It’s been way too long since our last Save It post (like this one, this one, this one, this one, this one, and this one to name a few), so the other night I was thinking about a few things that we just don’t buy, and how going without those things probably adds up to saving a decent amount of cash-money.
And it doesn’t feel particularly martyr-ish of us – it’s normal and easy after years of living this way. So it feels less like “going without” and more like “streamlining and simplifying.” We’ve mentioned a few of these things over the years, but I realized there were others that I never really thought about (or blogged about) so here’s a big ol’ brain dump of all the things that we typically skip.
- Meat three or four nights a week: Some nights we just opt for spaghetti, bean burritos, vegetable stir fry, homemade pizza, nachos, sweet potatoes and salad, etc.
- Fabric softener: We use vinegar sometimes, but most times it’s just nothing. We don’t notice a difference!
- Dusting spray: We both grew up with Pledge, but now we just use microfiber cloths and water.
- Regular dry cleaning: All of our clothes are machine or hand washable so we only do one trip per year for a few coats/blazers instead of monthly trips.
- Dog grooming: Burger’s short haired, so we just bathe him at home and cut his nails ourselves and we’re good.
- Newspaper: We get our news online (almost every newspaper has an online format now) and on the radio (NPR).
- Bottled water: We have a water filter and use Klean Kanteens that we refill ourselves.
- Starbucks: In the past year or so I’ve become a chai lover – and it’s $3.99 to make seven cups from this grocery store box, as opposed to that price for one cup at Starbucks. So I save that for special occasions and make a cup at home every morning instead.
- Bag-checking fees: Even when we’ve flown with a dog or a kid, we’ve actually never paid to check a single bag (we’re nerds for the challenge of packing light).
- Gel, hairspray, mousse, or serum: I haven’t bought that stuff since college. I’m just a wash and wear girl – plus I tend to break out a lot from hair stuff, so this is for vanity as well as saving money.
- Lipstick: It’s not my bag baby, so I use what’s in this makeup tote and nothing more (not buying 20 shades of eye shadow definitely keeps money in my pocket too).
- Creams and self tanners: I’m pale and totally cool with it – plus my mom looks awesome for her age and doesn’t use any fancy potions or creams, so I’m hoping to follow in her glamorous grandma footsteps.
- Perfume: I like the smell of my shampoo (John doesn’t wear cologne either).
- Haircuts & colors: Maybe once every two years I get a $35 cut, but other than that I just trim it myself. And of course cutting John’s hair saves us money too.
- Regular manicures and pedicures: I go about once a year with a friend (and usually hit up Starbucks while I’m splurging) but other than that I do my own toes at home and usually leave my fingers bare.
- Gym membership for me: It’s just not my thing, but John loves his.
- Alcohol: John has just never been a drinker and I might drink a bottle of wine a year at home (although most years it’s a gift from some sweet house guest) so it’s not a monthly expense for us.
- Disposable diapers: More on that here.
- Diaper bag: I never got one, just used a purse and kept extra stuff in the car.
- Incandescent bulbs: Using CFLs and LEDs in the bulk of our fixtures adds up to a lot of money saved. We’d love to eventually go all LED in our house, but it’s not exactly a cheap switch, so we’re trying to chip away at different rooms over time.
- A second car: This one definitely doesn’t works for everyone, but since I’ve been freelancing from home for the past seven years it’s no big deal to have one car (and it saves us the cost of a car, the gas, the maintenance, and the insurance).
Best of all, saving in some areas allows us to more easily afford other things that are more important to our family, like project materials, organic produce, cable TV, and ceramic animals. Guess it’s all one big balancing act right? I’d love to hear your “skip it” list! And this is a no judgement zone. You might LOVE to get your hair dyed but can resist giant dangly earrings when I can’t (I may or may not have over a dozen of those in my night table).
Psst- You can peruse over 30 money-saving posts of yore here.
Marie says
The big things we skip are paper napkins, paper towels, and disposable feminine products. We do it for a variety of reasons, to be eco-friendly, frugal, etc. Honestly it’s easier! We always have what we need, and hopefully it’s clean! My cloth napkins are from World Market and are 10 years old. They were originally used as a valance in my dorm room (hung with thumbtacks). We use rags instead of paper towels. If it’s something I don’t want in my washer, I just throw the rag away (old towel/old t-shirt). I highly recommend menstrual cups and cloth pads. I never have to worry about being somewhere and not having what I need since I always keep my cup in my purse.
Sally says
Menstrual cups rock. Saves sooo much, plus I like them better.
Fiona says
Love this post Sherry! Wish I had time to read through everyone’s comments. I think it’s great when we stop to think about our consumption habits. My goal is to live a simpler life with less stuff but it’s easier said than done!
Heather @ What Does She Do All Day? says
We seem to skip a lot of the same things. No cable, rare hair cuts, no fabric softener or dusting spray (or any other specialty cleaners, really), no bottled water, no dog grooming, no disposable diapers (using our cloth on baby #2 right now!), no lipsticks, manis or pedis, or fancy products.
We do have two cars, though, since hubby works about 20 miles away and he is a beer enthusiast so we have to always have some (a lot) on hand.
Dani says
We don’t have payTV (aka cable) BUT… we do have the biggest/fastest internet package available because we both spend a bit of time on our computers (both of us for work and hubby likes a little bit of gaming)
We don’t rent movies/go to the cinema/buy magazines BUT… we like to go out for dinner once a month or so.
We do have two cars and two motorbikes which cost us a bomb to keep registered/insured but we try and cut costs with all the little things: we don’t buy bottled water (tap water here is fine, we’re lucky) and I do a lot of slow cooking with cheaper cuts of meat, I dont wear makeup often and dont use hair products, my perfumes are all gifts, and we dont spend a much money on clothing.
I’d like to spend less (one of those motorbikes is going up for sale soon!) but I think we do ok.
Karen says
“I” personally have never owned one of the skip-it’s. Technically I did own three. Three kids, three skip-its. I don’t recommend using them after the age of 35 if you’ve had several kids and some “female” issues. My female doctor told me, and I quote, “Don’t do that”. Tee-teeing on yourself when jumping is not attractive. I can still hula hoop so there’s that.
The first part of your list? Yeah, the only thing I don’t do is Starbucks – overpriced and my local coffee is 100% better (just don’t tell my daughter’s boyfriend I said so! He works there) Plus, I make my coffee at home. My local water? Just as pure as filtered. Tastes good, too. Don’t buy anything that says those dreaded words “dry clean only”. The husband and I do get our hair cut at the local wondercuts – it’s $12 a cut. No brainer. He gets 7/8 a year, I get 1, EVERY once in a blue moon I’ll get 2 a year.
My mom taught me not to use downy/dryer sheets (especially with towels – they don’t absorb water as well)
As for the rest of it? Yeah, don’t do pedi’s, mani’s or any of that stuff, don’t fly (can’t afford it) so bag fees aren’t an issue and when my kids were little I never had a diaper bag. Kept a pack of diapers, wipes and a change of clothes (or three) for each kid in the car at all times.
Life is all about streamlining. For you. Everyone’s different and you guys are adorable and completely rock. Feel free to delete my way too long and wordy post. It’s all cool.
Cristin says
Some of the ways that we save money is by making our own laundry detergent, using vinegar for softener (except in the winter, I use a little softener then to avoid getting shocked!), planning our meals for the week, packing our lunches, and subscribing to store emails for clearnace sales. I’ve tried thrift shopping for work clothes but haven’t been able to find much in the area where I live and work. :( so, I shop clearance sales nd have been able to score some deals that way!
Rachel says
Surely that huge blue bag isn’t a carryon! It looks huge!
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, totally a carry on! It does look big in that pic, but it slides right into those gate-side size-checkers (we bought it specifically because it was carry on sized). Never a bag checking fee, and it slips right into those overhead bins :)
xo
s
Christy says
That chai mix is wonderful but you can make it yourself in the crockpot (and it makes your whole house smell amazing)!
Here it is if you’re interested:
Put the following in the crock pot:
8 thin slices of fresh ginger
2 cinnamon sticks
8 whole cloves
12 black peppercorns
20 cardamom pods
1star anise
2 tsp vanilla
2 TBSP sugar in the raw
1/2 cup honey
4 cups water
Cook on high for 3 hours.
After 3 hours, add 6 tea bags and cook 10 more mins.
Stain through a mesh sieve.
Store in the fridge. Mix equal parts chai concentrate and milk.
You can also add 2-3 TBSP pumpkin puree for a pumpkin chai!
All of the spices are available at Penzy’s in Carytowm (I’m from Richmond too!)
Enjoy!
Tonya says
We skip cable. Instead we have Hulu Plus and Netflix for a less than $20 a month combined.
Erin says
I guess we’re middle of the road on splurge vs. save, but I get a pedicure about once a year, skip packaged foods as much as possible, skip a lot of new goods for our son (consignment and hand me downs rock!). For years I skipped salon haircuts but I added them back in after I decided I looked better with short hair. I also skipped buying a new car for the better part of 10 years.
On another note, we actually skip big box stores a lot of the time and try to skip items from sources that seem less ideal than others. It may not always be the most ‘frugal’ option up front, but we feel we reap the benefits by ensuring our community has a strong tax base, our neighbors are making a livable wage, and our goods have the least amount of environmental impact possible.
Erica says
We must be kindred spirits, I tell you! There were so many things on that list that I don’t do either. No fabric softener or dusting spray in my house, I have no gym membership, and I also don’t use perfumes or get pedicures or color my hair. I am so glad I’m not the only strange one- sometimes I feel so weird because I don’t get my nails done or have expensive purses! I guess I’ll just have to find other ways to cut back so I have more sushi money! :-) Thanks for the great post. (Oh, and I never had a skip it- my parents were cheap!!!)
Elise says
We skip a land line phone and cable TV or Tivo (my hubby is in IT and installed a digital antenna to an old Cube computer which we watch TV over AND we have the ability to record TV). We cloth diaper during the day (doesn’t hold it all at night, so we go through disposable diapers veeeerry slowly). I chose to not bother with pureed baby food for my son, when he showed interest in food he started eating from our plates. I dye my hair at home and usually do my own nails unless it’s a special occasion (my own bridal/baby showers, weddings, or a rare day out with a friend). When I have time make my own laundry detergent, rarely go to Starbucks without a gift card…really we don’t do anything REGULARLY, but probably more often than “once a year or less” (like manicure, Starbucks, movies etc.)
Tamara says
We save money by not having cable since we don’t have time to watch it. We bathe and shave the dog at home. He loves the attention. We’re switching over to LED lights. Hubby installed a fancy smart thermostat. We eat in more often. We’ve passed on gym membership because we didn’t go enough days every week to justify the cost. Now we just pay the daily rate when we go. No manicures, pedicures, makeup, Starbucks, or Barnes and Noble. We use the library weekly now, which has also let us drop the newspaper and speciality magazines. There are other ways. These just happen to work for us. I mean, heck, I use the money not spent at Starbucks and on mani-pedis to afford a housecleaner. That’s so much more what I want and need than what I had to give up!
Reaksmey says
i love this post! we don’t find too many others who think the same. we skip a lot (cable, smart phones, fancy dinners, getting my nails done, haircuts over $10, house in a nice neighborhood, and more) so that we can save $$ and buy things we enjoy. i do have a love for expensive purses though… :)
Whitney says
I love these kinds of posts. I save by bringing my own lunch to work everyday instead of eating out. I also always paint my own nails. I’ve never had a manicure or pedicure at a salon! I do splurge on getting my hair done every couple of months! I wish I could cut my own hair, but that might by too frightening of an experience for me to handle! Haha
Jill says
Olive oil! It’s the absolute best for your skin (even your face) and I also use it (small amounts) for shiny hair and as a heat protector. I began using it for my post pregnancy stretch marks and fell in love with it. It’s odor/scent free, too!
Jenny says
ahh skip it. I remember that exact commercial. I always wanted one but never got it….oh well :( tbh I’d still like it now, bet it’d fit in well with my workout routine!!
as for money saving tips….i also don’t use hardly any hair/body products, and i don’t wash my hair every day which i figure means i only have to buy my shampoo half as often as someone who does. i have a rule when it comes to grocery shopping not to buy “duplicates.” what i mean by that is…if i’m buying milk, im not gonna buy, say, cottage cheese. because I can so easily make cottage cheese from the milk, there’s no point in paying extra money just for a plastic container and the opportunity to be lazy(and lord knows I never actually drink a whole gallon, so it saves things from going to waste). I won’t pay $5 for a frozen pizza when I already have tomato sauce and cheese in my shopping cart and all the ingredients for a crust at home. I also do not buy bread and cookies and things like that. I have flour and sugar in the house, and frankly it cuts calories because if i want to splurge on cookies or something, I have to actually get up and make them…cant just sit there idly and chomp on a box of oreos. I won’t buy both oatmeal and granola bars. or both potatoes and potato chips. or any sort of premade dinner. and so on and so forth :) i realize that it’s not for everyone, but i figure that this mentality both saves me money, keeps me from eating a bunch of processed crap, AND keeps me busy and active, especially since i’m so much more inclined to lay on the couch and sleep…it always tastes better when you do it yourself anyway, and once you find out you CAN do it yourself, its not even that hard :)
Alisha says
S & J: I am totally down with your sources of news. I also get my news from NPR. And sadly (or maybe not?) if I don’t hear something in my commute to work, I probably won’t know about it. And you know what…neither myself or small kittens have died as a result. :) I think our society is too news/data/info driven.
Next things next:
– We don’t have cable because we don’t watch tv (not even the news…SHOCKER!)
– We set aside $100 a month for eating out/take out, movies or any other non-planned event. This is called our “blow money”. When it’s gone, it’s gone. While it’s kind of a lot, in the grand scheme of things it’s not. We usually opt for burrito bowls at Chipotle or Moe’s to the tune of $18 for both of us.
– We use coupons as much as we can when we eat out, go to the movies, etc
– I make my own deodorant, toothpaste and facial cleanser out of household items like coconut oil, baking soda, olive oil and castor oil. Each one serves more than one purpose so it’s a win-win.
Emily says
Love this post!! Do your splurges next, please :)
We save on a lot of the same things – mostly meatless, no mani/pedis, one car payment (hubby uses a business vehicle), a lot of hand me downs for the kids clothing, streaming Netflix, cloth diapers, eat at home a lot.
But we do splurge on a few things! Chipotle lunch on the weekends (necessity!!), name brand shoes for the kids (comfy feet are important!), nice stroller (we’re out and about a lot) and I do get semi-expensive hair cuts about twice a year.
S says
You guys are so funny! You should totally start a money saving blog. I love all the things on your skipit list. We have a lot of skipits, too. Some I don’t mind doing without, some I miss. We skipped hooking our house up to cable when we moved 6 years ago, and I’m the one who misses it most. I am glad the kids get to skip the commercials, though!
I tried that tazo chai, and couldn’t get it to taste right. How do you prepare it? Cold or hot, how much milk? Do you add sweetener?
YoungHouseLove says
I just do half skim milk and half chai and heat it for 2 minutes. Tastes great to me, but it sounds like lots of folks here prefer Oregon Chai or even making their own (there are some awesome recipes listed in these comments).
xo
s
Erika says
We skip cable, bottled water, bottled sports drinks, individually wrapped snacks, Netflix (we use amazon prime and the library). I have a rule that I do not pay more than $ 10 for shirts that I wear everyday because with three little kids my clothes get dirty and stained and I don’t want to be mad if something gets ruined. I mostly do my nails myself and opt for $45 haircuts every 8-12 weeks instead of a $65 cut plus $100+ color every 6 weeks. Also take our favorite shoes to the shoe repairman to keep them in good condition so they last longer instead of buying new ones more frequently.
Lori says
This year we skipped birthday parties for the kids(ages 3 and 4). We had cake. We did buy them presents but most of those came from a thrift store or consignment shop. We skip buying replacements for things that still work. This includes items like appliances, tvs and furniture but also items like bath towels, quilts and jeans. I usually skip jewelry purchases these days. I have enough from all my purchases over the years. I splurge on a watch when I need a new one. I still love the nice one I bought almost 15 years ago. We splurge on quality furniture when we need something new.
Livvymom says
Unusual skips:
1. New Xmas presents, all anniversary and adult birthday presents
At Xmas I buy myself something used, like a pretty vase for $3. Hubby gets something useful, like a clipboard. I wrap those items, and that’s what we get from Santa ( because our kids still believe.) We don’t buy birthday or anniversary presents for each other. Instead, when we needed to replace the pink laminate countertops in our beach house ( right, I know, dusty rose laminate, with orange oak cabinets and black granite tile —used all your tips on painting cabinets white to fix that horror show….), we were able to invest in soapstone. That was our gift to each other.
2. Wrapping paper
Except for Xmas paper needed to continue the belief in Santa, all bday gifts for the kid’s friends get wrapped in brown paper from cut up shopping bags. Then the kids write a message on the present, or draw pictures. That’s a twofer, because it’s a great art project for the kids.In our neighborhood, a lot of people dig the whole reduce, reuse and recycle thing, so that works well. Ditto for greeting cards.
3. School fundraisers
Instead of buying all the gift wrap and candy bars,we make an annual, tax-deductible donation to our public school. It is a far more efficient way to provide support, yet we get the tax write off.
Sally says
Nice! Another wrapping paper idea…my mom loves the look of wrapped gifts under the Christmas Tree. So, she bought yards of a variety of christmas-y fabric that she’s been reusing for 20 years now. Wrap the gift with the fabric, tie it with twine, reuse next year! She even reuses the twine.
Hannah says
I loved my skip it!!!!! I found it in the garage a couple weeks ago, and I might have squeezed my size 10 foot in there to do it again :) haha
Victoria says
My husband and I only eat out once or twice a month. We not only save money but feel healthier. He takes his lunch to work and I eat lunch at home.
I use microfiber cloths and steam to clean and use cloth napkins that I get at Goodwill. I do still have paper towels for those times when I have to clean up something really disgusting.
We read the news online.
We don’t have or need air conditioning and rarely turn the heat on in the winter because we can “piggyback” on the downstairs neighbor’s heat (thanks!). Also both my husband and I lived in London so we became used to just wearing more clothes – sweaters, etc. – rather than turning on the heat. (VERY expensive in London). I have throws on the sofa and chairs and I have pashminas (bought at Goodwill for $3 – $8) to wear around the house as well. Love them – light and warm.
We also have a water filter and brew our own coffee and tea. However, I do love hanging out at some of our local café s so I do spend $$ there – but only about 2 or 3 times a week. (Hum. maybe I could cut down on that a little.)
We do have 2 cars but I rarely use mine – it has just 36,000 miles in 10 years. I walk or take the bus 95% of the time.
We have a Sassoon Academy here so I get my hair cut and colored there. The “students” are all working hair dressers who are just looking to acquire new skills and I always have a lot of fun and beautiful results. Haircut – $20. Color – $25.
I do get a mani-pedi every 6 weeks. I really enjoy it and hate doing it myself. My husband enjoys getting them too. We have a very lovely local salon that we use here that is not too expensive and gives good value. It’s a balancing act, isn’t it?
After reading these comments I realize that there is much more that we could do. We could drop cable – am I brave enough? I am a bit of a tv junkie and I would so miss hgtv.
Might be worth a try since so many of you have commented on it. Maybe a prepaid phone?
Thanks YHL and all commenters.
Megan says
Love this post! I’m a stay-at-home mom and my husband both works full time and is in school full time getting a business degree, so we are studious about skipping! A few examples of things we skip…
– cable, Hulu, and Netflix subscriptions in favor of a once-a-month (or so) Red Box rental;
– smart phones and their expensive data plans;
– just about everything in the middle of the grocery store (I prepare most of our food from scratch with fresh ingredients, including all of our daughter’s food);
– all beverages other than milk and water;
– eating out unless we have a coupon, and even then it’s rare;
– most baby toys (it’s so easy and rewarding to make your own!);
– and so many other things I won’t bore you with listing!
The great thing is, that because we skip those things, (A) we spend more time doing fun, family activities instead of zoning out at technology all day, (B) we eat so much healthier, and (C) we save so much money! Nope, not feeling deprived at all over here!
Sarah Jane says
I just have to share my love for Skip Its. Mine was used so much, it was eventually held together with a nut and a bolt in one spot and duct tape in another. And the counter was broken. Thanks for the nostalgic moment!
As for things I skip: many of the things that you listed above as well as a dishwasher and designer coffee/ tea or anything that might comes from a coffee shop (almost sacrilege in Seattle!).
Meredith says
I totally remember the Skip It, and I had one, a bright pink one. Pretty sure I wasn’t any good at it though.
Shannon says
Our Skip It List:
I cut and color own my hair, and my whole family’s hair
Once a week we have a ‘restaurant night’ at home where I make something special that we would ordinarily get at a restaurant. Ruben sandwiches or Chinese food and sometimes even french fries! It really helps cut the urge to go out!
I love to walk through the woods and the side of the road and cut interesting plants and greenery to put in vases around the house
No cable for us! Hulu all the way!!
I started making my own laundry soap! Super easy and costs just pennies per load. Pennies I say! We also try to hang out our laundry on nice days.
We have three little ones, so I absolutely depend on hand-me-downs from my sister with three older kids for clothes and toys. there is also a wonderful kid’s consignment shop nearby that I love.
We cloth-diapered all three babes. I can only imagine how much dough that saved us.
I could go on a lot longer, but those are the ones I’m most excited about!
Andrea says
Also, we’re going LED at the moment since my boyfriend started building his own lamps. He plans to set up a business so I won’t tell any more ;) but it’s looking really really good. I already have one desk lamp and one ceiling lamp and I do love them. <3 Once he's finished I'll share the link (we would even ship for the US for you ;)
Monika says
My partner and I worked out a formula….time is money. So we put an hourly dollar amount (say $30) to our time if we can do it ourselves for less then that then we do or if I can get a pedi while replying to emails to my customers then it is worth the price of the pedi :)
Ashley says
My boyfriend and I are saving for to buy our first home. We’re doing tgs a litlte out of order for our families, but we love it. I’ve been dreaming of having our wedding in our home, like an intimate backyard wedding (that’s how I found YHL and read nearly every day!) but modified since T’s family expects us to have the traditional 8 course Vietnamese banquet…we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. Anyway…
We’re both pretty frugal to start, so cutting corners doesn’t really feel like we are! We’ve been living together for 3 years now, and we just inherited our first TV :) it’s not that we’re anti-TV or anything, it’s just everything we want to see is on Hulu or amazon prime, or T watches his anime from a Vietnamese site his family told him about. Its sitting there, but we havent gotten the cables to set it up yet. but still, we’ve joined society and have one. I read all of your frugal posts and giggle that we do the same, particularly about clothing and beauty regimens. We don’t have our own house yet, so a lot of your decisions don’t apply yet (o but how I take notes) I have found THE best thing to save money over all and to be happy is to treat my body well so I can be healthy! I have MS and don’t really subscribe to conventional treatments because they made me feel awful and always weak. I used to, but the meds are immuno suppressants, which in my experience left me getting sick more frequently leading me to having more attacks. This is totally a personal choice, and I know plenty if people who opt for the meds (gotta love those new “take THAT you relapsing remitting forms of MS” drugs where everyone sticks out their tongues just plastering Hulu ads) and are very happy with their decisions and think I’m a nut bag wasting my money on expensive food, but with a healthy body I get sick less, have fewer attacks and that means fewer doctor visits and no medications to pay for. I have few saving money tricks i use that i really wanted to share, especially when it cones to eating your veg! I look at your dollar nights with longing, and while I can’t really find a way to squeak a dollar dinner, we have some stand-bys. Instead of spaghetti we’ll have rice noodles and instead of tomato sauce we’ll have peanut sauce — toss in some frozen brocolli and cilantro, maybe green onion if it’s kicking around–and we’re both happy. I also LOVE jar salads, thank you pinterest! I make then every Sunday to get me through the week at work. I usually cook some hormone free frozen chicken, then layer the veg and greens. Off season I get the greens at Sams Club, so I averaged the cost to be about 3 bucks a day (considering the going rate for a tossed salad at lunch is 7 bucks in downtown Portland ME I feel pretty sneaky…)
Winds down to that I’m healthier, happier AND saving money? That would have blown my mind when I started it all. I love your blog because its really all about what works for YOUR family. It’s great when what our views intersect, but also great when they don’t. Keeps my thoughts in perspective, you know? (Oh and while I don’t partake in the 5 dollar foot long, I’m SO jealous when T does! No cooking! Five dollars! Tapes, please!)
Ellen says
We’ve raised our large family (9 kids) on one income by making similar choices. We haven’t had cable in over 20 yrs. Stopped taking the paper about the same time. My husband and I both have “dumb” phones, as opposed to smart phones. My husband cuts everyone’s hair and even colors mine. We are discerning Goodwill, Craig’s List and yard sale shoppers and DIY most things around our home. We buy in bulk a lot and also love Aldi grocery stores.
Pam C says
I keep hearing scary things about the light emitted from LEDs – not good for us at all. I hope people will do their research before switching over. I hate it since CREE is a NC company. I want to support them!
Andrea says
Well, I’ve had my desk lamp for a couple of months now and all I can say is that the light is pretty awesome. It doesn’t blind me (and is located right behind my iMac), it’s warm light and my eyes don’t get as tired as before. Also, I prefer LEDs over all the mercury in the energy-saving bulbs *shrugs*
Laura Y says
I don’t know if someone has already said this, but we try really hard to fly Southwest airlines everywhere we can. With a 16 month old it has been great because they don’t charge for the first two bags (per ticket!). We try to travel light but when we visit grandma we have to bring the pack and play, car seat, and stroller. Its nice to know that we can bring what we need without a huge checked bag fee.
KC says
I’m late on commenting on this post (which I loved, by the way), but can you explain how you cut your own hair?? I do my husband’s and daughters’ hair, but I could save a ton by trimming my own.
YoungHouseLove says
After a shower when it’s soaking wet I comb it straight and then I just run my hand down to the bottom and pinch it in a line and bring that up to my face and cut it straight (following my fingers, which are placed in a straight line before I bring it forward). It’s just a long blunt cut (no layers or anything) but it’s hard to explain. Some people have asked for a video so I’ll have to do that someday!
xo
s
Lidia says
A fellow chai lover! You should try this stuff: http://www.amazon.com/MOCAFE-Precious-Divinity-Spiced-12-Ounce/dp/B001EO650A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377183631&sr=8-1&keywords=Chai+divinity
Yum! It comes in decaf too. :D
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Lidia!
xo
s
Hannah says
So since you guys are loving the microfiber I would definitely recommend Norwex! It’s a cleaning company with microfiber and all sorts of cleaning products! In their microfiber cloths there is embedded silver so you can actually use just a wet microfiber cloth to clean up even disgusting stuff like raw chicken and it gets the surface completely free of and germs or bacteria (I know this because when my mom does Norwex parties she does demos for the guests to show how the cloths work, and one of them is rubbing raw chicken on a hard surface and then using one of those bacteria testing swabs to show that there is bacteria and then after she wipes it off she tests the area again for bacteria with another swab and the test comes up negative)! (and the embedded silver kills the bacteria) They also have a polishing cloth that is a different weave of microfiber but you just wipe down the window with a wet enviro cloth (the cloth I told you about in the first part) and then polish it with the polishing cloth and the window is sparkling clean (and you can use it on way more than just windows). It doesn’t leave the streaks that window cleaner and paper towels do. My mom is a consultant for Norwex, and whenever she does shows she always gets all kinds of OOhs and Aahhs :) The enviro cloth is also amazing at getting stains out(and it’s just using water)! I think all of the cleaning stuff in our house is pretty much Norwex! :) Anyways I know that was a lot! But you should look it up! (and it’s all chemical free so it’s not harmful to use) Ok I’m done with my rant!!!! :)Thanks!!
~Hannah~
Lisa says
I, too, am a lover of Chai. If you have a Costco nearby, they sell three boxes of Tazo Chai for $7.99!
YoungHouseLove says
No way! That’s awesome!
xo
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Katie says
I was just in Costco this weekend hunting for the Tazo Chai. Mind sharing what part of the grocery store it is typically found in…I was assuming near the refrigerated coffee creamers?
YoungHouseLove says
At my store (Kroger) it’s near the tea (like the herbal tea and the green tea and the boxes of tea bags).
xo
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JT says
Our list of cuts is very similar to yours except the hair coloring; I cannot give in to the gray! My hubby cuts his own hair which saves about $10/week and he works at Starbucks so we get free coffee beans! No cable, occasional redbox. Now if I can just convince him we don’t need meat at every single meal we could probably pay off the mortgage!
Lisa says
I love that little kitchen set! I don’t have kids, but the kid in me loves it! I am with you on the CFL’s and LED bulbs! I love my incandescent ones in different shapes, sizes and best of all the price! Sad to see those go. Since I have thin, fine hair, and it’s a horrible mousy brown, gray color, I have to color it and get regular trims, but I do my own nails, unless I have an event and want gels. I’m an ex-manicurist so I feel I have to do my own! And I do the filtered water in the Camelback bottle too for the gym and hiking, etc.
Lawyer Lady says
YHL listens to NPR. OF COURSE she does….
How much more earthy/crunchy/hippy can you get?
Stephanie says
Have you listened to NPR? Its straight news shows are not earthy/crunchy/hippy. In fact, NPR is one of the few news outlets that has real journalists on the ground. Who else is right there in Egypt reporting on the tragedy unfolding? Laila Fadl of NPR, that’s who. They have foreign correspondents all over the world.
It is such a stereotype to say that.
Current event quizzes have shown that people who listen to NPR are much more informed on current events than say, Fox News, CNN, or MSNBC.
beth says
I love this post. You and your husband are so down-to-earth and I can appreciate that. I enjoy your blog and your guys sense of humor. Thanks for such positivity and silliness.
Thank you greatly!
Jen says
CFL bulbs have mercury, according to my electrician. Look for the Hg symbol on the bulb. I haven’t verified this myself…
Kristina says
So excited for a forum to share my thrifty ways!
1. The biggest savings I’ve managed to make for myself are where my transportation and living situations overlap. I recently made the choice to spend a little more on rent to live closer (within walking distance) to my office. So I save $100/month on a transit pass, a bunch more on gas and parking for those days I might be tempted to just drive rather than wait for a bus (it’s actually faster to walk than it is to drive and park and walk to my office), plus I gave up my gym membership in favor of using this as my primary, mid-week form of exercise, plus, plus I work in a dog-friendly building, so my dog can come along with me and I don’t have to worry about her being at home for a long time by herself, nor am I tempted to splurge on a day at the doggie daycare since there are so many other dogs here she can interact and play with. Wins all around!
2. Part of my new rental place is an outbuilding in my backyard that I use as a woodshop and ceramics studio. I was able to forgo renting space elsewhere (which would’ve cost me several hundred dollars per month) for a rent increase of $50/month!
3. I’ve begun growing and preserving food! I have a garden full of ripening tomatoes and greens, plus berries, a fig tree, two apple trees…I spend a fraction of what I used to on fresh produce (at least in the summer months). Additionally, although I’m not vegetarian or gluten free in principle, I don’t buy any animal or bread products for my day to day eating. I only spend about $25/week to feed myself (exclusive of going out, probably once a week) and I eat VERY well.
4. I’ve become a regular rei.com/outlet shopper – I buy last year’s gear, often for less than 40% of this year’s prices – stuff is still new, still good, still guaranteed, but MUCH cheaper.
5. I am blessed in that my favorite leisure activities range from free to really cheap. I’m about to go on a 10 day vacation backpacking trip, and gas, food, permitting, and the few gear splurges I’ll make will cost me less than $300. Huzzah!
I could go on, but I think you get the gist :)
Deanna says
These questions are for John. Just because I find it intriguing, why do you refrain from drinking alcohol? Do you call yourself a teetotaler? But then also, which gym do you belong to, and do you feel you get your money’s worth (i.e. how often do you go)?
Thanks! I love your simplifying posts!
YoungHouseLove says
I grew up with parents who never really drank and I guess I just followed in their example. I don’t have a particular issue with it, but having enjoyed college without it I haven’t seen much reason to start now. I’ve previously belonged to the YMCA but now belong to a local gym closer to home. I try to go 2 to 3 times a week. Some months I feel like I’m really getting my money’s worth and others not, but I’ve found I’m more active – especially in the winter months – when I have a gym to go to.
-John
Stephanie says
I had the hot pink Skip-It. I loved it, but it really hurt my ankle!
I guess we’re not super frugal. My husband’s big splurge is wine – he makes it and he loves buying good wine.
Here’s where we save money, though. We use our cash back credit cards for everything and pay off our credit cards every month. If I have to travel for work, I put it all the card and get it reimbursed (then I get miles and cash back!). If I buy things online – I try to use ebates.com, which sends you a check a copule times a year. Thousands of online retailers are on there with varying amounts of cash back (Lowe’s gives you 6% cash back, I think – if you know what you want, you can order online and pick up in the store, knowing you just saved 6%).
As a result of our great credit , we just refinanced our mortgage and will be saving over $500 a month. Also, because of our good credit, we were able to purchase our last car for zero down, zero interest. We save enough that we can pay for it in cash, but if they’re going to let us borrow the money with no interest, why not?
Therese says
I would love to get rid of cable – we have the lowest level – but we need it for internet. We cannot get Verizon over the phone line. Any other sources of internet I am not looking at? DH does not think directTV for internet would be a good idea, either. Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
There are a ton of great tips about that on the first page of comments for ya!
xo
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krystle @ Color Transformed Family says
I love all the ways you guys save and are totally cool with it. We skip cable tv. It was a huge deal for me at firs but now I don’t even notice. We rarely go to the movies. Manicures and pedicures are rare. Hubby is the yard boy and I make our own detergent.
Rachel says
It’s definitely about finding what’s important to you, right? I save in these ways, among others:
-no car (walk or transit)
-no cable or home phone
-no meat (although the money savings are really just a nice bonus!)
-no coffee/tea out habit
-no dryer
-take lunches to work instead of buying
-self pedicures
And in exchange I “splurge” on taking the cats to get their nails clipped (too much hassle to do it myself), eating out, and getting my hair cut regularly. Works for me!