Just curious who else is living super frugal

[EweSheep]

Cupcakes, board games, DVD movies while you provide popcorn, cheap store brand ice cream. If dinner is to be served, pizza in cheap like Tortino's which you can get them for a dollar OR make your own pizza with tortilla shells, pizza sauce and the trimmings, basic, like cheese, sausage and pepperoni. Not too many kids like veggies and olives and special stuff.

I am guilty of using paper towels, easy to rip and tear away. The blood, vomit, animal liquids and food liquids, I just can not bring myself to use cloth towels unless I buy baby diapers which would absorb liquids and throw it in the small laundry basket. If I can rip baby diapers in half or cut to length like my "tear it my size" Bounty towels, I'm all for it! Suggestions on that? Iwished I took up my mom's quilt fabrics, she had a ton of them that she gave it away to the quiliting ladies that makes quilts for kids that went into the ER. It was so wonderful!

Rarely used paper dishes and cups unless it is a family cookout.

 

[ChickiePieGirl]

Great ideas! My husband's pay was cut back a few months ago, and we have been looking for ways to save. We rarely eat out to begin with, but I do know my grocery bill is high each month! Great ideas you all have! My goal is to cut back on the grocery bill, so I can start paying more than just the monthly bill on my college loans. I do not want those college loan payments for 8 more years! My car will be paid off in the fall, and my husband's truck was paid off 2 years ago. We both plan on keeping our vehicles for several years. His might only last him 2 more, mileage is high, and even though he does all his own repairs, the cost of parts on his truck with just over 100,000 miles is getting pricey. I plan to keep my car for at least 5 more years, more if I can. I don't want all these unnecessary monthly bills!!!

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

I buy bulk sets of cheap washcloths. I get them at warehouse stores and restaurant supplies stores.

I wet and fold them into ziplock bags - still cannot manage without those - I freeze some for hot days when we are traveling or camping. They keep everything else cold and Oh are they refreshing when you put one on the back of your neck! Whew!!

But, I also keep some in the fridge just to keep them from mildewing and molding, but then they are ready to grab for use as standard wet wipes when I take the kids anywhere.

DH built me a little box for them in the kitchen -dry and folded handy for everything........

 

[Rathbone]

Quote:
When I started hatching chickens I wanted something to use as a rag but something that was strong and soft - I bought a lot of receiving blankets from the thrift store for .25cents each. Could you cut those to the size you want and hem them?

 

[Crafty-Chicken-Lady]

Quote:
If the guests are family/friends then make it a potluck and if it is just a kids party then a cake and ice cream should do the trick. Look online for fun and free party games you can play. Been there done that many times while my four were growing up. Good luck and just make it about fun.

 

[ChickenLoverChrista]

instead of paper towels - I use clothes that I have cut from old/outdate tee-shirts. (no need to hem) Lots of colors and patterns. I keep them on the counter in a basket - Quite a colorful statement and very useful.... " A quicker picker upper".

 

[tiki244]

I subscribed to this. I dont have time to read all the posts now, I promised myself I wouldnt stay on the computer very long today.

Something funny, if a telemarketer happens to get me on the phone I tell them I am not a consumer. They dont know how to take it. They usually just do the yeah but thing. And I politely say again No I am not a consumer.

 

[4Hchickenproject]

All the hints, tips and ideas are great! We lived as major consumers for many years, now we are all simply tired of it! We have been cutting corners for a while now, and it has become routine, so we no longer stress over what we CAN'T do are CAN'T buy.

The single biggest thing that helped us was to simply go day-by-day with the plan to SPEND NO MONEY TODAY. Every day we do not go to town, go shopping, go out to eat, go to friends' houses, etc., is a day we stay home and do not spend money. It seems overly-simplistic, but when you're faced with the dilemma, "We're nearly out of toilet tissue. Should I go to town today to get tissue, or can we wait just until tomorrow?" it's amazing the solutions you can come up with. Of course, if you want this to work long-term, you have to get into planning ahead.

Good luck!

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
I'm with you on easy to rip and tear away and I SOOOOOOO miss those days. The cloth towels (small, medium, large, x-large) that I use for the animals are cloth towels that people have given me when they have bought new towels to replace the old towels. I rinse the animals towels outside in my outside sink, to rid them of the poop, etc.

I have a special set of towels for each individual uses (food spills, etc.) I never have any blood/vomit clean ups, so that makes it a bit easier for me I guess. I keep all of the old towels stored separately. Although it does take a few extra minutes as far as cleaning and storing, it works.

I don't think that everyone will be able to go "paper-towel free" but it does help me out with not having that expense.

 

[Rathbone]

Quote:
I agree. There is no one "fix" for all of us. We live in different places/different ways. I love this thread as a resource though. Because of it, I will be attempting to make laundry soap this weekend. I am going to try out most if not all of the ideas presented here. What works for me, I will incorporate into everyday life.