Saving Money Tips Blog

Saving Money Tips: Changing a Timing Belt

hal — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 22:37:33 +0000

June 11, 2010
Speaking of saving money tips, I accomplished a tremendous savings last week. It turns out that my car needed a new timing belt. I got two shop estimates. One came in at $485 and the other was $513. Ouch. Plus when am I going to find the time to take it in? I got to pondering my money saving tips experiences and it turns out that my neighbor (the one who is a good mechanic) had some free time last saturday. He said just get the parts and he’d show me how to do it. So I actually did all the work. He actually instructed me to wash off the engine first with a pressure washer (which he had sitting around) and then proceeded to just instruct me as to what to do. In fact he was working on another project too. So I did all the work, and it only took a couple of hours. Fired her back up and there you have it. Actually, out of gratitude, I spent a couple more hours helping him change an engine in a Subaru. But I would have possibly spent some time waiting for the car in a commercial shop anyway, so not too much time lost there. So here’s the total cost: $53.00 for the cost of the timing belt, and the cost of a couple of cases of beer for my friend(little extra’s like this go a long ways, especially if they are unexpected. I’ll be posting saving money tips more frequently from now on.
Talk soon,

Hal

Going to the Pub

hal — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 23:46:21 +0000

One of the most interesting saving money tips I’ve learned is the ability to seperate the experience of being in a pub from the experience of drinking beer. This came about because, at a certain point, I started to notice that drinking beer upset my stomach, and I started to have wine instead. However, the wine was more expensive. And either way, you have a tab of at least ten dollars and often more likd fifteen dollars after even a couple of beers or glasses of wine at a pub.
It made me start to realize, the real reason people go to pubs anyway is to socialize. I mean, you can take your six pack of cheap beer home and get soaked by yourself, but what fun is that.
I used to think that staying away from pubs is the best approach to saving money. But we humans are social creatures by nature and need companionship, and if we’re single, even more so, most of us anyway. So, what has worked for me is to go to pubs a few times a week and just order coffee or water with lemon. And it turns out to be just as enjoyable as drinking beer. And it’s worth it to shell out two or three dollars even for water, so you don’t look like a total cheapskate, and the next time you come back they’ll remember you for it. And so what if the bartender thinks you’re an alcoholic? This happens all the time, and people don’t think anything of it. The enjoyment you get out of life is really up to you anyway, whatever others think. It’s good for your health as wall as for your wallet too. I guess it goes without saying, if you really are an alcoholic maybe hanging out in pubs is not something you can do without giving in and drinking, and maybe you shouldn’t do it.. If you seperate the two, drinking and being at a pub, it’s a good thing to be able to do.

But anyway, saving money tips is not about deprivation, it’s about connecting with people and getting the most out of life’s experience.

Until next time,

Hal

keeping your feet dry while bicycling

hal — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:29:52 +0000

Here are a couple of saving money tips that are particularly appropriate for this time of year. Riding your bike in the rain is a necessity if you live in a place like Seattle, and we do. In addition to other rain related attire, I spent quite some time researching shoe covers, only to find that none of the bike stores carried the right kind for me. Most of them are made for those special narrow bike shoes, which I quit using for various reasons, so what I was really looking for was just a thin, waterproof cover that I could put on over my sneakers. I decided to make my own out of plastic grocery bags and rubber bands. It really works. The only drawback is that you have to replace them every few trips. I’ll eventually get some better shoe covers, but for now, I’ve been using these, and it has saved me from going out and buying something I think won’t be a good fit. I’ll have some more saving money tips about bicycling in the near future, so stay tuned.

Also, I’m still working on the research about how much energy can be saved by using a compost tumbler. It’s very interesting.

Until next time,

Hal

Energy Saved

hal — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 02:48:52 +0000

The average family will save about 22 gallons of gasoline per year by having a compost tumblers . This comes from adding up all of the energy used by the heavy equipment needed to mine or dig up the raw materials for industrial fertilizers, energy used for processing these materials, energy used for transporting them to warehouses and for packaging and shipping, whether in bags or in bulk, energy used for turning nitrogen and natural gas into ammonia, and finally, the energy used by all the garbage trucks that eventually haul most of this stuff to the landfill once it is discarded. The compost tumbler circumvents all of this, by keeping all of the organic in a local area. Next I plan to calculate how much total energy could be saved if everyone did composting.

For more information, visit: http://aboutthecomposttumbler.blogspot.com/

Hala

More on Compost Tumblers

hal — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 23:01:33 +0000

Hi,
With all of the research I’ve been doing on the compost tumbler, I almost forgot that it’s that time of year when we start to think about what we’re going to plant in our gardens, how much we’re going to plant, and when we’re going to plant it. So I’m going to put together a post about planting in a few days. But first, since i’m so involved in my research about the compost tumbler, I want to provide some more information about just how much energy can be saved if everyone used a compost tumbler. I will provide that soon, but I have to warn you that it is a larger project than anticipated. You have to think about all of the different ways that energy is saved by using a compost tumbler, like less diesel fuel used by excavators digging phosphorus ore out of the ground. Talk soon. Hal

http://www.composttumblersite.com

The Compost Tumbler

hal — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 21:59:18 +0000

By now everyone knows about composting, but did you know that with a compost tumbler you can create organic fertilizer for your garden in as little as 6weeks? The compost tumbler provides a great way to reduce household waste, provide nutrients for your garden vegetables and flowers, and reduce your carbon footprint all at the same time. Using composters will improve the quality of your soil with the least amount of time and effort.

Healthy soil provides a stable base for plants to grow, and yet is loose enough for roots to penetrate, well drained, and rich in organic matter. This is one step on the road to self sufficiency, and will help with saving money as well. Compost tumblers come in various shapes and sizes, and you can likely find one that is right for your household and garden.

There are various sources of plans for building your own compost tumbler as well. Basically a compost tumbler is a cylinder set sideways on a stand with some means to allow a turning so that the compost contents can be turned over periodically. The most simple design will include a 55 gallon drum set on a stand with rollers. The most convenient way of filling and emptying the unit is to have an opening cut into the side of the drum with latches attached so that it can be tightly closed. In addition to an opening, small holes, around 1/4 inch in diameter, will be required, for air to infiltrate and expedite the composting process.

Some of the advantages of compost tumblers are the neat appearances compared to messy compost piles, and exclusion of vermin from the compost drum. For more information on the compost tumbler, visit http://www.composttumblersite.com.

Hal Merrill

Living Without Paying Rent

hal — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:57:48 +0000

One of the saving money tips I want to make more than any other is the idea of living without paying rent. Most of us just take for granted that we have to have this big mortgage or rent check that we have to come up with every month. What if we didn’t have to come up with all this money every month? What if we could keep that money, that we work so hard for, for our own? Maybe we could get some new clothes or get the car fixed like we should have done two months ago, or maybe just add to a savings account.

There really are some ways to live without paying rent. And they don’t have to include staying at the homeless shelter downtown. I’m going to touch just briefly on some of them here, and you can see them in much more detail in my book, “Survive With Little or No Money”, soon to be available on this website, in which I divulge many more saving money tips throughout.

Some of the ways to live rent-free are more desirable than others. Some of them fit for some people and not for others. If you are already renting an apartment of some kind, the quickest way to reduce your rent would be to get some roommates. Depending on who it is, it may be more desirable to get some people living with you who may travel a lot. There are professionals who travel all week and may even be gone several weekends out of a month. You may get some family members to move in with you if you can be comfortable with that. This happens all of the time.

Another way to cut down on rent expenses might be to rent a storage locker and store your furniture and just rent a room in a house. If it were for long term, it might be even better to just sell the furniture. This happens more often out of necessity than by choice, though it can be by choice.

One of the coolest ways to live for free is to house sit for people who are gone part of the year or who have their house on the market. Lots of people just have houses that they want someone living in just so they won’t look abandoned or empty.

All of these methods require some sort of sacrifice. But who knows how it might change your life. I will keep posting saving money tips here for your information as my research continues.

Until Next time

More on Painting

hal — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 23:29:41 +0000

I realize it’s been awhile since I offered any saving money tips like the painting one I offered a month ago. I was on vacation for awhile. I was thinking that there is some more to this painting and really making it look good. One of those things is when you are using a paint roller, don’t get too much paint on the roller. And you have to really work the paint onto the surface by going over it several times. And really, if there is much of a color difference, like a light color over a darker color, you will certainly need to use two coats. And it’s much the same way with brushing. As you probably know, the brush is used to coat the little corners and the trim and othre uneven surfaces. If you take the paint on the brush and work back from where you started, you will be able to create a smooth surface with no brush marks, like you get when you just dab the brush onto the surface and start moving with it. It does take a little practice, but once you get it, it seems rather easy.

So even though I was on vacation I have also been a little more research on creating more saving money tips for everyone. The latest is finding ways to either reduce rent cost or do away with paying rent altogether. I will post my findings on this very soon.

Until then,

Hal

Painting a Room for Absolutely No Money

hal — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 23:19:44 +0000

Hi, one of the money saving tips I would like to share with you today is about how you can really spruce up a room, or a whole house for that matter, for absolutely no money whatsoever. One of the skills I have acquired over the years is that of house painting, but almost anyone can do it, really. It just takes a certain level of motivation, organization and concentration. It also involves getting a little messy, but if you pay attention to the details, you can create a whole new atmosphere in a room, or in your whole house if you’re up for it, for literally no money.

One of the first things to realize is that there are hundreds of gallons of paint sitting around in people’s garages, basements and closets that will never be used. Not all of this paint is desirable, however. It helps to use a good dose of judgment in acquiring paints. First of all find paint that is not too old. Second of all, I use only latex paint, that can be easily cleaned up with water. You can of course find a great discounts from returns at a paint store, but I’m talking about getting paint for free. The best way to do this is to find some painters at work during your day to day travels, and ask if they have any paint left over. Sometimes general contractors will have leftovers. Another place to look might be a hazardous waste collection center. Just about every city has one. Often times they will more paint than you can use. I was just given about 5 gallons of paint, which I have given to a friend of mine who plans to paint his living room.

Another fact to consider is that if you’re doing this for free, chances are you won’t get exactly the color or texture a professional would choose. Just remember, you want semi-gloss in kitchens and bathrooms, so the surfaces can be washed off easily, but the flat textures in the other rooms help hide imperfections in the walls. Other saving money tips would include painting a bathroom wall with a flat texture and using Future brand floor finish to create your glossy surface.

As far as colors go, if you can get more light colors, you have a better chance of coming up with a good pastel or even white mix, which will brighten up a room. You are going to be mixing different colors together to create your own colors. You might find a few cans mostly full and some cans with less paint in them. This is the point where you can get creative. I recommend using more white or light colors and using dark colors sparingly, to come up with more desirable pastel like colors. Make sure you mix the paint really well. You will need a 5 gallon bucket to mix enough paint for an average sized room, probably two to three gallons of paint for the walls and ceiling, and a stirring stick. If you can find some semi-gloss you might even be able to paint the trim separately, but it’s not totally necessary.

As for paint brushes, these could be borrowed from a friend with the promise that you would clean them religiously after each use. It takes about five minutes to thoroughly clean a paint brush, but is worth it if you want to keep brushes useable, and/or keep your friends. Other sources for paint brushes might be just asking around to see if anyone has painting stuff left over in their garage or closet. I see this stuff sitting around all the time in people’s closets or garages, and am often given tools like this, but only because I know what to look for, because I just happen to be in the painting business. But if you have to, you can actually get a cheap set up of brush, roller and pan for under $10, and it might be better than trying to use something that is already trashed. However, it’s amazing what a little creativity can accomplish.

Most important of all, be safe. Use a stepladder for places you can’t reach, like the ceiling. If you’ve never painted before, watch some painters for awhile, and see what you can learn. Ask questions.

See more of our saving money tips on this blog and in my report, 5 Saving Money Tips offered for free.

Until next time.

Grocery Discount Club Cards

hal — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 00:42:44 +0000

By now you know that this saving money tips blog is about a lot more than just saving money. It’s about community building, working together with friends and neighbors and helping each other out. But in the process, when it comes to shopping for a bunch of people, the savings can really add up. I’ve told a number of my neighbors about my saving money tips blog and practices, and as it turns out, I have been doing some grocery shopping for them. One advantage is that if another person does your shopping, you are not actually at the store and won’t be tempted to buy things you don’t need. You just hand them the list, and they get it for you. As it turns out, the savings can be substantial.

That is, if the person doing the shopping knows where to go. Incredible amounts of research has been conducted to lure you into spending money within a certain price range. One of those ways is to have hundreds of the items on pallets, to make you think about abundance. Another way is to price things in odd fractions, such as “5 of these for $10″. If the item is $2, why don’t they just say so? It’s that idea of abundance. Getting 5 of something sounds better than getting one of something. Another gimmick being used is the Discount card, or “club card”. You see, the idea of the club card is a gimmick to get you into the store. And you are presented with SOME items that appear to be marked down, IF you just happen to be a member. I found out real soon (years ago, actually) that you don’t really save money just because you have a Safeway club card. Some stores chose not to jump on the club card bandwagon, and Fred Meyer is one of them. And guess what? Yesterday I did the shopping for a weeks worth of groceries for myself and two other families at Fred Meyer, and saved more than $35. For example, vegetables were about 3/4 the cost at Fred Meyer, and catfood was less then 2/3 the cost, compared to Safeway. So, beware of the gimmicks they play. Once they have you in the store, it’s all too easy to decide you’ll be willing to just pay what seems like a few extra dollars for the “Safeway convenience”. Read more saving money tips below and on the free tip sheet.

Until next time…