Frugal Planner

How to keep using an old rice cooker?

2013-10-22T06:44:00.000-07:00

I've been using a rice cooker that is over 2 years old. The non-stick coating of the pot has totally worn off. Once the non-stick coating comes off, the rice tends to stick to the pot resulting in wastage.

There is an easy way to keep using your old rice cooker pot without the rice to stick to the bottom of the pot. Just cook your rice as you'd normally cook. After the rice is cooked, don't try to scoop out rice immediately. Rest it in "warm" mode for 10-20 mins. Then the rice will come off easily.

If that does not work, when your rice is cooked, switch off your rice cooker so that it does not keep warming the pot. Or remove the pot and put it on top of a cold surface (such stainless steel bench). Leave it there for about 8-10 minutes. You'll be able to remove rice without it sticking to the bottom of the pot.

You can now keep using your rice cooker for a few more years perhaps!

The man who lives without money

2013-10-03T15:20:00.001-07:00

Thought this might be interesting: http://www.abc.net.au/environment/articles/2010/04/12/2870334.htm

There are few things in the article that we can apply in being frugal. Enjoy!

Allow advertising material in your mailbox

2012-09-22T16:44:00.000-07:00

I used to put a sign outside my mailbox that says "Junk mail not allowed" or "Advertising material not allowed". This was quite effective and I did not receive any advertising material in my mailbox. It was a lot easier than regularly having to clean up the mailbox.

But the downside to this is I was totally unaware of great deals some retailers were offering.

So I decided to remove the sign and keep the advertising materials flooding in again.

If you want to save money and learn about the great deals on offer, allow the advertising material in your mailbox.

Lower your phone and internet costs

2011-08-22T17:11:00.000-07:00

Phones (including mobiles) and internet are so widely used these days, they have become part of our lives. With plenty of competition among the service providers, the phone (landline as well as mobile) and internet plans are getting cheaper. However, you can always find ways to lower your phone and internet costs. You gotta think carefully before choosing a plan by finding out your weekly or monthly usage.

Mobile phone plans are usually pre-paid or post-paid. The best plan for you depends on your usage. If you already have a pre-paid or post-paid mobile plan and would like to move to a better plan, first find out your usage before looking for a new plan. Go through your usage history as far back as it is relevant and determine your usage pattern. Your service provider usually sends you your monthly usage with your invoice. Don't throw away your usage data as it comes handy when you want to change your provider. If you don't have your usage history, you may still get all your usage history by logging into your service provider's website and going to your account information section.

With your usage data, you can determine some essential information such as:

your peak and off-peak outgoing calls and expenses
bandwidth, if you are using data download
SMS usage

Once you have determined the above information, you can then easily figure out your average spending per month. Then you can start comparing new plans and see how much you would be spending monthly with the new plan based on the above calculations.

Use the same method for determining your usage and expenditure on your landline phone and internet.

Caution: Some phone and internet plans may give you extra features but you've got to see if those extra features are really necessary for you. If they are not relevant to you, you can go for a cheaper plan or try to negotiate a plan without that feature.

Bundle landline and internet: Instead of getting landline and internet from 2 different providers, it may be a lot cheaper if you go with a single provider that provides landline and internet bundle plan.

Getting rid of a landline? If you don't make too many calls through your home phone, you may consider getting rid of your landline and just use a mobile phone- see if it comes out cheaper. Landline phones usually charge a monthly service fee on top of your call charges. On the positive side, landlines usually have a fixed local call rate (between landline to landline), which is usually a lot cheaper than the mobile phone rates. If you make a lot of local calls, then it might be better to keep your landline.

How do you lower your cost on your phone and internet? Feel free to share your tips.

A few frugal habits to get rid of debt

2011-08-09T01:16:00.000-07:00

Guest post by Anya Bennett

The post recession U.S has seen a lot of debt burdened people striving to meet their daily needs. If you are among those unfortunate folks, you can certainly shed off you debts by living a frugal life. If you have acquired a loan on credit card, student loan or other loan, you can easily get out of it by living more frugally. By undertaking a good debt management plan, you can easily make significant changes in your debt levels. To avoid debt, make sure you never spend more than you earn.

Loans and Credit Cards

Accumulate all your monthly loan and credit card statements. Find out what is the minimum amount that you have to pay each month. If you are not in a position to pay even the minimum amount due each month, call the Consumer Credit Counseling Service at 1-800-388-2227 to put things in order and consolidate your debt.

Try to pay more than the minimum on the particular card that has the highest interest rate. Once you have paid off that, go after eliminating the card with the second highest interest rate. Never use your credit cards unless it is an absolute necessity. Avoid purchasing such items that you cannot buy with either debit card or cash.

Cut on Spending

Slash back on your monthly spending. Check your monthly bank and credit card statements and find out how to save some bucks. Consider ending your home phone connection if you are already using a cell phone. You can rent movies at your home instead of going out. Consider having a roommate if you are staying abroad and alone. These days, a monthly mortgage payment is perhaps the biggest expense. So if you are struggling to pay the monthly mortgage bills, think about a responsible tenant. Try to prepare your own lunch instead of buying from outside and make the most of public transportation whenever and wherever possible.

Save Money Each Day

Find out small and petty ways to save money each day, which we often overlook. For instance, instead of possessing a high-dollar martini, split a pitcher of beer or make use of home wine when enjoying with friends. Instead of going out to dine with your husband, stay home and prepare a nice dinner together. Make sure you have made enough, so you have bits and pieces for the lunch the next day.

Life Insurance

Cease your life insurance policy if you are alone and ruined. Instead of putting that money toward your life insurance policy, involve it toward paying off your student loans or credit card bills.

Learn to take care of your stuff

2011-07-09T20:53:00.000-07:00

Saving money does not always mean hunting for big bargains and discount offers. You should also learn to take care of your stuff so that they last longer. Then you won't have to purchase a similar item again for years.

Usually, the better the quality, the more expensive the products are. But don't be deterred by the expensive price tag. Sometimes it's better to spend a bit more on expensive products that last longer than something that breaks down after being used for a few times. Read my article on buying pricey products to maintain frugality.

I will briefly cover the following important points:

Carefully handling of your stuff
Keeping the receipt of purchase
Being tech-savvy
Knowing your consumer rights

Carefully handling of your stuff
Everything is prone to breakage. Careful handling of your stuff will prolong the longevity of the product. Read the operation manual that comes with your product before using your newly bought item. Most products, no matter how small, come with manuals or some sort of operation instructions. Follow the instructions well. Don't assume you know everything. The manual may also have clear instructions on maintenance and proper caring. Reading the manual thoroughly also gives you insight on how the certain types of products work and it may also help you make your future purchase decisions.

Keeping the receipt of purchase
Keeping your receipts are important for 2 reasons:

For your own reference. This will keep you reminded about the age of the product and the price you paid. This will help you compare the price for your future purchase of a similar item.
For warranty and return purposes. Without a receipt, I don't think you will be able to get your item fixed under warranty.

Being tech-savvy
Learning a few technical skills and keeping your skills updated can be a real benefit. Knowing a few things about plumbing, computing and electronics will certainly put you in a good position to get the basic things fixed when they stop working and you are out of warranty. For instance, if your computer is slow and running low on Random Access Memory (RAM), you can simply open up the case and replace the RAM yourself. If you have water dripping from your kitchen tap, you can easily replace the rubber washer without calling in a plumber. You don't need to do an extensive technical course to learn these basic things. There are plenty of online tutorials, blogs and videos that teach you the basics.

Knowing your consumer rights
Before purchasing something, find out about the warranty coverage. When something breaks, first check if your product is still covered under warranty. When you go to buy a new product, if you feel the seller is not going to honour the warranty or seems a bit dodgy, simply avoid buying from them. This will save you a lot of hassles later on.

Can you think of other points to consider? Feel free to comment.

Buying pricey products to maintain frugality

2010-12-03T16:16:00.000-08:00

Being a true frugal means you should think about saving in the long run. People try to buy cheap products to save money instantly and regret later that they have wasted their savings on something that was poorly built. Generally cheap products have poor quality. You may buy something cheap and may have to replace it in the next few months. Then you are wasting your time and money. If you spend on something a bit pricey but solidly built, then obviously it will last longer and you will be able to use it for years without any hassle.

Some products are ok to be bought cheap. If you do not intend to use them often, why bother spending a fortune on them? But usually we buy things because we want to use them more often. Cheap products usually have shorter lifespan and have more chances of easy breakage.

Beware of cheap Chinese products

Chinese products have become synonymous to poor quality. While saying that, there are different grades of Chinese products available in the market. Chinese products are available in the shelves of top retail stores to cheap dollar shops. More than 90% of the things I have seen are made in China. I am not against the Chinese-made products and I have no problem with it. I am just too tired of seeing the massive amount of poor quality products available everywhere. The products found in top retail stores have most likely passed stringent quality-control tests and are more reliable while the ones found in small retail stores, online stores, ebay stores and dollar shops are the ones that we need to be really careful about.

Why are Chinese products so cheap and are of bad quality? There are few important factors such as the use of poor quality raw materials and duplicating the products of other brands.

I've worked in retail industry that sold Chinese products such as machinery and catering equipment. The products are quite cheap and the quality is cheap too. You basically get what you pay for. If you are having a bad day, you would even end up getting a brand new item that wouldn't even work in the first place. Then you'd have to waste your time chasing them up for a refund or replacement. I've seen plenty of unhappy customers. The store may exchange the items or repair them but you would have to go through the unwanted hassle and waste your time.

I've also noticed the product manuals that accompany these cheap brands are usually poorly written. The product manuals sometimes do not even represent the product itself. The specifications in them are incorrect. This totally fools the naive customers. So be very careful before buying cheap Chinese products. Don't just look at how cheap they are, also look at the quality and the product information they give you- usually cheap products will have poor quality.

You may feel you are up for a big bargain but usually it's not really worth. I've seen it first hand and I know how it is. You simply cannot trust the products most of the online stores or warehouses sell. Some of their products come defected in the box. Most of them have cosmetic and functional defects, which they later fix in the warehouse before selling to the public. That means the public is consuming the almost second-hand or repaired items and paying the full price!

I think it's better to buy a second hand product of a well-known brand rather than spending money on an unknown brand.

So beware of those online stores, places selling direct from warehouse, ebay stores and unknown brands. Save up some money and invest on a solidly-built products from well known retailers that provide good customer service. Spending more on some of the things now will reduce plenty of headache in the future.

Avoid spending over $100 on cheap brands

I would personally recommend not to spend over $100 on low quality products or unknown Chinese brands. If you are buying something to use for a longer period or for commercial use, then just forget about them. Instead, go for a better brand from a well-known retailer even if you have to pay a few hundred dollars more. This will save you a lot of hassle later on.

Better products have a better resell value

It is also important to remember that better products have a better resell value. If you buy a low-quality cheap product and want to sell it second-hand after a few years, it will virtually have no value. For instance, you paid $1800 for a Chinese refrigerator of an unknown brand, which was $500 less than a well-known brand and used it for your business. If you tried selling it later, you would find it hard to get people interested in it because it is a second-hand item of an unknown brand. Even if you happen to sell it, the resell value will be a lot less. If you instead bought a better product, your reseller value would be higher and you wouldn't be losing much.

Feel free to comment and share your opinions.

Don't Get Fooled by Coupons

2010-10-02T21:41:00.000-07:00

There are plenty of coupons that are supposed to save you some money on your shopping. I personally haven't used many of these coupons but I've still managed to save a significant amount of money on my shopping even without using coupons. I've noticed coupons do not always give you the best deal. The only effective way to get a cheaper deal is to know the market well. Coupons are just like advertisements. The shops and companies distribute coupons through their advertisement brochures, newspapers, websites and magazines solely to promote their businesses. They certainly sell products on a reduced price during the promotion period but theirs aren't necessarily the cheapest available products in the market. Here are some of the things I've noticed that I'd like to share with you:

Shop around: When you go shopping, look around a few shops for the same products. Most of the time you will find different prices for the same product at different shops. Obviously buy from the one that is selling it the cheapest. The cheapest one that you've found could even be cheaper than what's being offered in the best coupon that you have. I have noticed this with meat, groceries and other food items.
Coupons for well-known brands vs store brands/local shops: Store brands are usually cheaper than well-known brands. Sometimes store brands are even cheaper than the discount offered on coupons for well-known brands. I usually buy store brands and go to cheap stores such as ALDI. I've also noticed local grocers and butcher shops sell the same products up to 50% cheaper than the big supermarkets. If you are brand buff, maybe it's time to consider switching. Find out more about store brands here.
Don't fall into marketing traps: Sometimes coupons can attract you to buy things that aren't necessary for you. For instance, you may not be a regular coffee drinker but a coupon that says "Upsize your coffee FREE" may entice you to spend on a coffee you would otherwise not purchase. You may come across similar situations. So don't fall into those marketing traps.
Read the fine prints: Always, always read the fine prints at the bottom of the coupons. Don't rush into a store right after reading the big attractive letters on the coupon. The fine prints usually have expiry date of the promotion but sometimes they may have an awkward condition. For instance, the coupon may say "Buy 1st pair and get the second pair for 1/2 the price" and the fine print may read "This offer applies for purchases over $100." Something similar happened to me once when I went to buy 2 pairs of shoes. The total came out to be $90. I could walk away from the shop but since I had travelled a long distance to get there, I just didn't feel like walking away. So I ended up spending $20 more on the cheapest item they had in order to fulfil the condition. What an absolute waste of time and money.
Commuting too far with your coupon? This may be obvious to most of you. You have a great coupon that offers a huge discount. The store is more than an hour away from where you live. You think it's an amazing store. So you take your spouse and kids with you. You have a great time in the store going through the wide range of amazing items they have. You get your product and get the discount offered on the coupon. You all have ice-creams and lunch cause the way back home is a long drive. You factor in the petrol and the lunch costs. Then you haven't saved much. So it's better to find a store closer to your home. Sometimes we are so obsessed with discounts, we forget about other costs. Then you'd end up going on a picnic rather than a bargain hunt.

Feel free to share your coupon tips and disaster stories.

New gadgets: nothing but a rip-off?

2010-09-09T04:47:00.000-07:00

Most people are so fond of gadgets, they queue up to buy the latest released gadgets. They don't seem to have patience to wait even for a day. I found it weird when I saw people queuing up for hours to grab the new iPhone. Well people are different, everyone doesn't have to be like you and me... so if that makes them happy, good for them.

What I am trying to write today is about the gadgets and cute little innovations that have taken the world by storm but in fact, from a frugal perspective, you can easily live without them. In other words, you just don't need them. I will be giving examples of popular devices in this article. I am not trying to promote the products. I wish I could live without some of the gadgets.

Take iPhone for instance (it's fun to grill the popular stuff :). You can either buy it at once and spend 500 bucks or more, or you lock yourself in for a 24-month (that's 2 years right?) contract and pay a ridiculous amount of money every month on phone usage. All they've done is crammed up a collection of redundant applications in one tiny un-ergonomical device and made the world follow them. I'd rather add some more money and buy a decent desktop or a laptop which is more useful than those cute-looking devices with touch-screens and midget buttons.

I am using an old Nokia 2100 mobile phone that is still serving the purpose. It comes with an alarm clock, SMS facility, wide range of ringtones, address book, games, reminders, stopwatch, calculator, etc. Looks like it has got everything that I need. Then why do we need something that is 10 times expensive that does the same thing? The only difference is the new expensive gadgets have enhanced features and a different look and feel. Does that justify spending 10 times or more on these devices?

There are plenty of gadgets out there that can be easily avoided. Some of them are totally cool and deserve thumbs up while others are there to suck your money away. Wouldn't it be wise to spend that money into something that is more useful? Share your gadget stories and tell us how much you normally spend on them.

Knowing your needs and wants

2010-09-02T02:28:00.000-07:00

In order to live a frugal life, it is necessary to draw a line between your needs and wants. Lets start with what they really are.

Needs are the basic necessities of life without which we cannot live. Food, shelter and clothes are the most basic needs of human beings. Apart from that, health care, transportation and education have also become an integral part of our lives. Needs are pretty much standard for every human being. We all have the same needs.

Wants are those extra things that "may" improve the quality of life but without which life does not come to a halt. They are the tools of indulgence. Going on a vacation, wearing expensive clothes, eating out, collecting new gadgets, etc are things that are beyond the needs. They vary from person to person. I may like to buy new gadgets but to you, it may seem totally wasteful. You may like to go on expensive vacations while your friends may think you are crazy.

Being too obsessed with wants will result in too much time and money being spent on things you don't really need. It is important to prioritise your wants and keep an eye on how much you normally spend on things that could be avoided.

I am not suggesting you to live only by fulfilling your needs. Fulfilling your wants gives you satisfaction and happiness. It's not about totally avoiding your wants. It's about having a balanced lifestyle- a balance between your needs and wants and understanding which of your wants are wasteful and which of them truly enhances your life.

Beware of the Marketing Schemes

2010-08-22T02:37:00.000-07:00

I was watching TV the other day and I saw an ad for automatic liquid soap dispenser. It comes with a built-in infra-red sensor and when you put your hands underneath the nozzle, it dispenses the soap for you. Doesn't that seem luxurious? The ad was making a point that their touch-free product prevents harmful germs from transmitting. If you want to prevent germs from transmitting, you shouldn't even enter the toilet! LOL

I find it funny people inventing these stupid things and find it even more funny people falling for these things. You seriously don't need an auto soap dispenser in your home. I would rather spend $2 for a soap dispenser with a simple spring mechanism than buying this cute little machine. My simple manual soap dispenser has lasted me over 2 years already and it is still doing it's job. Every time I run out of soap, I just buy a large container of liquid refill soap and fill up my dispenser.

This is just one of the examples. There are plenty of these marketing schemes we see everyday that entice us to use their products and services. Some schemes are fairly straightforward while others come with hidden conditions. I especially hate those mobile phone deals. I find it absolutely hard to figure out their deals. Since I don't use my mobile phone much, I don't have to worry about them.

Different vendors say the same thing in different ways to fool the consumers. I was looking for a better ADSL + home phone bundle deal. I checked lot of deals provided by different providers. Some looked better than the others. But when I carefully calculated the costs, they came out to be pretty identical. So I totally gave up the idea of changing the provider. Some providers charge less monthly service fee and compensate that with higher call rates. Some advertise $1 monthly line rental fee in bold letters but if you read the plan detail, there is a minimum monthly spend amount of $10. That means you will be throwing away $11 in total even if you don't use $11 worth of calls.

To avoid falling on the trap of marketing schemes, always REMEMBER the following:

Research the market well and do your homework before talking to the salesperson. I usually familiarise myself with the deals/prices of products in the market before going to the shop or speaking to a rep. If you know in advance, you are less prone to be cheated and you can even negotiate well.
Always read the fine prints. Whenever you see a really good deal with attractive design and the price highlighted in bold, read the fine prints as well.
Make note of "Conditions Apply" phrase. There is usually an asterisk next to it and it is explained in detail on the footnotes. Some important details are hidden in this area.
Read $99 as $100. Notice the different between 2 and 3 digit numbers. This is a popular pricing technique that takes a psychological advantage.
If you are going for mobile phone plans, mortgage rates, bank accounts, internet plans, etc, carefully compare the plans. Get the one that suits your current needs. Some different plans may turn out to be identical.
Do your own calculations. Don't ask the salesperson or agent to do the price comparison for you. You can ask them but don't rely on the information they provide. Some of them try to trick you into buying their own plan. I once went to a bank for negotiating a term deposit rate. Another bank was offering me a higher rate so I was trying to see if this bank would match the other bank's rate. The lady there was doing a comparison for me. She started comparing 3-month term deposit against the other bank's 6-month product (or something like that, I can't exactly remember), which made it seem like her bank was offering a better deal. Sometimes they try to use this kind of technique. Be careful with that.
Beware of MLM's and Pyramid schemes. I personally don't feel they are any helpful. I am highly sceptic about these schemes. I have never met anyone who has confidently said they are happy with MLM's. I have seen more people satisfied with their jobs than with this schemes.
Don't believe in "Get Rich Soon" schemes. Seriously, it's not that easy to get rich. They might just sell you some books, send you CDs and make you pay some registration fee. They are the ones who get rich soon, not you.

Is there anything else you can think of? Have you been fooled by marketing schemes? Feel free to share your stories.

Ditch that Credit Card

2010-08-21T17:53:00.000-07:00

I had my first credit card in my early 20s. It started out with a credit limit of A$1000. I was pretty excited to have a credit card. In fact I didn't need a credit card then. I have always been a wise spender. My bank just offered me one and I simply thought, "Wow! They offered me a credit card". I felt like I was specially treated. Yeah I was perhaps a bit naive.

The credit came with rewards points. So I started using it to accumulate the reward points. The credit card had an annual fee and the rewards points feature also charged a small amount of annual fee. I was enticed by the rewards points and kept using the credit card even though I didn't need it. The reward points would expire if not claimed within a certain period and the points I had accumulated over a period would be so little that they would just expire before I could claim anything. In 10 years I only successfully claimed reward points once. I could manage to get a kid's watch for my niece.
I kept the credit card for almost 10 years. At the end of each month, I used to pay off my credit card in full by the due date to make use of interest-free period. I was using it responsibly but still wasn't benefiting from it. Even when you use it responsibly, sometimes you forget to pay it by the due date and that's good for the bank. The bank increased my credit limit several times and within 10 years I had a credit limit of A$13,000. Then one day I just decided to ditch it. I had enough money on my own to make purchases that I needed. So why use the bank's money and pay the annual fee and reward points fee?

When I look back, I feel I have made a very good decision by getting rid of my credit card. Banks don't issue credit cards for your sole benefit. They make you use it as much as you can and make you pay the interest. They would love to see you in debt forever.

Everyone's situation may not be financially sound. Some people may be struggling financially and they need to keep a credit card to make ends meet. If you really need to have one, make sure you shop around for the best deal that suits your situation.

Start thinking about saving a little from your weekly pay if you are not already doing that and keep impulse shopping under control. Learn to use your own money and very soon you will be able to ditch that evil credit card of yours too.

Do you really need to drive?

2010-08-18T02:38:00.000-07:00

I don't drive but I live near a big city. I usually commute by train or bus- mostly by train. I find most places easily accessible by public transport. They are fairly punctual and I don't have to worry about busy traffic and road accidents. I can just enjoy the ride, read a book or do a bit of thinking while I commute. That's one of the advantages.

I haven't really done a serious cost comparison between owning a car and using public transport. I've always thought using a public transport comes out to be cheaper than owning a car and is a lot safer and you get to do other things while you commute. Paying the insurance and regular maintenance costs add to your overall expenditure.

If you live closer to work, friends and family, maybe you don't really need a car. However if you have to travel longer distance regularly, then this may not be a right option for you. Personally, I can still go on without a car. Any thoughts?

Debt Is Your Mortal Enemy

2010-08-16T23:32:00.000-07:00

Having to pay off debt, no matter how small the amount, is something you would want to avoid at all costs but there are instances where we simply can't avoid debt. For buying a house, most of us can't afford to pay the entire amount at once. We take out mortgage and we start paying that off for the next 20 - 30 years. Buying a brand new car could be another example where debt seems inevitable.

However, there are times when we may be able to avoid debt if we plan ahead and start saving for a purpose. It's also advisable not to incur debt unless you really have to and pay off your debts as soon as you can. The longer you hold on to it, the harder it gets to pay off. On the money you've borrowed, you may need to pay heavy interest on top of the principle.

Without clearing your debt, it becomes hard to even think about saving. If you have a debt to clear, pay it off on a regular basis- on a weekly or a monthly basis and stick to your repayment schedule. Your debt must be one of your topmost priorities on your to-do list.

Plan ahead and start saving for a purpose

One way to avoid debt is by strengthening your savings. Debt is also a mental torture. Until you've cleared it, it sticks with you like a shadow.

If you want to buy something but you don't have enough money, tame your desires. Start saving for the thing that you want to buy. Avoid spending on a cup of coffee on your way to work. You can drink coffee at home or at work. If you make a coffee at home, it's a lot cheaper. If you drink at work, it's usually free unless your boss charges you for a cuppa.

There are plenty of things you can find where you can cut down your daily, weekly or monthly cost. You may be spending on things that you simply don't need to.

Contemplate for a while.... Are you spending on things that you simply don't need? With that money you can probably pay off your debt or even avoid debt easily.

Pick Up FREE Items from the footpath

2010-08-08T02:36:00.000-07:00

Our local council conducts clean up collections every year for removing bulky household items. I can't remember how many times a year they conduct these collections. I think it's about 3-4 times a year. Every household leaves their unwanted goods on the footpath for the council to pick up. Check your local council website or ring them to find out the clean up dates.

People also leave goods for pick-up when they move houses. So keep an eye on your neighbourhood.

The items may include:

furniture e.g. chairs/computer chairs, tables, beds, mattresses, sofas, etc
carpets
cloths
books
toys
kitchen utensils
fitness/sporting equipment such as exercise bikes, trampolines, bicycles, etc
white goods such as fridges, stoves, washing machines, etc
electronic goods such as TV’s, DVD players, video recorders, printers, computers etc.

I've found this an excellent opportunity to grab some useful items for free. People start putting out their stuff for collection couple of weeks prior to the collection date. When we go out for a walk during this period, we keep an eye for useful items. You will be amazed to see a wide range of items lying on the footpath.

How do items end up on the footpath?

Somebody else's junk could still make it to your lounge, kitchen or bedroom. Do not underestimate what you will be able to find on the footpath. People throw away items not only because the items are old, damaged and unusable. People's tastes change over time and they buy new items according to new trends and fashion. Their old goods simply become out-of-date and hence they end up on the footpath.

Using the newly-found items

Most of the time, you can find goods that are totally undamaged or only slightly damaged. I'd say about 10-20% of the items that end up on footpaths are in pretty good condition which may need a bit of refurbishment. For instance, you may need a coat of painting on furniture or hammer in a few nails in order to use them. If you are lucky you may even find an item that you can use fresh off the footpath.

What skills do you need?

Firstly, you need a bit of luck to find great items but it's worth a try. You also need an eye for detail to figure out what exactly you need and whether the item is damaged. You certainly need patience and you may need to allocate some time for a hunt. Next time you go for a walk, keep an eye on what's lying around on the footpaths.

What we've picked up from the footpath...

I would like to share with you what I've picked up from the footpath. We've been using these items for more than a year, some almost 2 years. They are all working fine.

Plastic folder box

Asian style wooden coffee tables. The one on the right has a nice glass top.

Computer desk with castors. The desk comes with slidable keyboard unit. We've used it as a TV stand in our bedroom. It's got a perfect height.

Small TV with DVD player and a remote control. There is a tiny crack on the bottom right of the screen. This doesn't have any effect on the quality of the pictures at all. It's just a cosmetic thing. We've kept this spare TV in our bedroom.

Wooden table

Floor cushion. We just had to wash the dirty cover before use.

Large mat. We just had to give it a good wash before use.

Basket. It was in near-new, perfectly good condition.

How much do you reckon it would cost if you had to buy the items listed above? I'll leave the calculations to you.

Feel free to share your stories.

Becoming Frugal and Learning to Save Money: A Lifestyle Planning

2010-08-02T04:04:00.000-07:00

When talking about becoming frugal and saving money, you have to start by looking at your current lifestyle. You may need to plan things differently to make the most out of what you currently have. Saving money and becoming frugal is not only about how much you earn and how much you have in your bank account. I look at it from a much broader perspective. It's the lifestyle you choose that either makes it easier or harder in becoming frugal.

This post is a general overview on lifestyle planning. Lifestyle planning is a broad topic, different parts of which will be covered more extensively in the future posts.

The money that is saved will be spent eventually and the money that is to be spent should be done so wisely in order to spend only the right amount so that you can still keep the rest with you.

We have all come across things that are beyond your control and the things that are totally within our control. We cannot do much about the things that are beyond our control. However by doing things that are within our control in certain ways, we may be able to make a positive impact on the things that are beyond our control and make those things take a course that we desire. This applies to many aspects in life. You can plan your finances, education and health to prevent undesired consequences later in life. Your good plan will help you become frugal and save you time and money on the long run.

Learning to save money is not a rocket science. You don't need to do a course in economics to become a frugal spender but you certainly need a common sense and an ability to question your own desires, which usually lead to over-spending. I will be writing in another post about how people with different characteristics spend differently. For instance, some people are impulse shoppers and some are gullible. People with these characteristics are an easy target of marketing schemes that entice them to spend more.

For saving money, you may also need to give up on certain things that will make a huge difference in the way your finances are managed. For instance, cancelling credit cards, driving less, cutting down on unnecessary food items, etc.

Contemplating a simple lifestyle and doing necessary preparations for it will help you not only to live frugally, it also simplifies your way of thinking and frees your mind from daily clutters. It leads you to a spiritual journey.

Lifestyle planning is not solely about saving money. You may find my posts useful for making other important decisions in life. All the things that I write about may not fit 100% for you. It's about choosing what works best for you. I write from my own personal experiences and insights. You are more than welcome to share your views on my blog posts. I am also in the process of learning and the right way to learn is also to hear from others about their life experiences.