Save Money Frugal Tips

I’m a great fan of the markets for both buying and selling. If you are interested in making some extra money by becoming a flea market vendor, please check out Flea Market Mama.

Some of the best things I have ever found at the fleamarket have been frugal decor items for my home. If you are lucky, and have sufficient transportation, you can probably find every single thing you need for your home at half price or less at a flea market.

When searching for frugal decor items at a flea market, it is important to know several things before you set out. First of all, what style are you interested in finding. Second, what sizes of items you need. This is especially necessary if you’re looking for occasional furniture, linens or curtains and things like paintings or artwork. Finally, it is important to know how much fixing or refinishing you are prepared and able to do. Never purchase anything that requires more effort than you are willing or able to give.

The most commonly found types of frugal decor at a flea market or knickknacks, small artwork and linens. Knickknacks and artwork can be found in any style and should always be investigated closely for damage. An attractive vase, statue or small picture to hang on the wall may cost you only one or two dollars. As long as they can be cleaned up or repaired with little effort they are a great choice for frugal decor.

Linens, curtains and things like pillows or cushions require a little extra effort to find something that will work in your home. The quest for frugal decor should always be undertaken intelligently. Unfold linens and curtains to inspect for stains, rips or tears and fading or other damage. Smell the linens to check for mold or mildew that may be hiding inside the fabric. Be extra careful when purchasing cushions or pillows as they may contain insects or mites you definitely don’t want to introduce your home.

Flea markets are an excellent source of frugal decor. Not only can you find some inexpensive treasures, you can also get the satisfaction of saving money for bills or entertainment while rescuing a potential trash from the landfills.

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The local news channel often has stories about families who are trying to pay down debt or create a more abundant lifestyle by becoming frugal. Invariably, I end up thinking, “What the heck?” at the end of the news story.

The frugal tips they tout as ways to change your financial outlook are hardly worth mentioning. To me, a lifelong penny pincher, they seem ludicrously simple.

Example: Instead of buying Starbucks-type coffee, drink coffee at home.

Well, no duh (to adopt a phrase from my youth). Do people really need a financial adviser or a news story to tell them that spending $5.00 a day on coffee is not financially responsible? $5.00 a cup coffee translates into $1,825.00 each year. That’s two mortgage payments. That’s a year’s wardrobe. That’s groceries for one person for the whole year. Think about it: ALL your food, or a cup of coffee every day.

Example: Turn your thermostat down a degree or two in the winter.

This one seems obvious to me as well. Use less fuel and electricity, pay for less fuel and electricity. You can buy a decent sweater for $20.00, and save tons of money on heating.

I know, from personal experience, that some people need help with this concept, so I suppose it is good they put it on the news. I have an otherwise frugal friend who keeps her heat at 74 degrees all winter. She wears a t-shirt in the house.

<~~Picture me shaking my head and sighing here.

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Energy costs are skyrocketing, and people are searching for ways to stretch their budgets to cover heating and electricity in these winter months. Besides turning down the thermostat and increasing insulation, reducing the amount of heat or energy you use by closing up unused or uneccessary rooms can save you a lot of money on your monthly bills.

Close Up Unused Rooms – Registers

All registers in an unused room should be closed and covered to reduce energy costs and reduce waste. Be sure to do the same thing to air vents or registers that both push air into the room and take it out. Baseboard heaters can also be turned off and covered, though this is a bit more difficult.

Save Energy and Money by Closing Unused Rooms

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There are millions of tips for being frugal on the Internet, in books, on TV and in magazines on newsstands shelves. There are so many that it might be difficult to figure out what exactly you can do to be frugal to begin with. Of course, you can pick five or 10 of the tips and implement them into your life and then, once you have those down pat, pick five or 10 more.

To make things easier on yourself consider the following top five tips for being frugal:

One — Don’t Buy Anything You Don’t Need

While everybody wants to splurge once in a while, not buying anything you don’t need is the most important step towards a frugal lifestyle. If you only want something, chances are you’ll want something different next week. (more…)

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