2. I hoard beauty products. I buy more than I need when they are on offer or I am in the States. I fear not being able to afford them if times get tough.
3. I also buy extra underwear and socks when visiting my mother in NY but do not allow myself to use them until the ones I am wearing truly bite the dust.
4. When I need to buy most anything, I look at the shops first then look at eBay for a cheaper price.
5. I get nervous if there is not a least two unopened large packages of toilet roll in the flat. Did I mention there are only two of in the flat?
6. I feel a bit sick if when I buy myself anything. In the past two years I have bought only replacement items. Nothing exciting or goodness forbid extravagant.
7. I sometimes mix Lidl cat food with preminum. For more frugal cat tips see this.
8. I only will eat out at restaurants that serve food I can’t make. You will not see me eating pasta in a restaurant. Actually we only go out to eat about once every couple of months if that.
Maricar Belo
Dec 6, 2011 at 9:45 pm
1. I cook meals so that there are leftovers, then use those for lunch at the office (reheated care of the office microwave). Saves time, energy, and money.
2. I eat food past its expiration date. As long as they don’t smell or taste funny, its still food for me.
3. I plan what to cook based on what’s in the refrigerator. For example, meatballs will be on the dinner menu just because there is surplus ground beef I don’t want to waste.
There are ways that I am thrifty-weird but my food thing is what first comes to mind.
Viviana
Dec 6, 2011 at 10:46 pm
Hi Maricar, thrifty weird is good. I think we think alike – I too used to always bring leftovers for lunch until I changed jobs and now don’t have access to a microwave. I don’t pay too much attention to expiration dates and I plan from what I buy in the market on a Saturday.
Agatha @ Free Money Tips
Dec 14, 2011 at 5:10 pm
I’m totally with you and I am a big frugal nerd as well. A few years back a green architect told me that many appliances still use electricity when they are plugged in, even if they are not in use. So I always unplug my electric toothbrush, microwave, and cell phone charger when I am not using them and I have DEFINITELY seen a steady drop in my electric bill.
Viviana
Dec 15, 2011 at 10:37 am
I do the same thing with unplugging anything with a light on it. Thanks for commenting!