Posted by DebtKid :: November 6, 2008 @ 11:18 am
Sometimes it pays to be a little crazy. I went through a period of extreme frugality in my life (living in my office, showering at a gym, no bank account, etc). It's not something I want to repeat again. Group showers aren't exactly my thing. That being said, for the truly ambitious penny pincher, these 7 tips could come in handy.
Oh, a note to single guys: this list could also be titled, "7 ways to make sure you never get a date". So, you've been warned.
1. The 60 second shower
It's just like being in the military again, only you get to now shower in the comfort of your own home! Lather up, rinse, enjoy the last 10 seconds. Done! Not only do you save on hot water, you just freed up 9 more minutes in your morning routine.
2. Flush less
"If it's brown, flush it down. If it’s yellow, let it mellow" - I think I first saw this phrase in an episode of "Six Feet Under". If you haven't gotten what I'm talking about here... just keep thinking about it. Or not. Let’s move on...
3. Become a "freegan"
The freegan movement has become more and more popular in the last decade. The word itself comes from "free" (duh) and "vegan". It's like a super hard core really cheap vegan. Basically, living as a freegan, you try to consume what other people waste. Dumpster diving, um, er, I mean "Waste Reclamation" is popular among freegans. Wedding crashing (for the food) or attending a lecture at your local college where food is served (for free) could work as well.
4. Live in your car
Want a truly mobile lifestyle? Ditch your overpriced apartment and live in your car. Make sure to move your car at least every few nights to a different part of town. Staying too long in one place will arouse suspicion and perhaps a call from a not so happy home-dweller to the police
5. Unplug everything
Not using the fridge? Unplug it. TV? Unplug. Computer? Unplug. Nearly all electronic devices drain small amounts of electricity even when plugged in. So go unplug everything.
6. Move off the grid
Do you think Adam and Eve had to buy groceries? Of course not. Living off the grid could eliminate your housing bill, electricity, cell phone, internet, cable, Netflix, gas, car... the list goes on and on. You can even pick up a home for your off-grid lifestyle for $500. And that's the nicer version.
7. Sell your car
Do you really need it? Really? No car equals no insurance bill, no more complaining about gas prices. And plus, the bus can be a fun (aka, crazy) way to meet new people. Note, if you're living in your car, unless you want to go off grid, don't do this one!
As I said, these are all slightly crazy ways to be frugal. There are plenty of more practical ways to save money, but they aren't nearly as fun. When you have grandkids, don't you want to tell them your crazy stories about how you saved money?
3 Comments
This is hilarious and absolutely useful if things are super bad, or your focus on saving is intense. I love the part about creating stories for your grandchildren!!
Please don't encourage immoral (as opposed to illegal behavior). You immaturity shows when you suggest crashing weddings. If you want to be taken seriously, think of society as a whole. Not, as if it is a punch line to a prank. Why would you want to cause grief to the newly weds?
Things I do:
Take the bus!
Turn my central heat down and use a space heater for my room.
Turn off all the lights, and replace regular bulbs with energy saving ones.
Boycott Starbucks. Coffee tastes bad anyway.
Frozen entrees for lunch.
Take showers by candlelight.
Charge my laptop battery at work and school.
Wear my clothes more than once. I don't sweat at all these days, and this has cut my laundry down to two loads a month.
Shower every other day. Who says people need to shower everyday, especially when it's freezing and you're covered with clothing.
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