<p>Here are some of the things I do to save money: </p>
<p>Take used paper from work home so kids could use the other side as scrap paper.</p>
<p>Always bring leftovers from home as lunches</p>
<p>On business trip, I would collect every soap and shampoo from the room and bring them home</p>
<p>Have a family member cut my hairs</p>
<p>Make sure I use the bathroom before leaving work</p>
<p>You think you could beat me?</p>
<p>no, but garland could beat anyone, I’m sure. She doesn’t go to the movies or out to eat. I’m cheap in many ways, but WOW! She wins the prize.</p>
<p>not so quick. the last movie I paid to see was “A few Good Men” and the last meal we did not cook was Mothers’ day dinner when we ordered pizza using coupons. Now, beat that.</p>
<p>I worked with someone who, rather than buy a birthday card for his wife, went to a card store and memorized the verse and then wrote it out on a piece of paper and left it for his wife. Apparently they were similar in thriftyness since latter I heard him talking with her about his gesture and I heard him say something like, “I figured that you wouldn’t appreciate me spending money on a card, so that’s why I left you the note.”</p>
<p>I’m the world’s worst consumer…but I find that Old Navy’s dark rinse boot cut jeans have a great ‘line’ and look just as nice as any $150 pair of designer jeans…and they are only $24! (Course, I am wearing them while carrying a ridiculously expensive handbag…but I’m working on that part.)</p>
<p>Now ^^ (#4) that got me beat. I do buy BD cards for DW. I am only frugal or cheap on myself, I guess.</p>
<p>I wonder if being frugal is learned from childhood. My parents had $$ but we didn’t know it because they were so careful about money. Everyone around us was flying first class to Europe, Vail, buying fancy cars and electronics and name brand clothes. Mom bought us our ice skates and overcoats at the consignment shop and we knew every outlet within a 60 mile radius. She didn’t clip coupons, but my parents wore their clothes til they were practically threadbare and the cars were REAL clunkers!! The only thing Dad said was worth spending $$ on was education. H was raised pretty much the same way, and with the exception of some luxury items, we live the same way. What do you think?</p>
<p>I once had a co-worker who gave a gift of used paperback books (one romance and two westerns) and coupns for discounts off consumer products (shampoo, paper towls) to the person whose name he pulled for the office gift exchange.</p>
<p>I raised a family for many years with an income that would have qualified us for food stamps and other forms of assistance. I’m sure I could offer many economizing tips if that is what you are really after–is this really about competitive frugality?</p>
<p>IDMom06, I’m with you. I have an acquaintance from college days who dresses exclusively in Chanel, but I look the same way and I buy from the Gap. $2,000.00 cashmere or $45.00 cotton sweater looks pretty similar unless you touch it. And a black wool skirt? If its fits, who cares what the label says? I feel that the whole designer shtick is a major ripoff for the most part and I’d feel a bit like a sucker wearing a pair of $850.00 sunglasses when I know that they were made in China next to the factory that makes the same thing for Limited Too!</p>
<p>Reneev, I don’t think you have any tips that I don’t know or using currently already. Some of the things I do I can’t really write here.</p>
<p>Well, I did kind of wonder about using the bathroom before leaving work…to save on toilet paper expense at home? soap? water?..it’s OK, you don’t have to share the details!</p>
<p>Why do you want to compete about frugality, Laserbrother? It’s very strange to me. There is nothing inherently better in being frugal. People choose their own ways to spend based on their available funds, expected future funds, family needs, habits, goals, values, and desires. The advantage to being frugal weighed against its sacrifices is the decision of an individual family.</p>
<p>We are frugal on everything, except education. We don’t economize there at all.</p>
<p>I was nodding my head reading the OP - right up until the last one.</p>
<p>“Make sure I use the bathroom before leaving work”</p>
<p>Whoa thats not something I’ve ever considered as a way to save $ ! How much does water cost in your area?</p>
<p>I don’t think it is a competition, but I used to enjoy a penny pinchers column in the paper ( we don’t take the paper anymore 
)</p>
<p>I did score yesterday though. One of the advantages of living in a light industrial neighborhood is that a paving works is right next to where I shop. They make stepping stones, bricks etc. They often have broken pieces, seconds etc outside for others to take, so they don’t have to get rid of it themselves, I suppose.</p>
<p>Yesterday I noticed that they had a good sized pile of irregular new bricks!
Since I am redoing my garden beds- it was great timing!</p>
<p>I think we’re fairly frugal with major exceptions. We’ve spent money on education (summer programs, distance learning) and computers. We spend more on housing so dh has a 20 minute commute to work, but our house is worth slightly less than the average house in Westchester. Dh takes all his showers at the Y, but not to save money. We don’t get cable, don’t like TV enough to justify the cost, but we’ve had DSL for a long time. We are pretty frugal with cars. We all hate buying clothes and tend to get them where they are cheap. We eat out rarely, but go to really good (and pricey) places when we do. The only money we owe is the mortgage and car loans. (Wouldn’t have the car loan if my car hadn’t been totaled.) A fair number of our lightbulbs are compact fluorescents. </p>
<p>It’s always been a joke in my family that I’m the frugal one. I used to write postcards back from my travels telling my parents how little I was spending. I really did do Europe on $10 a day. (I remember being with friends and getting a reduced version of an already pretty cheap prix fixe meal.) My brothers are just the opposite. If they have money it’s gone. They’ve been like that since they were little.</p>
<p>Actually while those are good ideas they aren’t unusual</p>
<p>Take used paper from work home so kids could use the other side as scrap paper.
I don’t consider that frugal- just makes sense to conserve paper.</p>
<p>Always bring leftovers from home as lunches
I think many people do this too- especially with microwaves in the office, it saves packing your lunch in the morning or standing in line at the cafeteria.</p>
<p>On business trip, I would collect every soap and shampoo from the room and bring them home</p>
<p>I love this. It is great when you are staying overnight and dont want to bring your big bottle of shampoo- I don’t use them at home, but on trips.</p>
<p>Have a family member cut my hairs</p>
<p>LOL I have had about two professional haircuts in the last 25 years. I am just chicken to try a new stylist I would rather do it myself. My H, doesn’t need his hair cut- he wears it in a ponytail, which I manage to convince him he needs trimmed ever once in a while, and my younger D, does her hair herself too!</p>
<p>Make sure I use the bathroom before leaving work</p>
<p>The way the traffic is around here, that is just common sense . Always eat when you can, sleep when you can & use the bathroom when you can!</p>
<p>We try to use the library as much as possible. We do have a member card for Barnes & Noble, and use it more than we should.</p>
<p>I buy comparable generic OTC drugs and such. I also check the dates on bread, milk and the like. Otherwise we spend money like drunken sailors on leave. No kids to worry about and you can’t take it with you. Laissez les bons temps rouler.</p>