Tips on Frugal Living

[mnm'z]

^^ I'm understanding that anything plugged in is drawing electricity. I saw a gal on Oprah and she unplugged EVERYTHING in her house when not being used and saved over half on her electric bill every month.

[Lauzoka]

ReallY? That's incredible - I really never knew this but I'm definitely going to research the point!

Thanks!
Kathy

[gbyron]

i was looking on the net lastnight an found this
Standby Power : Data

[cboyer]

Originally Posted by gbyron

i was looking on the net lastnight an found this
Standby Power : Data

well that was really interesting...............I had no idea really........

[Leanna]

Wow! That was illuminating! LOL Looks like I will be turning the computers off at night and unplugging some more appliances.

[jojoshort]

Ok, kinda crazy, but I read somewhere earlier on this post about saving on shaving cream by using conditioner.

Soooo, tonight I took the challenge! On the right leg, used that really nice Skintimate cream. On the left leg, a bit of Tressame conditioner.

Both legs were shaved using the new Schick Quattro razor (awesome razor).

The result?

NO DIFFERENCE!

The only thing I suggest is that you really rinse the conditioner off well.

OK, I'm a human guinea pig ! Guess I'll be saving my pennies by not paying for shave cream (unless I feel a splurge coming on--I do like that Skintimate)

[mommaof3]

Originally Posted by gbyron

i was looking on the net lastnight an found this
Standby Power : Data

Thanks for posting...i have been wasting sooooo much energy by keeping my computer plugged in and on all of the time!!! What an eye opener!! I have a lot of unplugging to do.

What I really would love to have, esp. since it is so windy here, is a windmill. Also, we have NO CABLE, the DTV switch suits us just fine...and the picture is perfect, and free!!!

Keep up the great tips! Great thread.

[floridafinn]

Reader's Digest and MSNBC.com share these other supermarket secrets:

1. If you hate crowds and lines, shop at dinnertime (5 to 9 p.m.) or even later. Only 4 percent of shoppers hit the aisles between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. Least-crowded day of the week? Wednesday.

2. Go ahead and reach way back for the fresh milk. Everybody does.

3. Coupons with a bar code are easy to scan. The other ones take an eternity. But if you're willing to wait ...

4. That star fruit has been here a lot longer than the broccoli. Familiar produce turns over more quickly than exotic things.

5. "The more products you see, the more you are likely to buy," says Marion Nestle, author of "What to Eat." "That's why the aisles are so long and the milk is usually in the far corner."

6. Like employees with a good attitude? Shop at chains that are employee-owned, suggest customer-satisfaction surveys. When employees have a stake in the profits, it shows in their attitude.

7. The "grazers" order food at the deli, eat it as they're shopping, and get rid of the wrappers before they check out. We also call that stealing.

8. I'm not just selling groceries, I'm selling real estate. Look high and low — literally — for good values from smaller manufacturers who can't afford to stock their products in the eye-level sweet spot.

9. We're marketing to your kids too. That's why we put the rainbow-colored cereals and other kiddie catnip at their eye level.

10. The baby formula is locked up because thieves resell it on the black market. Ditto for the cough and cold medications, smoking-cessation products, razor blades, and batteries.

11. Driving your Ferrari to the Piggly Wiggly and want to avoid shopping-cart dents? Park far, far away.

12. You'll end up tossing 12 percent of what you buy.

[floridafinn]

How would you like to earn a little extra money every week...and maybe get a free pair of blue jeans, and a free dinner and a movie tossed in as well? You can if you become a Mystery Shopper, or Secret Shopper.

The hardest part: avoiding all the scams to find the real shopping jobs.

Yes, She gets Paid to Shop

Most of us would never notice Lynn Ratliff walking into the mall ....and strolling into a clothing shop. She looks like everyone else.

But that's the idea, because Lynn is a professional Mystery Shopper....paid to write down what she observes in stores. Lynn tells me "you're not going a be able to make a full time career out of it, I dont think, but you could definitely make some extra money doing it."

Lynn says the best part is the freebies...like a $300 pair of Sara Palin eyeglasses she was reimbursed for, or free dinners at upscale chain restaurants.

Some take it Very Seriously

Jim is also a mystery shopper...but he takes his job so seriously, he did not want us to show his face, out of fear of "blowing his cover."

Jim says he earned more than a thousand dollars last year inspecting stores, restaurants, car dealers, even model homes.

"Some of the assignments are $10, $12 dollars, some are $30," he tells me. "I recently did a "shop" of new model homes and it was $30 a visit."

How to Find the Jobs


Lynn says "I shouldn't have to pay to become a mystery shopper. I am offering a service to them, and I am employed by their company, there should be no reason I have to pay for them to hire me."

Instead, Jim and Lynn suggest starting with the Mystery Shopping Providers Association, MSPA, the top trade group. It offers advice and helpful links. (Click link)

Two other legitimate websites are Volition.com, and Intelli-Shop.com, which list companies hiring (Click links above).

And you'll need to have:


Internet access
An email and paypal account
And a babysitter if you have young kids.

You won't get rich, but Jim and Lynn say its worth it, if just for a free night out on the town!

"I could get free dinner for me and my husband, free movie for me and my husband, spend 10 minutes to fill out a survey and get paid $15 to do it. For a Saturday night date!"

As you hunt for jobs, remember: Legitimate stores won't charge you $100 ( or something similar) to work for them. Nor will they send you a check for 3-grand, before you do anything, to become a secret shopper.

[CherryPicker]

Originally Posted by floridafinn

Reader's Digest and MSNBC.com share these other supermarket secrets:

1. If you hate crowds and lines, shop at dinnertime (5 to 9 p.m.) or even later. Only 4 percent of shoppers hit the aisles between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. Least-crowded day of the week? Wednesday.

Just wanted to let people know that this is the busiest time at the grocery stores that I shop at.....which is when you will not see me shopping......LOL!!