Money Saving Tips

Everywhere you look, there are things that you can re-use in order to save money (and lets face it the environment) I was just going through several of my old magazines and found all these great ideas.

1. Plastic bags that you get with your dry cleaner's, tie one end and it makes a perfect garbage bag.For that matter, all of those plastic bags you get at the stores, those are perfect for the small cans that you tend to keep in your bathroom and den. I use them for when I am throwing out food that smells but don't want to put them in my half empty kitchen garbage can.

2. Used coffee grounds are great as a fridge deodorizer leave them right in the filter and then it become great fertilizer.

3. Old Toothbrushes can be used and a mini scrub brushes for those tiny out of reach places.

4. While you are in the bathroom, old loofas are great to scrub the tub.

Al this stuff is already in your house, what are you waiting for?

Spring Cleaning

Ok, maybe it's Fall Cleaning but still. I was looking in the usual spot for cleaners and I found them. A gaggle under the kitchen sink. A gross in the bathroom closet. All filled with chemicals and all costing $4 - $8 on bottle. Talk about an expensive waste of space.

Meet Vinegar. Vinegar is your friend. I'm sure you might have heard about the power of Vinegar. Do you doubt it's potency? Well I'm here to tell you, don't doubt. Run, do not walk to the stores throw down your $1.00 for a 32 oz bottle of white distilled vinegar and with the money you saved buy a spray bottle or two.

As a Window cleaner, use 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water. Keep a spray bottle of this around.

For an all purpose cleaner use equal amounts of vinegar and water. This is perfect for counter tops, surfaces and as an every day cleaner. There goes your second spray bottle.

Just remember the stronger or harder the stain the stronger ratio of white vinegar you want to use. Poor it directly into the toilet to get rid of rings. Or add 1/2 cup to your laundry as a fabric softener. Possibilities seem endless don't they? Check out Vinegar Tips for a growing list of uses and stop throwing your money away on chemical laden wallet, emptying cleaning supplies.

Who keeps cleaning supplies out in the open anyways.

Shopping for Quality not Price

There was this store (to be nameless) where I use to buy my jeans. I would go in, buy a $30 pair of jeans and wear them for one year. Almost to the day one year later, those jeans would become torn, ragged and shredded in the knees. Now I'm not saying I would throw them out, wearing torn jeans, especially ones that happened, instead of bought are great. But I would still have to buy another pair of non-holed jeans. So off I would go to the same store and buy another pair of $30 jeans.

I did this three years in a row and then I realized, I spent a combined total of $90 on jeans with a combined shelf life of 3 years. I decided to suck it up and spend $90 on one pair of jeans. That was 5 years ago. I'm wearing those $90 jeans as I type this and they are perfect. Worn a bit to make them relaxed but no holes no tears.... perfect. At this rate, they will last 5 more years.

Lets do the math:
One $90 jeans for five years is $18 a year. (not counting the fact that I am wearing them longer than 5 years.
Three $30 jeans for three years is $30 a year.

I came out ahead with the more expensive pair of jeans AND they fit better, they look better and they are more stylish. So am I telling you to go spend over $100 on a pair of high quality jeans? Well if they are stylish WITHOUT being trendy they will last more than a season before going out of style and, most importantly, you look great in them; definitely!

You need to start looking at a cost per wear factor not a cost per item. Obviously I'm not telling you to spend $150 on a pair of sequined purple velvet jeans that you are going to wear to for one night and never wear them again because they are so last year. But for a classic pair of denim suck it up spend the money on quality and enjoy them knowing in the end you are coming out ahead.

Are you kidding? You actually look like you have money when people see that designer label across your bottom. And less waste so feel good that you are helping lessen the load on landfills with the holier than thou cheap jeans

Drinking Water on the Go and at Home

I know your lips aren't going to touch your city's water right from the faucet especially after reading the latest study (don't ask just google it) but does that mean you should be spending so much money on bottled water?

Even if you buy it in bulk or large jugs at a time it still adds up to a lot of money on basically something that we grew up drinking for free. And if you really think about it, it's almost as yucky as drinking from the same unwashed plastic bottle and it is drinking from the bathroom sink. If you don't believe me, leave your Evian water bottle out in the hot car all day and then smell it the next day. That smell, that's heated plastic and that can't be good for you.

I'm not telling you to suck it up and drink from the kitchen sink because that doesn't help when you are on the go (and see google link above for the other reason). My solution, I bought a filtered water pitcher. Both Pur and Brita make great pitchers just find the one you like keep, it in the fridge filled with water and presto you have filtered water. If you want, buy the adapter for your faucet and you won't have to worry about someone leaving an empty pitcher in your fridge. I prefer the pitcher since it's in the fridge it's always cold which is just the way I like to drink my water.

Now, I know you aren't going to take the water pitcher and throw it in your gym bag so you have to make one more purchase. A reusable water bottle. Sigg makes a ton of bottles. Same with Kleen Kanteen. Actually you find reusable water bottles anywhere from Bed Bath & Beyond (hey you can use your coupon) to the 99 cent store. Just do yourself a favor, stay away from reusable bottles that are made out of polycarbonate. These have been known to contain chemicals that can be harmful to your body, especially when heated (remember that hot car).

I know it looks like I'm costing you money with this tip. $25+ for the pitcher, $10+ for filters and $10+ for a water bottle. But think how much money you spend on water in a month and I bet you have the money to buy the pitcher and bottle. Save the filters for the following month with all of the money you save then. And you are set for a while. And if you really want to get petty, you are saving money on garbage bags too by not filling them up with your plastic bottles of waste. It's a cheaper alternative and lets face it, it's a greener alternative so you are killing two birds with one stone.

Please this actually makes you look like you have money toting around with a "designer water bottle" You are too good for Arizona Springs anyways.