What are your frugal and sustainable tips and tricks?

[gtaus]

We make a list of everywhere we need to go and everything we need to get.

A short note is better than a long memory! I also make a list of what I need, at which stores, and make one loop in town and pick up everything without having to go back and forth between stores because I might forget something.

I will also put things on my list to buy only if they are on sale. Someone suggested using "IOS" after the item to indicate to only buy that item "If On Sale." Otherwise, it can wait. That helps me prioritize my list and saves me money by delaying some purchases that I might pick up another time at a lower sale price.

 

[gtaus]

Sometimes it pays to make the long drives, other times it's more frugal to pay a higher price and drive less. I add fuel cost to the cost of things I need to buy, then take the cheapest route. haha

Sometimes I find it cheaper to order something online and have it delivered to the house. That does not support our local businesses, but it can save me money.

But the little grocery at the corner and the hardware store in the village closed long ago.

We lost our small grocery and hardware stores many years ago. Now, it's just big box stores to choose from.

I still try to buy things often at the local hardware and IGA stores, more as support to help them keep from closing down.

When they are gone, chances are they never will come back. I try to support our local businesses as much as possible, but as I said, most of them now are all big box stores.

FYI, WalMart came into our town and killed KMart. KMart was a cornerstone business for the mall. The mall has never been the same. I know times change, but the mall used to be filled with small mom and pop shops and boutiques. The mall is basically empty now with only a large JC Penny store struggling to survive.

 

[Smokerbill]

Sometimes I find it cheaper to order something online and have it delivered to the house. That does not support our local businesses, but it can save me money.

I buy from Amazon every so often. Yesterday's delivery was a 2500 pack of Dewalt 1/2" long narrow crown staples for my Harbor Freight air stapler. I tested them and they work in it. Good price, too. $11.35 for 2500 pack of Dewalt staples from Amazon. Harbor Freight 1/2" staples are $10.99. Free Amazon delivery saved me 2 gallons of gas, too.

I order lots of things with Walmart+ account and get free shipping. It has paid for itself many times over with the free shipping. I rarely use Walmart delivery, though. Delivery requests a tip. Shipping, no tip.

 

[Molpet]

FYI, WalMart came into our town and killed KMart. KMart was a cornerstone business for the mall. The mall has never been the same. I know times change, but the mall used to be filled with small mom and pop shops and boutiques. The mall is basically empty now with only a large JC Penny store struggling to survive.

When I 80 came through, Eagle grocery and Kmart soon followed. They put the Mom and Pop shops out of business. Then Jewel came in and put eagle out of business, then Walmart pushed Kmart out. The Jewel grocery merged with Albertsons from out of state, so it's still hanging in there.

 

[saysfaa]

The vacuum saga.

Now that we have a carpeted staircase again, I want a vacuum that doesn't fall down the steps on top of me.

I did some research and bought a DD scorpion plus. I like that it has a cord because it has more power and costs less ($55 or so vs $80-$150+ for similar style cordless kinds) and doesn't have a battery. Before I opened the box, I saw one listed on a garage sale notice. Sadly, it was gone when I got there. She said she sold it for $8.

Dh balked at the price of the new one and thought we could find a used one on Ebay or craigslist. I couldn't (after adding the cost of getting it home). I opened it and didn't like the quality.

So, I bought the best choice available at Meijer (region store similar to walmart but generally a step up). I don't remember the brand but it was like a very small hand vac or very large tube vac - meant for vaccuming computers and maybe spills in cars. Pros, it would work on the stairs given, maybe, twice the time. And it cost $35. I had to forgo the cord.

The next stop, same day, was home depot. Their hand vacs were not better options (cost vs benefits). But the wet/dry vac section at the other end of the store had a one gallon ryobi on sale for $60. I bought one. It was more expensive but I thought it would have the quality and I already have a ryobi battery.

I still hadn't decided which of the three to actually keep.

One week later, I saw a small shop vac in the pictures of an estate sale not too far away from where I was going anyway. It turned out to be a 2 gallon version and actual "shop vac" brand. I plugged it in, it worked pretty well. I opened it to find it packed solidly full of dog fur. They said $15. I showed them the dog fur and they said $10. I checked that replacement filters are still available (they are). And bought it.

I've already returned two. I'll keep the ryobi until I clean the shopvac and try it on the stairs. I think it will be small enough to use easily, and will work well. If not, I will at least know if the 1-2 gallon tank will be okay so if it seems it won't, I can return the ryobi without using it.

 

[saysfaa]

While I'm thinking about it - some types of maintenance make more difference than other kinds. Vacuuming carpet thoroughly enough and often enough is on the "more difference" end. Especially if you live in sandy areas. The grit moving against carpet fibers really breaks down the carpet fibers.