Comments on: Do You Have A Strange Monetary Habit?

By: One Frugal Girl

One Frugal Girl — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 19:53:34 +0000

In reply to Heather. Thanks for the suggestions. For now I'm trying to cut back on things cold turkey, but since I doubt that will work I'll take a look at the sites you suggested.

By: Heather

Heather — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 13:35:37 +0000

I use paperbackswap.com for all my books. I post the books that I’m no longer reading and swap them for books I’m wanting to read. And when I feel that my bookshelf has been overwhelmed with books that I need to get caught up on, I put the recommendations in a “reminder” list on paperbackswap. Then I don’t forget the books but I don’t have to have them in had right now! Plus I’m only paying to mail the books I have out and that’s around $3, so I’m not spending much on the books.
To pay for my books I am participating in paid surveys. They pay me $3 per survey. Paperbackswap also has two sister sites Swapadvd and one for CD’s.
The only downside is that sometimes there are books that I really want now! And with paperbackswap you’re on a waiting list for some books so you have to be patient. For books I have to have now I check http://www.thriftbooks.com. I have also used these sites for Christmas shopping since most of my gift recipients want books or DVDs and don’t mind used.
Now anytime I see a book or DVD or CD in the store that I want, I stop myself and think “I’d better check paperbackswap first, I bet I can get it there.” And usually I can.

By: One Frugal Girl

One Frugal Girl — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 13:29:59 +0000

In reply to Newlyweds on a Budget. Ugh I wish our library was nice. Unfortunately it's unbelievably worn down and the book selection is absolutely abysmal!

By: Sense

Sense — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 06:05:56 +0000

In reply to One Frugal Girl.

I’d love to take a cooking class! I have looked, but can only find ones that specialize in a certain kind of cooking that sounds way too advanced for me (‘Cook Like the French! Coq Au Vin For Everyone with 5 Spare Hours to Cook Each Day’). Ha. (obviously a joke title, but that’s what it always sounds like to me!)

I’d love a basic, start from scratch class. ‘How to Boil Water’ would be more my speed. Also, some sort of class where they combine science with cooking. I’m a scientist, so I’d remember more if they taught it in that sort of fashion, like this flavor goes with this because of X and this needs to be mixed in first because of Y.

I’ve thought a LOT about this, as you can see!

By: Newlyweds on a Budget

Newlyweds on a Budget — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 00:28:09 +0000

I used to buy SO many books! Then it was purses. Now, I just don’t buy a lot of anything. I almost always get my books from the library. It’s much much much cheaper. And I don’t feel as guilty for having a shelf full of books I’ve bought and never read.

By: One Frugal Girl

One Frugal Girl — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 00:03:32 +0000

In reply to Sense. Ahhh, yes. Food waste used to be high on my list too. I'd buy some ingredient, like vanilla beans and find them a year later shoved into the back of the pantry. Now I'm better about experimenting with foods that don't require ingredients I probably won't use in other dishes. Have you ever tried to take a cooking class? I used to hate cooking before I took one. After that I bought new pots and pans and knives and now I really do enjoy it.

By: Sense

Sense — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 23:27:57 +0000

Why not just keep a list of books that friends have suggested? Or join Good Reads? Then when you are eager to read a book, take the list to the library and see if they have it first, before buying?

I waste a lot of money on food that I don’t eat. Once in a while somehow I get it in my head (usually after a really great meal at a restaurant) that I want to try something new. I go all out and buy the ingredients, then don’t have the energy to cook it. It usually goes bad before I can make use of the new ingredient. I am horrible about it, and I feel really guilty every time. The problem is a) I hate cooking–mostly because I am bad at it (I never like the things I cook!), b) I don’t usually like new things out of my routine, and c) I am single and cooking only for myself. I’d like to hear some solutions, because I have tried everything I can think of.