I Want It All
By Jim Bauer
@porwest (91311)
United States
March 18, 2019 6:54pm CST
Anyone who has followed me here knows that I am frugal. EXTREMELY frugal.
But truth be told, of COURSE I do waste money like anyone does.
You can still be frugal and waste money. I waste money on beer. I waste money on vape supplies and juices. I waste money on lottery tickets.
I save where I need to, and spend where I want to. In an odd way I think to myself, isn't that the POINT of being frugal? I mean, come on. You still have to live and you still have to enjoy life.
Save money on food and toilet paper but do not compromise the things you enjoy. But you can AFFORD the things you enjoy much easier when you are frugal about the things you need.
I braise meats often around here. I am sure I have said that more than once. How do I make my braise sauces? Juices, broths, wines, beer...you name it.
BUT, in order to create a multitude of flavor profiles I ALSO use up a lot of stuff left over in jars and bottles.
Like tonight for example. I had a jar of pasta sauce with some bits left in it. Those bits probably add up to about 2-3 tablespoons of sauce left in the jar. I save the jars. I rinse the jars.
So, for me, rinsing the jar with a broth, for example, saves the bits, adds flavor, and makes a braise sauce.
So that is what I did. I browned my pork butt steaks with some seasonings, and then poured some broth into my sauce jar, shook it and swirled it, got ALL of the bits out and incorporated, and poured it into what I am cooking.
I use everything. Nothing goes to waste. And I get a great meal out of it. Save a penny or two. And those things I LIKE to waste my money on are offset.
Win, win in my book, folks. Win, win.
22 people like this
19 responses
@RasmaSandra (80030)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
19 Mar 19
Yes, there are many ways to use things up completely and thereby save money. I do the same thing you do. When I am cooking something I look to see what I have in the fridge and then make sure I use up all those sauces with just a little bit at the bottom.
5 people like this
@RasmaSandra (80030)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
20 Mar 19
@porwest and guess how much more shaving creme or foam I've found cutting the cans in half
3 people like this
@porwest (91311)
• United States
19 Mar 19
Those little bits save a ton of money over time. Hell, I am quite well known for cutting open toothpaste tubes even...and often get enough scraped out for four or five additional brushings. It is probably worth a pittance, but over time I swear to myself I am saving something for the long haul.
3 people like this
@porwest (91311)
• United States
20 Mar 19
@RasmaSandra 
How do you do that? Those cans are under pressure?
How do you do that? Those cans are under pressure?1 person likes this
@popciclecold (38918)
• United States
19 Mar 19
I am working on the saving part, I need to enjoy life more.
5 people like this
@popciclecold (38918)
• United States
19 Mar 19
@andriaperry Working on that too.
1 person likes this
@porwest (91311)
• United States
20 Mar 19
@popciclecold Saving is so much fun, and spending the proceeds is even better.
2 people like this
@andriaperry (116936)
• Anniston, Alabama
19 Mar 19
Dang I wished I would have thought of this line 
4 people like this
@andriaperry (116936)
• Anniston, Alabama
19 Mar 19
There ya go! You explained me and you, I get free or cheap food and I spend on something I want, or need that there will never be a savings for.
I do that with what is left in the bottles and jars too.
4 people like this
@LindaOHio (179153)
• United States
21 Mar 19
@porwest Exactly. Because of that, we have been able to retire comfortably.
3 people like this
@porwest (91311)
• United States
22 Mar 19
@LindaOHio Retirement for me is still something on the radar, but not yet accomplished.
1 person likes this
@shaqziad1610 (506)
• Malaysia
22 Mar 19
" I save where I need to, and I spend where I want to"
Salute to that. So simple yet so complete.
Anybody can be frugal. Just know what fit you best.
Recently I used up my face wash. Then I add some water inside and give it a shake. The diluted version still foam nicely, and last a week. I am proud of the extra days.
2 people like this
@porwest (91311)
• United States
21 Jan 21
Every time you use a little more of something you have a little something left to use, you don't need to use a little of something you have to spend money on to replace. Just another way of getting more out of every penny we have, because they are not ever as easily earned as they are easily spent.
1 person likes this
@cherriefic (10399)
• Philippines
19 Mar 19
That's actually the point of being frugal. Do not waste anything and make you're money's worth.
2 people like this
@porwest (91311)
• United States
21 Jan 21
The way I see it, save on the things you need so you can afford to spend on what you want. AND, done right, a lot of time the money you spend is money you make on the money you have already made. So even as you are spending for WHATEVER purpose, need or want, the bottom line is still rising despite the spending.
1 person likes this
@Hate2Iron (15727)
• Canada
19 Mar 19
There are so many little ways to win and each of us probably has one to share... I compost so I can make my own soil!!
2 people like this
@whiteream (8567)
• United States
9 May 19
We all have little tricks to save money here and there. I walk everywhere I go. Only taking the bus when I need to. I always check to see if there is a way to make another meal with the food in the refrigerator. Only getting those little extra when I know I can.
2 people like this
@porwest (91311)
• United States
27 Mar 19
I agree. But that is WHY I save money. I can save money on toothpaste and toilet paper, and BECAUSE I do that I can also enjoy traveling to places like Cancun, Cozumel and Florida. I save on things I need so I can spend on things I want. There is a BIG difference. If you waste money foolishly every day on every day things you will never be able to afford what you want that makes you happy. We travel to places and spend money. Our friends travel to places and put it on their credit card. Like I said. there is a BIG difference. And coming home to a bill would never make me happy if I could have saved on what I needed and simply spent money I actually had as a result to make me happy.
2 people like this
@porwest (91311)
• United States
21 Jan 21
As the years have gone by, I do it much the same way. Still frugal, but of course that frugality pays dividends which have also allowed us to be less frugal where it matters.
On the front end it IS very difficult to break the habit of frugality though. It's pretty much a lifestyle at this point.
1 person likes this
@MommyOfEli2013 (84060)
• Rupert, Idaho
19 Mar 19
Sounds like a great win win! :)
2 people like this
@porwest (91311)
• United States
24 Jan 21
@MommyOfEli2013 Yes. It is. I have a habit of digging through older posts to make sure I did my part and responded to people who took the time to read and leave a comment. It's the least I can do around here. lol
2 people like this
@MommyOfEli2013 (84060)
• Rupert, Idaho
23 Jan 21
@porwest Wow, this is from a while ago!
2 people like this
@LowRiderX (22903)
• Serbia
19 Mar 19
I'm stuck between 'I need to save money' & 'You only live once' 
2 people like this
@allknowing (136775)
• India
19 Mar 19
You could not be as miserly as this friend of ours who would swallow the first gargle after he ate his food
And you must have heard of someone who made candles using ear wax
And you must have heard of someone who made candles using ear wax2 people like this
@dgobucks226 (35633)
•
28 Mar 19
I've noticed doing that with utilities lately: heating and electric. Nothing wrong with saving. A penny saved is a penny earned. Or as William (Captain Kirk) famously said: "If saving money is wrong, I don't want to be right!"
2 people like this
@janethwayne (5191)
• Philippines
19 Mar 19
You must be very good when it comes to food flavors and when it comes to saving also.
2 people like this
@porwest (91311)
• United States
22 Mar 19
For me it is all about stretching those dollars. Save on what you need so you can afford to spend on what you want. Save and invest as much as you can so you can eventually live more on the proceeds than the principal. These are hard concepts for a lot of people to grasp unfortunately, but concepts that have served me very well over the years.
1 person likes this
