Frugal tips
C-stores.
I’m sure this is a common thing but I’ve surprised people lately with how cheap fountain drinks are compared to bottles. Wife and I just got two drinks for $1.63 after tax. A bottle was $1.89 before tax.
Buy your own cable modem and save the rental fee!.
It's probably been done to death on here, but this may be news to some newer members. My cable company charges $5/month for cable modem rental. By purchasing my own modem, I can save that $5/month and use it for other frugal purposes!Last year I purchased a used RCA DCM425 off eBay for $10. It didn't have a power supply, but being the thrifty geek that I am, I had a power supply on hand and was able to get the modem up and running in no time. The modem paid for itself in just two months!Last week I stopped by the local Goodwill Reboot used computer store to donate and pick up a few items. On my way up to the counter I came across a Motorola SB6120 modem. Yes I already have my own modem, but this one was newer and DOCSIS 3.0 (meaning capable of more bandwidth in the future if the cable company opens it up to me). $15 and it works great. Bonus, I can now give my old modem to my sister and she can start enjoying some monthly savings!
Check your monthly electric bill and meter reading monthly. Story inside.
These past few months my roommates and I didn't think of the electric bill as it ranged between $150 to $250 a month and I didn't think about it especially since there is a total of six people living in one house (yes, six). This month our bill came and it was almost $600. I looked over my bill and it stated that the usage was an estimated amount. So I called our electric company, Pepco, and they told me to give them an actual reading. On the bill, it stated that we used 8053 kWh (estimated) but when I read our smart meter it was 937 kWh. So yeah....7116 kWh over. That's a good chunk of change.So strong important lesson: Always be on top of your bills -- all of them.
When buying fresh chicken breasts, if you buy the store brand you are most likely getting the Tyson brand for a much lower price.
Working in the Meat Department at Dillons(Kroger entity) I quickly realized that the chicken we were packing fresh came from huge packages of Tyson Chicken. We received loads of prepackaged chicken breasts, thighs, legs, and wings from Tyson, but these came in huge, bulk packages designed for each store to package in the Kroger brand. I can only vouch for the Dillons brand in my city, but I assume that all Kroger entities operate the same way. Tldr: Kroger employee that knows we package Tyson chicken under the Kroger brand name which sells for considerably less.
Deli Ends.
Just made some great pita pizzas with meat and cheese from an Italian supermarket where they sell the ends of blocks of cheese and pepperoni/salami from the deli for .99/100 grams. Pre-measured packages are often hiding in a corner of the deli case at international markets, I've had the most luck at Italian and German delis. Cheese ends are also a great way to make amazing cheese sauce. If you don't see them it's worth asking at the counter. A frugal way to have the treat of schmancy ingredients without the premium price.
If you buy teeth whitening strips, cut them in half, so you apply them only to the front of your teeth. Twice as many treatments, and less sensitivity.
If you have a local community college with a cosmetology program usually you can get a good haircut for $3.00 or so.
A bag of tostadas is cheaper than a bag of tortilla chips.
A bag of store brand tortilla chips is at least $3, name brand is more than that.a 10ounce bag of tostada chips costs about $1.00-1.30it is coarser grain and has less salt, but since i am going to break it up and use it to carry guacamole, refried beans and salsa to my mouth. it is way cheaper.