This seems like common sense to those that are frugal, but for many, the need to *possess* books vs just borrowing them can sometimes be overwhelming. But, truly, very few books will one refer to again and again and reread so many times that it is worth it to own. A library is a frugal person’s best friend. You get to read it, free of charge, and the library has to store it and take care of it for the long term.

Because books are stuff, and stuff creates clutter. Streamline your life - use the library. Only if you find yourself borrowing the same book over and over again should you consider actually purchasing it.

And even then… remember. Clutter.

This frugal tip provided by paidtwice of I’ve Paid For This Twice Already...

Frugality is not just about saving money in the short term, it is about making choices that conserve and save for the long term. One of the ways frugality can be put into action with a short term expense that reaps long term benefits is upgrading old appliances to Energy Star or energy-efficient models that save money over time.

This came into play for us recently. We bought a house a little more than a year ago that had a 20 year old furnace. A few weeks ago, the furnace began to behave erratically, and we looked into replacing it. What we found was that for a slightly larger investment now in a Energy Star appliance, we could improve performance over our current furnace by more than 40%. For us, that means a $600-$800 savings in natural gas bills per year. We could have repaired the current furnace for a short term fix, but considering all the variables, that would have been the cheap choice, not the frugal one.

What appliances in your home could stand to be upgraded to save you money and conserve energy? You might be surprised the difference an Energy Star rated appliance can make.

This frugal tip supplied by paidtwice of I’ve Paid For This Twice Already…

Generally, if you choose to have a higher deductible on your auto, home, or health insurance policy, you will pay less per month or year on your premiums. This can save you a significant amount of money in the long run.

However, many people choose to have lower deductibles because they can’t afford the high deductible if, for some reason, they have to pay it. If I have learned nothing else in this past year of tracking my spending, I have learned that things happen when you least expect them. So for high deductible policies, I have a plan.

Create a specific savings account, separate from your general emergency fund, that is your deductible savings account. Add up the deductibles on your policies, and save an appropriate amount in this account that will cover those deductibles if needed. The last thing you want to worry about if you’ve been in an accident, are in the hospital, or your house was damaged, is how you are going to pay the deductible. Be proactive, and have a plan. Being frugal is about more than saving money, it’s about living life to the fullest while making smart money choices. Be smart by being prepared for the worst while you hope for the best.

This frugal tip provided by paidtwice of I’ve Paid For This Twice Already…

Cell phones seem to be a way of life - but make sure that your plan fits your lifestyle. Some of us use cell phones in emergencies or only occasionally, while others are constantly on the phone. What you select for a cell phone plan, and phone plans for yourself in general, should reflect your own personal usage.

If you are an occasional user, a prepaid cell phone plan can be a big money saver. The minutes themselves are more expensive than a traditional monthly plan, but it doesn’t matter how little you pay for minutes in a traditional plan if you aren’t using anywhere near the amount you are given. Explore the idea of prepaid, where you can pay as little as $20 every three months - or maybe even less.

If you are a constant cell user - think about ditching the landline. Do you really use the phone directly wired into your house at all? If you do, could you replace that with the cell phone? Getting rid of the line in your home could really save you some money every month.

Make sure your phone plans fit your lifestyle, and you are saving as much money as you possibly can. Don’t overpay for your talk time - consider what you need today.

This frugal tip was provided by paidtwice of I’ve Paid For This Twice Already…

Lose a button? Bust a seam? Need a little hem on the cuffs to make those pants look right? Learn basic sewing skills and you can save money on replacing your clothing by fixing them instead! And it doesn’t stop there - you can make your own curtains, napkins, placemats, and so much more! A sewing machine in the right hands is a very frugal investment.

Don’t despair - does sewing just never work out for you? I know how you feel, and I have the scars on my thumbs from wayward needles to prove it. Find a good tailor, and make them your friend. I am very short, and need both the sleeves and legs of every taekwondo uniform I have ever worn shortened. By finding a tailor to do it for me, I save myself a lot of frustration, and I don’t have to find a way to special-order tiny pants. A good tailor will cost less than replacing an item that isn’t quite right.

This frugal tip provided by paidtwice of I’ve Paid For This Twice Already…

Do you want to garden but don’t have a yard or other suitable place to plant it? Why not try square foot gardening! As explained by Frugal Dad, square foot gardening is planting fruits, flowers, and/or vegetables in a raised bed above infertile soil (or above really anything) in 1′ x 1′ square plots. When you harvest something, you can plant another crop in its place. He has pictures on his site of the 4′ x 2′ bed he planted and how he constructed it - his total cost was about $40. There are detailed instructions on his site for how to construct the garden framework as well.

Lynnae at Being Frugal followed his lead and constructed her own square foot garden with her son. A fun family activity and frugal too!

If you’d like to garden but don’t have the fertile soil in your yard (or don’t have a yard) to do it, consider this alternative. I think I might even try doing this on my patio!

This frugal tip brought to you by paidtwice of I’ve Paid For This Twice Already… 

Last week I talked about baking soda and some of the many ways you could use it to clean, deodorize, and even unclog drains, as a frugal alternative to more expensive manufactured items.  Today I’ll discuss the other half of the frugal household helper pair, vinegar.  Vinegar, white vinegar to be exact, can be bought by the gallon for literally a few dollars, and a small amount of this handy liquid can really go a long way.  I use vinegar by itself for such chores as:

• Fabric Softener:  I use vinegar in the rinse cycle of our washing machine as a natural fabric softener.  It really works and since I am allergic to most commercial fabric softeners, is a great frugal alternative! Note:  Do not do this if you use bleach in your wash load.
  
• Cleaning the Toilet:  Put straight vinegar into a spray bottle and then spray vinegar on the toilet rim.  A quick wipe and you’re done!  Very important since I live with boys. 
• In The Dishwasher:  Pour 2 cups vinegar into the bottom of your dishwasher before running.  Put your normal dishwasher soap in and run.  Your dishes will come out even cleaner this way!

And don’t forget, baking soda and vinegar work together well too to clean out your garbage disposal!

This frugal tip was written by paidtwice of I’ve Paid For This Twice Already…

Baking soda is a very common household item that is generally used for baking and deodorizing in the refrigerator and freezer. But it can be used for so many more things! Some of the uses I have for it in my household are:

• Cleaning my eyeglasses: I sprinkle a little on the lenses, and use a damp cloth to wipe them. I then rinse with cold water and they are sparklingly clear!
• Cleaning my coffeemaker: I run a mixture of 1 cup water and 1/4 cup baking soda through my coffeemaker once a week to make my coffee taste better.
• Cleaning my microwave: I boil 1 cup water with 1 tablespoon baking soda mixed in for about 5 minutes, then wipe down the interior of the microwave with a wet cloth. Grime comes right off!
• Carpet deodorizer: I sprinkle my carpets with baking soda about an hour before vacuuming (when I can keep the kids away!) and the whole room smells a little fresher.

Lynnae at Being Frugal has even more tips for baking soda, including as an ingredient in homemade laundry detergent, dishwasher soap, and even unclogging a garbage disposal!

Try some baking soda yourself for these or many other uses! It is cheap and really works! Yay for frugality.

This frugal tip was written by paidtwice of I’ve Paid For This Twice Already…

If you’re reading this than you probably have a desire to live a more frugal life. But developing a finely-tuned frugal mindset can take some time. It’s not easy. When you first start trying to spend less on things you’re eye catches every potential deal that’s out there. However, there are a few traps that can end up hurting your chances of success:

1. Buying the Wrong Products in Bulk

This is the classic trap. You see a crate full of something and look at the total price. In your mind you quickly calculate the per-item cost and you are blown away at the savings. You buy it. Three months later you still have two-thirds of the product left and no desire to use it, or even worse, it’s expired. If you’re a regular Sam’s or Costco user you know what I’m talking about.

2. Free Trials Turn into (Oops!) Credit Card Charges

We’ve all signed up for a free trial and accidentally forgot to cancel after the trial period. It happens. You end up paying an extra month of something that you stopped using after the first free week. If you use free trials, please make sure you set yourself a reminder to cancel the subscription. I use my MS Outlook calendar at work.

3. Chasing the After-Purchase Rebates

With a little work, the after-purchase rebate can work out great. Mostly though, we get a product home and never take the time to mail in the forms to get the rebate. You’re too busy using whatever it is you bought, right? Also, if the rebate is a reward instead of money, make sure it’s a reward you want. Bottom line: try to buy products with in-store rebates and get all your money up-front.

4. Not Reading the Fine Print

You mean I have to buy two? You mean I have to dine-in to get the deal? Take the time to read the small print on all your coupons, as they will inform you of what kind of deal you are really getting.

5. Confusing Cheap for Frugal

Lastly, don’t ever confuse frugality with being cheap. There a big difference, in my opinion. Find the balance between sacrificing your time/effort and the price you are paying. Also, try to avoid sacrificing quality if it’s a product that you will be sitting on, sleeping on, or depending on in some way.

Written by PT of Prime Time Money (RSS)

In the past, I was a brand conscious person.  I would naturally reach for brand name as opposed to the cheaper generic store brand products. But a marriage and a baby put a stop to that now that we have to watch our expenses a little closer.  However, it takes time to learn how generic store brand compares to the real thing.  Also the quality of generic products can vary greatly from store to store.  It’s a trial and error exercise, but it’s definitely worth it in the long run.

Here are some of the generics that I have tried recently:

• Medicines – Just read the active ingredients and try out the smallest size first.  Since medicines are controlled by the FDA, the quality doesn’t vary too widely.
• Cleaning products – This should be an easy one to substitute.  You could also go a step further and create your own cleaning products — ingredients usually include vinegar, baking soda, and bleach.
• Personal hygiene products – So far, I have tried Target equivalent of Listerine Whitening — possibly the best mouthwash ever.
• Baby diapers – My wife didn’t like the CVS diapers I bought because it’s not as soft as Pampers Swaddlers.
• Baby wipes –The ones from CVS weren’t that good, but the ones from Costco were great.
• CD-R and DVD-R – I have some good, and some bad experience with these.

Do you use generic store brand products?  If you found something that works well for you, please share with us.

Written by Pinyo of Moolanomy