11 Secrets of Frugal Bloggers

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turning off the car may reduce oil circulation and damage the engine

countrydoc of TX 11:28AM January 15, 2012

not sure about most of these suggestions

patricia Nickey of FL 4:12PM December 11, 2011

Store frig and freezer items outside during winter months.

Marlon S. Keller of IA 10:44AM December 06, 2011

SAVE ON YOUR FOOD EXPENSES
If your a family that gets along well try to eat meals together more often it will save on your shopping bill. If everyone can make one dish of food to pass around at the dinner table you can save money on monthly food shopping plus have more food to survive on. Prepare to save left overs and eat them too. Preparing one dish a day will prepare you with a life time of savings in your wallet.

Denise of TN 9:55AM December 06, 2011

I live well on what people donate or give away. I don't need to re-use sandwich bags. Although, a nurse by profession, I knew I would quit or burn out. We have a family. I have found creative ways to cash in on waste. If you look at what people toss--you can make a lot of cash. Although I have dove into a dumpster, I find "Goodwill" a great source. The key, educate yourself on what's hot. Find it, and sell it. I am not rich, but I am not hurting either. I'm actually launching a blog on how I do this.

Kara of WI 9:54AM December 06, 2011

If your a family that gets along well try to eat meals together more often it will save on your shopping bill. If everyone can make one dish of food to pass around at the dinner table you can save money on monthly food shopping plus have more food to survive on. Prepare to save left overs and eat them too. Preparing one dish a day will prepare you with a life time of savings in your wallet.

Denise of TN 9:49AM December 06, 2011

This option may make sense for a musician, but what Glenn hasn't mentioned is the expenses RV's require that a home doesn't.
First of all, a home appreciates in value and a motor vehicle doesn't, in fact they depreciate over time--the older they are and the higher the mileage, the less they become worth.
RV's tend to suck up the gas more than a car, which makes them expensive, not to mention cumbersome to use for local and small distance driving about town. Most people have a second mode of transportation for this purpose--so you can add the cost of insurance and maintenance for a second vehicle to either be stored someplace, or towed along behind the RV, which increases gas consumption.
Anyone who owns a car understands the expenses associated with car ownership. An RV costs more to maintain and is subject to major breakdowns which can trump the cost of auto repairs, by far.
I will list just a few more. Tires; brakes; insurance; annual motor vehicle department fees; campground fees; potty dump fees; parking and moving violations tickets; lack of, or limited storage capacity often requires renting a storage unit $. When you add it all up your costs, the savings may not be worth the inconvenience for just anyone.

Sensible of CA 10:51AM November 25, 2011

cool, or should I say cold showers!

Mark Hunt of DC 2:28AM November 25, 2011

Personal hygeine
Sponge bathing with hot water, can be an exceptable practice every other day of the week, it saves energy, hot water, and water. Not everyone can take cold showers. At least once a week use some white vinegar as soap, it is acidic, and can kill a lot of bacteria and fungi. The important thing is that a person is clean, maintaining personal hygeine, will help decrease expensive health issues.
I do a hot oil hair and scalp treatment with olive oil and a cap hair dryer before washing my hair once a week.
Housing as an Investment instead of sink hole!
When buying a home, low ceilings, and less square-footage, and fewer/smaller windows saves amazing amounts of money on: Heating, cooling, taxes, insurance, energy, water (using less to clean with), cleaning supplies, less money put out to borrow the $ to buy, and maintance work (less house is less money to repair).
Food/energy/time planning
Food, do all cooking for the week on one day, then mix and match the veggies, and main dishes through the week. EX: I will make boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes, and noodles pre cooked oiled and put in a large ziplock bag, then mix with sauces soups, and veggies during week. Go ahead and make all you lunches for the week too, especially if you are super busy during the week. Put your lunchs in bags and keep in refrigerator, for easy grab and go. I also keep emergency food at work, for when I need something ASAP.
Car sense
Not everyone can use public transport, so when car shopping try to get a fuel saving vehicle, more mpg. To evaluate what car will give you the best value, take the usual mileage life of car minus the miles already driven, then devide that by esitmate of what you drive in a year, Then devide price car by the answer you just calculated. Remember that in cars too, less is more!
you don't necessarily have to do without refrigeration, but most people really only need a small refrigerator, instead of all the energy expended to keep a regular sized one running. Most americans refrigerate what doesn't need to be refrigerated.
If you really want to make savings of fresh produce last, you need to invest in learning to vacum seal dried goods, and can perishable.

shields of NC 2:29AM November 23, 2011

1. I now have my bank pay my all my bills via their free bill paying service saving postage, the buying and addressing the envelope. This saves me about twenty bucks a year.
2. Even better I was given $300.00 dollars to change accounts to this bank. The money was not credited all at once but required following certain procedures such as submitting my old checks from the previous bank, on line statements and others. After three months the entire $300.00 was credited to my account.
3. Another way to save money is to get the simplest, cheapest checks which usually cost about $18.00.
This bank did not inform me of the cost and I complained to the bank manager and was credited the $18.00 and still allowed to use the checks which I rarely use now. I mentioned this only because many times these types of costs are not clearly mentioned.
4. Buss Pass. For short trips around town I use a bus pass which saves a lot of gas money and if close enough I walk which is good exercise.
5. Sharing a lunch or dinner saves a lot of money. Most restaurants today serve huge amounts of food, more then one person can eat at one sitting. I either share the plate with a friend or take it home for another meal. This makes eating out more affordable. All I do is add a side dish of vegetables.
6. Farmers Markets can be a great way to buy fresh vegetable and fruits and it fun. I always ask if the goods are direct from a local farmer.
7. Reward Store Coupons. Many stores will issue reward coupons for shopping a certain amount which usually adds up to $200.00 a month. I have gotten a dozen eggs and bacon, Haggan Daz ice cream,and this month a free turkey!
8.Chinatown Shopping for veggies and fruit is usually cheaper then large box stores but not always. Some times Safeway has great coupon sales.
9.Senior Discount days at stores usually five percent but you would be surprised how it adds up to a free lunch.
10. Senior Discounts movie tickets makes movies affordable and I take my own popcorn.
12. Many restaurants have senior discount cards. AARP and the military issue such cards which usually is ten per cent of the bill saving $1.75.00
13. To avoid surprises at the check stand, always note the price on the rack and take two samples of the product. Many times the store computer has not reduced the price and its so easy to just go ahead and pay.
No, no the store is counting on laziness and not speaking up, even when people are waiting behind and becoming impatient.
Read the fine print of any receipt front and especially the BACK! Note return dates, some times there are two dates.
This happened to me at Sears and at first the supervisor would not accept the returned t.v and I pursued gallantly and got the manage of the store to return the item.