No, this is not a huge list post. My friends at Wise Bread have written a book by this title! They sent me a copy for review, and I have to say I love the book! And I have one to give away, too, so keep reading!
10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget is a comprehensive resource of money saving ideas. The authors split their tips into two sections: Frugal Living and Personal Finance.
The Frugal Living section covers topics like:
- 10 Frugal Ways to Care for Your Allergies
- 10 Ways to Go Green and Save Money at the Same Time
- 55 Ways I Saved Time and Money Planning My Wedding
- 5 Ways to Trim Haircut Costs for Kids
- 13 Free Ways to Wrap Your Gifts With Style
The Personal Finance section includes topics such as:
- What Credit Counselors Do and How to Pick One
- 10 Easy Ways to Find Money for Charity
- 6 Tips for Following a Budget Without Breaking Down in Tears
- 6 Horrible Financial Products You Should Avoid
- 10 Dirty Secrets Credit Card Companies Don’t Want You to Know
And the list goes on…and on and on! (But that’s a good thing!)
At the end of the book, there’s a list of 142 resources that will save you cash. (There’s a list on the Wise Bread website, as well.) Each resource has a short description, so you know what it is, before you expend the energy to look up the website. Being Frugal.net is even listed in the resource section under the Elevenmoms! It’s a small thing, but it’s pretty exciting to be listed among the other great resources.
And I have to mention the authors of 10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget. There are too many to list them all, but the authors include many familiar names in the personal finance blogosphere: Leo Babauta, J.D. Roth, Trent Hamm, Silicon Valley Blogger, Xin Lu, Linsey Knerl, and many more. I’ve had the opportunity to work with several of the authors on various projects, and I have a great deal of respect for the amount of knowledge they have on frugal living and personal finance.
I love the way 10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget is laid out! If you wanted to, you could read it straight through. But if you’re looking for specific information, it’s easy to find. I have a feeling 10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget will become a staple on the frugal bookshelf.
The Giveaway
If you’d like a copy of 10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget, you have a chance to win one right here! Just leave a comment with a frugal tip. I’ll close comments next Wednesday, May 27 at noon PST and draw a winner, using a random number generator.
Please only one comment per person, as duplicate comments will be deleted. The winner will have one week from the time I contact them to get back to me with their mailing info. If no contact information is received, I’ll draw a new winner. The book will be shipped directly from the Wise Bread people, so I will have to pass your contact information on to them for shipping.
I think that about covers it! I can’t wait to hear your tips!
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My frugal tip is to use GOOS (Good On One Side) paper when printing from your computer. I get most of the paper I need from the recycle pile at work.
Don’t buy things that you throw away. Instead of paper bags for lunches, get a cloth lunch bag. Use plastic containers instead of baggies and plastic wrap. Buy a reusable water bottle and refill it rather than cases of bottled water. You are helping the environment and your wallet!
Use a clothes line to dry cloth diapers and other clothes. Having said that…use cloth diapers! They are not as bad as you think they are, they’ve come a LONG way! Using a clothes line saves money and energy! Also, make your own bread and grow a vegetable garden. I use containers since we don’t have the space for an above ground garden, but they work just as well! Basically…get back to the basics of life and you’ll save $$$ and set a good example for your children!
Summer’s last blog post..A beautiful day
I always try to keep in mind my end goal — being debt free. That will enable me to do really special things with (and without) my family. Everytime I tempted to buy something or buy something bigger than I’d planned to, I try to think about whether that purchase gets me closer to my overall goal or keeps me from it.
Perky’s last blog post..CSA – Community Supported Agriculture or Creates a Serious Appetite????
Unfortunately gas prices are going up again! :(
Do a search for cheap gas prices in your area at gasbuddy.com
Then to make sure you aren’t wasting your gas try to group errands together when you go out.
Do it Yourself. From mending, to painting, to lawn care, to cooking extra and packing lunches so you don’t need to eat out… do it yourself!
Put it off. It’s amazing how something you thought you absolutely had to have doesn’t seem so urgent a day or two later. If you really need it, you’ll still need it in a day or two. If you don’t want it a few days later, you’ve saved yourself from yet another unnecessary expenditure. (This approach shouldn’t be used for apologies, medical care, or homework.)
Lisa’s last blog post..Giveaway and heart health reminder
Coupons are your friends! Keep an eye on circulars and combine coupons with sale items for the best deals. Also watch for special sales where stores that don’t normally double or triple coupons do. I saved 72% on a trip on a special triple coupon weekend.
meinmillions’s last blog post..Healthcare Confusion
Here is a coupons for free lettucs wraps at PF Changs w/ entree purchase:
http://www.pfchangs.com/briny/
Take the time to look for things on freecycle or on Craigslist. Ask your friends if you can borrow something. Barter. We all live in houses just filled to the rim with stuff…someone’s got it out there!
Denise’s last blog post..Update on Kitty
Make a plan with a friend (or another family) to make dinners for each other once a week. If you’re single, it’s easier to cook for 2 people and if you’re splitting with a family, you get one night off to spend more time with the kids.
Stay home! Going out means spending money: at the grocery store, mall, etc.
I hope I win!
Since beverages are so expensive, order water when eating out. You’ll save tons of money over time.
Amanda @ Mommy’s Idea Book’s last blog post..Kids in the Kitchen: 11 Tips for Cooking with Kids
my frugal tip is to menu plan. i make a menu plan for the entire month. of course it changes as we go along but it helps me keep an eye out for sales on the groceries for our favorite meals. plus it saves the last minute panic of ‘what’s for dinner?’
My tip is to mix your own cleaning supplies with common household products like vinegar and baking soda. Cheap, works well and helps our environment too!
When I really feel like I need something or as my frinds and I call it my want meter is going crazy. I start cleaning. It helps me appriciate what I have.
I personally feel that if I can’t keep what I already have clean and tidy (that includes ironing too!) then I have to decide if I really want to add it to my things that will need my attention. It also helps me appriciate what I have. IT also reminds me what good deals I have gotten on most of the things I own. I have 6 kids, if I actually make it through getting everything cleaned and I still need it, I will give it more consideration. If I decide I really have to have it. Then the game begins to find the best deal on what I want.
I guess that is why my husband won’t let me have a housekeeper;-))
My tip is for those planning a wedding. If at all possible, when booking or getting quotes for anything from flowers to dinner / lunch – don’t mention it is for a wedding. Say it’s for a family celebration. The “w” word seems to add additional cost instantly!
My tip? Use baking soda for everything. Mixed with vinegar to make a paste, it makes a wonderful cleaner for all sorts of surfaces. If I have to run out the door without having time to shampoo, a little baking soda rubbed on the crown will take care of grease. Even more amazing is that the vinegar and baking soda mix can treat ant bites. I got six on one foot, applied the paste, and around an hour later I could only see one bite.
Wonderful, frugal resource.
One thing that has worked wonders for me is simply tracking everything I spend everyday. It sort of turns saving into a game. For instance, knowing you’ve spend a $100 on eating out in the first two weeks of the month, how do you go the rest of the month without spending a dime? And it can be done…and becomes fun when you have to figure out ways to “go out and meet friends” but not spend anything. I just track my spending in an excel spreadsheet; works great.
Using a clothes line saves me at least $20/month in energy costs during warm months.
here are some tips:
1) skip that coffee chain coffee: Save $5 every morning!
2) pack your own lunch for work: Save $10 every lunch
3) unplug all electronics every night @ bed time: Save about $40 a month
4) swap furniture with a friend to redecorate: Save $100+
5) shop goodwill for like new clothes: save $100
6) call credit company to lower interest rates: $100+ (it worked for me! two of my cards now have 0%!)
I’d love a copy!
Here is one of my best frugal tips:
Both my husband and I have allergies nearly year-round. Claritin costs around $1 a pill. With each of us taking one per day, that’s $730 per year! Well, a few years ago I discovered the CVS brand “Claritin”. I buy the largest box to get the best deal: 240 pills for $39.99. That’s about $122 per year for both of us, a savings of $608! And the CVS brand works just as well.
I make all of my own bread products from flour I grind myself. This includes: bread, tortillas, hamburger and hot dog buns, english muffins, cinnamon buns, dinner rolls, etc. We save a TON of money doing this, even with the initial cost of the wheat grinder. I can buy a 55lb pound bag of wheat for $28.00. I have also had friends/neighbours ask to buy a loaf of my bread for $5/loaf. Its a great money saver for our family of 10 (1 girl, 7 boys).
Susan
Plant a garden. This year we have cucumbers, beans, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, rhubarb and collection of herbs. We hope to get some strawberries this year too. I have a decent size yard (about 1/4 acre property) but even if you don’t have a large yard you can still grow something.
I have been waiting a long time for a book like this. I have a place for it beside my copies of The Tightwad Gazette, Idiot’s Guide to Being a Cheapskate and How To Live On Nothing.
Please enter me in the contest.
Make sure you eat all your leftovers. The most expensive food is the food that is thrown away.
Jennifer’s last blog post..Work has begun.
My frugal tip is: Use less of everything. Do you really need that much shampoo and conditioner to wash all of your hair? Even be mindful of the amount of toilet paper you use. Once you start paying attention, you’ll notice how much you waste!
Try one new frugal tip per week and make a game out of it. A year ago, I couldnt fathom doing all the frugal things that I do now much less enjoy doing them. It takes awhile to change your non-frugal habits so give it some time and be creative with your frugality.
Bike to work and bring your lunch.
Instead of buying wax paper use the liners from cereal boxes. Works very well.
Lorie’s last blog post..Army Crawl
My tip is just stay out of stores. You won’t be tempted to spend. When you need something, make a list. Only shop from the list. You will save tons!
Use cloth napkins and rags instead of paper towels – haven’t bought or used those in a couple of years now.
My upstairs neighbor warned me about/complained about how hot the southwest bedroom would get in the summer so I bought some cheap quilted black fabric from Walmart and made curtain liners. I used tension rods to hold them up and curtain hooks to attach the fabric to the rods then I covered them with my regular curtains. I also keep the miniblinds closed all summer. The bedroom stays cool all day this way. Those cheap solar curtains you can buy from Harriot Carter or in other online catalogs also work great in the summer and winter as long as you keep them reversed correctly.
Mix in one scoop of a flavored ground coffee when making a pot with your regular cheaper brand. It tastes like it came from the coffee shop and costs much less.
Hello! Replace all paper products in your house.
First, paper towels, use dish towels instead. They work great. Save at least $125 a year.
Second, paper napkins, cloth ones or washclothes work great and feel so much better on your face. Save about $25 a year.
Third, toilet paper, it may sound weird, but it’s not. Cut up old t-shirts, sweats, and fleece. I throw the used ones in a bucket in my shower and wash everyother day. Save about $125 a year.
Four, disposable diapers and wipes. Use cloth. Over three years you will save about $1,000 (if you buy all in one cloth diapers, you can cloth diaper much cheaper.)-Bonus most kids who use cloth potty train sooner!!!
Five, tampons and disposable pads. Ditch the tampons, they are bad for you (organic or not), and use cloth pads. They work great and feel great. Over three years you will save about $500 (after buying a set, they will last 3-5 years.)
Six, tissues, use a hankie or a washcloth, then toss in laundry. Save about $25 a year.
Also reuse everything you can. Before you toss something, think “what I can I do with this?” Cardboard egg cartons, become seed starters or caterpillars for the kids (paint & add eyes.) Junk mail can be used for scrap paper. Food boxes can be used as kids blocks. Let them paint, tape the ends, and enjoy. Empty dish soap bottles & ketchup bottles make great water squirters. Yougurt containers make great ice pop holders, fill with juice, add a popsicle stick and freeze (you may need to use wax paper or something to hold stick in place.) Baby food jars has so many uses, store nails and screws, make snowglobes as gifts, make homemade butter with cream and a marble. Online you can find many more ideas.
Thanks for your blog!
Rebecca Rivera’s last blog post..Crisis!
A great frugal tip for cat owners: Invest in cat nip! A small bag is about 1.99 at the stores and it can go a long way. One great cat toy: take a paper towel or toilet paper cardboard roll and put it inside of a sock that’s lost it’s mate. Put a pinch of cat nip in the tube and close up the sock by making a knot at the top. Your cat will go crazy with this toy and it will keep them occupied for hours. The best part is if the sock starts to get dirty or the tube starts to get bent, you can just wash the sock, use another tube and put in another pinch of cat nip.
Amiyrah’s last blog post..Apple Chips!
Hello- my tip is to make a meal plan every week and make the meals from scratch… I have saved a lot of money by cooking from scratch and by looking for ingredients on sale. Thanks
We turn off our water heater when gone for at least two days. We also keep the water temperature at around 110 degrees. This will save a LOT of money if you have a water heater with a tank.
Invest in quality tupperware ( I love Lock & Lock) in all different sizes and stop buying ziploc bags!!!! It creates less waste and it is so much easier to run a dishwasher full of tupperware than to hand-wash and dry a zillion plastic baggies like I used to do! I hope I can save money buy winning the copy of this book!
Years ago I used to just eyeball the amount of laundry detergent and bleach I added to the wash. Then I read this tip: if you’re not measuring your laundry soap, you’re using too much! Since then I’ve carefully measured out the amount I use, and also slowly started reducing the amount I use to be below the recommended measurement — and my clothes still get clean without using so much detergent.
Great giveaway! I’ll definitely be checking this book out!
My frugal tip, and perhaps someone else has mentioned it: Saving veggie peelings and the bits you’d normally discard for use in making soup stock. Things like potato peels, onion bottoms, the woody stems from asparagus, etc.
And here’s another, related frugal tip (a freebie, if you will): Investing in an inexpensive pressure cooker (I found mine for $20 at a big-box store) helps reduce energy costs and makes mealtimes faster. But the best use I’ve found is making soup stock. A 2-hour simmer is reduced to 30 minutes for a rich, delicious that tastes like you worked on it all day long.
Wow! This book looks great! My frugal tip would have to be making ahead freezer meals. I work full time outside the home and it is so nice to be able to pull something out of the freezer to cook rather than resorting to drive thru or delivery food. And, by making batches ahead, I can take advantage of sale items like meat and then cook up a bunch of things using the sale item. I do not always find time to devote an entire day to make ahead cooking, but often will make 2 or three of whatever entree I make on Sunday and freeze the remaining batches.
Would love to win this book! Love your site!
My frugal tip is to stay home more. If you don’t go to the mall or store you won’t be as tempted to spend.
After raising 4 kids on one income, I have lived most of the frugal tips here…and loved every minute of my colorful life. Now, 30 years later, I am sending my 4th child off to college with a full scholarship, (including housing) which he earned on his own; and now it’s time for me. So, I’m starting my new adventure, housesitting, next month. It’s a bit scary not having a permanent place to live, but what I’ll gain in cost savings and life experience, will be plentiful. My goal is to save as much money as humanly possible and travel to all those places I’ve only dreamed of. I want to see it all AND still have money left over to visit all my kids (and future grandkids) wherever they live. So adventure here I come!!
Surf the internet for free offers on fatwallet.com or similar sites. There are so many offers for free samples or companys (such as Friendly’s on June 6) that are giving away free ice cream.
Thank you for your website…You have made me more aware of my money. My frugal tip is : Keeping your bread more fresh so it wont mold fast, is to dubble bag with 2 zip lock bags and just keep refrigerated…also instead of using baggies for everything…just buy at the dollar store plasticware for things like nuts, chips, fruit, sandwiches. It will keep them more fresh and your items wont get crushed. Thank you…Bryce Neckels
Each week buy only those items which are on sale at a good price and you have coupons for to get items for free or as cheap as possible. This works for pretty much anything, except maybe meat. Buy only meat that is on sale at the lowest price possible and stock up until it goes on sale for that cheap again. Plan your meals for the week with what you already have in your pantry and freezer. I try not to buy anything that is not on sale as cheap as I can get it, unless it’s an absolute necessity. Thank you for the entry.
koinonia572001@yahoo.com
My frugal tip is to eliminate paper towels in your house. It is amazing how much money goes down the drain using paper towels when you could use a cloth towel instead.
My little mum would always say, “When in need, improvise”. That little ditty has worked for me countless numbers of times. It also has caused me to be very creative!
Jan’s last blog post..No Time to Breathe
My tip: say goodbye to Windows.. Use free, reliable, secure software such as Ubuntu, or Open Office.. Open Office is a fully functioning, better than Word or Windows Office, Office suite available free of charge from OpenOffice.org! This is available for Widows and linux both.. Why spend $200 for Windows office, when you can get better for free!
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