This is my new monthly posting of frugal things learned over the past month.

1. I cleaned my car 3x to get rotten egg smell out, no good. Then before work I dumped Saturday's newspaper in the backseat to toss out but forgot it, 10hrs later.. smell gone!
Learned: Newspapers are useful to soak up smells

2. Went for a walk in my apartment complexes parking area, got some great exercise. Bonus: Someone paid me 5¢ for the walk and they didn't even know it.
Learned: It pays to look down sometimes!

3. A strange thought ran through my head... How much money do you think I save by going to the bathroom after I get to work and before I go home? ...inconsequential I'm thinking.
Learned: Thinking outside the box to save money isn't bad, it just doesn't save money all the time.

4. I love those food samples that come with the Sunday paper, especially the cereal samples. When I was a paper carrier many moons ago, that was a benefit - the left-over bags that had samples, free breakfast for a week.
Learned: I may not always like every job I do, but finding little gold nuggets always make it nicer.

5. My Great Aunt in California got her catalytic converter stolen from her Toyota - $1400 to replace it and they welded it back on so it wouldn't be stolen again - the thieves were kind enough and left the bolt!
Learned: Selling scrap goods is a great way to make extra money, but theft is never OK.

6. I was watching Brewster's Millions (the 1945 version)... do you think you could spend a $1 mill. in 2 months with nothing to show for it but receipts?
Learned: The old original movies are sometimes the best versions

7. My partner took notes when the repeat Oprah episode on thriftiness aired. There is hope... Home-made laundry soap may be right around the corner!
Learned: Sometimes hearing the same thing from someone else gets the point across

8. Yeah, I finally found a pair of Levi's that fit me at the thrift store for only $2! For some reason that is the only brand that I can buy that fits me well enough.
Learned: I will find what I need with patience

And did you know that February is...
Canned Food Month
Great American Pie Month
National Children's Dental Health Month

5 Comments

  1. Anonymous // Thursday, February 05, 2009 3:31:00 PM  

    Great list! And "lesson learned" interpretation.

    On some walks I've found as much as 50 cents total. It's pretty cool to keep you eyes open for spare change on the ground: ).

  2. weston // Thursday, February 05, 2009 4:00:00 PM  

    Regarding item #3.

    I spent a year working in a textile warehouse many years ago. This was in a highly unionized factory.

    Every day for a year one of my co-workers would come into work, clock in and then head to the bathroom. Every single day the exact same routine. After a few weeks I finally asked him why he didn't just go before getting into the car to come to work, since he must have been uncomfortable during the whole drive over.

    He looked at me like I was nuts and said "You want to me to take a c--p on my own time?"

    Every day he would hold it in until he got to work because he figured that with union wages the company was paying him a little over $2 plus benefits for him to have a bowel movement.

  3. Dawn // Thursday, February 05, 2009 4:07:00 PM  

    @Jules
    Thanks -It is always a treasure when you find money

    @Weston
    Glad I didn't have anything drink in my mouth, would've ruined my computer spitting it out while I laughing.
    Great Story!

  4. Unknown // Thursday, February 05, 2009 5:34:00 PM  

    Hey Dawn!
    We've found an even better recipe for homemade soap! Let us know if you want it (you should keep your fels-naptha). :-)

    --Stacey

  5. Anonymous // Friday, February 06, 2009 10:59:00 AM  

    Regarding #3 (sure glad it wasn't #1 or #2)...... you'd save on water bill to flush the toilet and wash hands (always wash hands!) and toilet paper. This is almost getting into the "big O" area (oversharing)....LOL