What is your best money saving tip?

[W2R]

I don't think you understand the male mind (do any females? And vice versa!).

Most males HATE to shop! We would do just about anything to avoid it! We don't need motivation to avoid it. We would rather do just about anything else at all.

As far as I can tell, they love to shop! Just not for clothes. They love to salivate over classic cars, boats, power tools, and RV's instead. So instead of going to that boat show, play a little computer solitaire or something.

 

[Onward]

Don't know if it has been mentioned here before, but you may be able to make manual razors last a long, long time:

How to Drastically Increase the Life of Your Shaver Razor Blade Cartridges or Disposable Razors

 

[ERD50]

Don't know if it has been mentioned here before, but you may be able to make manual razors last a long, long time:

How to Drastically Increase the Life of Your Shaver Razor Blade Cartridges or Disposable Razors

To me, this is similar to some of the 'savings' from the coupon thread - there are cheaper alternatives, so the savings may actually be minimal.

For instance, Gillette Fusion Brand razor cartridge sets typically will run you about $27 per set of 12, which will typically only last you a few months

$27 for 12 blades?

Here's 100 DE razors for $15.75 (combine with other purchases > $25 for free shipping). Two years worth if you change once a week ( I usually go longer). How much effort do you want to apply towards an $8/year expense? How much can you really save?

Amazon.com: 100 Astra Superior Premium Platinum Double Edge Razor Blades: Health & Personal Care

A $2 shaving soap puck lasts me almost a year, and no aerosol can to be manufactured and then sent to a landfill.

-ERD50

 

[ERD50]

As far as I can tell, they love to shop! Just not for clothes. They love to salivate over classic cars, boats, power tools, and RV's instead. So instead of going to that boat show, play a little computer solitaire or something.

Yes, men love their toys. But I still think you have it backwards (for most guys at least).

First comes the need/want of something, then the shopping (if they can't get someone else to do the shopping for them).

For example, I decided I wanted to get all my old vinyl recorded in digital format. Then I went shopping (online) for what I needed to get the job done. I didn't go randomly shopping and see a phono-pre-amp-DAC and say "Hey,if I bought that I could digitize my LPs". It's a different mindset. Like "Live to eat" versus "Eat to live".

Seriously, cutting down on shopping trips would not save me a dime. It would mean the car would be out of gas, the cupboards empty, the house not maintained and an empty brine tank in the water softener. I'm guessing this is a 'gender specific' tip!

-ERD50

 

[Dimsumkid]

Stock up on basic staples when they go on sale. Just got 6 - 20 lb bags of Riceland Rice long grain rice @ 5.99/ea for the MIL. Rice prices finally have gotten back/close to pre-shortage prices from 1-2 years ago.

This is more of a car DIY tip, if you do your own brakes, many auto parts shops won't cut your rotors/drums if there's any hint of scoring. Turns out they make a much bigger profit selling new vs. resurfacing. Same problem with the pull in repair chains. No money to be made resurfacing your rotors, too much time and no profit. Best to find a local auto parts supply instead of a big chain store. I discovered this last few times visiting Pep Boys and Murray's (now O'Reilly's Auto). O'Reilly's kept telling me their resurfacing machine was broken (for over a year!), then mentioned I try to local shop down the street. This has been a big money saver.

 

[bright eyed]

Do you mean that you write down the frame number when you try them on, and the order that frame, then bring it into the optician's and order lenses?

Well, I do that or take a picture of number w/ my cell!

Some online places also do the lenses if you have the prescription, but I didn't at the time - I got the frames first. Plus, just like the process of getting the new lenses and them helping fit etc...

 

[freebird5825]

I have a money saving tip that really works. Find something legal and free that you like to do more than shop, and that you also like to do more than shop online. Then spend a lot of time doing whatever it is.

OK, get your minds out of the gutter! ...

Spend a lot of time doing something I like to do more of?

 

[RonBoyd]

Dump your Cable TV Service.

Rabbit Ears Perk Up for Free HDTV

“Over-the-air is the new basic cable,” he said, arguing that free TV and Internet alternatives “are giving people the rationale they’ve been looking for to end a bad relationship.”

Modern antennas, which cost $25 to $150, pick up high-definition signals that can actually be crisper than the cable or satellite version of the same program, because the pay TV companies compress the video data.

As we travel around, we can compare OTA to Cable quite often at campgrounds near cities and towns -- the picture/sound quality of Cable is always of a much lower quality.

The article speaks of, for instance, lost signals but, in my experience, that is rare -- if you get a signal, it remains steady. Of course, we don't use "Rabbit Ears" because we have a roof-top antennae on both houses (bricks & sticks and the Roadtrek).

 

[beowulf]

Don't know if it has been mentioned here before, but you may be able to make manual razors last a long, long time:

How to Drastically Increase the Life of Your Shaver Razor Blade Cartridges or Disposable Razors

Or grow a beard . I shave the non-beard area about once a week, whether I need it or not. Every few weeks trim the beard with scissors. My problem is that a 12 pack of razors is obsolete before I can use them all .

 

[ERD50]

Since it hasn't been mentioned in a while (at least not on the last 100 posts in this thread) - for low minute cell phone users:

T-Mobile pre-pay "Gold Status" - I got a new phone for $32.09 (tax and free shipping), this included a few starter minutes, and a $25 card (130 minutes/90 days). Within 90 days, add a $100 card - that is good for 1000 minutes and 1 year and the minutes all rollover. After the first year, just $10 buys you 35 added minutes and a whole year of service.

Ongoing costs after the first year are just 83 cents per month. And they were just $11 per month the first year, including the phone.

This won't work if you actually have a need for more minutes, but I would think most retirees could get by fine on this. Oh, it helps to have a VOIP phone at home - I do all long distance on that. Or SKYPE.

-ERD50

 

[calmloki]

And because we are closing in on a year of use - a plug for Ooma VOIP phone system. We ported our number, have two effective lines and numbers so our fax has a dedicated number, bought the required gear - and we are well ahead of our former landline phone bill in savings.

Another bonus is that we brought our Ooma box with us from Oregon and are using it here in California - when we go back we'll plug back in up there, though with Ooma's forwarding feature if we just go for a few weeks we'll probably just let the calls forward to our cell - another of Ooma's little bonus features.

 

[Orchidflower]

I just found out 2 tips:

1. You can use a dryer cloth like Bounce 3 times!

2. You save alot of electricity and money by washing your clothes after the electricity goes down at night, so here I wash and dry clothes after 7 pm when it's cheaper to run the electricity.


Why did it take me so long to learn this?

 

[Martha]

I recently ordered from Zennioptical after not buying anything from them for a couple of years or so. Their selection is great and their options for specialty lenses, such as high index lenses, have improved. You also can upload a picture of yourself and try on glasses. That worked well and I am pleased with my purchases. However, I still an not totally happy with buying progressive lenses online as they never seem quite right. Great for buying cheap single vision glasses however.

 

[REWahoo]

However, I still an not totally happy with buying progressive lenses online as they never seem quite right.

DW ordered progressive lenses from 39Dollar and was very happy with them. She just ordered two more and we'll see how they work. It appears the critical factor is getting a precise PD measurement (the distance between the center of the pupils of your eyes) and it took a while for me to figure out how to do that accurately. Holding up a ruler while you look in the mirror didn't do it for us.

 

[Nords]

Holding up a ruler while you look in the mirror didn't do it for us.

I always have problems with spouse's eyeballs twitching when I'm trying to gently lay the points of the dividers at the centers of her pupils...

 

[REWahoo]

I always have problems with spouse's eyeballs twitching when I'm trying to gently lay the points of the dividers at the centers of her pupils...

Yep. I've had pretty good luck duct-taping her head to the headrest in the front seat of the car before she sees the dividers...

 

[calmloki]

I always have problems with spouse's eyeballs twitching when I'm trying to gently lay the points of the dividers at the centers of her pupils...

A doctor using a Dremel tool to trim some metal out of my eye used cocaine in a liquid form to calm the eye motion down.

That's what he said, though frankly his eye motion seemed even more frenetic after, but he's the doctor...

You could always tell Hawaii PD that's why you were shopping for coke - no guarantees though.

 

[Nords]

Yep. I've had pretty good luck duct-taping her head to the headrest in the front seat of the car before she sees the dividers...

A doctor using a Dremel tool to trim some metal out of my eye used cocaine in a liquid form to calm the eye motion down.
That's what he said, though frankly his eye motion seemed even more frenetic after, but he's the doctor...
You could always tell Hawaii PD that's why you were shopping for coke - no guarantees though.

Wow, thanks guys, I never would've figured those tips out on my own! This board is the best ever!!

"Hey, honey, c'mere and let me show you how we can make your eyeglasses better! Oh, and could you please bring me the roll of duct tape?"

 

[Martha]

DW ordered progressive lenses from 39Dollar and was very happy with them. She just ordered two more and we'll see how they work. It appears the critical factor is getting a precise PD measurement (the distance between the center of the pupils of your eyes) and it took a while for me to figure out how to do that accurately. Holding up a ruler while you look in the mirror didn't do it for us.

Yeah, I ordered a pair from them and had the eye doc measure the PD. Still a bit quirky. But I have serious astigmatism. I get the readers from Zenni though as they have the best price. I do fine with the single vision specs from either company.

 

[beowulf]

I just saw an elderly couple have a meal of beef, bread and vegetables for $.75 each. And that included a soft drink. And this was in a self service dining area .

That's really creative.

 

[FinanceDude]

I have a money saving tip that really works. Find something legal and free that you like to do more than shop, and that you also like to do more than shop online. Then spend a lot of time doing whatever it is.

Sometimes that leads to HUGE shopping bills.........

OK, get your minds out of the gutter! I'm thinking things like going for a walk, spending time at the library, playing a beloved video game that you already own but that is gathering dust, practice pencil sketching, dust off that guitar in the back of the closet, do math problems if that appeals to you.

Some guy on TV used to suggest adding the phrase: "while naked" onto the end of every sentence..........try adding that to your suggestions above and you will smile..........

 

[missionfinder]

I spend like I'm broke, so I never will be.

 

[easysurfer]

I don't think you understand the male mind (do any females? And vice versa!).

Most males HATE to shop! We would do just about anything to avoid it! We don't need motivation to avoid it. We would rather do just about anything else at all.

My #1 gift request for years has been "clothes". Saves me the agony of shopping for clothes. Priceless.

The time I spend shopping online is to get the best value, not to find ways to spend. So that's a $ saver (but time killer).

-ERD50

I don't mind shopping..but it's what I'm shopping for that counts

 

[easysurfer]

Sometimes that leads to HUGE shopping bills.........



Some guy on TV used to suggest adding the phrase: "while naked" onto the end of every sentence..........try adding that to your suggestions above and you will smile..........

Any "Coupling" TV show fans out there?

Remember the "Coupling" epispde when the women purposely add the phrase "naked' as they are about to order their food at the restaurant to get the waiter distracted?

That episode is hilarious, I thought I'd die laughing. It's the about the funniest comedy episode I ever watched on TV, if you like that type of humor.

It's the one when Jeff has the surprise b-day party.

 

[Surfdaddy]

I haven't read this whole thread so I hope it's not redundant.

I've quit drinking soda at restaurants like Souplantation, Sweet Tomatoes, Panera, Corner Bakery, a lot of fast food joints. I order a cup of water and I go to the condiment area, squeeze a few lemon slices worth of juice (they usually have lemons for water) into the water, and then add a couple of Equal or Splenda packets and stir. Free sugar-free lemonade!

It's not going to make me rich, but I get satisfaction knowing I avoided one of their highest markup items.