This Week’s Readers’ Tips

Each week we publish a new batch of money-saving tips from our frugal readers that can help you stretch your dollars and live better for less.

by Dollar Stretcher Reader Contributors

Fast Food Savings

With a grandson I’m raising, we frequent fast food places several times a week. What I’ve discovered with all of them is the bonuses available only in the apps. I’ve gotten orders of onion rings or French fries for free, free or BOGO burgers, half-price shakes, etc. Sometimes, I sit in the parking lot and STILL order from the app as my points for free food increase. I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t download/use an app because of the benefits!
Debbie

Laundry Money-Saving Tips: Part Two

If you have moderately hard water and no water softener, consider adding a small amount of borax to each load. I dissolve a tablespoon of borax in 2 cups of warm water and use about 1/4 cup per washer load.
I don’t use fabric softener except on flannel sheets where it is explicitly called for. I bought six wool dryer balls online, cheaper than in local stores. They still work after more than two years.
Always promptly remove items in the dryer and fold or hang them to allow any wrinkles to hang out.
I use a steamer on t-shirts and other slightly wrinkled items. I hang the items, then steam them. It takes less time than ironing. Be sure to use distilled water so the steamer doesn’t clog.

Barbara

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A Solution for Tough Toilet Bowl Stains

I was getting a home ready for sale and cleaning furiously, but I could not get the toilet bowls cleaned. They had accumulated this dark gray stain that I couldn’t get off. I had tried everything. I finally found the answer in a pumice scouring stick. All I had to do was wet it and rub away at the stains. They came off like magic! Best of all, it didn’t leave any scratches. I was left with three sparkling white toilet bowls!
G

The High Cost of Good Bargains

Reading the hint about waiting to buy anything that costs more than $100, I was reminded that each of us probably has our own weak spot when it comes to budgeting.

For me, I long ago discovered that it was the “little things” that really caused problems. Maybe I didn’t spend money on expensive coffees or stops at fast food places, but I couldn’t seem to resist “bargains” on small household items, toiletries, clothing, etc., even if I wasn’t immediately in need of them. What I finally learned is to do the math of doubling that bargain’s cost, especially if I still had any credit card balance at all — because if I ended up continuing to pay monthly for the item, it wouldn’t take long to have the actual cost end up being double. That $1.99 sale on shampoo that I didn’t need but that caused me to continue to carry an expensive interest-charged balance could end up really costing $4 or even $5. An extra “cute” t-shirt on sale for $12.99 could ultimately hit my long-term budget at $25 — and, of course, I wouldn’t have paid that much!
hl

A Free Holiday Tissue Paper Alternative

Instead of throwing away the used wrapping paper on Christmas morning, run it through a paper shredder to use as colorful filler for gift bags or when mailing a gift to someone throughout the year. It’s still very festive, but it’s free and will save you the cost of buying colored tissue paper.
Sara

Using the Whole Ham

We usually purchase a whole bone-in ham when they go on sale. We cut it into quarters and freeze it. When using any of it, we cut off the skin and fat, put it into a container and return it to the freezer. When we finish all the ham and get to the bone, I take out all the ham skin and fat that we cut off and save and use it for soup. The flavor is incredible. Plus, all of the ham gets used. The bone is the only thing that gets tossed. I cook the soup in a slow cooker, and it’s incredible!
Lilly

Related: Frugal Hearty Ham Bone Soups

Makeup for Cheap

With the holidays approaching, I thought I would share something I do every year. After Christmas, when everything gets marked down to half off or more, I buy a few gift boxes of makeup. These usually have a lot of eye shadow, lipstick, fingernail polish, blush, mascara, eyebrow pencils and eyeliners. This usually lasts me for the whole year. It sure saves me a lot of money throughout the year.
Eileen

Reusing Freezer Bags

We buy good quality freezer bags to protect our stored food from freezer burn. I was throwing out a lot of them after only one use because I was storing raw meat in them and it isn’t safe to reuse them afterward. Then it dawned on me: why not use a liner?

I bought a roll of the thin plastic bags they have in grocery produce and meat departments. I wrap the meat in one of these bags and then put it in the expensive freezer bag. The meat is protected, and the bag is reusable because the raw meat never touches it.
Deb

Related: How To Prevent Freezer Burn

Do you have a money or time-saving tip you’d like to share? Just email your tip to [email protected].