Thursday, August 24, 2017

Frugal or Cheap

I know we have all been called cheap!  That is a given.  Most fugal people have been.
What do you think?  Is there a difference in your mind?

Look up CHEAP in the dictionary and it doesn't really say what I think it means.  I saw expressions like:  low in price, a good bargain, inexpensive, costing little...........in my mind's eye those MEAN FRUGAL!
Cheap to me is someone who will not spend ANY money - tries to get something for nothing no matter the consequence - doesn't mind cheating people or companies - not willing to help others - being nasty about hygiene or food - greedy.........................on and on!

My definition of frugal is about getting the best price you can, looking for a bargain, using things up and not wasting, helping others when able, charity, saving for a time when things aren't looking up/or retirement, and MOSTLY being a good steward of all we have (money and things)!

I do a ton of things that people have called me cheap for doing.  I just think I am being smart.  You tell me - what do you think?

Yep - I keep my bacon grease for seasoning.  As you can see, the band is not really viable for canning, but can be used for this purpose, and that lid is 2nd use as well.  I also strain and keep other oils for a second or third use - as long as I haven't used for something strong tasting like fish.

It is not often that we eat out - but when we do, I keep all the extra condiments (in a baggie in frig), napkins, straws (I even wash and re-use), packets of plastic ware (great if kids come over or donate), and pop bottles that any leaves at our house.  If we get delivery Chinese - they have great containers. which I keep to store leftovers or send things home with others.  I also keep those cottage cheese and sour cream containers for giving leftovers away.

I keep twist ties and rubbers bands in a section of my junk drawer.  They sure do come in handy.  I LOVE the produce rubber bands - but they get used quickly at our house.
I also have containers in a drawer with nails, screws, nuts, bolts, tacks, any misc. piece that comes with something.  It comes in so handy. 

In the bathroom there are so many frugal items.  I use coconut oil as skin cream and get it out with a spoon (washable) instead of putting body germs in container.
Hair dye gives me 2 - 3 dye jobs since I have short hair.  I only mix what I want to use.
Face powder when getting to that ring around the compact stage, gets scraped into container and used as loose powder.
Mix scrapings from lipstick & Vasoline together for lip gloss.
Tons of lip color samples I got for a quarter a bag at a yard sale 2 years ago (I must have had 75 - 100).  Says one use - I get at least 2.
Lipstick tube still has color in it - been using a Q-Tip for lip brush and using the remains for over a year.
Jar of cotton balls - that all came out of baby aspirin bottles.  I have never bought a cotton ball.
Baking soda used as toothpaste once in a while also as cleanser
Hankies made from old t-shirts.
Sponge/scrundgy cut in half.  Lasts for ages.
Old tooth brushes that I use when coloring my hair.  Have others for cleaning.
Plastic gloves from hair color.  I have dozens that haven't been used from over the years- I use one set over and over till I puncture.
I also have probably a dozen tubes of conditioner that comes with hair color.  I only use a dab once in a while.

Basket came as a gift years ago.  Holds my necessaries.  Old pop bottle with Himalayan salt water (used as mouth wash).  Cotton ball jar, small jar with Q-tips, clips use to hold towel around shoulders when coloring hair (also makes a great tweezers holder) and of course room spray, brush, a hand mirror (have had it for 30 years).

I water down shampoo to make it last longer - experts say it is too strong from bottle any how.
Dish soap - mixed with water and vinegar
Laundry soap - use less than called for and add water at the end. 
Baking soda - becomes tooth paste, odor absorber in litter, use in stinky laundry, odor absorber in frig. (oh I bake with it too!)
Scraps from candles get saved and become new candles or pieces used as melts
Any heavy box I receive is used for storage
Keep all tissue paper, pretty gift bags and boxes from year to year
Ice cream buckets used as storage or a gift 'buckets'
Used computer paper and envelopes received in mail get used for scrap paper, lists, or coupon holders
Any plastic grocery bag gets recycled.  I use as bags to collect garden harvest as well
Large cat food or seed bags are used as trash bags or made into grocery totes
Pickle juice/olive juice is either drank or re-used to pickle other veggies.  Can be used as a meat tenderizer as well
Magazines I received are donated to nursing homes
Larger snack containers (1 - 2 lb. size) are kept and cleaned to keep other homemade snacks in
Old t-shirts clothes - become hankies, rags, material for throws, pillow, etc.
Scalding water is used as a weed/grass killer (it works)
NO food scraps are wasted.  They are either eaten, turned into new meals, composted, or put out for stray cats/opossums to eat


I could go on and on - you know I can!!!!!! 
I learned so many of these practices from my folks, picked up others when we had little money, and learned from others. 
Do I still need to do these things - NO - but why not?  I am not too proud to be careful with our resources.

So what do you think?  Cheap or frugal?
Are you the same way?  If anyone has some new and different ideas for staying frugal and re-using, re-purposing, using up, and not wasting let us know.

Blessings from my frugal and humble home!

 

31 comments:

  1. I do some of those things but I always learn new things from you!

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  2. I think you are very frugal my friend and that is a compliment! ;) It's funny because I too have been called cheap for using food items that are past their "best if used by" date. How on earth is it fine one day but the next day it needs to be tossed if it is a "best if used by" day or week or even month or more later. We are not talking expired fresh chicken here that could be dangerous. ;) One of my rather nasty extended family members (I'll bet you can guess which one) thinks I am cheap for buying well made clothing and leather goods like purses and wallets at the thrift store along with fine china, appliances, beautiful linens, movies, etc. . I say let people like her buy them at full price (which I think is sheer insanity to pay $80 or more for a simple shirt), wear them a few time if any and then donate them to a thrift store because they are bored with them and want the next "big" thing. I'll happily pay pennies on the dollar for them and wear them with pride. Look in my closet and dresser drawers and you will find well made clothing worth thousands of dollars that I spent very little on. One of my favorite buys was a warm full length winter coat from LLBean that I bought at a yard sale for $1. The lady that I bought it from runs a consignment store and she told me it had been brought in brand new by someone else to sell and told them that if it did not sell to just keep it. Thus me getting it for $1 at the big clear out yard sale that this lady has every year.

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    1. LOL Debbie - we all have THAT relative.
      I buy my clothes at thrift and yard sales too. I have always said "let the other fool pay full price".
      When I worked (in n office) I always had to be dressed nicely - and I got so many compliments. NONE was brand new from a store.
      One of my best buys was my down filled winter coat I got for $5. I have used that coat for about 6-7 years and it is still going strong.
      I have bought many a gift that way as well - none the wiser!
      Glad to hear that others are staying frugal too.

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  3. You are not "cheap"! I have been called cheap,usually by people so far in debt,they are drowning in it,to be honest,it isnt such a negative word to me,as Im very generous with goods and time,and while I prefer to be told I am "good with stretching money"I think people that are living day to day and are very wasteful are foolish in the extreme. Rather be Cheap than a Fool. I do most the things you do in the kitchen on your post,and learned some new ones in the bathroom,thanks!

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    1. Cheap can be a good word like frugal it just depends on the tone it is used in!
      I agree the ones that criticize are usually the ones that need lessons!
      Love the phrase - "rather be cheap than a fool".
      Have a great one

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  4. I do most of what you do and think nothing of it. I l;love to get new ideas. A cheap person is to me selfish. A cheap person would never buy take out Chinese food. You are frugal. I have always saved my bacon grease, I reuse oil, I touch up my roots, use plastic bags from the grocer, save rubber bands. But I am also very generous and give of myself and my means when ever I can and so do you. You are my inspiration.

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    1. Thank you for the lovely compliment.
      I will do whatever I can for another. I will feed them, give money, help in a situation - if it is NEEDED! But on the other hand - if someone EXPECTS me to give handouts - it isn't going to happen.

      Don't know how many times I have helped pay for someone's groceries - but been hit up too many times by the same pan handler.
      Glad to hear you do these things as well. it is just part of life to me as well.
      Blessings

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  5. My father used to say the difference between cheap and frugal, is that if you are only careful with your own funds, belongings, etc. your are cheap. If you are careful with everyone's funds, etc. you are frugal. Of course he also said the difference between dirt and soil, is that dirt is what is under your fingernails, under your bed and behind your ears. soil is what you grow things in. I loved his sayings.

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    1. Love those sayings!!! Wise man.
      Thanks for the smile

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  6. I have my own little stash of bacon grease. I grew up with that used as seasoning with beans and know how delicious they can be when seasoned that way. :)

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    1. I always use in beans. Love it. It is nice to have to cook ground pork in too or ground turkey - gives it lots of flavor.

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    1. Glad to help!
      Like I said I have never bought cotton balls - always save from pill bottles.

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  8. Great tips! You are definitely frugal, and I learn a lot from you.
    My husband called me cheap today though. ;) I have a laundry basket that is coming apart, and I was trying to make it last a little longer by using zipties to hold it together. I don't want to spend any more money this month. :D

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    1. Kathy, thanks.
      I have done the same thing in the past - only I used duct tape! LOL
      Nothing wrong with trying to conserve your money for a little longer.
      Tell him because of your "cheapness" he probably has some other things that he might not of had, had you not saved money over the years!
      Have a good one my frugal friend.

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  9. I agree with your definitions ;) I have never heard of using Himalayan salt water as mouthwash!

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    1. Salt water is cleansing and healing and we use the Himalayan because it has so many minerals in it.
      We use that salt for eating as well.

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  10. Well done Miss Cheryl, Queenavista of the Frugal Minded. I bow to your clever ways. I recycle all the soil from old pot plants by putting it through the compost. All plants that are past their use by date get chopped and dropped and become mulch. I save seeds as much as possible and share the excess with gardening friends. I share the excess bounty from the garden with the neighbours and they return the favour.
    I have been called 'cheap' a few times and I have thanked those people for the compliment. The look on their faces is priceless. I am proud to be cheap/frugal.

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    1. Great ideas. I just had a duh moment - never thought of dumping dirt from pots into compost! I also just throw it in the garden. Great idea.
      Love that you save seed and share with neighbors. It saves every one and all get some good food.

      There are just so many ways so use what we have and save money. It just makes so much sense! It is hard for me to understand why everyone can't see that.
      Thanks for the lovely 'title'. I will wear it with pride!
      Have a good one

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  11. Hi Cheryl! Love this post! While I am not nearly as good frugally as you, it was refreshing to see that the things I DO do are on your list too! Maybe I am a little better than I thought I was! LOL
    Love reading your blog!

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    1. Hi Trayceebee. I am glad you enjoy the blog. My folks taught me so many cool things in life and I have learned even more over the years - it just feels right to share! I love doing this.

      Glad to see you are doing better than you thought! I think we all do - it just gets to be second nature.
      Blessings.

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  12. I read your list of items to reuse in some way and found out I was doing most of them. A couple I never thought of and there are others I do. My husband prints his own work statements at his shop. He then cuts them down to size and uses the scraps to record checks and purchases he's made and statement notes, etc. Then I copy the info (I'm the bookkeeper) and reuse those scraps again as scratch paper. We save all oversized grocery bags and use them when we go to Aldi's. There are so many things we do to reuse and recycle that I don't think about most of them. I also save the Nylon? plastic) netting from onions, etc. I cut off the very ends, save them until I have enough to make my own scrubbies for scouring pots and pans. Sometimes my husband thinks I'm cheap and says so. I just smile and say "Thank You!" You're right! There are so many things we do in our everyday lives that it's hard to list them all!

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    1. I forget to list this one. My husband read it in a magazine. We all know how fast crazy glue dries in the bottle once you open it. Take a cork and drill a small diameter hole in the cork just enough to fit the tube opening on the crazy glue. It should form an eirtight seal. We haven't tried it yet as we just threw out the last two bottles of dried up crazy glue!!

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    2. Kris - great ideas. I do the same with copy paper after it has been used - cut it up and use it for scratch pads.
      LOVE the idea for the crazy glue.
      Yep, we all do so many things on a daily basis that we just don't think about it any more.
      I bet we could all list pages and pages of things.
      Thanks for the great ideas!

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  13. Frugal and I do some of the same things! Nancy

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  14. Definitely frugal. You do many things that were commonplace when I was growing up. I've done many myself, though it was good to have a reminder of some of them.



    Please drop by and say hello!
    ஐღLaura ღஐ
    Harvest Lane Cottage
    ...doing what I can with what I've got where I am
    on a short shoestring budget!
    ~~~~~

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    1. Thanks Laura. I think many of us grew up this way. We all need reminders now and then.
      Blessings

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  15. Defiantly frugal😊 I love the qtip and cotton ball jar. I always learn something new when I pop over.
    Blessings
    Patti

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    1. Thanks Patti. My house is more country and rustic than modern - so I love using my pretty blue mason jars for things.
      Glad you learned something new. Come by often!

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