Use it up. wear it out, make it do or do without. . . .

Well I just buy what is necessary, well I try to anyway The one thing I will say though is my Car will stay with me till it it is not drivable any more I finish Paying for it next Month and I love my Car I bought it second hand and it is a good make and reliable so she is staying with me

Iwould love to strech money bu bills go up and we didnt get that rasies SS like we used to Have bought new clothes for about 5 years but they are still ook some of my 10 year old tshirts might need to get replaced lolololol. and now we have 7 people to feed no garden

I squeeze and stretch a penny until Lincoln screams. I don't buy anything extra. I shop for the best price for essentials, toiletries, staples etc. I freeze left overs that won't be eaten right away. My car is old too, actually very old. its a 1978, yes its a gas hog but I only go a few miles to work and back. When my mom and I do our running around, we take her car, good on gas. I would like to get a different car, but it takes money. Something I am lacking at the moment. I don't buy clothes and such unless I really need them. I make my money last as long as I can.

A few things I do: Cut up old clothes that are too far gone to fix or donate, and use the fabric for other things. I make rugs, cleaning rags, dishcloths, potholders and so on, depending on the fabric. Some of it isn't good for much, so I cut it up and put it in the garage for greasy and yucky things. I make cloth napkins from old clothes, too, and handkerchiefs. That cuts way back on paper products. No paper towels, no paper napkins and no tissue to buy. Keep the thermostat turned down and wear layers to stay warm. I like to knit and read, so while I'm sitting still, I cover up with a throw. I wash dishes by hand in a dish pan because it uses less water and no electricity. And a dishpan is a lot cheaper to buy than a dishwasher. I do a lot of other things, but they're so automatic now that I can't even think of them!

Seems like a lot of people are having to pinch pennies these days. The high price of gas (even at 3.00) has a significant impact on our money supply during the month. We try to cut back, but most of our driving is not flexible. Staying out of stores is a very good idea. The library is also a big time help, especially for people who like to read and write.

I don't even have my own car. I know what you mean, making use of something don't have any use of, or to put it simply, recycling, is this right? I keep used up boxes so I'll have something to put my old toys at. My old clothes were sent to donation, though. I'd rather they have those instead of wearing the same old thing over and over again.

Anything and everything possible. I re-cycle everything I can. My older son's clothes are saved up for the little one (it will be another 4 years atleast before he can use it). Paper....I have a folder where I've kept papers that are used up on one side. Newspapers are stacked up and then sold...so are old magazines. Old,tattered clothes are turned into dusters.. I have a cupboard full of junk that the kids use for craft or make stuff. I save jam bottles (and other bottles too) and re-use them in the kitchen. Most of the things we do are a matter of habit and I can't remember to point out. Now if I sit and think about it, I'll be able to jot down a lot more :)

most people have no idea how to save for a wanted item anymore. i have learned to stay away from the mall, shop at thrift stores and never rely on a credit card again. i also use the library all the time.

if I do buy something I try to buy it used so I can get it for less

I walk to the store as much as possible, because I try to keep my fuel consuption under $20 a month. I have stuck to it the last 2 months. I have always tried to shop at thrift stores. I buy shoes and stuff new though. I don't eat out and I am a vegetarian. I don't know how people afford the cost of meat. I also stay away from things like chips...they are so expensive. It really adds up and to the waistline...lol

I've always been a big fan of buying second hand. Anytime we need new clothes I go to the Salvation Army. I can't see spending a ton of money on clothes that aren't going to last very long.. especially with the kids. I will buy shoes if I see good ones there. I actually have to go there this week because I need work pants, and I'm not going to spend $20 or more on a pair of pants to wear to a sub shop which I'll end up getting them filthy and destroyed! When we decide to get rid of clothes I'll often send them to the Salvation Army as well.. even if they have small stains or rips. I figure stained and ripped clothes are marked even cheaper at the Salvation Army and who knows what someone else could use it for. Perhaps a stained t-shirt would make a great art smock for another child. Also I'm on Freecycle. When I come across something useable that I no longer need I offer it on Freecycle so someone else gets a chance to use it. Last night I picked up a futon someone offered on Freecycle. I put that in my daughter's room, and took her mattress and box spring and gave it to my youngest 2 boys who had been sleeping on 2 bunkbed mattresses piled on top of each other (in a race car bed frame, also recieved used and free about 5 years ago). The bunkbed mattresses were from when the twins were about 2 (they're 8 now) so they were in horrible shape! My daughter's mattress and box spring had been aquired through Freecycle a couple years ago.. it was in good shape then, not perfect anymore.. but far better than what my little boys had been sleeping on! So yes, I'm an old pro at "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without". So, I'm having trouble with the futon mattress staying on the futon (she doesn't have the space in her room to lie it flat.. hubby's going to try to fix that today, but in the meantime she's stuck leaving it in the sofa type position and the mattress slides off). So I plan on taking one of hubby's old shirts he no longer wears to work, cutting strips out of it, and sewing them onto the mattress to use as ties to tie it to the frame so it doesn't slide.

I'm like u i do everything i can to make things easier for myself. I to eat leftover, u can't throw food out as expensive as it is. I spend way too much at the grocery but try to be a smart shopper by buying store brands, marked down meat etc.I don't keep all the lights on in the house like so many do. Usually the only light on is whatever room i'm in.i'm wearing what clothes i have. Didn't think i had that many till i started back to church & found out i have plenty. I think everybody could cut back if they would. Hear some people talking about having a $400-500 LIGHT BILL. I would faint over a bill lile that, lol.

I live with my daughter and she has a Section 8 so we don't pay full rent. We shop at a discount store and get most of our household items at a dollar store. We are given clothes and my daughter dumpster dives and finds all kinds of cool stuff that we use. My granddaughter is a shopoholic and loves to go to this Second hand store and buys herself and us stuff all the time. Just yesterday she baught my grandson 8 or 10 shirts and me a pair of summer shoes. We eat beans atleast once a week.

Outside of Christmas gifts for the kids, I have not shopped in almost two years for wanted items, only what I actually need. So that includes using up as much as I can with the leftovers, being creative as much as I can to spare and save without wasting. I seek coupons as much as I can and await for sales on groceries as times are still tough and we are making do with what we have, avoiding any un-necessary expenditures.

I don't usually buy anything for myself, save for the two pairs of jeans that I got a few months ago because I lost a lot of weight. I usually bring my own lunch to work and this stretches my budget. It is very expensive dining or eating out. I am not a compulsive buyer, so even if I see something on sale, if I don't really need it I don't buy it.

A friend was asking how to cut down during hard times, hope you don't mind but I quoted your words and said they were yours and told how you had started your post entitled "Use it up. wear it out, make it do or do without" This holds a ton of meaning and I love it!!! Biggest thing is people just have too much these days plain and simple. Sure it's hard to face financial burden been there done that and still doing it, but I still say we will be the ones to pull through first. I never waste a thing when it comes to food. I don't mind leftovers in the least. Thank You for this post dear friend!!!

Hi GG! I would say that all your ideas are great! I bought a slipcover for my couch because I can't afford a new one and I try to do whatever I can to re-finish things, re-paint or whatever I can do on my own to make things last or look "like new" too. And leftovers is a definite! We don't waste food! I also have a closet full of clothes (in various sizes)lol! And I don't have a car, so that tends to be a problem from time to time, but again we make make do!

Since our electricity costs are I believe six times higher than anywhere else in the world I am very frugal with electricity. I do not earn US dollars either I put a timer on when I put on the hot water. I plug out all appliances that are not in use. especially remembering to plug out cell charges. They use more electricity than when they are charging a cell phone. I try to dry all washing outside then put it in the dryer with a fabric sheet for five minutes to soften it. I use a timer for this too. Fabric sheets are cut in two. and I use half of the recommended amount of laundry detergent. We change clothes frequently because of heat but they are not really dirty. I do not buy clothes often and we also make dishes out of leftovers. I drive a five year old car that gives me 34 to the gallon. Oh yes, I am a frugal fanny

That's a catchy saying I've not heard, though I do pretty much live by it, especially of late. I've learned not to leave the house! Every time I go out that door I end up spending money. I was also taught by a dear friend and business associate years ago, "If you can't pay cash for it, you don't buy it!" I put that into practice immediately and it is amazing how much less I spend.

I've had a problem with money when I was younger. I was in my early twenties and I just bought everything on impulse. Several years of irresponsible spending landed me with several credit card debts and had me living from paycheck to paycheck. My finances are in better shape now. What really helped me is having a budget and sticking to it. Not as easy as it sounds, believe me. And I also managed to curb my spending. I just live by 2 rules when it comes to shopping: 1. Only buy something you love. and 2. Wait at least 48 hours before buying it.