In my businesses, I need toner and paper—but most especially, legal paper, which varies wildly from $5 a ream to $12 a ream for the same quality. It all depends on the vendor. Seeking out that $5 vendor and developing a plan to find a better deal and a backup vendor is key to frugal success, not to mention, profitability.

A quick-and-easy way to do this with your household economy in mind, is to take a look at your grocery receipts over a couple of weeks—and circle the ten most expensive items on each.

Maybe they’re the same? (At my house the most expensive items were consistently beer, laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, and pull-ups).

Beer is a bit of a sacred cow. I’m afraid my dear husband isn’t about to let me tinker with more frugal solutions to that at this time. (honey, home brewing is trendy!), The others were easy targets. I switched from our favorite laundry detergent which was about $15/mo to a home-made version at just over $2 a year. Dishwasher detergent I now cut 50-50 with washing soda, and the pull-ups are getting replaced with cloth diapers. Talk about savings—between those changes I’m saving about $32 a month.

Consider other “vendors” to your household. Where do you spend money that you could re-source? Here’s a few starting places:
1. Food
2. Cell phone provider
3. Cable TV provider
4. Pharmacy
5. Medical insurance
6. Auto Insurance
7. Home Insurance
8. Banking: Debt and Investments—are you getting the best bang for your buck?

This post is part of a series I’ve entitled “Frugal August” and is inspired by (though not copied from) the book The Complete Tightwad Gazetteby Amy Dacyczyn. My tips are meant to build on hers, but generally are not duplications.

Trips to the zoo, prescription refills, or eating out—there’s a discount for that. If you’re a senior ask for a discount. If you’re a student, ask for a discount.

When I was in college I was broke. Really, really broke. A symphony was playing in Seattle’s new Benaroya hall, which I desperately wanted to see, but tickets were $55.

I called up and asked about discounts—last minute tickets, volunteer discounts, anything? They told me that actually, it’s a repeat performance—one that plays on three nights, so the seats usually reserved for season ticket holders were available to students for $5 to 15, I just had to bring my student ID.

My college even had a class called “I’d like to use the media lab, please” or something like that for one credit. Non-students could enroll for one credit and gain access to the fitness center, library, media center, music center and student discounts galore. Students enrolled with a certian number of credits (I cannot recall how many) also got a free bus pass, they just had to go ask for it.

Food for thought.

This post is part of a series I’ve entitled “Frugal August” and is inspired by (though not copied from) the book The Complete Tightwad Gazetteby Amy Dacyczyn. My tips are meant to build on hers, but generally are not duplications.

1. A base for stir-fry
2. In soups in place of noodles
3. As a “mash” for breakfast with milk and cinnamon
4. Rice pudding with a custard base, warmed for breakfast
5. Rice cookies or bars
6. add to mashed potatoes to “stretch” a batch.

Rice can make any meal just a little bit bigger (unexpected guests? Hungry teenagers?) My kids recently had a run of rice pudding with cinnamon and dried cranberries. I made eight quarts and froze it in Ziploc bags in the freezer. The frozen bags went camping with us because they served as ice—and reheated well for breakfast or snacks.

This post is part of a series I’ve entitled “Frugal August” and is inspired by (though not copied from) the book The Complete Tightwad Gazetteby Amy Dacyczyn. My tips are meant to build on hers, but generally are not duplications.

IMAGE CREDIT: FREEDIGITALPHOTOS.NET

We mend worn clothes (except socks). We use epoxy, super-glue, and paper clips to mend all sorts of things.

Before replacing any malfunctioning plumbing item, we take it apart and try to find a new gasket (usually solving the problem for under $1.)

Hands-down the best “repair” investment ever is having shoes re-heeled or re-soled. For ladies who wear pumps, you’ve likely tossed a few pairs in need of that little thingy that attaches on the bottom of a heel—or the plastic wore off until just the nail was left.

You can purchase new “lifts” for very cheap and install them yourself (pliers to remove the old one, hammer and adhesive to install the new one, snips if you need to re-size it). If you can find a cobbler, this is a procedure totally worth leaving to a pro. My vice is very high-quality shoes (purchased new usually, but at an outlet store). All of my shoes have lasted at least five years with heavy wear, but the pumps show wear the fastest. A good cobbler will shine and repair the shoes, and re-stretch them into a more comfortable fit all for under $10 a pair.

I took in several pairs of older shoes that I thought might be on their “last legs” and discovered that I could get several more years of wear out of them after a professional polish and a re-heel job. (Hint: Some shoes have a lifetime warranty on the soles–I think that Doc Martens and Red Wing both carry this warranty, so the repair may be free)

You can attempt to repair sneakers yourself at home, by inserting a piece of rubber inside when the soles begin to wear out, or super-gluing the uppers back to the soles when they begin to loosen—but. A product called “ShoeGoo” also works. This is for your lawn-mowing shoes, not your triathlon shoes. Athletes, please be good to your feet.

This post is part of a series I’ve entitled “Frugal August” and is inspired by (though not copied from) the book The Complete Tightwad Gazetteby Amy Dacyczyn. My tips are meant to build on hers, but generally are not duplications.

IMAGE CREDIT: FREEDIGITALPHOTOS.NET

A few years ago my husband and I purchased our first house–the little condominium that we still live in. When we purchased it in March of 2004, it felt like a palace. Now it’s feeling more like a dollhouse, but we still love it.

We purchased this place when real estate values were quite depressed, and interest rates were low, enabling us to purchase when it otherwise may have taken us years.

We purchased our house on a zero-down loan, and then real estate took off. Our little condo doubled its value in two years, so we went into cost-cutting action!

I wrote a letter to our mortgage company and told them since the value of the house has increased, they should adjust the loan to value calculation accordingly.

(I even included a couple of real estate fliers for similar places in the neighborhood showing the increased value).

Two months later I received a letter back saying that after researching comparable properties, they do believe that the property’s loan-to-value ratio can be adjusted giving us the needed “instant equity” to drop our PMI payment of $157 per month.

If you’re still paying PMI, here’s how to try to get the amount eliminated:

1. Write even if you haven’t experienced appreciation but you’ve paid on time every month for two years from the origination of the most recent loan).
2. Write if you have experienced equity appreciation (property values have risen).
3. Write if you have at least 20% equity in your loan.
4. If you’ve made substantial property improvements that might increase the property’s value in an appraisal.

If you are able to have your PMI cancelled, you may also get a refund of PMI from your escrow account. Good luck, and happy saving!

An ear infection here, a broken tooth there, and routine prescriptions are a truly massive part of our monthly budget.

Here are my tips for reining in your medical costs.
1. HAVE Insurance. Find a way. Consider groups that you could join that would allow you to access medical insurance, but just because you have medical insurance doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ask your provider if a cash price would be lower than your actual deductible. Investigate this possibility. I was surprised to receive a bill for insurance for my $80 co-pay for an outer-ear infection (a scratch on my ear that needed an antibiotic to heal). The cash price for the visit since it was just 3 minutes would have been $30. I said a bad word.

2. Understand your policy. Completely. Deductibles, co-pay, in-network and out. Use in-network when you can. Here’s a great resource for the National Endowment for Financial Education.

3. Use a health savings account or cafeteria plan if it’s available to you. These can save a bundle and be used to pay for all kinds of things!

4 Rx Tips are their own little post I think but I can sum it up below:

a: get a discount card. AAA has a great one, Rite-Aid and Walmart and Target all have cards/programs, but don’t give up on a quality pharmacist who’s going to check your meds vs your allergies and contradictions.
b. Use generics when you can.
c. Ask your doc for samples if you’re starting a new medication, esp for long term use. I had a doc give me antibiotic samples recently, which was wonderful, as it turned out I was allergic. I’m sure glad I didn’t buy a month’s supply!
d. There are many prescription assistance programs, including the Partnership for Prescription Assistance which you may be able to turn to depending on your condition.

5. Dental care: if you don’t have dental insurance, you should still get your cleanings–this little expense may save you a lot in expensive repairs later. You can do this at a dental school, but pack your patience. I have had this done once (in college) and got my teeth cleaned just before graduation for $15. What a steal! It took two hours though, and the hygienist in training used a purple dye, which she cleaned off. Simple enough, but as sweet as this lady was, she was extraordinarily clumsy, and dropped the dye–on my nose. The purple dye was guest of honor at graduation, but my teeth continue to serve me well and I’ve still never had a cavity.

6. Perfect time for a segue–preventative care will save you a bundle. When you have insurance, its usually covered. Get those annual exams, the tests, mammograms, paps, and shots. You need them and early detection will save you a fortune and provide peace of mind.

7. When was the last time you had an eye exam? I recently found this great source for Rx Glasses. I always have three pairs, which costs a pretty penny–so next time, I’m giving this site a try: http://www.clearlylenz.com/ They advertise a full set of glasses for $36, but you do need to have your Rx information.

8. If possible, use a nurse hot line, emergency appt at your regular doc or a urgent care center before opting for emergency room care. Deductibles are very high in the ER, and waits can be very long.

9. Eat out less, drink less alcohol, quit smoking and walk more. Your bottom line (and your bottom) will thank you.

10. If you can’t pay, and medical bills are threatening to push you into bankruptcy –first try negotiating with your provider for a write-off or a lower rate. I’ve working on a review over at ProsperLending Review of a company called “IOUSOS“, which facilitates negotiation and collection of medical debts between patients and providers. The National Endowment for Financial Literacy also offers a manual about managing medical debt here.

Bonus item: Don’t forget to save reciepts on all medical costs for tax time. Some are deductible! (Ask your tax-preparer for more info).

My committment to you is taht I only run ads for companies that *I* use adn taht I think are a good value.

I’ve recently found Inksmile.com and added their ads. In my small home Business (I have a mobile business services company), toner is my single greatest annual budget item.

A refill for my four-color lazer printer runs about $600 at Office Depot. Since I need a refill every six weeks, as you can imagine, things in the toner department get out of hand quickly!

I’ve started using Inksmile.com myself, and their HP lazer toners run about 30% less than the store. They provide free shipping and often have promo codes (if you’re thinking of placing an order, let me know and I can check cj.com for the latest promo codes to see if there’s a better deal). I used 5OFFSMILE on my $170 order yesterday (two black toners)but then saw them on Twitter promoting a one-day-only 15% off code. I emailed about it and they credited me back the $17.97 (how’s that for customer service?)

The toners always come within a day or two, so yesterday when I was printing 300 pages of legal documents and the printer flashed “order supplies” I was able to place my order and know it will be here in time for the end of the week rush.

I hope you’ll give them a try!

I wish I could recall how I learned about this movie, but I heard it was a must-see indie film. Since my interest is in finance, and my family is following the “Total Money Makeover” plan to get out of debt and live life without it, I decided to take a look.

This independent documentary about the credit business knocked my socks off. It was amazing. I found it through the library, but it’s also available for purchase or via Netflix or Amazon video on Demand.

The film hit home in many ways–about how credit cards prey on people (in ways I’d never imagined) and about how people fall victim to various credit ploys. I’m not quite in the “all credit is evil” camp, because I choose to live without it, but certainly this painted some shocking pictures–including of one credit card company that was shredding checks upon receipt and then billing customers interest and late fees because their checks were lost in the mail.

It told the story of a woman who committed suicide after leading a double-life with a spending-addiction and of college students so maxed out on credit cards that they choose to end their lives over a $12,000 credit card balance.

After watching this film, I tracked down my high school civics teacher on Facebook and requested that he show this film to all of his students every year-I hope that he’ll consider if he hasn’t already. The stories of these college students, as told by their parents was heart-wrenching.

There’s a number of great guests on the documentary–from specialists in credit and bankruptcy statistics to Dave Ramsey himself, Jimmy Carter, and that guy from Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. Debt collectors and agents are also interviewed. All together it was a well-rounded and informative view of the industry. “Maxed Out” was passionate and informative and energetic and earns four stars from me.

If I were to offer any criticism at all, it would be my most common criticism of indie films–that the volume is inconsistent throughout the film, leaving me holding on to the remote for dear life to keep it somewhere between too loud and too quiet.

Julie is a busy work-at-home mom with five delightful kiddos (mostly pre-teens the brave soul!).

Here’s her tip:

Here’s a budget conscious tid-bit we have done to save bucks…you can add it to your blog. We went back to bar soap instead of liquid. Not only is environmentally more friendly BUT you can buy 3 bar soaps @ Walgreens for $1.50 that will last 6 months) 10 liquid soaps for $10 that may last 2 months. This is what we have found in our house. We have transitioned back to the bar soaps all the way around. I wish Bath and Body Works would make bar soap instead of liquid. Anyhow…it’s worked for us.

Great tip Julie! Thanks for sharing it! Personally, I’m a big fan of pine-tar soap which is great for the shower and is also perfect for shampooing or shaving. (TMI perhaps?). The stuff is black-green in color and has an earthy-clean smell, but is really great for sensetive skin. Here’s a link for it at Amazon, but if you can’t find it in a store, the best place to look is a drugstore or a hardware store, like a country store. The kind the caters to old folks. (Ditto on the fels-namptha that I swear by).

Also, I’m contemplating a redesign for Pennywise Family. If you think it needs a fresh face, would you email or comment with your ideas for improvement? A wish-list will be created and prioritized.

OK, now on to the main event for today. I recieved an email this week about this clothing swap site, for “occasions” clothing. Think Easter dresses, Prom, and holiday duds. This would be great for those families with multiple kids especially. If you’ve got a teenage daughter with a prom dress, but then four little boys not needing the hand-me-down, what about swapping the prom dress for a few pairs of slacks? I’ve seen similar swaps elsewhere, but I thought this was really innovative, especially since if your kids are like mine, they have already grown out of their Easter outfits.

This also works great for moms and dads for that Company party formalwear you don’t need hanging around. I’ve got a few things I was thinking about consigning, but may swap for kids Xmas dresses.

Here’s the site: www.PriorAttire.com