Beauty

[3redheads]

Also, libraries often have book sales. When patrons donate books, we sell them! Our current costs are: hardback $1, paperback $.50 and magazines $.25!

Also, if you don't have a local library to borrow ebooks from, check this out:

http://search.freelibrary.org/digitalmedia.cfm

[Jolexi]

Those small steps are as crucial as the bigger ones, I think. They teach us something too.

It's those unexpected issues that pop up that can cause bumps in the road to our trying to curb our spending and save. And essentially, it's for those very purposes we want to be able to control needless spending. I purchased a new refrigerator in November 2010, right before Thanksgiving and it was the worst possible time to get a new one, as I had just gone grocery shopping, had family coming over to stay...it was a nightmare, but luckily I got a great deal on a model i researched and looked up reviews online for.

Well, said refrigerator started acting up on me this past month during Christmas. It was not cooling enough, things were nearly room temperature and I just didn't want to spend any money on buying a new one. A) Can't afford that expense right now and B) It's not even 5 years old, for goodness' sake! I started by going online and researching the possible reasons that it could be malfunctioning and it was one of two things. The cooling element was frozen solid on the inside and would need to be defrosted since they were not able to self-defrost (it seems that which is supposed to defrost the freezer, is incapable of defrosting itself...brilliant) OR, the coils were clogged or dirty. The coils on my fridge are on the bottom behind a panel on the front of fridge. I got tips on how to clean and fix both, and after a brief visit to the hardware store (and $10 later), I had cleaned both coils and defrosted the cooling element. The next day, my fridge was up and running and it was colder in there than it has been in a long time.

The idea is, if I could fix it myself, I would try. If not, then I'd have to either call a repairman or prepare myself to order a new fridge (which I didn't want to do). In the end, it saved me money and stress, but if my fridge (or any other necessary appliances) decide to kick the bucket, I want to be prepared and not be stressed.

It's ALWAYS the little efforts that lead to, as noted, greater gains.

[3redheads]

I also meant to mention that I will save what I want to a wishlist instead of buying it. By doing so, I can actually give a list of what I want to my family instead of having them wonder what to buy me. They tell me I buy everything I want so it's hard for them to buy for me

[GigiDana]

Wow..I'm late to the party but I am another one who was on the same page with simplifying and saving! I just moved (6th time in 14 years . I know online shopping has been something I have used for filling a void. I've been a qvc shopper for over 20 yrs. When I didn't find anything on tv that I liked, I would also watch the Q for company. Next thing I knew..I bought (I.e. a hideous leopard print mop and cleaning kit?) and a pleathora of beauty/skincare. I used to liken the makeup tsv I bought were the golf games my dh would have except mine were more tangible and last longer than what he'd spend. I justified the cost of returning an item with the theory of it was a fast food drive through cost so no biggie as I have adopted better eating habits and really don't do drive throughs. Crazy how we justify things to ourselves. With this move which was to a home 50% smaller than my last! I have purged out of downright necessity. I have all my closets filled and it really humbled me to see all that I really owned. I don't NEED anything. And I have eye shadows and blushes from tsv that could probably last me 10 yrs. So..I vow with this board to.. Ask myself is it's a NEED or a WANT? If want, I will immediately redirect my thoughts or activity to do or focus on something else!! Unsubscribe to emails that have gotten me in the past What is old is new again...with this move, I hung up my tops by the color and pants/jeans another. I will look at changing up something I wore one way and pair it or accessorize it with something I already have to make it feel different and not boring. Stay in this group for support and encouragement!! It's also refreshing to think this thread will be void of snarky, judging, hateful post by people who must be extremely unhappy! Life is too short to surround yourself with negative people!! I had almost written off these community boards from being turned off that there are GROWN adults engaging in spewing negativity. . Sad! Thanks for starting this thread 3redheads!! An especially for starting a second one for the new week. It took forever to read through the first. (But worth it) This makes it easy to keep up! Best wishes everyone! I'm day 8 and have not caved yet!!! Whoo hoooo,,

[Jolexi]

On 1/8/2015 3redheads said:

I also meant to mention that I will save what I want to a wishlist instead of buying it. By doing so, I can actually give a list of what I want to my family instead of having them wonder what to buy me. They tell me I buy everything I want so it's hard for them to buy for me

I used to get that all the time, 3redheads. And I used to do the wishlist as well. My problem is that sometimes I'd put stuff on that wishlist, my family and friends would take it to heart, and at holiday time or around my birthday, I'd get something they purchased off of the wishlist and I'd wonder why the heck they got that? And then, "Oh Yeah, I put that on my wishlist." I'd eventually forget about that wishlist, so it's a good idea to keep it fresh, and update them, as sometimes our likes and wants change like the hours do.

I stopped doing the wishlists anymore however, I will receive giftcards, occasionally. I received from one from a dear friend this past Christmas, and I walked around with it, not knowing what to do or get. I didn't need anything. So, I went to the supermarket and bought the essentials that usually run out weekly (bread, milk, eggs, that sort of stuff). I didn't feel bad, because really, that's what my household needed. I didn't want to just buy any old thing that I'd later ending up tossing or giving away.

[Tique]

On 1/8/2015 BluebellePA said:

I'm a book nut too. My goal this year is to order from the library and not buy any more books for my Kindle until I read all the ones that I already have. If I do buy a hardcover or paperback for the shelf, it is going to be something that I really want to keep.

I haven't purchased many books for my Kindle during the two year period that I've had it. I persue those free lists and download those. One thing about the free books is that I read a certain amount of pages and if the story/writing doesn't appeal, I am quick to move on to another book. That is something I never allowed myself to do when I purchased actual books. If I paid fot it, eventually it was going to be read even though I might have read twenty books between the time I started the "bad" one to the time I finished it. I have to do a lot of reading for my job so this cuts into my personal reading time.

I'm keeping up with the reading and want to congratulate all. We aren't making the same strides but we also don't have the same goals. Keep your goal in mind and use it to measure your own success.

[Jolexi]

Very well put, Tique :-)

[Jolexi]

For those of you who do have Kindles, there is a free book on there "925 Ideas to Help you save, Get out of Debt...". Some of the ideas aren't new, per se, but it's a quick read and get a fresh perspective on ideas we may already have or be implementing in our personal goals. Just an idea, for anyone who is interested...

Jolexi

[AmyKnits2]

Hi ladies,

I'm so glad you are continuing this thread. My hubby retired last spring and we took an income reduction getting his social security so we starting cutting way back. Yesterday I was told at work that starting Monday they are cutting my hours by .5 each day or 2.5 per week. So, another financial cut for us. I am trying to spend under $75 per week on groceries for the two of us. I do have a good stash of non-perishable items including razors, shampoo, deodorant, laundry detergent, canned tomatoes, pasta etc. I was putting aside $50 per week into savings but am not sure can continue to do that with my salary cut...we'll have to see how I do getting my bills paid.

Luckily, we don't carry any balances on our credit cards, no car loans and only a 4-year camper loan plus 2 more years on our mortgage.

Keep the great ideas coming!

[AnotherView2]

Congrats to Jolexi on fixing the fridge. When something breaks around here, my husband goes to youtube or to sites that have dedicated messageboards for that product, etc. to find out how to fix it. He is immediately researching like Jolexi did to find the fix,

Stayed on budget so far in 2015 and I am excited that we were able to avoid eating out this week. Restaurant spending was a huge part of our past food spending. There are 3 of us in our immediately family and we took turns cooking this past week.

We have decided to eat outside the home at a sit down restaurant only once a month and no junk food runs allowed in between. We carry food to work for breaks. If we get to go someplace we all like and sit down once a month, it will be worth it.

I knew we were going to do that for 2015 so I bought Gift cards from Ruby Tuesday and two other restaurants at Christmastime that we could use for the first few months of 2015 and got bonus coupons for money off on our bills for doing so. Around Mothers and fathers day, Ruby Tuesday will offer the same deal again and so I will get more and get another bonus.

Edited to add: Most of the time, these bonus coupon if you buy a gift card deals are only available on-line for mothers and Fathers day. So, get on the email lists of the places you like.