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Have you ever reused coffee filters or skipped laundry day when frugality was more important than cleanliness? Sure, you might have gotten a few sideways glances from a friend or two, but beyond the confusion and a few nervous smiles, you know you can make some repurposed lemonade out of financial lemons.
Here are the top five frugal hacks that make sense to people who know how to save money, but confuse or scare others who willingly pay full price for ketchup.
No. 5: Turn someone else’s trash into your treasure
Sure, the cardboard box under the folding table at a yard sale might not look like a pot of gold—in fact, Happy Meal toys are to die for—but you can also find jackpots like cast-iron skillets, wooden coat racks or food storage containers. Sometimes, the exact thing that someone no longer has use for and just wants to get rid of is your new “Kiss the Cook” apron.
No. 4: Hang laundry to dry, not your budget
A bed made of sheets dried outside gives amazing sleep, or something Martha Stewart would say. This will keep the clothes lasting longer even without being exposed to the heat of the dryer. Utility bills are also low.
Allergy from outside? Dry your linens indoors, draped over a wooden drying rack, shower curtain rod or even on top of a door frame.
No. 3: Increase Your Library Credit
Sometimes these are titles your local library is rejecting, and sometimes they’re leftover donations from the library’s used book sale. Either way, there’s likely a free shelf at the library where everything is $0, so it’s worth the investment.
Some people may think that such behavior is eccentric. Let them think whatever they like. You’re the kind of person with a penchant for new, free books and a great way to spend the weekend.
No. 2: Get lost in the free sauce
Pour some vinegar into an “empty” mustard jar and you have a New Spices. Pour a little milk into an “empty” ranch dressing bottle and use the liquid to make potato salad. When all the marinade is gone, add a chopped cucumber (or any other vegetable of your choice) to the liquid; In a few days you will have more pickles.
If it’s still delicious it’s not cheap. Also, don’t throw away all your soy, ketchup or hot sauce packets, because you never know when you’ll need to add some flavor on a budget.
No. 1: Embrace the financial beauty of dumpster diving
And now, no. There’s one thing frugal people do that would horrify the average financial person… take a little peek through the trash, George Costanza style. Some people are dumpster divers, but thrifty people prefer the term “dumpster wader”, which means retrieving things you can easily reach and that are not soiled by wet trash. It’s called class – you should try it.
