Being Frugal? Just Use a Little Less
Lisa | Mar 01, 2009 | Comments 13
I’ve been thinking about it.
Do I really need that much -
- shampoo when washing my hair?
- laundry soap per wash?
- dishwasher detergent per load?
- Spic and Span washing my floors?
- Drano unclogging my sink?
Simple answer: No, I don’t. A little dab’ll do me.
I find cutting back on cleaning products pretty easy. And I get a good “green” feel about it. The planet’s happier, and I have a little extra jingle in my pocket.
Other ways to save on cleaning products:
- Buy in bulk when it’s on sale. It won’t go bad.
- Try generic versions. A chemical is a chemical, just like with your medical prescriptions.
- If you’re financially able, spend a little extra for “green” cleaning products and Clean Green. Their prices are coming down, and there’s more and more coupons available. Amazon often has great deals. When I see them I post it here.
Now, let’s move on.
Do I really need that much -
- ice cream?
- chocolate?
- wine?
Simple answer: Yes. I do.
Sigh. Nobody said being frugal would be easy.
What are your frugal strengths? Frugal weaknesses?
Related Posts
Related Websites - Soap Nut Liquid Detergent by NaturOli NaturOli: Setting New and Higher Standards - Today. Can you imagine effectively washing a full load of laundry with only ONE-HALF teaspoon of safe, green...
- Consider Green Cleaning Products Looking for information on green cleaning products? Well look no farther. One company in particular manufactures a variety of cleaning products and personal care products....
- Frugality in Practice - Using Half As Much To Make It Last Twice As Long In keeping with frugality, there are several products we use only half as much of, in an attempt to get it to last twice as...
Filed Under: Frugal Living
Linda
The Passive Dad
J. Money
Matt
Mr. GoTo
If everything falls down around me, if I’m months behind on the mortgage and years behind on dental care, I will always find the money to buy Nutella.
OXM´s last blog post..I Guess the Numbers Don’t Lie
Good thoughts! Sometimes it’s not always the huge, dramatic changes you have to make (although they certainly help), but sometimes it is the small, simple changes you may overlook.
Grant Baldwin´s last blog post..In Case You’re Bored This Weekend…
I don’t if people read the directions sometimes, and fill the cup to as full as it can hold, with detergent. And it helps to educate yourself on the stuff you can do, and reading blogs what others have done and worked for them, is always a big help. Like you can cut your dryer sheet in half, or if you run out, use vinegar. I haven’t tried the second suggestion, but have read in a lot of different places, people who have, and who doesn’t have it in their kitchen.
I quit following the directions on the shampoo bottle that says to wash your hair twice. I don’t have thick hair to begin with, so once is more than enough. And I just put the creme rinse on the ends. Otherwise my hair looks drab. And with us women, having a good hair day is very important.
I agree about not being wasteful. I always try to rinse the last drops out of my containers. I’ve heard that there are lots of household cleaners that you can effectively make with vinegar and baking soda. Though, I haven’t looked up the recipe yet.
I also agree that it’s good to be frugual in these times. But, I think that those who have not lost economic stature and who have a balanced budget should not be afraid to spend some money. [I know you won't agree with this, Lisa...] but I think we can make it really difficult on small businesses if we all stay home and put our money into safes. I do think that there needs to be adjustments if one is living beyond their means [like the 20 year old cashier at Kohl's who had 5 credit cards! Why? How else could she get money when she wasn't working?] So… the point is, forget about it for a while… and go for an Old Speckled Hen beer and support your local restaurant.
@Marie - can’t do any better than Old Speckled Hen on tap! Especially with a bartender who knows how to pour it! I’ll see what I can find out about vinegar and baking soda. I agree with you on the small businesses. I’m still wanting to save, though, you’re right!
@ Jenni - that’s a great idea about coupon sharing. I was in that CFL transition for a while, too. And now I’m stocked up on CFLs. I hope they don’t come out with something better before I run out!
@Grant - yes Someone told me once that if you take care of the small things, the big things will take care of themselves. I’m not sure I totally believe it, but it certainly makes a good point.
@ OXM - everyone has their weakness!
Thanks for your great comments, everyone! I sincerely appreciate it, and enjoy hearing from you!
LOL I need more chocolate and ice cream too! But good thing I don’t drink - that’s one thing I save on without effort.
But yes, we always use less than directed because I often think that companies want you to use more so you run out and have buy more sooner.
Penelope @ Pecuniarities´s last blog post..Who’s to Blame for Your Spending? You or You?
It’s amazing how much less liquid dishwashing detergent a person needs than comes squirting out of the nipple on the bottle. Try putting the detergent into a different dispenser. I use a spray bottle with the sprayer set to squirt instead of spray. One squeeze squirts a LITTLE where I want it to go, so I’m less inclined to waste the stuff.
@ Funny About Money- That’s a great idea on the spray bottle! Great tip! Thanks for stopping by.
@ Penelope - that’s great you don’t drink. For us…well, we have not gone so low as “box wine” yet… thanks for your thoughts!
I personally think frugality is power, but yeas it is hard to make cuts when you are use to living a certain way. Thank you for making frugality easy for the average person.