Sears Super Shopping: How I got 90% off at Sears

Super Shopping at Sears- Over 90% Off

They say you shouldn't go grocery shopping when you're hungry.  I guess you shouldn't go clothes shopping when you're cold...  This story has a happy ending- I got some great deals on winter clearance clothes at Sears.  

The following steps helped me save a ton on my unplanned shopping trip:

• Finding items on the clearance rack for $5- in my size and colors
• 5% discount using my Sears Gold Card
• Saving $10 more by applying for a Sears Blue card 

I was able to save over 90% off original price!

Super Shopping at Sears
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

The Clearance Rack at Sears

I left my coat in the car and went walking around the outside of mall at lunch time.  It was sunny and looked pretty nice, but it was actually only about 20 degrees.  I decided to walk inside the mall to stay warm.  Still cold from outside, I entered Sears.  The clearance rack caught my eye.

I noticed Dockers Stain Defender long sleeve button-up shirts, regularly $50, were marked down to $5.  Sometimes I see clearance items with great prices like this, but the sizes are ridiculous like XXL-T and the colors are nearly unwearable.  Upon further investigation, I found that they had the full range of sizes and colors available for $5.  Awesome!  I picked 5 size Large with color schemes that push my style envelope a little bit, but not too much  I got some plaids and stripes, but work-wearable.  These are similar to shirts I have in my closet only much less worn out and higher quality.

Next I found a couple fleece pull-overs that were originally $50, marked down to $5.  I usually prefer the full-zip fleeces, but for $5 I can handle 1/4 zip.  I went with solid black and brown with some accent features.  There was an even more expensive brown fleece, regular price $60, marked down to $7.99 that made its way into my pile.

When Will Clothes Go on Clearance?

Updated March 10, 2013: The key to success was timing- I happened to come along at the right time.  Apparently the winter clothes were put on clearance that morning.  All sizes and styles were still available.  I stopped by again the next day, and almost all of the $5 shirts and fleeces were gone.  If you are a serious bargain hunter, it may be worthwhile to patrol your favorite store daily in early March so you can get the winter clothes on clearance.  Early March seems like the time that the stores want to put out shorts and summer clothes to sell for spring break.

Supersize Savings at the Checkout

My good fortune continued at the checkout.  The cashier asked if I had a Sears Gold Card.  I thought that I had one, so I answered "yes".  Good answer.  I saved an additional 5% by using my Sears Gold Card.  The cashier asked if I would like to save an additional $10 by applying for a Sears Blue Card.  "Yes," was the right answer to this question as well.

I purchased $410 of clothes for a total of $33.62.  I also got "Bonus Points" added to my Sears account for the purchase.  The Bonus Points can be used for future discounts.  

Percentage-wise, I saved over 90% off original price.  I realize that almost no one pays full price for these items, but this still seems like a great deal!  I also realize that I have about 2 weeks to wear the fleeces before it gets too warm, but these will be great in cold weather for years to come.  It was a worthwhile lunch break, overall.

Penny Pinching Tips

• Keep an eye out for clearance racks at end of season
• Pile on other discounts like coupons and credit offers
• Buy clothes out of season to save for future seasons
• Try to pick fairly tame style and colors so you will be more likely to wear them year after year

Recommended reading:

Kohl’s Credit Card: Get Kohl’s Cash and Kohl's Discounts

Death of Sears: The End of Brick and Mortar Stores and What will Replace Them

Penny Pincher Journal
Copyright © 2013 Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved.  Privacy Policy

How to Sell on Craigslist

How to Sell on Craigslist

Selling on craigslist is much like placing a classified ad in a newspaper.  You create an ad that describes your item for sale and how to contact you to view or purchase the item for sale.

Placing ads on craigslist is free.  All you need is an e-mail address.  If you don't have an e-mail address, you can get a gmail or outlook (formerly hotmail) e-mail address for free.  You can also include photos with your ad.  This will help your item sell.

Anyone with Internet access can look at ads on craigslist.  Some people check listings on craigslist every day (or even more often) looking for bargains.  For example, people interested in antiques may frequently check for new items for sale in the antiques category on craigslist.

I have used craigslist to sell items ranging from recreational vehicles to household items to collectibles and antiques.  Here is how to sell on craigslist:

How to Post an Ad to sell on craigslist

It only takes a few minutes to post an ad on craigslist.

1. Go to craigslist.org
2. Select the city nearest you.  One of the rules of craigslist is that you can only post your ad in one city at a time.
3. Navigate to the best category for your item.  Look under the "for sale" banner and select the best category from the list, for example "antiques"
4. Click "Post" to start the process of placing an ad on craigslist
5. When prompted, choose a category for your ad, for example "antiques- by owner".  You may also see categories for sales by dealer, etc.  Just pick the one that most closely matches your situation.
6. Fill out a description of your item for sale.  On this screen, you'll enter the Posting Title, Price, Specific Location, your e-mail address, and description of your item.  See below for tips to describe your item go get responses from buyers.

Place your ad to sell an item on craigslist
Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

7. Upload pictures.  This screen allows you to select image files on your computer to upload to your craigslist ad.  You'll need to take digital pictures of your item for sale.  Using a computer or smart phone, you can upload these to be included in your ad.  Pictures are not required, but are helpful to get buyers interested in your item.  

Upload images to your craigslist ad to sell your item
Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

8. Publish your ad.  You'll have a chance to preview your ad as it will appear on the internet and you can click a button to publish it.  If you spot any mistakes in your ad, you can go back and make changes before publishing it.

Preview your ad, click publish to place your ad on craigslist
Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

9.  You will see a message that you have been sent an e-mail that you will need to open and click a link to activate your craigslist ad.  This e-mail contains instructions on how to:

• PUBLISH YOUR AD
• EDIT (OR CONFIRM AN EDIT TO) YOUR AD
• VERIFY YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
• DELETE YOUR AD

Save this e-mail for future reference so that you can edit your ad as needed and delete your ad after your item is sold.

Tips to describe your item to sell on craigslist

Your item will sell faster if you can provide a detailed description.  Include the make, model, age, and condition of your item.  There are lots of items for sale, so potential buyers will skip over your listing if they cannot easily understand what you are selling.

Clear pictures help.  Craigslist allows up to 8 pictures, so try to get photos from multiple angles.  The first picture you upload is the one that will be featured and shown first when someone opens your ad.

I like to include measurements in the description when selling items such as furniture- if you don't include measurements, you may get lots of questions asking for the measurements.  It's easier to provide this in the description.

It is helpful to provide a specific asking price as well.  Make sure the price you enter in the listing description matches any price you may mention in the item description.  If buyers see two prices, they will automatically go for the lowest one- or even worse see room to negotiate down from the lowest price.  So make sure you only have one price listed anywhere in your ad.  It is a good idea to specify "cash only- no checks" to avoid misunderstandings later.

Avoid scams on craigslist

Some of the biggest risks on craigslist are scams where people will try to get money from you for a product they don't actually have.  Car selling scams are an example of this.  Someone will try to get you to send them money for a product they will send you later- then they disappear with your money.  When buying, always see the item for sale in person.

When selling, always get cash from the buyer.  This avoids any problems with bad checks.  For larger purchases, a cashier's check from a local bank is much better than accepting a personal check.

e-mail Trolling on craigslist

When you have an item listed on craigslist, you may get inquiries about your item that simply ask, "Is your item still available?"  Generic inquiries like this are likely sent by robots trying to harvest your e-mail address so it can be sold to spam mailing lists.  I don't respond to inquiries unless they mention something about the item for sale, or the buyer's location relative to mine.  What I am looking for is evidence that the e-mail was sent by a human interested in my item rather than a robot trying to get my e-mail address.

I am happy to reply to messages asking a specific question about my item for sale, or how far it is from the buyer's location to mine, etc.  But consider it a red flag when you get inquires that are so generic they could be sent to anyone selling something on craigslist.  I ignore these.  If you are concerned about missing a sale from someone who may really not know if your item is still available, you can add text in your ad on Craigslist that states that the item is available as long as the ad is posted.  With craigslist, it is easy to take down your ad when your item sells, or add a note that says "sale pending" if you have accepted an offer but not yet received payment.

Here are some examples of actual e-mails I received responding to craigslist ads.  If I had replied to these, my e-mail address would have been captured and sold to spam e-mail lists:

• "Do you still have the item forsale?. Hit me back with an email if its available. My email is connected to my android phone and i can respond immediately. Thanks. Philip"
• "Still avaliable? Contract me at [address-deleted]@gmail.com"
• "Amount??? get back to me at  [address-deleted]@gmail.com"
• "Do you still have the items for sale, get back to me with your phone # and email to contact you with asap."

Notice how none of these messages refer to the specific item for sale.  These messages could apply to any item for sale on craigslist.  Also, notice the incorrect grammar and misspelled words.    My advice is to simply delete this type of generic inquiry to a craigslist ad to avoid providing your e-mail for spam mailing lists.

How much information to share on craigslist? 

When you create your ad on craigslist, you will need to provide some contact information so sellers can contact you to ask questions and arrange to purchase your item for sale.  Craigslist can turn your e-mail address into an anonymous e-mail, so your real e-mail address is not posted on craigslist.  This will reduce the amount of spam e-mail you receive.  You will need to decide how much additional information to reveal to strangers on the internet.  I keep it to a minimum.  Potential buyers contact me through e-mail.  I can then decide whether to respond or not.  Once you respond, your e-mail is no longer anonymous- the buyer gets your real e-mail address at that point.

Selling safely on craigslist

I will typically arrange to meet the potential buyer in a public place to look at the item for sale if it is transportable.  This may be a parking lot or coffee shop.  I will share my cell phone number with a potential buyer to make coordinating the meeting easier.  If the item is not transportable, you may decide to share your address with the potential buyer.  I would recommend talking to the buyer on the phone first to decide whether to share your address or not.  If you have any concern for your safety, simply say you have another call coming in and end the call without sharing your address.

Avoid sharing too much information in your ad since you have no idea who will end up with that information. Buyers on craigslist are fully capable of using craigslist anonymous e-mail to make initial contact if they are interested in your item- they don't need your phone number and address to do this.

Dealing with Buyers- Closing the Deal

Don't be surprised if you get an offer for less than asking price when you meet with the potential buyer.  Another situation that may occur is that the buyer offers you a personal check, even though you specified cash only.  If your item is in high demand, I would recommend holding out for your terms- full asking price and cash only.  However, if you think you might have trouble find another buyer you may decide to compromise a bit.  

I have had great success selling items on craigslist- the best part:  it's free and you can change your ad whenever you want!

Recommended reading:

How to Sell Used Items at a Consignment Shop and Get Cash

How to Ship Sold eBay Items

Amazon offer: The Garage Sale Millionaire: Make Money with Hidden Finds from Garage Sales to Storage Unit Auctions and Everything in Between

Penny Pincher Journal
Copyright © 2013 Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved.  Privacy Policy

How to Sell Used Items at a Consignment Shop and Get Cash

Consignment Shop- Sell Your Used Items and Get Cash
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Consignment shops, also known as thrift shops, sell items on consignment.  Here’s how consignment selling works:

1. You give an item to the consignment shop to sell.  You still own the item until it sells.
2. The consignment shop evaluates the item and decides whether to accept the item
3. The consignment shop sets a price for the item and places it on the sales floor
4. When the item is sold, the shop gets a cut (usually 60%) and you get the rest of the sale price
5. If the item doesn’t sell within a certain amount of time (for example 6 months) it is either donated to a charatible organization, recycled or thrown away, or returned to the owner

What types of items can be sold through consignment?  Almost anything of value can be sold at a consignment shop.  Some common items include:

• Clothes
• Furniture
• Tools
• Collectibles
• Seasonal decorations
• Books
• Sporting Goods

Inside a Consignment Store
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

However, items that are not in demand will not be accepted for sale at consignment shops.  These items may include:

• Out of style clothes
• Damaged items, stained items, or items in need of repair
• 8 track tapes
• VHS tapes

Selling your used items at a consignment shop has the following advantages:

• It is easy for the consigner- just drop off your items and the shop does the work of dealing with buyers and selling the items
• Recycling- instead of throwing things away, this gives someone else a chance to use the items

The disadvantages of selling at a consignment shop:

• The shop gets a pretty big cut- typically 60% of the sale price
• The shop sets the selling price- not the consigner
• The consignment shop may not accept your items for sale
• It can take a long time to sell an item

Step-by-step instructions: How to Sell Used Items at a Consignment Shop and Get Cash

1) Start an account at the consignment shop
You’ll need to provide your name address, and phone number to set up an account and sign a consignment agreement.  Search the Internet or check the yellow pages for consignment shops or thrift shops in your area.

2) Bring your items to the consignment shop for evaluation
At some shops, you’ll need to make an appointment.  The store will sort through which items they will accept and which they will reject.  The rejected items will be returned to you.  You can take the rejected items to another consignment store, donate them, or recycle/discard the rejected items.

3) Collect your payment
When your items sell, your account at the consignment shop will be credited.  You may need your consigner account number in order to find out your balance and receive payment for your sold items.  Some consignment shops have account balances on-line, so you can check any time without a trip to the store.

Recommended reading:
Garage Sale Tips- Buying and Selling

How to Ship Sold eBay Items


Amazon offer: The Garage Sale Millionaire: Make Money with Hidden Finds from Garage Sales to Storage Unit Auctions and Everything in Between

Penny Pincher Journal

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved.  Privacy Policy

DirecTV vs Dish Network vs Cable: What is the best value?

Cable TV Distribution Box
Image source: Dr. Penny Pincher

TV Service Options

The main options for receiving television programming are satellite TV and cable TV.  The main players in satellite TV are Dish Network and DirecTV.  Local cable companies provide programming in most areas, providing a third option.  Which of these provides the best value?

Confusion Factors

DirecTV satellite dish
Image source: Dr. Penny Pincher

There are so many different packages and discounts that it is difficult to compare offerings between Dish Network, DirecTV, and cable companies.  For example, cable companies offer bundling of services- if you subscribe to phone service, your TV bill is discounted.  If you subscribe to both Internet and phone service, your TV bill is discounted even more.  The satellite companies offer introductory rates for 1 year or some other limited amount of time.  After the introductory rate, the prices go up and the “ every day “rate applies.

Dish Network HD satellite dish
Image source: Dr. Penny Pincher

In order to compare prices that you would pay in the long run, I tried to identify the “every day” price.  This is the price that you would expect to pay after the introductory rate.  This is the price with no bundling, the price you can get with only TV service.

Another issue that makes comparison difficult is that the channels included vary.  The value of a channel package depends on how much you value the channels in the package.  A 140 channel package may be more worthwhile to you than a 290 channel package- it depends on which channels are included and which ones you would watch.

How to compare?

I decided to set a budget and number of receivers, then compare what Dish Network, DirecTV, and the local cable company could offer to meet the budget.  The price points I picked out were :

• $50 per month for one TV set, standard definition
• $75 per month for 2 HD TV sets
• $100 per month for 3 HD TV sets

So how much TV can you get for $50, $75, and $100 per month?

Price Comparison without Bundling or Introductory Rates

Table of TV programming packages available for $50, $75, and $100  per month
Image source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Note that this comparison chart represents my best attempt to sort through the many offers and packages to find the “every day” price with the charges for the receivers included.

These prices get higher if you want to upgrade your receiver to a DVR so that you can record shows.  This may cost an additional $10 for an “advanced receiver service” or similar fee per month FOR EACH DVR.  Also, you may need to pay for the DVR equipment, which costs about $200 per receiver.  This may be an upfront fee, or may be rolled into your monthly bill at some point.   Also note TV service typically requires a 18 to 24 month service contract- if you want to leave early you'll have to pay a cancellation fee which can be substantial.

I was disappointed that $50 per month doesn't get you much.  All I was looking for in this price range was service for 1 standard definition TV set.  Only the cable company delivers in this price range.

At the $75 price point, DirecTV and Dish Network provide options that meets the budget and provides 2 HD receivers.  The local cable company did not have any offerings with 2 HD receivers in this price range.  Moving up to the $100 budget for 3 HD receivers, DirecTV, Dish Network, and the local cable company all have options.

Which to choose?

It is a good thing that there are several choices available.  If you are looking for the lowest cost option, cable TV is the way to go.  The satellite companies do not offer packages in the under $50 price range.  If you have $75 per month to spend and want multiple HD receivers, the satellite companies have the only offerings.

If you have around $100 per month to spend, DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable all have packages with lots of channels for multiple TV sets.  Since the price is similar, I think the decision comes down to which packages have the channels you want the most.  You can find the list of channels on the provider's website.  I would suggest printing out the channel listing, passing it around to your family and having everyone circle the channels you think you would actually watch.  This exercise will help you see which is the best value in terms of channels that you would actually watch.

TV Augmentation Options

If you don’t have $100 per month to spend on TV, or even $50, there are some ways to get some movies and television at a low cost.

Low Cost TV Augmentation Options
Image source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Penny Pinching Tips:

• When selecting TV service, find out the cost after the introductory period.  This is the price you will likely pay for years and provides the best basis for comparison
• Look beyond the number of channels, check for channels in the programming package that you would actually watch
• Watch out for additional equipment and service fees if you add a receiver with DVR
• Cable has the best option for simple, low-cost service
• Cable and Satellite have lots of options, especially at $100 per month and up
• Consider low-cost TV augmentation options, you may be able to cut back on TV service if you use these options

If you don't really want all of the channels that cable or satellite TV offers, you can get free HD TV over the air using an indoor HD TV antenna that costs $50.


Recommended Reading:
Cell Phone Plans for Existing Cell Phones

Penny Pincher Journal

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved.  Privacy Policy

Pet Food: Why is dog food and cat food so expensive? Would it be cheaper to feed my pet meat?

Why is Pet Food so Expensive?

Why does pet food cost so much?  Would it be less expensive to just feed pets meat and vegetables?  Is dog food and cat food a good deal, or could you make your own pet food for less?  We'll check the cost of popular pet food brands per pound vs. the cost of meat and other pet food ingredients per pound.

Pet Food Catastrophe

There was a minor catastrophe last night.  The cats ran out of food.  Cats get annoying when they are really hungry, so a late night trip to the grocery store was in order.  I brought home a bag of Purina One Beyond for the cats and filled their bowls.  However, they seemed unimpressed with my efforts.

The next day, I went to Walmart to see if I could find a larger bag of cat food for a better price.  (Target did not have this brand.)  The bag from the grocery store was $8.48 for 3.5 pounds  I even brought the bag with me so I could match the correct chicken flavor.  The picture below shows the bag from the late night run to the grocery store on the left, and the larger bag on the right.  Can you spot the problem?

Two bags of cat food- can you spot the problem?
Image source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Both bags are Purina One Beyond.  Both are chicken flavor.  Look closely at the picture of the animal in the circle.  The one on the left is DOG food!  No wonder my cats wouldn't eat it...  My dogs seem to like it, even though it's not their usual brand, so no harm done.

At least the larger bag was cheaper- "only" $14.88 for 6 pounds.

Why is Pet Food so Expensive?

Did I really pay $14.88 for 6 pounds of cat food?  Good grief, couldn't I just feed the cats real fish and chicken for this price?

Of course there is a range of pet food quality and price, and Purina One Beyond must be near the top.  The higher quality pet foods use meat and meat products as the main ingredients, the lower quality ones use corn and other grains as the main ingredients.  I decided to see how much more the higher quality foods cost than the cheap stuff.  Since I have both cats and dogs, I checked out cat food and dog food.  I selected various sized bags of pet food of various quality.  The tables below show the price per pound for popular dog food and cat food brands.  The column with Weight indicates the size of the bag.

Table of Cat Food Prices
Image source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Table of Dog Food Prices
Image source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Generic is the price winner for both dog food and cat food.  The more expensive brands are about 3x more expensive than generic per pound in the same size bag.  The size of the bag makes a big difference, the same food costs quite a bit less if you simply buy it in larger bags.    Many of the lower cost "Name Brands" are not much more expensive than generic.  I would bet that the ingredient list is similar as well.

Why Don't I Just Feed My Pets Fish, Chicken, and Beef?

Animal nutrition is a complex topic, I'll look at this from the cost angle here.  I walked around the grocery store looking for food that I could conceivably use in pet food, especially cheaper meats.  Dogs like peanut butter, so I thought peanuts would be a good ingredient.  I hear rice mentioned as a pet food ingredient, so I'll use that as well.  I wanted meat without bones- I wouldn't be willing to put too much work into making pet food.  I wanted ingredients that don't require a lot of work.  My question is: is it cheaper to buy pet food or would it be cheaper to feed them groceries.

My grocery selections for pet food are in the table below, along with cost per pound.  The bottom line of the table is the average for all of the items above.

Table of Pet Food Ingredient Prices
Image source: Dr. Penny Pincher

If you think pet food is expensive, buying groceries for your pets is much more expensive.  Even the most inexpensive meat, like generic bologna, is more expensive than dog food or cat food if you buy larger bags.  The average cost for my pet food formula: $3.85 per pound.  High quality pet food sells for about $1.50 per pound.

Pet Food is a Good Value

High quality pet food is a good deal for the money.  You couldn't make something comparable without spending more than even the most expensive pet food.  Pet food includes vitamins and minerals as well as the basic ingredients.  Seeing that pet food is actually less than buying groceries for the pets makes me feel a little better.

I think of dry pet food as "meat cereal".  Pet food contains most of the things that cereal contains- grains, vitamins  minerals, etc.  If you consider the price of cereal, and then think of adding expensive ingredients like meat, it makes sense to me why pet food costs so much.

You might ask why a penny pincher like me buys the most expensive brand of cat food at the store.  Because my wife makes me.  She thinks it's good for the cats, and she's probably right.  I don't let my kids eat a lot of junk food, so I don't want to feed my pets junk food.  They will be healthier and happier with a quality diet.

Penny Pinching Tips:

• Buy pet food in large bags to save money.  The same food costs much more in smaller bags.
• Rather than buying cheap pet food to save money, feed your pet the right amount of higher quality food.  Many pets are overweight, so save money and improve their health by feeding them less until they reach ideal weight.
• Pet Food is a good deal compared with grocery prices

Recommended Reading:
Dog Sunglasses Buying Guide
Cat Claw Caps: Are Cat Nail Caps a Good Alternative to Declawing?
Malshi: Cross of Maltese and Shih-Tzu Dog Breeds

Amazon offer: Raw Dog Food: Make It Easy for You and Your Dog

Penny Pincher Journal

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved.  Privacy Policy

Stop Waste and Improve Your Life: 10 Actions You Can Take Today

Stop Wasting Money!
Image courtesy of scottchan
at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Waste is bad.  It costs money, consumes resources, and results in pollution- yet does not improve your life,  Eliminating waste is a painless way to save money.  By definition, you do not need what you are wasting.  Following is a list of 10 forms of waste and action you can take today to reduce waste, save money, and improve your life.


1. Wasting Gas
Unnecessary driving wastes gas.  This costs you money, consumes natural resources, and generates pollution.  Idling the engine to run the heater or air conditioner while parked not only wastes gas, but puts excessive wear and tear on your engine.

Action: Plan your trips to reduce driving, for example one trip to the grocery store per week instead of 5 or 6 to pick up items you forgot.  Walk when possible, most people can walk 4 miles per hour or 6 blocks in 10 minutes.   Get out of your car and go inside rather than idling your engine.

2. Eating More Than You Need
The average American is 23 pounds overweight!  Most people consume far more calories than they need each day.  This not only wastes money, but consumes resources required to produce unnecessary food.

Action:  Eat the right amount to get the calories you need

3. Plastic Bottles
Sure it's convenient to get a new plastic bottle every time you get a drink.  Americans consume millions of plastic beverage bottles every year.  Recycling of these bottles is increasing.  But it still takes a lot of energy and resources to produce and recycle the bottles.  Eliminate waste from plastic bottles with a reusable bottle.  Better yet, get a BPHA free reusable bottle or aluminum

Action: Switch to reusable containers instead of one-time-use bottles.  Get a BPA-free plastic or aluminum refillable drinking bottle.  Filling it at home instead of buying bottles at convenience stores will cost less as well as waste less.

4. Wasting Electricity
How often do you find lights on with no one in the room?  Lighting consumes a lot of electricity and is an easy way to cut wasted electricity.  Even if you have switched to compact fluorescent, a fixture with multiple bulbs can consume more than 60 Watts.   Other examples of preventable electricity waste are fans or TVs left on when no one is using them.  One of the most egregious examples is when people leave outdoor lights on during the day.  You can SEE the money being wasted...

Action:  Turn off lights when not in use.  Encourage others to do the same.  Establish a habit of turning off unused items.  I even unplug my electric water heater is I am away from home longer than a couple days.

5. Disposable Products
Disposable products are literally made to be thrown away after one use.  Examples include garbage bags, paper towels and plastic utensils.

Action:  Find non-disposable alternatives to disposable products.  You'll save money and help the environment.  For example, re-use plastic shopping bags in small trash cans rather than purchasing small trash bags and use a cloth instead of a paper towel.

6. Oversized houses
Building large houses consumes extra resources.  Owners then feel the need to fill the extra space with furnishings, consuming even more resources.  Heating and cooling the unneeded space wastes money and fuel as well.

Action: Resist filling every available square foot with stuff- empty space is better than buying stuff you don't need.  On your next move, choose the smallest home that meets your needs.  It will cost less and requires less resources to heat, cool, and maintain.

7. Excessive Clothing
Most people have clothing in their closet they rarely (or never) wear.  Yet they continue to buy more clothes at every opportunity.  A common reason for buying more clothes... THEY WERE ON SALE!

Action: Stop buying new clothes until you really need more.  Sort and organize your existing clothes so you are more likely to use your entire wardrobe instead of buying unneeded clothes.  When you need to buy clothes, take a shopping list of items that you need to reduce impulse buys at the store.

8. Unnecessary Shoes
How many colors and styles of shoes do you need?  Here are the basics: brown dress shoes, black dress shoes, and tennis shoes. If you live in a cold climate, add boots.  If you do dirty work (gardening, etc.), add a pair of utility shoes.  If you have more than 5 pairs of shoes, you may have enough!

Action: Stop buying shoes until you actually need more.  When you do buy shoes, select strategically so you can survive with fewer shoes in your closet.

9. Unappreciated Gifts
They say it's the thought that counts, but custom dictates the giving of unwanted gifts.  This is wasteful not just in terms of the gift, but also the packaging, mailing, and wrapping of the unwanted gift.  What about the wasted time driving to the store to get the gift, not to mention the wasted gas.

Action: Send a note or email instead of buying "throw away" gifts.  Note: this strategy doesn't work well for small children.  Save some throw-away gifts your kids receive for re gifting at parties for other kids.

10. Leaving Food on the Table
It amazes me how much people pay to eat in restaurants.  What's more amazing is how much food people leave on the table when they leave.  Why?  This is perfectly good- and expensive- food.  Why waste it?  It just gets thrown away when you leave.

Action:  Take extra restaurant food home with you.  What looks like a small amount on the scale of a restaurant meal is probably enough for an entire meal or at least half a meal later. Take food home rather than throwing it away to save money and reduce the amount of waste going to the landfill.

Recommended reading:
7 Foods: Which foods would you choose if you could eat only seven foods?

Feel Young for Under 10 Dollars

Penny Pincher Journal

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