More Cheap Tricks

Essentially we bought a teeny tiny house with a big arse pole barn! The tiny house fits our needs and requires less expenses with utilities, taxes, maintenance, furnishings… We’ve adapted the ‘Less Is More’ theory.

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

Leonardo DaVinci

My greatest money-saving tip is in the Health & Beauty department.
I LET LANCE CUT MY HAIR!
Gasp!  

I pulled it all back in a ponytail. He asked how much I wanted cut, I said, “An inch should do, just get the scraggly part off.” With scissors in hand he said, “It looks like you need 2 inches cut”
WHACK!
Then in the blink of an eye, it was done. My ponytail has never been perkier :-). It looks just fine too, one of my top 5 haircuts, for sure.

Other health & beauty savings, not wearing any make up sure saves time and money. It took me 35 years to get this ‘brave’. When I get a job, I’ll probably slap on some goop to make me look months younger ;-). We stocked up on Epsom salts from Wal-Mart. Only 88 cents for 2 lbs. This makes the best bath soak around. Add a tiny bit of fragrance and
BAM!
You’ve arrived at the Redneck Riviera!

A few more foodie saving tips-
We try not to go into town too frequently (it’s been over a week since our wheels left the driveway). Dairy is not only expensive, but hard to stock up on. I do have buttloads of butter in the freezer (Lance loooves his butter). For milk, I buy the whole milk and at home I mix a quart of whole milk with a quart of powdered milk + water.

Have you priced real vanilla lately? Dang, you’d think it was laced with gold. I make my own with whole vanilla beans slid into an empty bottle, then fill with rum or southern comfort. Let that ‘brew’ for 3 months and
SHAZAM!
You’ve got your own vanilla at a fraction of the cost. It’s fun to make up several bottles to have on hand as gifts. Or if you’re having a rough baking experience, just take a swig of the ‘vanilla’ as you’re adding it to your bowl (*hic*).

We don’t eat out often, it’s just so expensive. When we do splurge, we usually share a meal, the amount of food places give you is plenty for 2 (especially if they serve bread). We rarely ever order a beverage, dang, does a soda really cost $2.50 a piece? Water with lime is divine, and much healthier for you. Yeah, waitresses prolly hate to see us coming, but we tip well and I clean up after ourselves 😉

Even tho fuel prices have gone down recently, it’s still a lot of money to drive into town. One little trick that saves you time and money and boosts your health a notch is to adopt a practice of parking far from the door. You save time and money not driving in circles to try to get a close spot. You get that bonus walk/work out from Timbuctoo to the door. Plus you get less dings on your door cause no one else wants to park so far away.

Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.

Ben Franklin

I’m sure I’ll remember more cheap tricks after I post this, but this should getcha thinking. I’d love to hear some tricks that work for you.