Reader Survey: How Frugal Are You?

I recently read a column which posted frugal tips from several of its readers. Some of them sounded too frugal, like this one:

I've been to Bangladesh where people have nothing but the clothes on their backs, one pot for cooking, all natural animal fuel, and a "botna." The botna is used to clean yourself after going to the restroom in place of toilet paper. They come in plastic or aluminum, or homemade clay. They look like teapots without handles or lids. We use it for the same purpose only using toilet paper to "dry up" after washing.
It's cut consumption in half. Plus we stay cleaner. Bangladeshi and Indian friends of mine use flowerpot watering cans (small of course) to replace their botna if it breaks. - Crystal

Others sound interesting, even though they go further then I have ever gone, like this one from Lillian,

Lillian says: We recycle our bath water, using it to flush the toilet! Instead of letting our shower water run down the drain we stand in a wash basin and dump it into a bucket to hold it until we have to flush.

So what about me? What do I do that's frugal? I tend to do some basic things like

1. making sure I turn the lights off when I leave a room.
2. using a tea bag a 2ND time.
3. Re-use the empty butter/margarine tubs, for use of food storage. (great to put in the deep freeze to)
   
4. Re-use old peanut butter/jelly jars (especially the plastic ones) to store nails and screws in my workshop, and for staples, thumb tacks, paperclips, etc in my home office. The smaller (15 or 16 oz) ones also make great pen/pencil holders.
5. Save soap scraps to make my own liquid soap. (I also save the small bars of soap from the hotels, when I travel)
   
6. Freebies - I pick-up pens, rulers, calenders, whatever a business maybe giving away as advertising. If there is a grand opening in your area, they will probably be a great source for give aways. I also request the free samples that can often be found online. Recently I received a free breakfast sandwich from Chick-fil-a, thanks to a website that was advertised during a recent televised ball game. (Not to mention once a month I call in and win free gift certificates for local restaurants and fast food places.
   
7. I take old bath towels and use them for rags...great to clean up a spill, or to wipe your hands when changing the oil. If you wash the car in the driveway, they work great for that as well.
8. Use the both sides of the paper in the printer.
9. Use the plastic grocery sacks in the small trash cans around the house (bedroom and bathroom) and the paper bags in the kitchen trash can. When I lived in a rural town, I burned my paper trash, that I put in these paper bags, while the plastic sacks where used for the items that could not be recycled or burned. Those items were sent to the dump.
10. I am in the process of switching to those newer florescent bulbs instead of the incandescents.
    

I remember my grandma (who grew up during the depression) re-using old bread sacks, bread ties, sandwich bags and practically everything else.

So now, how frugal are you? Please click on the comments and tell me what frugal things you do. Let's see how big of a list we can come up with. If you don't have a blogger account that's OK, just tick other and put your name in the "name box."
I will be awaiting your tips.

Fair Taxes & Cracking the Millionaire Code

When I went to my mailbox today yesterday, I found two packages there. One, was sent by someone pushing an agenda, that he hopes will be introduced into law. On the surface the proposal known as the "Fair Tax," looks pretty good, but looking through the book, I have some concerns. More on that after, I can watch the DVD and read through the book.

The other package was from the library. It was one of the two books that I had placed my name on the waiting list for. Cracking the Millionaire Code, was the second book that I had requested, but first one to arrive. I am looking forward to going through it. It is co-written by the author of the Millionaire Next door (the other book that I am waiting for from the library).

I plan to talk more about this book later, but he asks the common question does it take money to make money? "Absolutely not," Allen says, "why do most business' fail? ...because they fail to access their hidden resources."

Tagged: You're It - 5 Things You Didn't Know About P. O. T.

I was tagged, I guess, by No Credit Needed. So now it is my turn to rack my brain and come up with 5 things you didn't know about me.

1. I have never been to New York, even though I once visited Niagara Falls (Canada).
2. When I was 18, I became the youngest person in my county (at the time) to seek public office. The position is elected in the primary and both parties elect someone to this position. I only received 10% of the vote (IE: I only received 4 out of 40 votes, but 10% sounds better). I have since switched parties and been elected numerous times to this position that makes me part of my county parties central committee (IE: I am a party activist).
3. I hate pork, but I love bacon, ham and regular pork sausage.
   
4. I have what would probably be considered the most complete collection of presidential campaign buttons from the last election (2004). Yes, I was even able to obtain a button from the communist/socialist candidate (who wasn't even on the ballot in Kansas). They are the only buttons in my collection that is actually framed. Before next years election, my buttons will probably go into 2 (maybe 3) more frames (once I have the funds). I am hopping I can get my 2008 collection without spending a dollar on the buttons. Then I only have to buy the frame.
   
5. Not much of a meat eater, I once considered being a vegetarian, but I like my hamburgers to much and my Chick-fil-a even more.

OK, so I am suppose to tag 5 people. I know a lot of you have already done this, so I will tag everyone that has not been tagged yet.

My Financial Irresponsibility (this past year)

So recently i have been noticing something on my credit Union's website. When I log into my account at the end of each month I am given a nice little message of how irresponsible I have been. The end of the year was no different. So I thought I would bare all and admit my faults here. With that said, here is what my Credit Union reported to me.

Insufficient Funds Charges for the Year: 475.00

Think of all the bills that I could have paid with that. Almost 50% of my credit card could have been eliminated. That could have helped with my grocery budget also. This year, I plan to do better with the checkbook, and get most of the debt paid off.

Colossians 3:15

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Cranivals Rave Over DebtFree4ever's Interview

DebtFree4ever.net has made it into several carnivals this week. The carnivals are abuzz about the interview I did with Rep. McCray-Miller. There are several more carnivals to sound in as the week continues. Each carnival seemingly is giving my interview with Rep. McCray-Miller rave reviews.

Carnival of Debt Reduction said,

Debt Free 4 Ever with a cool post about payday loans.

Cavalcade of Risk #16 said,

Melody McCray-Miller, a Wichita Democrat is hoping a measure she plans to introduce in the upcoming legislative session - which could include and interest rate cap similar to the one that drove the payday loan industry out in North Carolina - would make “predatory lending” less lucrative in Kansas. The DebtFree4ever site discusses this issue and includes an interview with Mrs. McCray-Miller.

the KGB Weekly Carnival (Kansas Guild of Bloggers) said,

Kevin (a.k.a. The Prince of Thrift) has a lengthy Q & A with Melody McCray-Miller, a state representative from Wichita, on her plan to introduce legislation that would cap the interest rates that payday-loan companies charge.

Carnival of Personal Finance simply states,

DebtFree4Ever interviews Kansas House of Representatives member Melody McCray-Miller about legislation that would cap payday loan interest.

More Carnivals:
Carnival of Ethics, Values and Personal Finance

Thank You Janet

I want to thank Janet on FreeCycle for the pans...they are much appreciated and will be great in replacing my rusted pans.

Thanks Janet