Shaving Away Savings?

The question is how to skimp just a little bit MORE when you have always been frugal -  Luckily my frugality is now getting to my husband who finally appreciates me giving him fast food coupons! (There is now a place to keep them in the car...)

I also am getting more library books - altho I have just gotten my first fines, too! I read that people are giving up Netflix - never did that - but maybe HBO & Showtime could go on cable if they are not packaged with something else...I didn't even cable for years - but now with HD TV they are making THAT hard - Sent for my certificate for a convertor - & never have gotten one (??) It'll be a while before we get a new TV - We don't have ROOM for a bigger screen!

I am cutting down on my thrift shop jaunts - altho I do love them! When I am broke, I just try to go for stuff that's little and CHEAP.  Looking around for what I can recycle as token Xmas presents this year & sending for freebies to use as little gifts...We can recycle some of the old Xmas cards, too. Usually I find some nice ones in the 99 Cent Store - but not yet this year.

Treating myself to my freebies and all the freebie magazines! Get something daily....Go to mommysavesbig.com to see free catalogs & mags. (Also freestufftimes.com - both great! and from a referral from a fellow Thriftyfunner.)

Going to make a point of going to the 99 Cent Store to get staples - like their Chinese soy sauce.  Really good, traditional & no way they can mess with THAT. And paper towels, etc.  We have so much shampoo! But of course, I get sidetracked by little "steals" - like the eyecream I got - for less than $1??

Lots of stuff stashed away to unearth...And put the freebie coffee (= one pot) on top of the coffee maker for hubby to use...

Also got some new Tide for the wash...Check out those samples at Walmart.com! (Don't like them much - but they do give good samples from major brands.)

Using the sample I got from Temperpedic as a handrest when I use the mouse - seems to help, too. (Got the idea on the net.)

I always listen to music on the radio during the day (classical) - don't download, altho I see more and more free ones....

Don't like to watch media on the computer yet - uncomfortable & besides I prefer classic flicks - as on TCM - Never bought DVDs for ourselves - unless they were 99 Store ones!

Maybe I will cut my own hair -I color it myself already - I am still looking for a hair model gig, tho -

I am using dollar store reading glasses - but I am getting so nearsighted that pretty soon I won't be able to use them anymore! Found some strong ones up at the beach at the DollarTree & got a few pairs. (Should recycle the old ones....)  Thinking about using vintage frames that I have when I get my new reading glasses...

Getting free t-shirts from the freebie sites - & that IS what I wear most of the time! Warm enuf to be barefoot - altho I have to put lotion on my feet, as it's so dry here...

Hubby wants me to give up the landline for something thru the cable - but it still makes me nervous - and cell phone reception here isn't good enough to do just with that....Anyone else switched their phones over?  How did it go? My sister is in Europe - but there are other ways of phoning her....I don't know about all that.

Glad most of my money is in real estate back east....Hubby is looking for another job & being in the teacher pension program again is a big draw...But here I find myself asking about the benefits...

I would actually LIKE to go BACK to the Kaiser HMO. I didn't think I would say that, but the care we are getting through Blue Cross isn't so hot...and I do miss my old allergist! But I can only go back in a group - or perhaps with a Medicare Senior Plan.

Should I start getting my Social Security NOW and invest some of it? Then maybe I could go back into Kaiser for medical & Mark can get in on his own....

I do think one has to be a financial wiz nowadays to figure all this out! We can just about make it, doing our own taxes, etc. - but I always wonder what everyone ELSE does. We have a rent-controlled apartment, after all...and now that I am a senior, there is always senior housing (we did that up at the beach for a year...)

We have old cars and I work from home mostly...in my tshirts & jeans, as I mentioned....Actually, we probably - no definitely - have TOO much STUFF - not that it's all that valuable! But there are things that could be sold off.  Instruments & such.  But I hate to part with them!

But the issue there is where to find the energy to DEAL with it all.  My energy levels go up and down - and then there are my @#$% dust allergies, which make clearing out difficult.

Just some of the things I have been thinking about.  What are YOU giving up or saving on? Inquiring minds would like to know!

1 Comments | Post Feedback

Keeping an Eye Out for More Savings

Looking around to see where we can pull back just a little bit more.

Hey girl since you are now a senior all you have to do is join your local senior center. They have lots of FREE services there. You can get your taxes done for FREE!! Also many other great things for FREE !!! You can check out your local senior center on the net !! Please let us know what is available at yours.

Post Feedback:

You need to be a registered ThriftyFun user post feedback. If you are registered, login using the form at the top of this page. Click here to register.