# Lifestyles & Discussion > Freedom Living >  Easy ways to save money.

## amy31416

I was thinking about a couple of things that I do to save money, and thought that many of you probably have lots of similar things that you do as well. Just simple things that you do to save money. For instance:

I water down all the juice I drink because it stretches it, makes it less sweet and increases the water I drink.

I exfoliate using baking soda rather than buying expensive creams. (Get a washcloth, wet it and sprinkle a little on, it's better than the stuff you buy.)

I make my own bleach cleaners for disinfecting (1 part bleach, 4 parts water.)

I make my own glass cleaner (1C water, 1C isopropyl alcohol, 1tsp white vinegar.)

I buy cheap, basic moisturizers, liquid soap, shampoo, etc and adjust the formulation to my liking (sometimes pH adjust with white vinegar, add vitamin E--things like that.)

How about youse guys?

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## Zippyjuan

If you buy "light" juices, you are getting half water anyways (Tropicana's light OJ for example is 42% juice while their regular OJ is 100%- same price) so you are saving money there.  I don't have a car which saves tons of money (live close to work, grocery store).   Use manufacturer's coupons which in my area they still double the value of (the prices are probably raised to pay for that so I might as well use them).  Don't buy things like sandwich bags or storage containers. Use bread sacks for sandwiches or clean tubs from butter or whatever for storage.

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## Allen72289

Want to get a 25% increase in fuel economy?

Use E3 sparklugs which claim 13% more mpg

use a k&n filter which gives on average 10% mpg increase

use mobil1 synthetic 15000 mile oil.

savings with th mobil1 oil is 70 dollars alone not including increased engine life and mpg per year

savings with the the k&n is 400 dollars over the life of a vehicle at current air filter prices.

the e3 sparkplugs are guaranteed for life as well.

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## acptulsa

I can testify that Mobil 1 will save you a little gas and a lot of engine wear.

My favorite is to tell your local cable tv company to get stuffed and break out the rabbit ears.

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## Kludge

Tee hee -- the things I said in my Youth...!

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## amy31416

Good stuff. I only use Mobil 1 full synthetic--and I change it myself, which saves me about $50.

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## Mongoose470

> Want to get a 25% increase in fuel economy?
> 
> Use E3 sparklugs which claim 13% more mpg
> 
> use a k&n filter which gives on average 10% mpg increase
> 
> use mobil1 synthetic 15000 mile oil.
> 
> savings with th mobil1 oil is 70 dollars alone not including increased engine life and mpg per year
> ...


E3 plugs claim 13%.  Yes, over a completely fouled normal spark plug.  Over a good plug, there is little to no difference.  At 7 bucks a plug, they're a waste of money.  I'm a motor enthusiast and most have rejected those plugs.  Tests have also confirmed they're more hype than hope.

Same with those fancy air filters.  Over a completely plugged normal air filter, 10%improvement possible.  Compared to a standard brand new air filter, little to none unless used in high performance or heavy duty applications.  

You want an effective fuel saving tip?  Emissions permitting, free up exhaust backpressure with a freer flowing exhaust and/or muffler.  Tested and proven.  More MPG AND power.

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## Dieseler

I have to buy another freezer.
I produced way to much food this year.
I wish I had planted potatoes too.

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## LittleLightShining

I second the coupons. Last week I saved $167 combining coupons and sales and came in just under my $100 budget spending $99  Speaking of coupons, if you are happy or unhappy with a product call the customer satisfaction number and let them know. If they don't offer a replacement for a negative comment ask for one. Ask for coupons for products you like so you can try other flavors/scents.

Where I live the dumps have transfer stations in many towns. People can drop off recycling, trash, bulky waste, electronics, etc. Many towns have little "reuse" buildings. I have been shopping at these for years and find the bulk of my family's clothing this way. My style is pretty casual/classic and my husband has a dirty job so we're not fussy. I got my fancy mother-in-law into and she's never looked better. I especially like to do this in the rich towns  I also haven't bought a new book (except for TR:AM) in years thanks to these places. 

On the same note, if you have kids, shop yard and rummage sales for them and stock up on larger sizes. I have boys, and again, they aren't fussy. I'd way rather put a used LL Bean rugby or a vintage T on one of them than a shirt/commercial for some dumb movie from wal-mart.

Call your cable company-- and cell phone provider-- and renegotiate for the current promotion.

Buy grains and dry goods in bulk.

I put my laundry detergent in a dish detergent bottle. I give each load one squeeze around and my clothes come out great. I also have used regular dish detergent--palmolive oxy, ivory and dawn-- instead of laundry detergent and I think it's better because you don't need as much. What I use depends on what I have a coupon for.

Line dry clothes. 

Collect caps and codes from Coke products and use them at mycokerewards.com for Blockbuster rentals. Tell everyone you know you save them and you'll be watching free movies before you know it.

I posted more somewhere else in here... When I have more time I'll look for it.

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## brandon

Amy, you should compile your list into a database and then charge people $7 to access it. Then those people could make money by referring other people.
Good idea? 

Anyway, I grow my own weed and distill my own moonshine.

I steal pens and toilet paper from work

I only shower once a week

And of course, I pirate pornography.

Just kidding(??)

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## MsDoodahs

http://www.tightwad.com/

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## Mahkato

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/How_to_Reduce_Energy_Usage

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## pcosmar

I roll my own cigarettes.

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## amy31416

> Amy, you should compile your list into a database and then charge people $7 to access it. Then those people could make money by referring other people.
> Good idea? 
> 
> Anyway, I grow my own weed and distill my own moonshine.
> 
> I steal pens and toilet paper from work
> 
> I only shower once a week
> 
> ...


LOL.

Great idea, then I could promote it as THE NEXT BIG THING THAT WILL TAKE THE REVOLUTION BY STORM!

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## amy31416

> http://www.tightwad.com/



Good site. Thanks.

Part of me likes reading about the weird little quirky things that people on this board do, plus I've worn out the usual sites looking for innovative ways to live large (that's right MTV Cribs) on as little as possible.

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## asgardshill

Even factoring in the cost of fertilizer, water and labor (i.e. my time), having a garden has saved me at least $300 in food costs so far this year.

I routinely scan EBay for "broken" computer and electronic equipment and fix it myself.  The laptop I'm using right now had no working display, no battery and would not POST when I bid on and won it for less than $100.  I installed a working display and battery off a junked laptop of the same model and reseated the RAM to fix the POST issue.  Voila - a laptop that retails for over $800.00 that now works perfectly, for the low low price of $125.00 including parts.

I haven't bought a music CD in over 3 years.  Torrent and Usenet are your friends.

If you smoke, consider ordering by mail/purchasing your cigs from an Indian reservation.  They don't charge tax on them, and you can get them for about half of what you'd pay at the corner store.

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## driller80545

I do all of my own repair work- auto, home, ac, anything. I live on the gulf, so we eat lots of seafood that we catch- fish, shrimp, oysters, crabs. I try to keep my wife out of MaoMart. Currently, I am looking to increase gas mileage or try alternative as this is a large expense for me. I don't borrow money. We always have a nice garden.

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## LibertiORDeth

> Even factoring in the cost of fertilizer, water and labor (i.e. my time), having a garden has saved me at least $300 in food costs so far this year.
> 
> I routinely scan EBay for "broken" computer and electronic equipment and fix it myself.  The laptop I'm using right now had no working display, no battery and would not POST when I bid on and won it for less than $100.  I installed a working display and battery off a junked laptop of the same model and reseated the RAM to fix the POST issue.  Voila - a laptop that retails for over $800.00 that now works perfectly, for the low low price of $125.00 including parts.
> 
> I haven't bought a music CD in over 3 years.  Torrent and Usenet are your friends.
> 
> If you smoke, consider ordering by mail/purchasing your cigs from an Indian reservation.  They don't charge tax on them, and you can get them for about half of what you'd pay at the corner store.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=tab%3DSelling

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## asgardshill

> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=tab%3DSelling


Yeah, that one's on my radar.  But I haven't installed anything smaller than 500 gig in a box yet this year.  Nice for a starter computer or a kid's system though.

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## LibertiORDeth

> Yeah, that one's on my radar.  But I haven't installed anything smaller than 500 gig in a box yet this year.  Nice for a starter computer or a kid's system though.


Still, a 70$ HDD...

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## asgardshill

> Still, a 70$ HDD...


And the best part is, it'll sell for peanuts because the person auctioning it can't get it to initialize (which is usually easily corrected).

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## pacelli

I always shop in the clearance bins at the supermarkets and the home improvement centers.  I found cans of israeli pickles in the bargain bin for $1.00 a piece, normally they sell for 4.00 a pop here.

At one home improvement store just today, I found full cans of Rain-X de-icer on sale for .50 cents each, marked down from $3.67 each.  Of course the cashier just scanned it and tried to charge me full price.  Fat chance.

For outdoor / gardening clothes I shop at the online military surplus shops. 3 heavy-duty, button-down shirts for $12 (and I happen to like the colors 'olive drab' & 'camoflauge'). They last for decades. Same deal with pants.  3 shovels for $18.  5-gallon water containers for $6 a pop and last much longer than anything you'd find at chinese-slave-mart.

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## amy31416

> For outdoor / gardening clothes I shop at the online military surplus shops. 3 heavy-duty, button-down shirts for $12 (and I happen to like the colors 'olive drab' & 'camoflauge'). They last for decades. Same deal with pants.  3 shovels for $18.  5-gallon water containers for $6 a pop and last much longer than anything you'd find at chinese-slave-mart.


Great stuff, I haven't been to a surplus store in a long time, I'll have to make a trek down there.

Which reminds me--Salvation Army stores. I've found a real Italian hand-crank pasta machine there for $10 (they go for around $100.) I found Bruno Magli pumps for $30 (use lysol in the shoes with reckless abandon, just in case, heh.) I've also found woolrich sweaters, cashmere, Ralph Lauren, lots of books and cool old scientific equipment, a classic Coach purse that will last forever and never go out of style.

There's a Salvation Army store specifically for old computer stuff in Pittsburgh. Some interesting finds there.

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## liberteebell

> Great stuff, I haven't been to a surplus store in a long time, I'll have to make a trek down there.
> 
> Which reminds me--Salvation Army stores. I've found a real Italian hand-crank pasta machine there for $10 (they go for around $100.) I found Bruno Magli pumps for $30 (use lysol in the shoes with reckless abandon, just in case, heh.) I've also found woolrich sweaters, cashmere, Ralph Lauren, lots of books and cool old scientific equipment, a classic Coach purse that will last forever and never go out of style.
> 
> There's a Salvation Army store specifically for old computer stuff in Pittsburgh. Some interesting finds there.



Thrift stores rule!   You can build an entire "new" wardrobe on a shoestring.  It's amazing the treasures that can be found for virtually nothing.  If you have children, it's a real bonus--they always grow out of clothing way before the cloting wears out.

Also, selling gently used clothing at consignment shops has netted me some extra FRNs.

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## amy31416

> I second the coupons. Last week I saved $167 combining coupons and sales and came in just under my $100 budget spending $99  Speaking of coupons, if you are happy or unhappy with a product call the customer satisfaction number and let them know. If they don't offer a replacement for a negative comment ask for one. Ask for coupons for products you like so you can try other flavors/scents.


One question for you: I do all my mother's grocery shopping for her because it's cheaper to buy in bulk and split things up, so it works out for both of us. Plus I do "bulk" cooking and freeze the stuff for her because, quite frankly, she's a lousy cook and will eat crappy prepared foods instead.

Anyways, the question is, where are these coupons? I look in the newspaper and honestly there's very rarely any coupons for anything but crap I wouldn't buy (like very over-priced makeup, occasional tv dinners, etc.) It doesn't seem worth it to me, but then I hear about people saving gobs of money using them.

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## Mongoose470

Easiest Way To Save Money:

Don't Get Buried....errrrrr.....married!

I can get a two dollar ho anywhere on the street.  Who needs a HALF OF EVERYTHING YOU OWN HO?

BTW:  Can anyone lend me 53 cents?

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## Andrew-Austin

Heres basically what I do already:

-Eat a lot at my parents house: free food
-Fill up a bottle frequently at water fountains
-Buy non name-brand products

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## Mongoose470

Second best way to save money:

Don't breed like rabbits.  Kids aren't these wonderful innocent bundles of joy.  They are selfish, needy, annoying, expensive, time consuming projects who need a LOT while being incapable of giving back!

Each child costs $22,000 per year and it's getting tougher for Americans to afford them without some form of assistance.   

Oh sure, kids can add meaning and purpose to your life but you'd better be financially ready.

On a serious note, I am identifying two major contributors to poverty and financial crisis in America.

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## Allen72289

> E3 plugs claim 13%.  Yes, over a completely fouled normal spark plug.  Over a good plug, there is little to no difference.  At 7 bucks a plug, they're a waste of money.  I'm a motor enthusiast and most have rejected those plugs.  Tests have also confirmed they're more hype than hope.
> 
> Same with those fancy air filters.  Over a completely plugged normal air filter, 10%improvement possible.  Compared to a standard brand new air filter, little to none unless used in high performance or heavy duty applications.  
> 
> You want an effective fuel saving tip?  Emissions permitting, free up exhaust backpressure with a freer flowing exhaust and/or muffler.  Tested and proven.  More MPG AND power.


No, they had a 5.5 hp gain over  performance competitor  plugs http://www.e3sparkplugs.com/video.htm they do work better than the stock plugs. and a 606  fuel consumption rate vs. 626 with the other plugs.

KN not better than stock? Pssh. The cotton material flows way more air then paper filters. More CFM means more power any gear head knows this.


http://www.knfilters.com

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## amy31416

> Second best way to save money:
> 
> Don't breed like rabbits.  Kids aren't these wonderful innocent bundles of joy.  They are selfish, needy, annoying, expensive, time consuming projects who need a LOT while being incapable of giving back!
> 
> Each child costs $22,000 per year and it's getting tougher for Americans to afford them without some form of assistance.   
> 
> Oh sure, kids can add meaning and purpose to your life but you'd better be financially ready.
> 
> On a serious note, I am identifying two major contributors to poverty and financial crisis in America.


Hahahaha. Sounds like you and Asgardshill should go throw a couple back and bitch about the exes. 

I have a dog, she costs me dog food, water, the rare vet bill and lots of brushing. In return, she provides some serious security detail work, she does the pre-rinse on almost all dishes before the dishwasher, helps dispose of almost all left-overs.

Of course there was that one time that I took her to the gamelands for a romp and she rolled in a bloated, festering recently dead animal. I have never smelled something so horrible. It took three days of bathing to fully get rid of the smell.

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## Mongoose470

> No, they had a 5.5 hp gain over  performance competitor  plugs http://www.e3sparkplugs.com/video.htm they do work better than the stock plugs. and a 606  fuel consumption rate vs. 626 with the other plugs.
> 
> KN not better than stock? Pssh. The cotton material flows way more air then paper filters. More CFM means more power any gear head knows this.
> 
> 
> http://www.knfilters.com


Trust a commercial claim funded by the company all you want.

Regarding the KN filters, you're kicking straw man, not mongoose.

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## Allen72289

22 thousand to raise a kid? Holy $#@!, the average income is 24 grand, it is cheaper for the wife to stay at home.

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## Mongoose470

> 22 thousand to raise a kid? Holy $#@!, the average income is 24 grand, it is cheaper for the wife to stay at home.


Admittedly there is a lot of variance between the studies.  I've seen anywhere from 12,000 to 22,000.  Gotta stay honest here.

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## amy31416

> Trust a commercial claim funded by the company all you want.
> 
> Regarding the KN filters, you're kicking straw man, not mongoose.


You are only pawn in game of life.

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## Mongoose470

> Hahahaha. Sounds like you and Asgardshill should go throw a couple back and bitch about the exes.


I bitch about my exes, but they NEVER BITCH ABOUT ME  

I won't bitch about the SEXES but I will bitch about the social (and political)constructs of marriage and breeding like rabbits which encourage govenment dependeny.

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## Allen72289

> Trust a commercial claim funded by the company all you want.
> 
> Regarding the KN filters, you're kicking straw man, not mongoose.


more air and fuel means a bigger bang, more btu burnt per pound of fuel.

lol. You video tape a dynotest proving me wrong that kn and e3 don't work then I'll believe you.

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## Mongoose470

> You are only pawn in game of life.


awww, no Candygram?

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## Mongoose470

> more air and fuel means a bigger bang, more btu burnt per pound of fuel.
> 
> lol. You video tape a dynotest proving me wrong that kn and e3 don't work then I'll believe you.


Not only are you kicking straw man, now you're introducing a red herring (power vs MPG.)

Keep straining out gnats and swallowing camels.

BTW:  Independent tests not sponsored by said promoting company are far more reliable.

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## amy31416

> I bitch about my exes, but they NEVER BITCH ABOUT ME  
> 
> I won't bitch about the SEXES but I will bitch about the social (and political)constructs of marriage and breeding like rabbits which encourage govenment dependeny.


I'm sure you have plenty of material.

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## Kludge

A) Use neighbor's wi-fi

B) Cancel Cable/Satellite & Phone(s) (Use through internet if you must call someone)

C) Primary sources of food : What's grown in garden, spaghetti, Ramen & Spam sandwhichs.

D) Become electricity-independent.

E) Stop showering/cleaning.

F) Gather your own water.

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## amy31416

> awww, no Candygram?




Now come on, what weird methods do you use to save money? Buy underwear at the Salvation Army? Rinse out used toilet paper? C'mon!

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## Allen72289

> Not only are you kicking straw man, now you're introducing a red herring (power vs MPG.)
> 
> Keep straining out gnats and swallowing camels.
> 
> BTW:  Independent tests not sponsored by said promoting company are far more reliable.


You still have failed to provide an independent test other than neocon bs. 

until then your point is not valid.

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## Mongoose470

> Now come on, what weird methods do you use to save money? Buy underwear at the Salvation Army? Rinse out used toilet paper? C'mon!


Well, wes hires a ni-DONG SHEEEEEERRRRRIIIFFFFFF! (And if you find that racist, you deserve to be...well...nevermind!  Consider it in the spirit of the movie which satires racism)

Who needs to rinse the used toilet paper out?  Wastes water I tell ya!

Along the line of exes and reusing toilet paper...uhhhhh....

nevermind!

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## Mongoose470

> You still have failed to provide an independent test other than neocon bs. 
> 
> until then your point is not valid.


Add ad hominem to your ever growing list of logical fallacies.

I'm finished with you.  You're a shrill whisper in the wind to me.

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## Dieseler

> Add ad hominem to your ever growing list of logical fallacies.
> 
> I'm finished with you.  You're a shrill whisper in the wind to me.


At least he didn't call you a Troll yet like he did me.

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## Mongoose470

> At least he didn't call you a Troll yet like he did me.


Who are you talking about?

Oh that snippy little chihuahua who quotes commercials as scientific tests!

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## amy31416

> Well, wes hires a ni-DONG SHEEEEEERRRRRIIIFFFFFF! (And if you find that racist, you deserve to be...well...nevermind!  Consider it in the spirit of the movie which satires racism)
> 
> Who needs to rinse the used toilet paper out?  Wastes water I tell ya!
> 
> Along the line of exes and reusing toilet paper...uhhhhh....
> 
> nevermind!


I have zero problems with Blazing Saddles (Yo! Where the white women at?)

Ahhh, back to the exes. . . buncha bitches. Who needs 'em? They're probably commies anyways.

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## Mongoose470

> I have zero problems with Blazing Saddles (Yo! Where the white women at?)
> 
> Ahhh, back to the exes. . . buncha bitches. Who needs 'em? They're probably commies anyways.



Hmmmm...More beans Mrs Amy?

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## amy31416

> Hmmmm...More beans Mrs Amy?


Not partial to baked beans myself. But thanks for the offer. 

Mrs. Amy? No thank you!

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## Mongoose470

> Not partial to baked beans myself. But thanks for the offer. 
> 
> Mrs. Amy? No thank you!


Errr you're welcome sir!

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## amy31416

> Errr you're welcome sir!


Uh. Nope.

P.S. Library book sales are an awesome way to save money and still have massive amounts of books. Highly recommended!

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## Allen72289

> Who are you talking about?
> 
> Oh that snippy little chihuahua who quotes commercials as scientific tests!


I would like to see your scientific test.

Resorting to childish remarks only strengthens my point that your claim is bull$#@!.

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## Mongoose470

> Uh. Nope.
> 
> P.S. Library book sales are an awesome way to save money and still have massive amounts of books. Highly recommended!


weird ways to save money?  Dammit I cannot hink of any weird ones.  I've tried reusing coffee grounds.  That is one thing I tried, long ago in my yute. 

Actually I have quite a battery backup for my PC and every now and then I run off of it.

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## RSLudlum

> I will bitch about breeding like rabbits which encourage govenment dependeny.


you would get a kick out of listening to our local mid-day talk radio show here in Charleston...The host goes by Rocky D and constantly rags on what he calls "Welfare Baby Incubators"  , the federal reserve, the IRS, fake conservatives, and the dismal education system esp. in reference to the Civil War.  He is definitely not PC. 

He had a segment today where he discussed the pictures he took (see here) of gov't housing units.  

You can listen to the Rocky D show online every day 12-3pm at www.WTMA.com

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## asgardshill

> Hahahaha. Sounds like you and Asgardshill should go throw a couple back and bitch about the exes.


Asgardshill only pawn in game of life.  (Actually, I think of myself as a knight - they look cool and have good moves ...)

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## Mongoose470

> you would get a kick out of listening to our local mid-day talk radio show here in Charleston...The host goes by Rocky D and constantly rags on what he calls "Welfare Baby Incubators"  , the federal reserve, the IRS, fake conservatives, and the dismal education system esp. in reference to the Civil War.  He is definitely not PC. 
> 
> He had a segment today where he discussed the pictures he took (see here) of gov't housing units.  
> 
> You can listen to the Rocky D show online every day 12-3pm at www.WTMA.com



Cool.  I'm sure I will get a kick out of that.

welfare baby incubators, LOVE IT, LOL!

EDIT:  Wait until I get on my genetic cesspool rant.

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## amy31416

> Asgardshill only pawn in game of life.  (Actually, I think of myself as a knight - they look cool and have good moves ...)


Yes they do!



Come on then! It's only a flesh wound!

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## amy31416

> He had a segment today where he discussed the pictures he took (see here) of gov't housing units.  
> 
> [/url]


That's insane.

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## asgardshill

> Yes they do!
> 
> 
> 
> Come on then! It's only a flesh wound!


Roit.  We'll call it a draw.

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## LibertiORDeth

> Roit.  We'll call it a draw.


I've had worse.
For some reason I couldn't find the movie to funny, although everyone else I know who has seen it found it hilarious.

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## asgardshill

> I've had worse.
> For some reason I couldn't find the movie to funny, although everyone else I know who has seen it found it hilarious.


We quote from three movies around here when the well drinks and generic beer comes out:

Holy Grail
Airplane
Caddyshack

All else is pretext.

(_This is good stuff, man.  I got it from a Negro ..._)

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## amy31416

> I've had worse.
> For some reason I couldn't find the movie to funny, although everyone else I know who has seen it found it hilarious.


Maybe watch it again? Lowbrow sillines. Love it.

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## RSLudlum

LOL...the classic

If you want to save some money on gas, you could train some European Swallows to fetch coconuts...err...I mean African Swallows

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## amy31416

> LOL...the classic
> 
> If you want to save some money on gas, you could train some European Swallows to fetch coconuts...err...I mean African Swallows


But then of course a-- African swallows are non-migratory.


(This thread is hopelessly jacked, but fun nonetheless.)

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## RSLudlum

*Operation: Castle of Aaaaarrrgh* 

we could train an African Swallow to drop the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch on Iran...thereby saving us tons of money in our "defense" budget, and then just say it was an act of god?

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## 123tim

FTA (Free To Air) satellite reception.

Shell out about 160 dollars in the beginning and have crystal clear free T.V. satellite reception (100 percent legal) with no fees.

Better yet....Throw your T.V. out the window.

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## Danke

> Trust a commercial claim funded by the company all you want.
> 
> Regarding the KN filters, you're kicking straw man, not mongoose.


I have never used them.  But a coworker claims these filters are giving him 2-3 more mpg.

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## Allen72289

> I have never used them.  But a coworker claims these filters are giving him 2-3 more mpg.


Yes, I've got the same increase.

Talk to Don Garlits, a ron paul supporter and world famous drag racer he will tell you that increased airflow means better performance over all.

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## Danke

I save on soap, detergent and energy bill by having to wash my clothes (and self) less often. Ever heard of a European shower?  Also, I get twice the usage out of my underpants by turning them inside out.

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## Mongoose470

> We quote from three movies around here when the well drinks and generic beer comes out:
> 
> Holy Grail
> Airplane
> Caddyshack
> 
> All else is pretext.
> 
> (_This is good stuff, man.  I got it from a Negro ..._)


asgardshill...do you like movies about gladiators?

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## Mongoose470

> I have never used them.  But a coworker claims these filters are giving him 2-3 more mpg.


In high performance and heavy duty applications, yes they can improve performance.  I clearly stated that before.  Hell I use K&N filters but I'm a high performance enthusiast.  Ignore Allen's straw man argument.

The difference is neglible for every day usage passenger cars.  Compare the air inflow of a 350hp engine vs an 80hp economy engine and it is self evident.  You'll get gains in the high performance category but little in normal economy applications.

The plugs?  Most people in the enthusiast community reject them as hype.  High performance ignition parts, including spark plugs produce virtually no performance gain under 6000 RPM.  John Mino, a legendary bone stock drag racer, proved that with hundreds of races and dynos.  He won most of them too.

How often will an every day driver run his engne at 6000RPM?  For the average engine, a couple minutes during its lifetme.

Furthermore dyno tests are irrelevant to every day driving since they are tested at Wide Open Throttle.  How often are you at wide open throttle?  And what does a horsepower test have to do with MPG?

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## Mahkato

> Second best way to save money:
> 
> Don't breed like rabbits.  Kids aren't these wonderful innocent bundles of joy.  They are selfish, needy, annoying, expensive, time consuming projects who need a LOT while being incapable of giving back!
> 
> Each child costs $22,000 per year and it's getting tougher for Americans to afford them without some form of assistance.   
> 
> Oh sure, kids can add meaning and purpose to your life but you'd better be financially ready.
> 
> On a serious note, I am identifying two major contributors to poverty and financial crisis in America.


The reason kids are a net burden on parents, instead of a great financial necessity the way they used to be, is because of our oppressive government which taxes, regulates, and socializes the traditional family into oblivion. The bigger the government is, the less profitable it is to have a family.

Social Security, for example, does two things. First, it teaches people that they can rely on Uncle Sam instead of their own children in their old age, and second, the 12% tax on income that goes to SS sinks a lot of income in your prime earning years that you could otherwise be using to raise children. If you make $40k a year before taxes, and SS takes $4,800 right off the top (employer and employee "contributions"), that money might have been the difference in your budget that allowed your spouse to stay home with the kids. Instead, she has to get a job and your kids are raised by strangers.

Child labor laws cause a whole new set of problems.

High taxes in general are making it much more difficult for people to get along without assistance. Even the poor pay so much in taxes (embedded ones, mostly) that they are forced to rely on the government, which is the source of the problems in the first place. They take $100 out of your left pocket, make you fill out a few forms, and put $20 back in your right pocket, and then tell you how wonderful the government is for helping you out in your dire situation.

----------


## bander87

Really good link on how to afford anything and save money!

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/how-...d-anything.htm

----------


## Roxi

finally i found this thread!!! and just in time to bring it BACK ON SUBJECT 

so the top 2 ways to save money: boycott wal-mart, and cable

i also switched to generic cigs (you can get used to any cigarette once you get through the first carton)

shopping at thrift/secondhand stores

finding businesses in closing mode and get a bunch of weird free stuff in exchange for labor

and in general living by the most modest means possible.... i work at a general store and people buy the stupidest crap (like $30 in B movie DVD's for a 7 year old) 80% of the crap bought from our store is unnecessary BS


and yes this thread should be archived or something.... is it possible to mark a thread as a favorite?

----------


## Allen72289

Mongoose, you are a complete ignoramus.


For one, increase air would allow for more hp from the fuel which means less fuel to make the same horse power to travel.

A simple analogy, try running breathing through a straw, see how far you get.

Doesn't matter if it's a 502 Chevy or 1600cc bug. The less restricted the airflow the less the strain on the engine to produce that hp therefore  it decreases fuel consumption in need to produce the power

RPM has little to do with higher voltage, rpm involves the air fuel ratio.

A higher voltage results in a more complete burn which results into more economy.

You're all talk, I posted links and you have not prove them wrong.

----------


## Mongoose470

> Mongoose, I am a complete ignoramus.
> 
> 
> For one, increase air would allow for more hp from the fuel which means less fuel to make the same horse power to travel.
> 
> A simple analogy, try running breathing through a straw, see how far you get.
> 
> Doesn't matter if it's a 502 Chevy or 1600cc bug. The less restricted the airflow the less the strain on the engine to produce that hp therefore  it decreases fuel consumption in need to produce the power
> 
> ...


Congratulations:  Your are the proud winner of the:  I don't have a clue award!  Would you like the home copy of our game.

Go away troll.

----------


## Kludge



----------


## Allen72289

> Ignore Allen's straw man argument.


He stated his coworker claimed 3 mpg increase, not me.

Oh yeah, this must be a conspiracy for his coworker and I who work for KN.

----------


## LittleLightShining

> One question for you: I do all my mother's grocery shopping for her because it's cheaper to buy in bulk and split things up, so it works out for both of us. Plus I do "bulk" cooking and freeze the stuff for her because, quite frankly, she's a lousy cook and will eat crappy prepared foods instead.
> 
> Anyways, the question is, where are these coupons? I look in the newspaper and honestly there's very rarely any coupons for anything but crap I wouldn't buy (like very over-priced makeup, occasional tv dinners, etc.) It doesn't seem worth it to me, but then I hear about people saving gobs of money using them.


I get my coupons mostly from newspapers but also from promo displays in the supermarket, online and by calling the manufacturer.

I get 2 papers on Sunday-- the local and the Boston Globe. They usually have the same products but with differing cents-off. My grandmother also clips the coupons from her paper in Florida and sends them to me. As far as newspaper coupons go you're right-- overpriced makeup, medicines, tv dinners and marinades make up the bulk of them. But sometimes you get good ones-- Stonyfield yogurt (more on them later), other pretty good yogurt, Cabot cheese, baking mixes, sugar, oils, milk, pierogies, frozen pizzas, pasta, pasta sauces, canned tomatoes, canned tuna, refrigerated meats, deli meats, cereal, nuts, pet food, diapers, toothpaste, soap, detergent, toilet paper, etc. The less I spend on stuff like this-- which, with 3 healthy boys and a husband I NEED to make the most of each dollar-- the more I have for organic fruits and vegetables. 

The trick is to only clip the coupons you know you'll use. Or if you're pretty in tune with the prices and sale patterns at your store you can get stuff you wouldn't normally buy for next to nothing. For instance, I had 2 $1 off Jell-O pudding singles coupons. My store doubles dollar coupons and they're regularly priced at $1.99. So I got 2 for free just to see if we liked them. My husband calls them "tasty polymer snacks" because they are so junky, but we ate them and I would get them again. I have 2 more 55c coupons for them so if they go on sale before the coupons expire I'll get them.

Stonyfield yogurt has a spot on their website where you can download free coupons. They're great but you can only get each one one time. Once I had a yogurt that wasn't good. Something was wrong with it. So I called them and they sent me $20 worth of coupons. At my store that becomes $40 because they double. About 3 years ago I called Dove and told them I liked their new shampoo. They sent me coupons for free products and now they send me samples and coupons every month. I haven't had to buy deodorant or liquid hand soap in forever. Mambo Sprouts
 used to have these little coupon booklets at my co-op. I wouldn't be shy about grabbing 4 or 5 when there were stacks and stacks there. About a month ago there were little booklets for organic products hidden in the produce aisle near the croûtons. I probably saved $50 on organic dairy products, cereals and Annie's mac-n-cheese (my kids' fave) from those books alone. There are usually coupons near the deli for nice cheese, hummus and deli meats. 

I have a friend who buys coupons on ebay. She eats a lot of Morningstar products so she'll buy a stack of them for a couple bucks. She does the same thing for dog food. It's much easier to go searching for a specific product coupon there than to try to weed through the 100+ coupon lots.

In order to save big money with coupons you must combine them with sales. Never use a $1 off of 2 coupon if the product isn't on sale Buy 1 Get 1. I make a job of it. I get the papers on Sunday, sit down with the flyer and make a list. I match my coupons to what's on sale. I get a good idea of what I have coupons for so if I go to the store and see an unadvertised sale, I know if I can take advantage of it. 

A lot of the stuff I save on isn't food, but because I'm not paying so much for toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, soap, toilet paper, toothbrushes, q-tips, razors, detergents, pet foods, baby wipes, etc I have more to spend on food. I seriously haven't spent money on toothpaste in years and I could probably spackle a house with what I've accumulated this month alone. I have a big stockpile of deodorant and liquid hand soap that I haven't paid for, toothbrushes, shaving cream. All free. Maybe when SHTF I'll be able to barter with these comfort products 

BTW! Thanks for that baking soda-exfoliant trick. I used it last night and I am fresh faced and well pleased!

******************

Editing instead of double posting:

Dumpster diving rocks. There aren't too many places to do so around here but you never know what you'll find. Last winter I got 3 new pairs of snowboard boots and 8 pairs of youth skis from a fancy schmancy skiing store. Magazines, t-shirts, underwear(!), Christmas decorations, plastic baggies and garbage bags, harvest baskets, laundry baskets, greeting cards...

One time I was DDing in back of a strip mall and this guy comes out of a bakery with 2 huge garbage bags full of bread! Interception got me one bag-- I couldn't fit the other one in my rig-- which was about 75lbs. I wrapped and froze a bunch and gave away the rest. I had beautiful bread for 2 months!

----------


## acptulsa

I sure see a lot of arguing over plugs and filters here.  And all over three mpg or so.  Some say such things work and some say they don't.  I strongly suspect I believe all of the above.

How can that be?  Well, let's take two automobiles and compare them, shall we?  Let's pick two highly represenative samples.  How about a 1947 Kaiser Manhattan with the Continental Six and an Offy-powered 1997 Lola?  Sound good?

O.K.  The Offenhauser engine has pistons the size of coffee cans, but they only move about twelve millimeters up and down.  That's how it's able to turn sixteen million rpm.  So, it has to set its pure grain alchohol (not quite as flammable as gasoline) on fire and get it burned in about a third of a millisecond because that's how long both valves are closed.  If it doesn't start burning the stuff on the compression stroke it will eject half of it unburned.

The Continental flathead has pistons the size of bean cans but more displacement.  Where does it come from?  These bean cans move up and down a distance only slightly shorter than the height of the elevator shafts of the Hancock Building.  With a redline that feels to be approximately 117 rpm, the engine has a long enough stroke to suck air through a filter made of igneous rock and enough time at top dead center for you to reach in and spark a flint to set it off.

Is it possible for these engines to turn in different results when they are used for a filter or spark plug test?  The question is, is it possible for a filter or spark plug to make the same difference to two vastly different engines?

Here's all this flaming going on and no one even asked if the vehicles involved are exotic cars or tractors.

P.S.  You really want to save gas tune up your engine, air up your tires and learn to conserve your momentum when you drive.  This last is as easy as thinking to yourself as you drive, how can I avoid using the brakes?

----------


## amy31416

> finally i found this thread!!! and just in time to bring it BACK ON SUBJECT 
> 
> so the top 2 ways to save money: boycott wal-mart, and cable
> 
> i also switched to generic cigs (you can get used to any cigarette once you get through the first carton)
> 
> shopping at thrift/secondhand stores
> 
> finding businesses in closing mode and get a bunch of weird free stuff in exchange for labor
> ...


I say we keep this one going as-is for now and when we get that new forum, we can think about restarting it. What I'm thinking is that I'll restart it by quoting all the good suggestions from this thread, then take it from there.

I never heard of finding businesses in closing mode--that's an interesting one, have you done that before?

----------


## amy31416

> A lot of the stuff I save on isn't food, but because I'm not paying so much for toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, soap, toilet paper, toothbrushes, q-tips, razors, detergents, pet foods, baby wipes, etc I have more to spend on food. I seriously haven't spent money on toothpaste in years and I could probably spackle a house with what I've accumulated this month alone. I have a big stockpile of deodorant and liquid hand soap that I haven't paid for, toothbrushes, shaving cream. All free. Maybe when SHTF I'll be able to barter with these comfort products 
> 
> BTW! Thanks for that baking soda-exfoliant trick. I used it last night and I am fresh faced and well pleased!
> 
> ******************
> 
> Editing instead of double posting:
> 
> Dumpster diving rocks. There aren't too many places to do so around here but you never know what you'll find. Last winter I got 3 new pairs of snowboard boots and 8 pairs of youth skis from a fancy schmancy skiing store. Magazines, t-shirts, underwear(!), Christmas decorations, plastic baggies and garbage bags, harvest baskets, laundry baskets, greeting cards...
> ...


Wow. Thanks for the explanation on coupons. And people laugh when it's called "domestic engineering." Great way to stock up, and you're right--when you aren't happy with a product, call the company, they do often send great coupons or offers for free things.

Glad the baking soda thing worked for you too! It came to me when I was polishing something with it and where it hit bare skin was nice and smoove, so I decided to try it. It works really well.

Dumpster diving is great too, I've read up on it, but only used the concept to get cardboard boxes for packing things up. I think we'll be seeing more of that in the future!

----------


## amy31416

> Here's all this flaming going on and no one even asked if the vehicles involved are exotic cars or tractors.


I have a Lamborghini tractor that does 0-60 acres in 5 minutes flat.

----------


## Danke

> Here's all this flaming going on and no one even asked if the vehicles involved are exotic cars or tractors.


I would think since this is not a farm equipment forum nor an exotic car forum, it would be assumed it applies to every day type vehicles.

I can't remember my coworkers car types, but he had these filters in all of his cars.  I think one was a SUV.

----------


## acptulsa

> I have a Lamborghini tractor that does 0-60 acres in 5 minutes flat.


And kudos for supporting the exotic car arm of the company, which has never made money!



Nice set of wheels!

----------


## amy31416

> And kudos for supporting the exotic car arm of the company, which has never made money!
> 
> 
> 
> Nice set of wheels!


This one's mine:



Okay, now I'm 'jacking my own thread! Ummm. . .let's see.

I love the convenience of bottled water, so I bought a case of cheap stuff and just keep washing out and refilling the bottles.

Also, for all of this, storage is important. Since my mom loves it that I have redone her garage, basement, etc and now do all her shopping for her--I took the liberty of creating large storage areas. 5-shelf PVC, so there's no rust and they're sturdy and lightweight, so easily moved. Everything is in bins or boxes on the shelves and she can find things easily.

----------


## pcosmar

> Dumpster diving is great too, I've read up on it, but only used the concept to get cardboard boxes for packing things up. I think we'll be seeing more of that in the future!


The correct term for one that recycles waste thus is "Garboligist". It is both and art and science.

There are a lot of great deal shopping at "Curbmart" too.

----------


## ARealConservative

> i also switched to generic cigs (you can get used to any cigarette once you get through the first carton)


better yet - stop spending a fortune on something that has no positive benefits.

Call me an $#@!, but I refuse to take money saving tips from a smoker.

It's like asking a 3 year old how to avoid temper tantrums.

----------


## acptulsa

Don't rent movies, borrow from the library.  They may not be the latest releases, but considering what Hollywood's been releasing lately, so?

Don't buy gas at any boat dock, even if local laws say you can't fill your boat from anything else (some communities are worried about spillage, wink wink).

Use your oven in the winter.  Use your barbeque in the summer.

If you're itching to get drunk use liquor, not beer.  I recommend Ouzo, but it ain't for everyone.

Stay out of fashion.  Whatever's out of fashion is cheaper.  When the herd goes left, go right.

Bicycle for fun, health and savings.  If you can't for whatever reason, buy an electric scooter.  The cheapest are about the price of a halfway sophisticated racing bicycle.  Their great advantage is their light weight.  Weight of electric vehicles goes up exponentially the less minimal they are.  Want a weather proof body?  You have to carry enough batteries to motivate the extra mass of the body plus enough batteries to motivate the extra mass of the extra batteries.  The Impact electric car GM made a dozen or so years ago was a three thousand pound two seater--one ton of car and a half ton of batteries.  A scooter, on the other hand, will probably weigh less than you do and run on one affordable battery.  As for your car, it gets much worse mileage when it's cold.  Twelve one mile trips use much, much more fuel than one twelve mile trip because on the twelve mile run it warms up to efficiency.  An electric vehicle doesn't care.

Don't answer emails from Nigeria.

----------


## amy31416

> The correct term for one that recycles waste thus is "Garboligist". It is both and art and science.
> 
> There are a lot of great deal shopping at "Curbmart" too.


 So how's it work, I mean, what sort of stores do people hit? What do you find? I think this must be more of a small-town thing because there's no way in hell I'd go near a dumpster in Baltimore. The rats there are on steroids and intimidate the cats (not joking.)

I certainly wouldn't take any food products out of said dumpsters. 

As far as "Curbmart" goes, there are guys in trucks around here who will drive around and pick up any metal item left out to sell for scrap. I have no idea what kind of money is in that though.

----------


## amy31416

> Don't rent movies, borrow from the library.  They may not be the latest releases, but considering what Hollywood's been releasing lately, so?


Good one! I've worn out my local library's video collection. Also, read magazines there as well, no need for a subscription. 

People with kids: take your kids to the library once a week, I used to go all the time as a kid and it was a great escape, to say the least. Libraries are amazing resources--use the librarians for your research. They are generally highly trained professionals in research and know all kinds of sources of information that you couldn't dream up.

Can't believe I forgot that one!

Edit: Another good resource for entertainment and education is museums. Yes, they do cost money in certain areas, but often they have "slow" days where they offer discounted admission or educational tours/courses.

----------


## LittleLightShining

> So how's it work, I mean, what sort of stores do people hit? What do you find? I think this must be more of a small-town thing because there's no way in hell I'd go near a dumpster in Baltimore. The rats there are on steroids and intimidate the cats (not joking.)
> 
> I certainly wouldn't take any food products out of said dumpsters. 
> 
> As far as "Curbmart" goes, there are guys in trucks around here who will drive around and pick up any metal item left out to sell for scrap. I have no idea what kind of money is in that though.


 Once you start doing it you figure out where to go and when. Furniture stores, discount department stores, independent stores... Most places these days have compacters that you can't access but next time you go to a strip mall or shopping center take a drive around back and see what you can find.

Curb-mart is my favorite. Toys, sporting goods, housewares...

----------


## pcosmar

> So how's it work, I mean, what sort of stores do people hit? What do you find? I think this must be more of a small-town thing because there's no way in hell I'd go near a dumpster in Baltimore. The rats there are on steroids and intimidate the cats (not joking.)
> 
> I certainly wouldn't take any food products out of said dumpsters. 
> 
> As far as "Curbmart" goes, there are guys in trucks around here who will drive around and pick up any metal item left out to sell for scrap. I have no idea what kind of money is in that though.


Dumpster diving takes time and patience. Scouting locations, picking times, etc.
Fast food restaurants usually dump the remaining food at the end of the night shift. The good food will be right on top, and still relatively fresh.
Also produce warehouses, they will dump less than prime (but still good) veggies as they sort, prep and package.
Affluent people throw away useful and usable items for no other reason than they got something new. These are good places to look for treasure and resalable items.

In times past I have furnished an entire home with the cast offs left at the curb.
It takes a good eye to spot "the good stuff", but that is the *art*.

----------


## acptulsa

> I would think since this is not a farm equipment forum nor an exotic car forum, it would be assumed it applies to every day type vehicles.


A Honda Del Sol and a GMC Yukon are both every day type vehicles.  The difference between an aluminum four with variable valve timing and a cast iron engine with twice the pistons, the same number of valves and half the camshafts is pretty dramatic.  Just the different combustion chamber shapes make a big, big difference.   As big a difference as between a Bugatti and a Massey Ferguson?  Close enough to make a major difference in whether fancy filters or multiple electrodes on a spark plug will actually make a difference to it.

You can save a lot of money by thinking about whether or not an efficiency device will help you in your particular application before you buy it.  One size fits all devices are about as one size fits all as liberal legislation is.  Your results really may vary!

----------


## Mongoose470

I find driving habits to be most effective at saving gas.  Perhaps this is something we can all agree on and perhaps quit this senseless flaming.

I avoid as many stops as possible.  I take straight, level routes if possible and avoid WOT as much as possible.  Keep a steady speed as well and don't accelerate hard.  

I prefer manual transmissions.  Automatics were designed for convenience and due to inherent slippage, they do, all things being equal, consume more gas.  Now some will say that since automatics are more consistent with shifting, they save mileage.  With a manual, I can shift at the optimal point every time.  With age, automatics will not only slip more, but will shift less consistently and not as quickly, thus causing the engine to work harder and consume more gas.

Plus going with a manual takes quite a chunk off the sticker price and they require less maintenance.  You'll always get better mileage with a manual.   IF you shift properly.

So there's a way I try to save money.

I'll avoid some of the suggestions because time is traded for monetary gain.  I look at things in economic terms rather than accounting.  Accounting is expense vs revenue.  Economics adds in opportunity cost:  The value of the next best alternative you sacrificed and that is a cost.  If the gain is less than what my pay averages out per hour, I might as well put in extra time at work.

Remember there is no free lunch.

----------


## szczebrzeszyn

> there are guys in trucks around here who will drive around and pick up any metal item left out to sell for scrap. I have no idea what kind of money is in that though.


There are guys around here, who not only pick up any metal item left out - they managed to "pick up" whole bridges and a few kilometers of railroad and sell it for scrap. It's pretty common for manhole covers or high voltage poles' wires to "disappear" too. I think there are "scrap gangs" around.

----------


## Mongoose470

> There are guys around here, who not only pick up any metal item left out - they managed to "pick up" whole bridges and a few kilometers of railroad and sell it for scrap. It's pretty common for manhole covers or high voltage poles' wires to "disappear" too. I think there are "scrap gangs" around.


Heh, I knew of a couple people who were part of an aluminum scrap gang.  They filled up 2 3/4 ton pickups with "aluminum" one day.

Too bad they were dumb punks.  What they thought was aluminum was galvanized tin:  Fools Aluminum I told them.  Gutters, trailer house siding, hehehehehehehe!  OOPS!

Instead of a big fat paycheck, they had a big fat fee to dump it.

----------


## amy31416

> I prefer manual transmissions.  Automatics were designed for convenience and due to inherent slippage, they do, all things being equal, consume more gas.  Now some will say that since automatics are more consistent with shifting, they save mileage.  With a manual, I can shift at the optimal point every time.  With age, automatics will not only slip more, but will shift less consistently and not as quickly, thus causing the engine to work harder and consume more gas.
> 
> Plus going with a manual takes quite a chunk off the sticker price and they require less maintenance.  You'll always get better mileage with a manual.   IF you shift properly.


Other points to make in favor of the manual transmission: 1. You have more control over your vehicle, especially in snowy conditions 2. Battery dead? Push it down a hill, pop it into gear and start. 3. My dad owned a tranny shop for a while and I never saw a manual come in. New/rebuilt trannys go for $800-$1500 for your average car.

Every car I've owned has been a manual, they're simply more fun to drive too.

----------


## asgardshill

> There are guys around here, who not only pick up any metal item left out - they managed to "pick up" whole bridges and a few kilometers of railroad and sell it for scrap. It's pretty common for manhole covers or high voltage poles' wires to "disappear" too. I think there are "scrap gangs" around.


You hear about the occasional Darwin Award winner getting crispy-fried while trying to steal ENERGIZED wiring as well.  Stories like that always bring a chuckle to me.

----------


## amy31416

> You hear about the occasional Darwin Award winner getting crispy-fried while trying to steal ENERGIZED wiring as well.  Stories like that always bring a chuckle to me.


Oh, so the power companies get to be the judge, jury and executioner now? Whoever owns that wiring should be SUED for not labelling it better. 





Only foolin'! Let 'em cook. The sad part is that there are lawsuits like that out there.

----------


## acptulsa

> You hear about the occasional Darwin Award winner getting crispy-fried while trying to steal ENERGIZED wiring as well.  Stories like that always bring a chuckle to me.


Hmmm, how to get this thread back on track...

Well, let's see.  If you like to wear a permenant in your hair but need to save money...

Never mind.

----------


## asgardshill

> Oh, so the power companies get to be the judge, jury and executioner now? Whoever owns that wiring should be SUED for not labelling it better.


Good point.  The current labeling scheme for energized equipment is a big orange triangle with an exclamation point inside it.  But what if your copper thief is color-blind?  Surely the power companies could be sued under the ADA for not allowing color-blind copper thieves equal and safe access to steal their stuff!

----------


## asgardshill

> Hmmm, how to get this thread back on track...
> 
> Well, let's see.  If you like to wear a permenant in your hair but need to save money...
> 
> Never mind.


I like the direction this is taking.  If you wanted to dress up as Larry of the Three Stooges for Halloween and couldn't afford a permanent ...

----------


## amy31416

> Good point.  The current labeling scheme for energized equipment is a big orange triangle with an exclamation point inside it.  But what if your copper thief is color-blind?  Surely the power companies could be sued under the ADA for not allowing color-blind copper thieves equal and safe access to steal their stuff!


Oooh. I like it, incorporate handicapped access and safeties for the criminals. Hell, some criminals might need wheelchair access! 

P.S. Who made you do what?

P.P.S. Another easy way to save money: carpooling, whether that's to the grocery store or to work. Personally, I probably couldn't deal with early morning carpooling as I like to be alone in the mornings, but the grocery store, gym, etc. No problem.

A friend of mine and I often go grocery shopping together, also good for buying in bulk when there's someone else to split things up with.

----------


## acptulsa

> Plus going with a manual takes quite a chunk off the sticker price and they require less maintenance.  You'll always get better mileage with a manual.   IF you shift properly.


This is basically true.  Manuals are pretty maintenance free, though the clutches do need periodic replacement, and that's a labor-intensive job.  How often this is required depends on how good you are with it.  As for the mileage, yes but you can do pretty well with an automatic _if you have driven a manual_.  Driving a stick shift teaches you what the transmission is there for and helps you learn how to work with an automatic for best results.  That, too, can make a huge difference.

Some automatics respond to such input better than others, by the way.

----------


## Danke

Bathe together, the more the greater the savings.

----------


## LibertiORDeth

> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=tab%3DSelling


Wow ends in three hours and only at 1 dollar still?  Isn't this thing fixable?

----------


## asgardshill

> Wow ends in three hours and only at 1 dollar still?  Isn't this thing fixable?


Oh yes.  Hehehe ...

I certainly wouldn't archive anything super-important on it even if I did fix it, but it could still be useful.

----------


## Carole

Saving money.

Actually, I buy very few of the usual things lots of folks buy for cleaning, etc.

I like to buy white vinegar in largest containers possible since it is useful in cleaning.

I buy swimming pool chlorine tablets, chop them up and dissolve in water and store in old gallon jugs, rather than buy bleach in bottles.

I do not use sponges ever. I use dishcloths and daily rinse them out with my bleach.

Search for cleaning tips online, things that you can make yourself.

Limit paper towel use. Before paper towels, people used rags and cleaned them or in some cases threw them out. Those old t-shirts or sweat shirts can be handy.

I have cut the pockets from old jeans, attached to reinforced fabric and made a hanging storage place for items. 

Other useful idea is that I bought some cheap shoe storage over the door hanging bags--the clear plastic ones are great. I hang them over my workroom doors and inside closet doors. They are great to store tools (easy to see), cleaning and painting cans, paint brushes, and just about anything you want to be able to see at a glance. Since I stated using them I have saved countless hours searching for these small items. Cost about $5 to $8 and are worth every penny.

I often use small plastic bags as "gloves" when doing a dirty job. We all have tons of Plastic bags. Then I can toss them out since they are too dirty to use again.

I use the plastic bags to line my small garbage cans in bathrooms and just tie the handles together. If I put two at a time in I already have the next bag in place when I pull out the first.

In my bathroom I keep a nice looking  decorative vase on the floor and keep stuffing these little plastic bags down inside it to keep them handy but out of sight. Mine has about thirty or more bags in it.


This is a good thread. Hope people keep adding to the list of ways to save money and effort and time.

----------


## amy31416

Thanks Carole! Good stuff!

Are the bleach tablets cheaper than buying liquid bleach or just more convenient?

----------


## Ninja Homer

Pay attention to gas price trends.  Gas prices usually go up before the weekend, and may go down on Monday night or Tuesday.  4th of July is this Friday, so gas prices will probably go up on Wednesday... fill up tomorrow.

Turn off the AC in your home.  It only takes a little time to get acclimated to the higher temps.  Use ceiling or window fans for the really hot/humid days.  I've found the little portable misters work wonders.  Just fill with water and pump it a few times and it makes it feel about 15 degrees cooler.  Sweating is good for you!  You'll sweat out toxins, which will in turn release some body fat that your body was using to store the toxins away from vital organs.  Take cool showers to wash the toxins off, and you'll also feel cooler without the layer of grime inhibiting the skin's evaporation process.

Learn to do a lot of cooking outside.  I really don't know if it's any cheaper to cook outside vs. inside, but when you're trying to keep the house cool without using the AC it's a necessity.  Besides that, food made on a grill just tastes better.  I'd put my Weber charcoal grill up against any food made in a kitchen, whether it's hamburgers, a roast, or a pizza.

Get food at local farmer's markets.  It's usually a lot cheaper than the grocery store, and a lot better quality.  You're also helping out your local economy.  If you go towards the end of the day, many sellers will have specials, or will be more willing to bargain.  Get a few people to go with you, and sellers will be willing to give you a reduced rate for a larger amount of food.

Set your lawnmower to the highest height possible.  Longer grass needs less watering, and it also seems to me that it grows slower so needs cutting less frequently.  My neighbor keeps his lawn like a golf green, with it cut real low.  He's watered his lawn for 3 hours a day for the last week, and he cut it twice.  I've cut mine once, haven't watered it at all, and my grass is still greener.

Don't watch TV:
1. There's rarely anything worth watching.  You really won't die if you miss the latest hit TV show... if it's any good it will be available on DVD without commercials for you to get from the library, borrow from a friend, or rent.
2. You could be spending that time learning new things, improving your education, learning to make more money, or doing other things that are a hell of a lot more fun.
3. There was a study done (I think I read about it at mercola.com) and people who watch TV spend more a year.  The more TV you watch, the more you spend.  TV ads DO WORK!  If you watch them, you will buy more products.  I don't remember the exact numbers, but I think a person who watched 5 hours of TV a day spent $2000 more a year, on average.

Last, but certainly not least, when you're looking for ways to save money, be sure to measure the amount of money you're saving against the amount of time it took to save that money.  How much is your free time worth to you?  For example, if you spend an extra hour looking around to buy something for the cheapest price, and end up saving $10, was it worth it?  Or would it have been better for you to just buy it at $10 more and work an extra hour that you get paid for?  Usually, if overtime is available to you, it's a better deal to work an extra hour than to spend an hour shopping for the cheapest price.  Of course, shopping for deals can be a fun way to spend some time anyway.

----------


## Ninja Homer

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/ar.../watch-tv.aspx

"Watch TV and Go Into Debt

Dr. Schor from Harvard University wrote the book The Overspent American which provides some marvelous insights on television watching. She conducted a large-scale study of American spending and saving habits and correlated the results with other lifestyle factors.

She concluded that for every hour of television a person watches per week, the average American spends $200. Sitting in front of the television five extra hours a week (two sitcoms a night) raises your yearly spending by about $1000." (article continues)

PS - For the 2 who were arguing earlier in this thread about spark plugs and air filters... If you really want to save some money on gas you should look into this 1959 Opel T-1 that gets *376.59 miles per gallon* (not a typo!): http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/..._needle20.html  Whoever it was who built that car figured out the secret to the Pogue carburetor.

----------


## acptulsa

> PS - For the 2 who were arguing earlier in this thread about spark plugs and air filters... If you really want to save some money on gas you should look into this 1959 Opel T-1 that gets *376.59 miles per gallon* (not a typo!): http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/..._needle20.html  Whoever it was who built that car figured out the secret to the Pogue carburetor.


Interesting!  Smoky Yunick and, if I remember right, Carrol Shelby both played with superheating the intake, but it poses problems that outweigh the huge advantage in efficiency.  Or rather, did outweigh it when gas was fifty cents a gallon.

P.S.  Superheating the intake is not the same thing as the Pogue carburetor...

----------


## Ninja Homer

> Interesting!  Smoky Yunick and, if I remember right, Carrol Shelby both played with superheating the intake, but it poses problems that outweigh the huge advantage in efficiency.  Or rather, did outweigh it when gas was fifty cents a gallon.
> 
> P.S.  Superheating the intake is not the same thing as the Pogue carburetor...


I think superheating the intake and the Pogue carburetor achieve the same thing though, which is to supply gas to the cylinder as a vapor so it has a much more rapid explosion, and uses all of the fuel.  Liquid gas is a relatively slow explosion, so it loses a lot of its energy to heat, and a lot of the unused fuel goes out the tail pipe or catalytic converter.

The Pogue carburetor no longer works, because of the additives in gasoline.  They started adding lead to gas shortly after news got out about the Pogue carburetor in the early 1930's and oil stocks crashed.  Today there isn't lead in gasoline, but there are still other additives that act as an anti-catalyst that makes thermal catalytic cracking much more difficult.

Here's a very good explanation of it from a guy that sounds like he knows what he's talking about**: http://www.deepinfo.com/supcarb2.htm

----------


## LibertiORDeth

> Oh yes.  Hehehe ...
> 
> I certainly wouldn't archive anything super-important on it even if I did fix it, but it could still be useful.


Did you win it?

----------


## asgardshill

> Did you win it?


Yes.  Now as to what the heck I'm going to do with the damn thing, I don't have a clue.  Put it in stores with the other spares I guess until I need it.  And hard drives contain the greatest and strongest refrigerator magnets you've ever seen, so ...

----------


## amy31416

I like to bake my own bread, but since it's hot, heating the oven sucks. So whilst puttering about the kitchen, I spied my crock pot and wondered if I could bake decent bread in it. Did a little search on ye olde internets and found that there's a recipe: http://www.recipenet.org/health/reci...ker_bread1.htm

Haven't tried it, but it certainly seems like an easy way to make bread and should use less electricity and not turn the kitchen into a sweltering pit.

Anyone else tried something like that?

----------


## Allen72289

> I like to bake my own bread, but since it's hot, heating the oven sucks. So whilst puttering about the kitchen, I spied my crock pot and wondered if I could bake decent bread in it. Did a little search on ye olde internets and found that there's a recipe: http://www.recipenet.org/health/reci...ker_bread1.htm
> 
> Haven't tried it, but it certainly seems like an easy way to make bread and should use less electricity and not turn the kitchen into a sweltering pit.
> 
> Anyone else tried something like that?


can you use an outdoor oven in your area?

----------


## freelance

> better yet - stop spending a fortune on something that has no positive benefits.
> 
> Call me an $#@!, but I refuse to take money saving tips from a smoker.
> 
> It's like asking a 3 year old how to avoid temper tantrums.


Why bite the hand that feeds you?

----------


## rancher89

Here's a couple of great places to shop

Habitat for Humanity, you never know what you're going to find, and each store is different, I've done a lot of shopping there, tile for the floor, light fixtures, windows, doors, shutters, new door knobs, etc

Goodwill, used to be great, now not so much, don't do it as often

Furniture Liquidators/damaged freight/used office furniture store,  again you never know what you are going to find, plate glass, tables, display units, chairs etc

Angel Thrift Shops (proceeds go to Altzhiemer's research)  we got out stereo/tv wall unit there for just a few bucks and it fills the wall up.  Also got a solid glass table (legs are glass also) for our home office (perfect size for drawings)

Always, always check out the curb sales, whenever I see stuff on the side of the road, I slow down.  I also kept the old window when we got them replaced and used them for mini greenhouses to start plants in the spring. 

booze is cheaper than beer, by far, less recycling for sure....

day old bread shops, if you eat bread, we've cut down, just use lettuce for roll ups

shop at stores that double your coupons, then buy what's on sale, big savings

I live close to the NC/SC border, gas is 10-20 cents cheaper in SC, so I plan my shopping (liquor is cheaper in SC also) and get gas in SC even if the tank isn't low.
If I'm going on a long trip, I take the 2 mi trip to SC and get gas and then hit the interstate, I drive 3-4 mi out of the way but save big on a full tank.

Avoid impulse buying.  This is the biggest money saver yet.  It's also the hardest for me, but I'm doing better.  I'll pick something up, but before I leave, I'll talk myself out of buying it, especially if the line is long.  LOL, the looks from the staff at the store as we shuffle closer to the register and more stuff comes out of my basket, are great and well worth it...

----------


## RockEnds

> I roll my own cigarettes.


So do I.  I buy American Spirits which is all natural tobacco, and it costs me about $6 a week to smoke.

----------


## Suzu

Hand-rolled smokes are (with few exceptions) of much higher quality as well as being a lot cheaper. A single cigarette is the equivalent of about 5 pre-rolled because it won't burn unless one is actually drawing on it. In this area, a six-ounce bag of tobacco with papers sells for about $8 including tax. So, for the same average price of a carton of cheap commercial smokes, you get the equivalent of three cartons, and when you factor in each cigarette lasting 5x longer, it's more like 15x cheaper than the cheapest pre-rolled.

----------


## MsDoodahs

Hi, Suzu!  Great to 'see' you!

----------


## JosephTheLibertarian

> Easy ways to save money.


don't spend any moneyeat ramen noodles everynightpretend to be a bum and take people's money from the streetsstop smokingcut down on masturbation to conserve some energydumpster dive

----------


## sidster

> I pirate pornography.
> 
> It's immoral smut anyways.


Oh yea.. about that. Viacom wants to have a word with you.

----------


## acptulsa

> Hi, Suzu!  Great to 'see' you!


It is!  How are the Ozarks now that the worst storms have passed?!

Sorry, wasn't jackin' this thread--

Even if you don't hand roll cigarettes, choosing filterless gives you cigarettes that satisfy the craving for an hour or more.  Lights are just a way to get money out of compulsive smokers.  Cigars and pipes are good that way, too.

What's more, you less risk lung cancer (not that a throat cancer risk is any improvement...)

----------


## Shinerxx

This weekend I started dumpster diving.   The thing that got me off my keister to try it once was reading about selling scrap metal to supplement one's income.  I walked over to a neighborhood apartment complex and looked inside my first dumpster for "treasure".  I found a college textbook that I have listed on Amazon right now for $60 and it's the lowest price.  I got excited so I found another dumpster the next day at a construction site.  I estimate I pulled out 20-25 dollars worth of copper wire, aluminum, and steel scrap over the weekend from a couple dumpsters.  I'm hauling it all down to the metal scrap recycler today to see how much I got.  I think in total I spent maybe 2 hours max digging around in those dumpsters.  I also found a Lowes gift card near one of the dumpsters on the ground. I thought heck I might as well check and see if there is anything left on the card.  It still has $2.50 which I'm going to use to buy some razor blades for cutting the insulation off the copper wire I'm finding.

----------


## LittleLightShining

> This weekend I started dumpster diving.   The thing that got me off my keister to try it once was reading about selling scrap metal to supplement one's income.  I walked over to a neighborhood apartment complex and looked inside my first dumpster for "treasure".  I found a college textbook that I have listed on Amazon right now for $60 and it's the lowest price.  I got excited so I found another dumpster the next day at a construction site.  I estimate I pulled out 20-25 dollars worth of copper wire, aluminum, and steel scrap over the weekend from a couple dumpsters.  I'm hauling it all down to the metal scrap recycler today to see how much I got.  I think in total I spent maybe 2 hours max digging around in those dumpsters.  I also found a Lowes gift card near one of the dumpsters on the ground. I thought heck I might as well check and see if there is anything left on the card.  It still has $2.50 which I'm going to use to buy some razor blades for cutting the insulation off the copper wire I'm finding.


Nice! I love to hear stories like this. 

How is selling from Amazon?

----------


## Shinerxx

I have never used amazon to sell books or anything for that matter.  When I was a college student I bought all my used textbooks from Amazon  so I guess I just hoped many other people did the same.  My college bookstore was knowingly ripping off students imho.  They marked up used book prices 500-1000% in many cases.

----------


## amy31416

> I have never used amazon to sell books or anything for that matter.  When I was a college student I bought all my used textbooks from Amazon  so I guess I just hoped many other people did the same.  My college bookstore was knowingly ripping off students imho.  They marked up used book prices 500-1000% in many cases.


It's absolutely a racket, avoid the college bookstores if at all possible. I made a lab book with all the instructions, etc and submitted it to the college bookstore when I was a lab instructor. I never did know who collected the $15 they charged for it, it sure wasn't me. 

I made it available in a PDF format and allowed the students to print it out for free if they wanted. I never said it was required like many of my own former professors stated.

----------


## Shinerxx

I just got back from the scrap metal recycling center to turn in my cast away treasure.  I ended up with 10 pounds of copper and 80 pounds of ferrous metal (which is iron, steel, tin, etc.).  I got paid $38 and change for what was about 2 hours of hard labor digging through a dumpster and about 2 hours of sitting in my garage drinking cold beer stripping the insulation off the wire.  I feel like I only really worked the two hours to gather the crap because I would have been drinking cold beer anyways.  So I feel like I got paid $19 an hour.  

More to the story...I just now used my FRNs to help fund a purchase of 12 ounces of silver.  I indirectly turned my cast away metal scrap into a precious metal and real money.

----------


## Kludge

> don't spend any moneyeat ramen noodles everynightpretend to be a bum and take people's money from the streetsstop smokingcut down on masturbation to conserve some energydumpster dive


Ramen + Dead Insect Inside Packaging = OCD Therapy.

----------


## TastyWheat

> Want to get a 25% increase in fuel economy?
> 
> Use E3 sparklugs which claim 13% more mpg


I've heard pulse plugs claim the same thing.  I haven't seen either one tested by a 3rd party though (e.g. Consumer Reports).  The E3 doesn't seem very special, just a small change on the same old spark plug.

----------


## JosephTheLibertarian

> Ramen + Dead Insect Inside Packaging = OCD Therapy.


Scared of a little insect? Insects are high in protein.

----------


## rancher89

dip em in chocolate, yummy

----------


## amy31416

> Ramen + Dead Insect Inside Packaging = OCD Therapy.


I picked up a Starbucks iced coffe from a convenience store, took one sip, thought it tasted funny--looked in it and there was a dead fly. I spit out as much of it as possible, then looked at the bottle and noticed that it was well beyond the expiration date. 

Been obsessive about checking dates ever since.

----------


## acptulsa

> Been obsessive about checking dates ever since.


Oh, the people behind those expiration dates have no earthly idea how long flies keep...

----------


## amy31416

> Oh, the people behind those expiration dates have no earthly idea how long flies keep...


Apparently not as long as they thought....gachhh

----------


## Mach

Maybe I just missed it in there somewhere, but.... doesn't anyone use craigslist?

Pick as close to home that you can find and, of course, start off in the "free" category.

http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites.html

----------


## LittleLightShining

> Maybe I just missed it in there somewhere, but.... doesn't anyone use craigslist?
> 
> Pick as close to home that you can find and, of course, start off in the "free" category.
> 
> http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites.html


I do this on a daily basis. First "free" then "barter" then "wanted". After that I hit the gigs section to see if a caterer needs a one-day waittress or someone needs a barn cleaned or whatever.

----------


## tonesforjonesbones

I cancelled my cable tv.  I buy books and cd's dvd's from amazon (used) or ebay.  I recently got Pat Buchanan's "The Great Betrayal" off amazon used for 1.50..3 dollar shipping..OR I use the public library.  I shop at discount grocery stores and don't use name brand items.  I go to the flea market to get my avon products...lower than the brochure prices..and I shop clearance stuff.  I go to wal mart gas station as much as possible because they are usually 3 cents or more lower than anywhere else and if you go inside and put what you want to spend for gas on a wal mart gift card they give you another 3 cents off per gallon.  tones

----------


## Kludge

http://www.nissinfoods.com/chowmein/

No insects in them so far, easily under a dollar, tastes better and cooks faster then traditional Ramen packets.

----------


## boethius27

I don't know much about it because my fiance does all of it, but there is a yahoo group called "freecycle" and people just give away stuff they don't feel like trying to sell on craigslist.  We are here in Boston and the group is tailored for our community, but I guess there are different lists for all over the place.

We have gotten some awesome things from there for completely free.  Plus, we've given away quite a few things that had run their course of usefulness to us.

----------


## Ozwest

The best way to save money and remain financially liquid, is dump your credit cards.

Believe me, you won't miss the monthly statements.

----------


## Ozwest

A debit card is as good as a credit card when making purchases or using facilities.

Except..

The money has to be in the bank.

----------


## noxagol

> A debit card is as good as a credit card when making purchases or using facilities.
> 
> Except..
> 
> The money has to be in the bank.


It's kind of like sound money for governments.

----------


## Ozwest

> It's kind of like sound money for governments.


Only problem is...


Their Maxed!

----------


## noxagol

> Only problem is...
> 
> 
> Their Maxed!


Good thing they can raise their own credit limit then aint it! /facepalm

----------


## TastyWheat

My article on refilling Braun shaver cartridges, if you own the shaver.

I also found a neat article on common edible "weeds".

----------


## FormerDemocrat

There two big coupon sites on the web I recommend.

One of them is free (coupon mom)

www.couponmom.com

www.thegrocerygame.com

----------


## jdmyprez_deo_vindice

I was an auctioneer for years and there are tons of ways to save a lot of money and to make a lot of money out of public auctions

1.) look in your classifieds or go to www.auctionzip.com and find an auction near you

2.) when you get to the auctions, check out what are commonly called "box lots". They are a great way to get entire sets of dishes, new silverware sets, toys, appliances,etc for often as little as $2 a box

3.) Gold and Silver often sell well under value at public auction. The more backwoods the auction seems than the better your chances for getting precious metals for next to nothing. I cannot begin to tell you how many gold and silver coins I have purchased at auctions over the years for as low as $1 each and in one instance I got a handful of gold for $5

4.) A lot of people make a living by consigning to auction houses. They will advertise that they buy estates and will put forth the money to buy said estate. You keep what you need and then take the rest to public auction and if you have a good eye than you will make a lot of money off of crap you never wanted and you get the good stuff for free.

5.) Avoid auctions that charge a "buyer's premium"

6.) If you consign with an auction house, offer to do advertising in your community in exchange for no com. fee... I did this with several clients and it was a win-win situation

On a less serious note, I also save money by giving to Ron Paul as much as I can because I will save a ton when we are victorious and get rid of this idiotic income tax and get rid of the Federal Reserve :-) and on an even less serious note, if the conspiracy crowd around here is correct, I will be living in a fema detention camp soon anyway and you dont get much cheaper than having uncle sam pay for everything.

----------


## angelatc

Buy frozen juice and add your own water. That's a huge savings.

I don't buy any pre-mixed cleaning chemicals, with the exception of oven cleaner. I buy bleach, ammonia and alcohol.  

I have ceiling fans in every room and wouldn't even use the AC except I have a husband.

I run the discharge from the washing machine out the window in the summer and use it to water my garden.

I buy almost everything used. 

Next I am going to try making my own laundry soap: http://www.thehowcafe.com/forum/show...1&postcount=22

I Illinois I belonged to an awesome Yahoo group where people posted deals. Combining coupons with store sales, sending away for free things...stuff like that. The coupon queens there get stuff for free then sell it at yard sales.  It's a full-time job, but they post their haul at the end of the year and end up making about $15,000 per year.

----------


## angelatc

> 5.) Avoid auctions that charge a "buyer's premium"



I love auctions!  I hate buyer's premiums, but IMHO they're pretty much a regional issue. If you live in some regions, nobody charges a BP but if you live in other regions almost everybody charges one. I do agree that if you can avoid them, then do so. 

Another auction tip - I find better deals in the summer, because a lot of buyers are out doing yard sales instead.

----------


## angelatc

> A debit card is as good as a credit card when making purchases or using facilities.
> 
> Except..
> 
> The money has to be in the bank.


No, because a lot of credit cards come with things like extended warranties that debit cards don't. Renting a car with a credit card usually gives you rental car insurance. Stuff like that.

 Also, you have more consumer rights and protections with a credit card.  Although Mastercard and Visa claim that they'll give you the same protections, in reality they don't. 

A long story short: I ordered something that didn't arrive. If I had used a credit card, the money could have been recovered. But because it was a debit card, the bank wouldn't get involved.

Note that I think the federal consumer protection laws are bunk. But if they exist, you might as well be aware of them.  If we use them, eventually the lobbyists will make them go away.

----------


## jdmyprez_deo_vindice

> I love auctions!  I hate buyer's premiums, but IMHO they're pretty much a regional issue. If you live in some regions, nobody charges a BP but if you live in other regions almost everybody charges one. I do agree that if you can avoid them, then do so. 
> 
> Another auction tip - I find better deals in the summer, because a lot of buyers are out doing yard sales instead.


To some extent the buyer's premium is regional but there are many auctioneers (myself included) who refuse to use a buyer's premium even when everyone else in the area is doing it. They tend to be the old school country auctioneers. A lot of buyers are busy in the summer but so are consignors and you tend to get more junk which is great for bargain hunters but for those looking for investments than go around the time of holidays or specifically seek out estate sales.

 Oh, another way we save money is through fishing. I am an avid fisher and crabber and when I get a keeper I always save the remains and freeze them. They often make good fish bait or chum. For those of you who eat crabs, save the shells and any other part you dont eat and crsuh it up, it makes one of the best fertilizers you could ever use.

----------


## JosephTheLibertarian

Easy way to save money: Don't spend any.

----------


## JoshLowry

Blimp

----------


## acptulsa

Park your car, cancel your gym membership, and get on your bicycle.  Right, RPH?

----------


## satchelmcqueen

> Second best way to save money:
> 
> Don't breed like rabbits.  Kids aren't these wonderful innocent bundles of joy.  They are selfish, needy, annoying, expensive, time consuming projects who need a LOT while being incapable of giving back!
> 
> Each child costs $22,000 per year and it's getting tougher for Americans to afford them without some form of assistance.   
> 
> Oh sure, kids can add meaning and purpose to your life but you'd better be financially ready.
> 
> On a serious note, I am identifying two major contributors to poverty and financial crisis in America.


like you were in your younger days as a kid.

water heater timer, gas water heater, line dry clothes,  use blinds on windows in accordance with sun and temp/time of year,

----------


## acptulsa

> use blinds on windows in accordance with sun and temp/time of year,


Why didn't I mention this?  *kicks self*

I have _no_ north windows, no overhang on east windows or my plentiful south windows, and a deep overhang over my west windows.  Perfection!  The east windows let in the sun to warm me up on cool mornings, and the west window overhang keeps the sun out of them until almost sunset to help in our hot summer evenings.  The south windows are just wonderful because they catch the southerly summer breeze and the southerly winter sun, but _don't_ catch the northerly winter wind or the northerly summer sun.  Northern exposure windows suck!

----------


## amy31416

Ha!

Fun, goofy and old thread.

I've since figured out the whole "coupon" thing and get stuff for free or dirt cheap at the regular supermarkets. A big part of it is organization and having a subscription to a newspaper or two. I will admit that a side-effect of it is that I have many things that I got for free that I don't need. Today I got Visine-AC and a Kashi frozen entree. While the entree was delicious (coconut-lemongrass chicken), I haven't used Visine in eons. But now I have it.

I got 10lbs of Domino sugar for about $1.56. So long as I store it well, at least it never goes bad. I got 4 boxes of cereal, all less than $1/each.

While at the store, the lady in line in front of me was there with an access card and bought tons of crap food and used no coupons or even seemed to attempt to economize. She was polite enough and commented on the two cans of soda that I'd found in the store (I bought a couple cans of some real sugar soda for my niece--I found them on the "discontinued items" rack for 25c/each--the only "junk" food I bought.) But it just bothered me that she had 4 6-packs of those plastic-bottled Pepsi's, and her bill came to around $85 and had almost no nutritional value. Pre-packaged pizzas, hot pockets and $#@! like that. 

I'd love to not just teach people like her how much better she could be doing if she only gave it some effort. I rarely buy generic or cheap crap and always pay less than 50% of the regular price.

Anyways, I'm rambling and need to get some sleep!

----------


## LittleLightShining

> Ha!
> 
> Fun, goofy and old thread.
> 
> I've since figured out the whole "coupon" thing and get stuff for free or dirt cheap at the regular supermarkets. A big part of it is organization and having a subscription to a newspaper or two. I will admit that a side-effect of it is that I have many things that I got for free that I don't need. Today I got Visine-AC and a Kashi frozen entree. While the entree was delicious (coconut-lemongrass chicken), I haven't used Visine in eons. But now I have it.
> 
> I got 10lbs of Domino sugar for about $1.56. So long as I store it well, at least it never goes bad. I got 4 boxes of cereal, all less than $1/each.
> 
> While at the store, the lady in line in front of me was there with an access card and bought tons of crap food and used no coupons or even seemed to attempt to economize. She was polite enough and commented on the two cans of soda that I'd found in the store (I bought a couple cans of some real sugar soda for my niece--I found them on the "discontinued items" rack for 25c/each--the only "junk" food I bought.) But it just bothered me that she had 4 6-packs of those plastic-bottled Pepsi's, and her bill came to around $85 and had almost no nutritional value. Pre-packaged pizzas, hot pockets and $#@! like that. 
> ...


Yay! I never see you anymore. You sound good 

You wouldn't believe the stockpile I have going. You never know when stuff will come in handy.

----------


## amy31416

> Yay! I never see you anymore. You sound good 
> 
> You wouldn't believe the stockpile I have going. You never know when stuff will come in handy.


Yeah, I've been doin' stuff.  Finally getting a rather serious problem solved and taking care of bidness.

You're the one that brought up coupons and made me pursue it again because it aggravated me that it wasn't working out! You should see the weird stuff I now have stashed away. More razors than you can shake a stick at, feminine hygiene products, medicines, painkillers, so very, very much toothpaste, deodorant and odd foods. Sometimes really good/healthy foods too. 

I now have medicines and treatments for things like yeast infections, heartburn, UTI's, gas, bloating, etc. -- things I've never had problems with. (well, except for maybe one of them )

But yeah, all is good. Today I planted bok choy, broccoli, tomatoes and basil (just the start) and had a lovely conversation with my 70+ yr old neighbor who took a chance and dug a gas well in the 80's and hasn't had to pay for gas since. I'm going to have to scope his yard again and see what a gas well looks like.

I promised him some home-grown tomatoes if he'll let me come over the next time we have a power outage during the winter, I nearly froze my ass off in February. If not for the fireplace, I don't know what I would have done.

Anyways, tomorrow I'm planting strawberries, spinach, some berry bushes, beans, onions, garlic and various herbs and looking forward to it. I've ripped out most of my landscaping to make way for some real plants.

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## enjerth

I've found "$1 off this box" coupons on the front of some Kellogs cereals recently. Shopping at Hy-Vee, some of those had a special on (in one case, $1.47 per box) so I bought 5 boxes of cereal for $1.47 each and 2 more boxes for $2.50 each, with $7 in coupons making it a total of just under $5.

Hy-Vee also had a promotion on Kellogs cereal, 3 boxes gives you a coupon for 1 gallon of milk, 5 gives you 2 gallons, 7 gives you 3 gallons, so I got 7 boxes of cereal and 3 gallons of milk for just under $5.

I think that the milk offer has expired (4/12), but I saw some more Kellogs "$1 off this box" coupons just this week. If you look, you might find some really good deals like that.

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