenance. It’s not for everyone.
This method have saved me literally 10’s of thousands of dollars over the last few decades. Since this is a thread about ways to save money…
That’s not the case with Allen Edmonds, however. Their store is attached to the manufacturing plant, my relatives work there making shoes, and assure me that the shoes for sale there at the discount outlet are the exact same as those sent for sale at the high end stores in NY and London, etc. Those with miniscule flaws like a crooked stitch are sold at even deeper discounts at that location.
In fact, once at the their outlet they pulled a pair of boots from a store in NY state to sell to me at the discounted outlet price.
AE been very, very good to me.
ETA: The factory outlet store that sells AE shoes is located only at their plant, and sells nothing but AE shoes/products. This is not a ‘factory outlet’ store such as is seen tucked in amongst other huge retail outlets. Pardon me for my lack of clarity originally on that point.
That’s good. I was thinking of those giant outlet malls, which seem to be everywhere now and which each have dozens of stores selling supposedly factory seconds or store returns. It’s just not possible for there to be that much in factory seconds to supply all of those stores. The factory outlet stores started like the one you describe, or the LL Bean Outlet stores. (People traveling north through Maine would often make a stop at Freeport just to visit the flagship LL Bean Outlet store. They’ve since added more stores further south, though, including one in the town in which I grew up.)
I am a thrift store/flea market/garage sale/library sale, free market junkie. We throw out too much reusable stuff, and for a while I was someone who really needed free and cheap clothes and books.
I own a jacket custom made for Jim Steinman with the logo from his failed musical Whistle Down the Wind embroidered on the back. It was $25 at the Annual Broadway Flea Market!
Need to save money on toilet paper? Consider the Toilet Cloth. Just like a handkerchief, once you run out of clean spots to use, just toss it in the washer.
Another AGREE! from me. I’ve told so many people about Zenni but no one will take my advice. It’s so easy to use, so many options, the prices are amazing, and I have never noticed a difference between my Zenni’s and the glasses I bought from a “glasses store”.
I had an aunt, child of the depression, who used to wash aluminum foil and plastic bags for reuse. My mother washes zip lock bags and reuses them - the same mother who is currently on a 4-week transatlantic cruise. Her ideas of what requires economy just boggle the mind! But it’s her life and it’s important that she do things her way.
As for me, it’s a balance of cost vs. my time. I buy generic paper products for the most part. A paper napkin may cost a penny - I’m pretty sure washing, drying, folding, and putting away a cloth napkin is worth more than a penny to me. Same with paper towels - if the dog has an accident on the carpet, I’m going to clean it up with paper towels and throw them away rather than sop urine into a cloth towel, then have to rinse it before tossing it in the laundry basket till next wash day. I’ll line baking pans with aluminum foil so I can scrunch it up and toss it, saving me having to soak and scrub a baked-on mess.
My time, my hot water, my washer and dryer and dishwasher all have a value, and sometimes using them exceeds the cost of a disposable item. No contest.
Car repairs. I do as much as I can myself (when I’m home, that is…); Youtube and Internet forums have definitely helped the home mechanic expand his/her capabilities. I rent any special tools from AutoZone or Advance Auto if I don’t have it and can’t borrow it. I’ve saved thousands this way.
Coupons. My wife went to an “extreme couponing” seminar earlier this year, and has adopted a few techniques she learned there. We’re saving about $30/month on average.
Amazon Subscribe & Save. Several items we use every month are on S&S; our savings comes out to about $10/month.