Are you making plans to become more frugal this year?

[seleach]

Since I retired a year ago, the only clothing I have bought were undies and bras. I have plenty of clothes in the closets. When I was working, I only bought items that were on sale.

[RobertaD]

I know that I don't need as many good clothes since working from home I only dress up the days I'm out of the house.

The kids are clothed 90% from thrift stores, garage sales and gifts.

DH on the other hand has to have NEW but does wear them for years and years.

Roberta

[Sammi1961]

I am going to try buying all my clothes from thrift stores if I need any. (with the exception of socks, underwear and bras) Right now I need to weed through my clothes and get rid of ones that either don't fit or I don't wear. I need to be brutal about this though I always feel so guilty about getting rid of clothes that are perfectly good. (I donate them to Salvation Army or Goodwill)

[ellenmelon]

I am gong to use what I used to tell my kids, keep my hands in my pockets and off the merchandise, which translates to dream all I want with the catalogs but don't order anything.

DH and I were talking about studding out and insulating the basement where the woodburner is to get more BTUs going into the house and less into the cinderblock walls. On the woodstock soapstone site, they have calculations on how much heat is lost to cinderblock, and well, we just don't need to be heating the great outdoors.

[Sueanne]

When I lived up north we had a Vermont downdrafter woodstove in our basement. It was attached to our airducts to let the heat go to all the rooms. We didn't have the blocked walls insulated but did have them coated for moisture. We did use a silver foil type with backing since it was below ground and was afraid the insulation would get damp. The block walls were studded and had wood paneling. We did use insulation in the walls between rooms and ceiling helped make it more sound proof. The room where the woodstove was had brick over the blocks. Woodstove do help with heating saved us alot of money.
_______
Sueanne

[ellenmelon]

Sueanne, is this the kind of stove you are talking about? http://hearth.com/econtent/index.php...ove_Operation/

We use coal for our primary source, but with the emissions, I wonder if we'd get a better result with a more modern woodstove? Right now, both our old stoves belch particulates. That is not good for anyone's asthma. Not frugal at all if savings are at the cost on one's health.

Seems to me that the air space between the block and the panelling could have been a form of insulation.

[LoriMae]

We are going to be tightening the belt here too. Since our electic has gone up again I have been turning of more lights and unplugging things more.

I also decided to start a box of empty jars and plastic for when the kids come and I have food for them to take home. Used it yesterday.

I also shop at the thrift stores but I still have lots of clothes from when I worked at the bank. I have enough lingerie for several years. Socks are the only things I go through.

Also I'm going to be better about using up all the food I bring in the house, no waste.

[kathymac]

Distinguishing between needs and wants. Also, just because something is on sale and a really great deal doesn't mean I have to buy it - unless I NEED it.

Also, instead of buying something I need, I will see if I have the means to make it myself. For instance, DD1 got an ipod for Christmas and wants a cover for it. I looked around and the cheapest one I could find was $17.00. This morning I found a free pattern online and am going to make her one from fabric I already have at home!

Kathy

[simplysue]

We will increase our garden size this year. I'm saving every plastic container,egg carton and food can to use as seedlings and saving milk jugs to protect tender plants from early frost.
Also we hope to buy a side of beef and a side of pork verses buying it through the grocery. Our friends do this and they get a good variety of cuts for somewhere around $2.60lb for beef...less for pork.
An absolute must is getting back to menu planning and sticking to it.
I will start shopping alone whenever possible to avoid things finding their way into the cart that aren't on my list LOL I don't like suprises at the checkout.
Bluebird, do you have a secret for freezing and thawing that brown rice? I tried it last year and when I went to use it it was kind of like glue and mushy?Any tricks for avoiding that?
As for $160 on one outfit.....well, I almost spit out my coffee when I read that one

[OSI]

We too are expanding our garden this year, 3X the size of last years and we're looking now for heirloom seeds. We have a grow room in our basement that we haven't used in years and is full of clutter right now but we intend to clear it out and start our seedlings in there, should save us alot of money over buying plants that have already been started. I discovered one of my friends who has a farm is selling seeds including Rutger (sp?) tomatoes and Romas so I'll be buying them from her which supports a local farmer and will be cheaper for us.

Anna