Frugal tips Part II

A continuation of last week's "Frugal hacks so obvious you may not be doing them"

9. Ask whether you really need it

• Ask yourself if you can find something else to work in its stead, rather than buying. Need a newMaybe instead of a new briefcase you can make an old carry-all work.
  

• Ask yourself if you can get along without it. Is it an imperative? Or just something nice? For example, if you join a baseball league, cleats and a mitt are necessary.
  

10. Buy more than one pair of shoes

• Like it or not, our feet aren't entirely dry. And the moisture from them (and the pressure we put on them) is transferred to our shoes.
• If you allow shoes to dry for about 24 hours before using them again, it slows the breakdown of the materials. This makes your shoes last longer.
• So, if you're priding yourself on your thriftiness by having one great pair of black work shoes, you may want to consider investing in a second pair. Alternate days and you won't be back in the shoe shop quite so quickly.

11. Keep a list of staple clothes when you do go shopping. (Or, in this day and age, a photo on your phone or iPod.)

• Okay, we've all bought something, only to come home and discover nothing matches.
• In other words, if you have to then go shop for shoes or a shirt, how frugal are you actually being?
• On the rare occasions you find yourself shopping, endeavor to make a list of the highlights in your closet. If you can't find something on the list that coordinates, don't buy the item.
• Alternatives include taking a picture and loading it onto your cell phone or MP3 player.
• Don't forget, once you actually bring an item home, you're far less likely to get it returned.
  

12. Spend a little more

• Sometimes, cheap things are cheap for a reason.
• The rich spend less than the poor, because they can afford quality merchandise that will last.
• So remember that, sometimes, the thriftiest short-term solution may not be the cheapest in the long run.

13. Before you replace, repair

• One of the great joys of dieting is tossing your "fat" clothes. But it's a lot cheaper to go to a tailor than to replace your wardrobe.
• Shoe broken? I got a great pair of dressy black loafers (with heels) at the last Value Village 50% off sale. The bottom of the heel was partially off so they were $10, meaning I paid $5. A few cents' worth of superglue fixed it quickly. If your beloved shoes break, don't forget there are cobblers around town.
• Our $150 vacuum broke after less than two years. The problem wasn't under warranty, but a new belt and fixing a clog will be a whopping $14.59.

14. If you can't repair, sell

• If the vacuum was too costly to repair, I was going to sell it to the shop, which could repair and resell it. Then I would use the money to buy a refurbished vacuum from Big Lots for $40.
• Check Craigslist and local repair shops. They may buy the broken item from you which will help build a fund for a replacement.
• Here in Seattle, we have a place called RePC which buys old machine parts. You can buy a "boot box" -- a computer tower without an operating system -- for as little as $30 or $40.

15. Put it out in the universe

• I covered this somewhat in "How to Get Something for Nothing"
• Sometimes, if you let enough people (and general universal forces) that you're looking for something, you may find things fall into place.

16. Make BOGO work for you.

• BOGO sales sound great, but are you getting the best bang for your buck?
• At a BOGO steak sale, Tim grabbed two random packages -- one much smaller than the other. I put that one back and found one much closer in weight. There was about a pound extra in my choice.