Wow. These are awesome. You'd also be surprised at what you can get free from stores just for the asking. Think of everything they need to throw out and will end up in trash, all because it's needing to be replaced for the new inventory to come in.
Thought of a lot of ideas that I use, so here goes ...
For the posters on dumpster diving. That's a great way to get some good stuff! My brother brought me home the laptop that I sold to get the one I'm using now - for my business - from where? Trash. It was at a business office he worked at as security many, many years ago and worked great. Someone just left it and never come back for it. Not sure why, but hey, getting a laptop years ago that worked? For free? I'll take it
Also, my mom's brought home plants - tons! - from Lowes and Home Depot before by finding out the day they were trashing a lot of the plants there that were starting to die off since they weren't purchased and needed to get new inventory in. The entire back of her car was filled with plants that they gave us! Free. And they just needed planting to come back. Just ask them.
Another great idea from the Hardware Stores - Lowes, Home Depot, etc. - are to ask them - when you need some wood - if there are 'scraps' that were cut wrong, or too small to sell, etc that you could have. A lot of the time we've received tons of great wood for free or significantly reduced. Same with paint. Instead of buying premixed and such, go to the station where they mix paint. A lot of customers have paint that ended up the wrong shade, so Home Depot (especially used that store since it's right down the hill from us) will place those 'rejects' close by and sell them at a really discounted price.
Another option for buildings supplies that I recently heard of and had completely forgot about until recently are new home sites. Construction sites will have a lot of old wood - still in good shape, new wood, bits and pieces of everything left over from when they've built and will pile it up needing to be trashed. Just ask them if you can scavenge and since it will be thrown out anyway, they'd be more than happy to get rid of it.
Need heavy duty boxes? Or maybe a wine rack would work to store things in your home? Ask. Go to a wine store and ask if they are needing to get rick of some of their display racks, racks in general, etc. And most would be happy that you will take them off their hands. Go to fast food joints and ask if they have some good heavy duty boxes that they need to get rid of. Very helpful when moving. We've packed our vehicle plenty when friends have moved and needed boxes.
Batteries. Buy rechargables. May be more expensive, but the amount you save - and the enviroment - from not throwing them out? Way more $$$ in your pocket.
Someone said this before, but UNPLUG from the wall any electrical appliance. Even when in energy saving mode - doesn't say energy eliminating does it? - it still takes electricity. It just reduces it, but doesn't eliminate. And the biggest energy user of all? Computers. I recently read that this includes even when plugged into the strip. As long as the appliance is plugged into the wall in some way. It is using up money from your wallet. If you can unplug it when not in use, do it. I unplug aquariums at night. All computers. All things I can. Other than my chicks heat at night, there isn't one thing plugged in at night in my room and I try to do so in every room as well.
Turning off heater at night also is a good idea as well. I don't care if it's freezing outside. I turn it off and tell everyone to bundle up. Adding sweaters doesn't cost $, but turning that heater on and up does.
Shampoo. I'm not sure when I last purchased shampoo, but when you run out of shampoo don't throw that old container away. Purchase a family size shampoo, then fill the old one halfway with water, halfway with shampoo. You'll use the same amount, but 1- It's better for your hair and 2 - You use less overall. For conditioner you can try the same, but I've found that instead of conditioning while showering, I only shampoo the top 1/4 of my hair, then when I get out I apply about a nickle sized or dime sized - I have long hair - amount of conditioner to the last 3/4 of my hair. You'll have to play to figure out the exacts for your conditioner since some need less. But, I use so much less conditioner, but my hair absorbs it just as good, if not better after the shower than while in. Also means less time in the shower.
Choosing to use cold water over hot water - so that the water heater don't need to come on - while washing clothes, dishes, everything. I use that and everything stays clean. With some messes you need warm water to get them clean, but overall I stick with cold water.
If, like myself, you need your coffee - as someone pointed out - you don't really need to buy it from major chains. I've never done so. I buy the cheap store brand - I like Albertsons and Safeway - if it's on sale. I can get a huge thing for only $3.99 and honestly, I think it better than Folgers, Starbucks, etc. I also reuse coffee filters. I bought that reusable container that you use in place, but for my smaller machine - I use during the day - I reuse coffee filters. They stay good for some time. Just wash em off.
For cereal - again with buying store brand. And, I don't buy one tiny box of good cereal that maybe only gives me a bite or two. You know the ones I'm talking about. I buy the store brand. I buy one good one, and one plain. Say one frosted flakes type with one basic flake. I mix the two together, throw in my own toasted old fashioned oats, toasted almonds, and whatever else you want throw in. Now you've got the equivalent of 5 or more of those little boxes for the price of one, or less.
Instead of buying toys - which they don't like anyway and cost too much - and things for my dogs. I make all of them that I can. I make toys out of rope, out of cardboard tubes, old scraps of cloth, etc. And I don't buy treats. IF they get them, they get homemade. I do homemade ALL the way for EVERYthing I can.
Decorating in your house. More frivolous idea when your trying to save money, but this is just another great idea to save money. Instead of buying things for the house, I go outside and bring in. I use rocks, twigs, etc. I once saw a mirror for a lot of money that I liked. I went outside, grabbed a bunch of twigs and glued them around the edge of my mirror, instant makeover - looks better than what I saw. Try making the things you want. Same with asking friends who are remodeling their homes for items they are throwing away. My mom had wallpaper that she bought - on sale - a long time ago. My walls are a cream color and the paper is a darker cream with vines. I took a stapler and used the few strips I had to staple them up on the wall. Only two of my walls there was enough for. Another throw away scrap I had was a brick pattern. Not color matching though. I stapled it to a nook area in my room and made a dark wash for it out of some scrap paint and it tied in with the rest of the room. Whenever I want remodel I plan on removing the staples, then my room will have a whole new look without a penny spent. When I change it again, I'll put the paper back up, but on different walls. Really great way to freshen things up in your home while not costing a cent, but people think I spent a fortune.
If you do want go out and have your hair cut for really cheap. Beauty schools. I've done this and only spent a few bucks on a hair cut, but it was perfect - though this was years ago and only did since she was a friend of mine. Beauty schools have students that need to have 'models' to work on and earn credit for with their teachers close by, but these are usually students about to graduate so it's unlikely they will mess up, and they only charge minimal amounts.
I'm sure I'll think of more!
Oh, I almost forgot. Saving on gas. This is another good neighborly thing, but when we need to buy just one or two things from the store, we find out who's going and ask if they'll pick up this or that. You give them the money, they are already going out and going there, so it saves a lot of gas. Just make sure you give them the same courtesy of calling and asking if they need anything when you're going out.
Don't be embarassed to post things that are a little more frivolous either. As long as it's 'Money Saving?' It'll work here.
