Comments on: What if you don’t buy a daily latte?

By: Monroe on a Budget

Monroe on a Budget — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:42:07 +0000

Umm, yeah, I broke that daily coffee shop habit in 2000. Therefore, that popular tip didn’t help us in 2004 / 2005 when my husband was back and forth between unemployment and low-paying, short-term temp jobs.

That is why I look for, and post about, as many “out of the box” ideas as possible. I write about spending less money on Easter candy because one is being more selective on goodies; frugal food options for Lent instead of going to a Friday night fish fry; and making sure one meets the deadlines and application requirements for assistance programs / financial aid / college scholarships.

By: Kimberly

Kimberly — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 04:11:37 +0000

I hate hearing the same things over and over again too. I’ll put up with them for the people who haven’t heard before.

By: Country Home for Rent in

Country Home for Rent in — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 08:49:04 +0000

I see your point, but I also wonder how much we can acclimate to colder temps.

By: bjk

bjk — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:07:07 +0000

I am glad to hear that I am not the only one who looks at these “good tips” and wonder if they are good or just what people do. I have started to make most of our food. The supplies to make bread for the month cost less than the price for two loaves of bread.

By: caryn verell

caryn verell — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:29:09 +0000

it is downright cold in the house…extra quilts are on the beds and propane gas firelogs in fireplace help in evenings before bedtime. all lightbulbs are now cfl’s. ceiling fans are in every room. everything gets turned off and unplugged when not being used. the coffee in the mr.coffee brewer is put into an insulated carafe immediately after brewing. and we are back to daily birdbaths at the sink and a good hot soak on saturday nights. all of our clothing is recycled or repaired as needed. we use a clothesline instead of the dryer. i do not own a cellphone and i do not have long distance service. i have used just about every trick in the book and yet prices for the things we do consume keep going up. another year or two of this economy and some of us will have to install an outhouse in the back yard! the good news is: i am not in major debt to anyone yet and that is because i have lowered the household consumption enough to save a little bit. i have saved a good bit by making my own laundry detergent, using things up, wearing things out and making do.

By: Ginny

Ginny — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 03:40:41 +0000

I get so sick of hearing that advice myself. It is always in the magazines, etc. We cut that type of stuff out years ago, so it does nothing for our family.

I have to chime in on the 50, I’m telling you it is hard. We have gone done to 55 because our bill is just too high for our budget. It is bitter cold, none of us can hardly function. We seem to go between 60 & 65 now. Sometimes I go to 58 at night when we are all bundled up under covers. My daughter has taken to wearing her winter coat in the house because 60 gets so cold.

It’s funny because people want that cold in the summer. I personally do not use air conditioning in the summer, so maybe I am just used to being warm & struggle more with it?

By: Renee

Renee — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:52:44 +0000

A good way to look at your daily habits, and what you might be able to change for the frugal-er (more frugal?) is to look through your own trash, hopefully before it’s stinky! I started paying attention to our daily spending habits this way several years ago. Since then we’ve switched from paper napkins and paper towels to cloth napkins and dish towels, store-bought bagels to homemade English muffins, and single use batteries to rechargables, among many other things. I’ve also discovered that I’m addicted to Q-tips. :/

(We keep out house around 60. If I really want to warm up I figure out what I can bake, iron, or scrub!)

By: KimC

KimC — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:32:53 +0000

Bella,
I see your point, but I also wonder how much we can acclimate to colder temps. After all, we southerners get used to 90 degrees in the summer, even though it’s 20 degrees above ideal for most of us. So if we really tried, couldn’t we adjust to 50 degrees in the winter?
Not that I’m about to try it…I’d have a mutiny on my hands…just can’t help but wonder…

By: Bella

Bella — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:31:35 +0000

The one that really bugs me is the advice to “turn your heating down by one degree” because of the savings to the pocket/planet that will ensue. Surely there comes a point where it simply is not possible to turn it down any more? (And I think I’m near to it!)