Dollar Stretcher Tips June 11, 2009

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Dollar Stretcher Tips June 11, 2009

Written by Gary Foreman

Dollar stretcher ideas on free and low-cost entertainment, restringing mini-blinds, smart budgeting and more.

Detergent Additive

You can save detergent simply by using much less, but I have been using an old "grandma's tip" for years. I put a cup of white vinegar into my wash along with a small amount of detergent. The vinegar cleans whites, darks and colors so much better and deodorizes them, too.
Patricia

Day Off from Job Hunting

My local museum and art museum offer free admission one day a week. I am recently unemployed, and taking advantage of these offers. This gives me a nice day out between applying for jobs and interviewing at no cost.
Jennifer in Milwaukee

Safely Kill Roaches

When my children where young, a friend of mine told me this trick for roaches. Use baby food jars. Put a little oil on the bottom and put peanut butter on the inside top rim. The roaches go in and get stuck in the jar because they get oil on them and die. Just throw the jars away. Place them in back of cabinets or dark areas where roaches like to hide.
Carol

Use By...

I have a magnetic dry erase calendar on my freezer door. When I open a refrigerated item that needs to be used by a certain date once, I mark it on my calendar. This also works really well for leftovers. I write the name of the item on the date that it needs to be used by. I've wasted a lot less food, and since I see the calendar on my freezer door every time I open the fridge, it makes me much more aware of what needs to be used up.
Heather

That's Entertainment!

Just like everyone else, I'm going through a huge financial crunch these days, so I've given up a lot of niceties in order to afford necessities. But one thing that I can't do without is a little entertainment. So I've found a couple of dollar theaters in my area. Whatever is currently playing at the 30-theater Multiplex will be at my favorite $2 movie theater in about a month. So I wait it out, and for less than I would pay for just one ticket at the big downtown theater ($11.75), I get admission for me and my two children and get us each a hot dollar dog (total $9).
EW

Fruit On the Go

I like to take fresh fruits and/or vegetables to work for snacking, but I hate the runny mess in the plastic baggies from the water I used to wash the fruit in the morning. I put a half sheet of a paper towel in the bottom of the bag and put my clean fruit on top of it and seal it up. When I get to my snack later in the day, I have dry, clean fruit and I also have a moist towel to use to wash my hands.
Laurie

Renewing Mini-Blinds

Mini-blinds are expensive, and yet the cords that work them seem to break very easily. I have saved a lot of money over the years by restringing my mini-blinds when the cords become damaged. I buy new cords from a local window treatment store, and restring any blinds that are becoming frayed. If you do it before the cord is actually broken, the new cord can be spliced or sewn onto the old cord. The repair is quite easy. For a better explanation than I can give, do a web search for "how to restring mini-blinds." Although it is more tedious, the repair can be done even if the cord is broken. It costs about $3 in new cord for an average size mini-blind!
Lisa in Ypsilanti

Try It First

If you're unsure about a small appliance purchase, check with your local area Freecycle group or Craigslist. Someone might have the appliance collecting dust and be looking to donate it or sell for a small price. If you find you like using the appliance, when you can afford a new one, buy it and donate the other if it still functions. I have seen so many people start making their own bread or dehydrating fruits only to find they lose interest. Don't waste your hard-earned dollars on something you might not enjoy doing.
Michele B.

Save on Deli Meats

In order to save money on deli meat, I purchased a relatively inexpensive meat slicer (about $40 through the Internet). Now, I purchase a whole turkey breast, whole boneless ham, or beef roast at a warehouse club for about $3 or less a pound. I cook them in the slow cooker for several hours. Then cool it in the refrigerator. When sufficiently cooled, I slice the meat into my desired thickness, bag what I can't use right away, and store in the freezer.
Carol

Car Not Needed?

If you don't need to drive to work or for work, you may be able to get rid of your car altogether. For example, I can get a transit pass, plus take taxis about 10 times a month, for the amount I'm paying for insurance each month, so the gas and maintenance costs are money in my pocket.

Selling the car could get you a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, and with any luck, you may be able to rent out your garage or parking space as well!
Evelyn

Quicken Imitates "Envelope System"

I have been using Quicken to track my money for years. I devised my own "envelope system," using Quicken.

When money comes into my checking account, I figure out what bills I have to pay. I allocate the money in the Quicken check register, using notation RES (reserved) instead of a check number. This deducts that amount from the register, just as though I had written a check. If I have a bill that covers more than one month, I enter its prorated monthly amount and the money accumulates over two or three (or more) months. When it's time to pay the bill, I zero out the RES listing, and the money goes into my balance to pay the bill.

I can print out a listing of the items with the RES notation, so I know how much I have saved for upcoming bills. There are no surprises. I always have money there when I need it for a bill.
Catherine S.

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