Mucho Mula!

Frugality is a way of overcoming expensive costs. When I find less expensive practices, I spend less, and in the course of things, money is saved.

Some challenges that have presented themselves to me and I have found an alternative method, which is much cheaper, are listed below.

1. Napkins. I can go through three or four napkins a meal. Sometimes I blow my nose on one, wipe my face on another, and wipe my hands on a third. That comes out to 3,285 napkins used each year. I figured that spending a few dollars and a little time making cloth napkins would be to my benefit. Because I had thread, the total amount I spent on fabric for the napkins was $2.83. I got fourteen napkins out of this fabric. Say paper napkins are.99¢ for 200. That would be 17 packages of napkins or $16.83. My savings is $14.00. Now I would say that is worth the effort!

2. Decorating costs. Now I know what you are thinking, doing away with this altogether will wipe out all costs. I'm with you, but I find it boring. Therefore, I find a v - e - r - y frugal way of dealing with this. When my clothing is old, worn, and torn, I salvage the buttons, zippers, lace, and ribbons. These things I can put on pillows, potholders, picture frames, t-shirts, vases, pots for plants, and many other things. This way nothing is spent for a "new" decoration. The rest of the clothes I cut in squares and use in #7 below.

3. Coupons. There are store sales and when I put a manufacturing coupon with the store sale, I can get an item free. Walgreens has a rebate program which is great, and CVS has an ECB program. Both save me a great deal of money - coupled with a coupon, it's wonderful!

4. Groceries. Some breads are treats for me but I do not like to spend the extra $4 for the loaf. My answer is to shop for breads at the thrift bakery. I can get three loaves for $1.75. ALDI is a wonderful store to shop. In my last visit I spent $21 on what I would have spend $40 or $50 at my regular grocery store.

5. Cooking. When I am familiar with a recipe, I cut back on ingredients that will not influence the taste. Doing this not only helps me in my frugal quest, it helps my health. I do not each just that item; my meals are well-balanced. Any extra pounds melt away, in time. Once your appetite is decreased, you are not going to need as much food to fill you up which in turn helps you to buy less.

6. Cleaning supplies. Growing up the usual brands were used. I did not question any alternative methods, until recently. Looking into the matter, I have found that vinegar and water cleans most everything. Ammonia also has some uses. Baking soda helps absorb more than refrigerator odors. All of these things cost pennies compared to the brands that stores sell.

7. Quilts. When I need a blanket, I sew squares of fabric (cut from old clothes) together, use an old blanket or a mattress pad for filler, and use a tablecloth or a sheet for the backing. Anything I use for this I purchase at a garage sale or thrift shop. Quilts cost me about $5.00.

Each time I am presented with an expensive way of doing things, I go into "frugal" mode until I discover an alternative way to do that very same thing...and save money.