10 Cheap Tricks that Save Money Around the House

Being cheap is no longer considered eccentric. Being cheap, frugal, thrifty (choose your own adjective) is the new norm. Learning new ways to save money around the house is America's past time, and here are 10 cheap tricks to add to your money saving repertoire.

How To Extend Life of Disposable Razor

Sure the whole idea behind a 'disposable razor' is to use it and toss it, but that was so yesterday. Today we re-use disposable razors with this cheap trick. Shake off the excess water from the disposable razor, then dip it in rubbing alcohol and store in a dry place (do not leave razor in the shower). This cheap trick will clean the razor blade, stop rust and add weeks of shaving life to the disposable razor.

Half and Half

All liquid soap products, like hand soap, body wash, shampoo and the like are concentrated and are stronger than necessary to get the cleaning job done. Half the liquid soap products with water or only use half the normal amount to save money.

Air Out Bar Soap

This is a double cheap trick - air out bar soap for a few weeks before using and the bar soap will harden, making it last longer when used without effecting the lather, fragrance or cleaning properties. To air out the bar soap, unwrap the fragrant bars and place in dresser drawers and closets to act as air fresheners.

Clean Clothes

Reduce the amount of laundry detergent and liquid fabric softener used by one-fourth to one-half (experiment with your brand to see which measurement works best) and clothes will still come out clean and soft. Cut fabric softener sheets in half and still get the same dryer results.

Unplug the Dryer

Use the clothes dryer as little as possible. Not only does it increase the utility bill, but increase clothing replacement costs too. The lint in the lint trap is actually small bits of your clothing. The tumbling action of the dryer causes clothes to disintegrate and wear out faster.

Separate Bananas

Separate bananas as soon as you arrive home with a fresh purchase. Bananas produce ethylene gas which causes them to ripen, separating the bunch slows the ripening process down so the bananas will last longer.

Lettuce Longevity

To keep lettuce fresher longer, store lettuce in a large Ziploc bag with a moist paper towel tucked inside.

Mattress and Couch Cushion Flip

Flip mattress and rotate it every three months to extend it's life span. Don't just flip couch and chair cushions, swap them around so they don't become molds of your family's hinder parts.

Leather Shoe Extender

Have the soles of leather shoes lined with rubber to prevent them from wearing down, and don't wear them two days in a row. Leather shoes are subjected to foot moisture when worn and the moisture breaks down the leather, giving the shoes a day off between wears allows the leather to dry and will extend the life of the shoes.

Get More Lipstick Uses

Use a lip brush to scoop out the remaining remnants of your favorite tube lipstick. You'll be surprised how many more applications of lipstick are left.