Frugal Purchase Thread.

[rvijay]

What item(s) in your opinion are a purchase with give frugal/good long term returns ?

Thank You.

[vigilant20]

Some things I bought this year which I feel have saved me money are a soymilk maker, washboard, and drying rack.

[nogardsram]

What item(s) in your opinion are a purchase with give frugal/good long term returns ?

Thank You.

Scratch paper, which is generally free. If you don't have free scratch paper, find some (recycle bins, your desk drawers, back of cardboard, etc), try to avoid buying it.

Then make a list of "want items". Every time you again want (or it seems you need) the item, make a mark by it. Add items as you want/need them. After several months, see if many have many marks by it. If not, scratch it out and realize it's an impulse buy. Focus the your money on items that have a lot of marks (indicates you need/want it a lot).

Also buy food in bulk.

[Nickle00]

Scratch paper, which is generally free. If you don't have free scratch paper, find some (recycle bins, your desk drawers, back of cardboard, etc), try to avoid buying it.

Then make a list of "want items". Every time you again want (or it seems you need) the item, make a mark by it. Add items as you want/need them. After several months, see if many have many marks by it. If not, scratch it out and realize it's an impulse buy. Focus the your money on items that have a lot of marks (indicates you need/want it a lot).

Also buy food in bulk.

I've been doing this in regards to a food processor for months and I think I've came to the conclusion that I NEED one!! It really isn't just a want (like it usually is with me ;))

[greensgood]

a solar generator!
i am moving my garden indoors and will be running grow lights up to 16 hours a day at times...i have been trying to figure out a way to get a free or used solar generator w/ no luck so it looks like i am going to have to get the credit card out and buy one.
it should save me lots on bills though and some of the *plants* i grow might be able to make up the price of the generator.

[rvijay]

a solar generator!
i am moving my garden indoors and will be running grow lights up to 16 hours a day at times...i have been trying to figure out a way to get a free or used solar generator w/ no luck so it looks like i am going to have to get the credit card out and buy one.
it should save me lots on bills though and some of the *plants* i grow might be able to make up the price of the generator.

This is a good idea.

[rvijay]

I've been doing this in regards to a food processor for months and I think I've came to the conclusion that I NEED one!! It really isn't just a want (like it usually is with me ;))

Kitchen equipment if used well most of the time, pay for themseves pretty soon. So this seems ok.

[rvijay]

A local store had old Video Games for PC at 10 bucks each. I got a few each time, now I have a good collection of old video games of a variety of themes that are great to play on a Cold Day. They all cost me $150 at the most.

[rvijay]

I got this on sale at $29.99 over the weekend.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_SimCity_Box

This worksout to 6 bucks per game approx. offers an escape for reality. Hours and hours of constructive fun. Great graphics, themes. If you like it, can afford it and your PC can handle it in terms of entertainment value, this is real frugal. I pinched myself in the store to check I am not dreaming, walked around the store several times reflecting and then grabbed this.

[rvijay]

I got the Wii Fit. went to the store, was told to come at 1 pm. They got 10 Wii Fit one employee said. I waited till 2 pm and there were none. So I returned home, in 30 minutes my intution told me to check store web-site< I checked and saw it was in stock, called store, confirmed stock, went immediately, purchased one Wii Fit at the cost of $99.99 and just returned home.

So for those interested in Wii Fit look around, you might get lucky. I am sure that in a year there will be plenty more around but the shortage will continue atleast until before Christmas/New Year for now. It is certainly a lot cheaper, convenient than a Gym membership.

Vijay )

[LadyFaile]

my ipod has saved us money believe it or not. i used to buy new cds every couple of months and they'd often be impulse buys. now if i want a new cd i buy it cheaper from itunes. if i just want one song that i like but not the whole album i can just purchase that song for a buck rather than the whole cd for 20 and only listen to it a couple times. plus i get a certain amount of free downloads that aren't licensed for sale in north america so to buy the cds would cost a lot because they're imports. i love my music and even when money is tight have a hard time holding back on this one luxury

[Nickle00]

Board Games!! We've recently spent some money on various board/card games. We now stay home on the weekend and play games/watch movies instead of going out and spending money.

[vigilant20]

ooo that's a good one. I don't normally have someone around to play board games with but I do have puzzles, a few computer games, and cards to entertain myself with.


Board Games!! We've recently spent some money on various board/card games. We now stay home on the weekend and play games/watch movies instead of going out and spending money.

[LadyFaile]

we used to rent movies every weekend. like 2 on friday 2 on saturday. 16 movies a month at blockbuster gets expensive. now we just play world of warcraft. we rent a movie maybe every 2 months now. but wow has taken up all our leisure time lol. we have 2 accounts so hubby and i can play together so it costs us about $35/month to play rather than that much a week on movie rentals. it also took over for going to the movies and going to bars. we used to hit the bars pretty often and that's expensive, even if it was just to play a game of pool and have a beer each it adds up really quick at the end of the month. when we lived near toronto we hit dance bars a lot and movie theatres, and even playdium (giant arcade, awesome but expensive, about $25 per person for one night)

so when our financial advisor said we should give up our wow accounts to save money we laughed and said no way

[Skylark]

For me, something that changed how I look at "fun" or "entertainment" purchases is realizing that I get maximum enjoyment out of purchases like housing, utilities, and home-cooked food. The money spent on those substantially improves the quality of my life. For other purchases, be they discounted used DVDs (a great deal) or a restaurant meal or books, these have lesser power to improve my life in the way that housing and utilities do. And, every additional dollar spent improves my life less than the one before it.

That doesn't mean I don't still want to buy the DVD of a favorite movie for $2 at a garage sale. I just try now to compare it to $2 spent on housing or utilities. I'd be a lot more uncomfortable without a place to live, or without electricity or water in the place that I live, than I am without a DVD.

I've really got so many DVDs as it is I could likely watch three every week and not run out in a year. :p

[hollywoodveg]

I make my own veggie wash in a reusable spray bottle, I also use Bronner's w/foaming pumps for hand soap, and Bronner's diluted in a spray bottle for washing counters, vinegar diluted in a spray bottle for washing windows, mirrors, dusting etc. Also the Misto spray pump instead of buying Pam or whatever. Mainly I do this for the environment, but it's frugal nonetheless.

[rvijay]

For me, something that changed how I look at "fun" or "entertainment" purchases is realizing that I get maximum enjoyment out of purchases like housing, utilities, and home-cooked food. The money spent on those substantially improves the quality of my life. For other purchases, be they discounted used DVDs (a great deal) or a restaurant meal or books, these have lesser power to improve my life in the way that housing and utilities do. And, every additional dollar spent improves my life less than the one before it.

That doesn't mean I don't still want to buy the DVD of a favorite movie for $2 at a garage sale. I just try now to compare it to $2 spent on housing or utilities. I'd be a lot more uncomfortable without a place to live, or without electricity or water in the place that I live, than I am without a DVD.

I've really got so many DVDs as it is I could likely watch three every week and not run out in a year. :p

Yesterday I got some exercise equipment for the hand for $6. All these last a very long time and are frugal. Also, my parrots greatly enjoy seeing me exercise and find it fun. :)

I look at Video Games/DVDs interms of mental health. If that 30 or even 50 bucks will keep one happy for a month and is affordable then why not ? In this case it becomes frugal. However, I also against being glued to the monitor everyday for several hours.

Also, homeownership was too over-rated. Look at the down trend of the housing market now. There was an excellent debate on renting Vs. Buying a home by Pat Veretto om frugalliving. There are several benefits to renting also.

Books that focus on personal development, spirituality etc., are a good investment and the things learned are with one for his/her life. All material posessions will go away sooner or later in life. However, information/skills/knowledge last until the very end.

[rainforests1]

Also buy food in bulk.
I've seen this term used a lot. What exactly does it mean?

[Skylark]

I've seen this term used a lot. What exactly does it mean?

It means when you can buy a larger quantity than you would ordinarily buy for the week or month, and buying this larger quantity gets you a better rate per item, this can save you money. Store the extra food in a pantry, under your bed, in a closet, etc. Just don't forget you have it!

For example, there's a scratch-and-dent grocery store a mile from where I live. Ordinarily, when I go I'd buy enough for the week with maybe a little extra in case I don't get back to the store on the same day of the next week. But, if I find they're selling Great Northern Beans in 15-oz cans for $.33/each, and the normal price is at least twice that (which is still a good price compared to the other grocery stores in the area) then I buy ten or more cans. In fact, when I did this two days ago, I bought all of the cans of these beans that they had and weren't so bent and twisted I thought my can opener wouldn't be able to open them. Now, if they had 200 cans and all were in good shape, I wouldn't buy all 200 for $.33 each unless I had some specific use for all of those. I don't want to buy so many that I'm eating Great Northern Beans every day for the next year and make myself sick of them.

Another option is to buy the 200 cans and donate 150 of them to the local food pantry. Then count this as part of the charitable giving you would ordinarily do. Still, 50 cans of the same thing in your own home is a lot unless you have a large household.

Does that help?

You can also lower prices through coupon use, but you have to be diligent about finding and using coupons. For me, I'd rather shop at the scratch and dent store and stock up as they have good deals.

[Skylark]

Yesterday I got some exercise equipment for the hand for $6. All these last a very long time and are frugal. Also, my parrots greatly enjoy seeing me exercise and find it fun. :)

I look at Video Games/DVDs interms of mental health. If that 30 or even 50 bucks will keep one happy for a month and is affordable then why not ? In this case it becomes frugal. However, I also against being glued to the monitor everyday for several hours.

Also, homeownership was too over-rated. Look at the down trend of the housing market now. There was an excellent debate on renting Vs. Buying a home by Pat Veretto om frugalliving. There are several benefits to renting also.

Books that focus on personal development, spirituality etc., are a good investment and the things learned are with one for his/her life. All material posessions will go away sooner or later in life. However, information/skills/knowledge last until the very end.

I try to keep my mental health needs to a minimum. :) I am working on becoming just as satisfied with getting older movies from the library rather than buying DVDs. With the inter-library-loan system, I can get newer movies from other libraries even though my library had to cut costs and not buy new blockbusters. I just need to be patient.

Reading books from the library or borrowed from friends can impart the same amount of knowledge as buying books, even used books. A friend walked into my apartment and said, "What's this? You have only one set of bookshelves!" I told her I try not to buy a book until I am quite sure I will go back to it on many occasions, and when I do end up with a less versatile book, I tend to give it away. This keeps my clutter level down and keeps me mindful of how much "stuff" I have. The more stuff I have, the more my stuff has me. I'm trying to keep that in mind when I bring additional items into my living space. I'm far from perfect, but this is my goal.

As far as your exercise equipment, does your exercise equipment do something for you that going outside and walking, running, or jogging can't do? A lot of indoor-use exercise equipment that people are willing to sell for $6 is cheap, breaks easily, or grows dull quickly. A person could use a bicycle for exercise while transporting themselves to another location for errands, or to get to work, etc. Indoor exercise equipment doesn't have that added plus.

[hollywoodveg]

There definitely is something to be said for exercising outdoors, both mentally and physically imo.

[vigilant20]

Perhaps, but I'm not comfortable with people watching me work out. I like exercising in private and my elliptical gets tons of use.

I also got mine for 60% off by purchasing one that had been returned by someone else because of a small squeak...which quickly went away as I broke the machine in. :)


There definitely is something to be said for exercising outdoors, both mentally and physically imo.

[Skylark]

Perhaps, but I'm not comfortable with people watching me work out. I like exercising in private and my elliptical gets tons of use.

I also got mine for 60% off by purchasing one that had been returned by someone else because of a small squeak...which quickly went away as I broke the machine in. :)

Sure, different strokes for different folks. It can also be a positive mental process to get to the point where you don't care if other people see you working out.

As Amy Dacyzyn says, it doesn't matter how much you saved. What matters is how much you spent for what you got.

One of my former college professors did his dissertation on garage sales as a community performance event. He went garage-saling every Saturday for a summer with this guy who was totally obsessed with garage sales. They'd meet at 6 a.m. on Saturdays to plan the route. :p Anyway, this obsessed garage saler had a basement full of dozens of pairs of used crutches. He said they were such a good deal he couldn't pass them up, so he gradually accumulated more crutches than even the local hospital keeps in stock. So, it really doesn't matter how much he saved. He spent far more than he should because he had no need for crutches, nor did he intend to give them to those who do!

[Nickle00]

Sure, different strokes for different folks. It can also be a positive mental process to get to the point where you don't care if other people see you working out.

As Amy Dacyzyn says, it doesn't matter how much you saved. What matters is how much you spent for what you got.

One of my former college professors did his dissertation on garage sales as a community performance event. He went garage-saling every Saturday for a summer with this guy who was totally obsessed with garage sales. They'd meet at 6 a.m. on Saturdays to plan the route. :p Anyway, this obsessed garage saler had a basement full of dozens of pairs of used crutches. He said they were such a good deal he couldn't pass them up, so he gradually accumulated more crutches than even the local hospital keeps in stock. So, it really doesn't matter how much he saved. He spent far more than he should because he had no need for crutches, nor did he intend to give them to those who do!


:lol: I laugh because I too am guilty of buying items that are useless (to me) at garage sales only because "they were SUCH a good deal!" :lol:

[Skylark]

:lol: I laugh because I too am guilty of buying items that are useless (to me) at garage sales only because "they were SUCH a good deal!" :lol:

I've done it, too, but it's usually little stuff. A $.50 pair of gloves when I have perfectly serviceable gloves, etc. I don't buy 50 lb. wagon wheel lamps that don't even work like the lady in that one Guideposts article did.