Money Saving Ideas That Are Cheap But Will Not Humiliate You

The columns about saving money have gotten way out of hand. For example, there was this one guy who called himself the 'King of Cheapness.' Why? He said he was so cheap he could teach people how to reuse toilet paper. Seriously! But I figure he is no worse than those smug columnists who like to tell us how to save a fortune on big ticket items like a 3rd vacation home or a Ferrari to go with the Rolls Royce.

I pass on those extreme columns, but I realized there are money saving ideas that we all do day to day - because living and saving is a day to day thing.

Here are some things that I do, even made money selling the first idea for $50. to a woman's magazine - and other ideas that can save money, or may be fun, or may be useful, or maybe will be necessary if your lights are shut off for non-payment.

Some Money Saving Ideas:

Saving on pedometers - During that "Walk 10,000 steps to lose weight" craze, I bought a pedometer. And a friend gave me one. Both are good enough to be land-fill because neither worked efficiently. So I mapped my own route. The equivalent of 10,000 steps is supposed to be 5 miles - I got on Yahoo and mapped a 2 1/2 mile route. Once I walked there and then walked back I've covered 5 miles or 10,000 steps - and it didn't cost a dime.

Saving with those inexpensive noodle soups - Those ramen noodle soups that you always see on sale, like five to eight packs for $1.00 - they have enough cheap sodium in them to ruin your health. But I admit I like ramen noodles. So I buy them anyway but don't use those little packs of scary seasoning. I use my own seasonings - I always have good soy sauce, sea salt, and garlic powder. Then to float on top I sprinkle a little paprika, and oregano - and when I have it - hot sauce. Delish! - and cheap with some good healthy herbs of your own. Kids seem to like those soups. Those little seasoning packets? Throw them in the toilet which is where they will wind up anyway, and scrub your toilet.

Saving with dried beans and even popcorn - By now we all know practically every can on the supermarket shelf is lined with BPA (Bisphenol A) - an endocrine disruptor. For that reason alone, it's best to use dried beans. Also microwave popcorn bags have toxic linings - which have allegedly been removed but I am no longer a trusting consumer. Dried beans not only taste better but are far cheaper than the canned ones. If they take forever to soak and cook - then store them in the fridge and also the popcorn. The fridge will provide just enough moisture to help the beans cook properly and the popcorn to pop better.

Saving on freshly packed ice cream - It always surprises me to find a shop that has fresh packed ice cream. So one summer day I decided to buy a pint. Well, the most muscled man in the world came from the back and packed the ice cream. I am sure he squeezed a gallon into that small container - I was able to share. But the next time I went back this young thin guy packed the ice cream and there were so many empty spaces in the container. Be careful here because the biggest guy is not always the best packer. In fact it was a teen-aged girl who packed the most in a container.

Saving by drinking water even if you don't like water - It's true that water is just not always tasty and who knows if it's safe. NYC always brags about its water supply which makes me suspicious. But I believe in varying my poisons so I often drink it. But if you want some tips on how to make it more palatable - see the link below on how to make a glass of water more exciting. It's still probably the cheapest drink and probably hopefully the healthiest.

Saving on an overnight vacation - I live in Brooklyn, New York City, often referred to as "Brownstone Brooklyn" - a friend and I live a little over two miles apart but our apartments are similar, with mine being about 5 inches larger. Well, there is a saying ' A change is as good as a rest' and my friend and I were in desperate need of a vacation and a change. We decided to change apartments for one night. The thing about Brooklyn is that it is filled with neighborhoods which often have their own character. My friend was happy to spend a Saturday and night in my neighborhood which is considered young and trendy and I enjoyed her older established neighborhood where I love the established eateries - and all the places to buy fresh shea butter and quality African jewelery and fabrics. It was soooo rejuvenating to spend a night away from my usual environment.

Saving on a bath tub cleanser - If you have recently discovered that your shampoo is just too harsh - rather than throw it out, use the left-over shampoo to clean out the tub and the shower door. The way those shampoos remove filth shows why it strips all the natural oils out of our hair and scalp. Not sure about those possibly toxic ingredients in personal care products? See the link below.

Saving on birthday presents - My children are as old as me now and really don't expect their dear old mother to buy them birthday presents. If I happen to be visiting, sure I'll bring a token gift if its around birthday time - and we always remember to call and sing or offer best wishes. One June day, I felt my son deserved to be remembered and we both pride ourselves on our sense of humor - so I sent my son a birthday card and put $1.00 in it. Yes, one dollar. It seems, humor goes a long way. Like the way my new daughter-in-law never stopped laughing. That was in June and she laughed all the way up to October when she asked me if I would send her a birthday card with a dollar in it. Of course, but I took two dollars and made an origami pair of pajamas - which she loved, saved and framed. Often I don't see friends and family because we all work and often live so far apart - but I have bought birthday cards, or sent a note and put a dollar in it - a surprise and a great laugh. Humor can really be inexpensive.

And Some Quick Tips:

- use rubber gloves to remove cat hair from your clothes - I have bought all sorts of vacuum cleaners and those roller thingees to remove cat hair but nothing works like those kitchen rubber gloves. Just rub in one direction.

- hanger to remove static cling - one day a co-worker came to work, took off her coat and her synthetic skirt was plastered against her pantyhose. We all had a good laugh - but rubbing just a plain metal coat hanger up and down on the skirt did get rid of the static.

- stir fry lettuce - whenever I bought a lettuce and made a salad or a great sandwich, the next day all that great crunch would be gone. I don't know why, but I decided to stir fry it with a little olive oil, sea salt and garlic powder. It was sooooo good. Even had a unique taste. No more tossing out the old limp lettuce.

See links below for some more ideas. And please do share a money-saving idea or two.