Between the rising cost of day to day expenses and decreases in the availability of jobs, many people are finding themselves in need of cutting costs on household bills once deemed essential. There are many ways to trim your costs, but for some reasons, we just don’t think about them. Years of being able to afford whatever we wanted make it difficult to know where to start, but don’t worry, because the process gets easier the more you think about it.
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Is it just here in Silicon Valley, or are elementary school kids throughout the country walking around carrying cell phones and smart phones? The first time I realized one of my daughters’ friends, an eight year old girl, owns a cell phone, I was taken by surprise. Since then, I’ve learned that a full third of the kids in my daughter’s class own a cell phone, and a couple of them own a smart phone.
Most Young Kids Do Not Need a Cell Phone
Why does an elementary school child need a cell phone? I can see the logic in getting a mobile phone for your middle school child. By that age they are far more independent and spend time away from you. Giving them a cell phone with a limited plan would help you stay connected, make sure they are safe and enable them to get in touch with you should something happen.
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Early in my college career, it became apparent that I was willing to go into debt for just about anything. Whether it was a new outfit, eating out, or a road trip, debt was no object. I had my trusty credit card. (Trusty credit cards by the time I graduated from college.) I really was the poster child for instant gratification and stupid money decisions.
Thankfully, I had a wake up call. Somewhere toward the beginning of my senior year in college, I realized that my credit cards were almost maxed out, and that interest was eating up most of my minimum payments. I further realized that I was still paying off that first trip to Vegas my freshman year, and quite likely those jeans I had discarded months ago. I began thinking about what was really important, and considering what I was really willing to go into debt for.
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Making do with what you already have is a time-honored way of frugality, and a great way to avoid having so much stuff you lose track of what you have.
There is nothing worse than thinking you’ve found a great deal on something you need, only to find out a few weeks later, you already had a perfectly good one at home. I’ve learned this the hard way many times. I can’t tell you how many times I had to smile sheepishly at my husband and admit that yes, I’d bought a duplicate, and no, we couldn’t return it because I didn’t discover it until too late.
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The best way to save money with landscaping is to invest some sweat equity in the project. Doing it yourself will save you money and give you a general feeling of satisfaction. While the thought of moving your own trees around the yard may be intimidating, a little know how will go a long way.
Plan Ahead
Steps like improving poor soil or arranging good drainage are best done before you put in new plants. Having your sprinkler system in place to match the design you want will save you money as well as hassle. Evaluate your yard and draw out a plan of where you want to place each bush and tree. Organize any beds you want and select plants with similar growing needs to be placed next to one another. Shop around for the plants you want and if you can negotiate a bulk discount, get them at one location so you save on delivery fees.
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Traditionally, people always needed to find clever ways to stretch their food dollars. I’m not talking about hunters and gatherers – they obviously had a hard time staying well-fed. But even as humans learned how to farm, grow and manufacture their own food, families were still large and resources weren’t necessarily plentiful.
The result is a fascinating collection of frugal recipes that have developed over the years, across cultures and in many different countries. I find it absolutely fascinating that very different cultures, with very different cooking traditions, all share the same basic concept when it comes to frugal recipes: the need to use leftovers, or ingredients that are not very fresh anymore, and the need to stretch small quantities of meat so that they can feed a large number of people. Let’s take a look at a few of these common tricks.
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