Levels of Frugality

*Yes, I have done (or am currently doing) all of these tightwad habits, so feel free to ask me about any of them if they interest you! There are many other ways to be thrifty, I just wanted to make a small list to give you specific examples to think about on your own time.

(For my entertainment, we shall use the following Star Wars based levels: Paduwan, Jedi Knight and Jedi Master. Enjoy.)

Paduwan Tightwad

(For those who need the training wheels)

1. Keeping Cool Whip/Margerine tubs to use as tupperward
2. Doubling a casserole and freezing it for later eating (can also freeze one person meal portions for lunchtimes)
3. Tearing dryer sheets into ½
4. Buy sale items
5. Dry your razor after each use to extend the life of the blade
6. Make your own baby food (just mash it up)
7. Buy food on sale or in bulk
8. Use coupons to buy a pizza at your favorite resturaunt
9. Use half the amount of dishwasher/laundry soap/shampoo (did you know you only need 1 tablespoon of dishwashing soap to clean your dishes?)
10. Make your kids earn their allowance (and pay them slave wages!)

Jedi Knight Tightwad

(A more advanced, yet still not extreme level of frugality)

1. Putting fabric softener on a rag and putting in the dryer instead of a dryer sheet
2. Make your own bread each week
3. Make your own baby wipes with paper towels(ask me for a recipe!)
4. Keep your receipts and get price adjustments at stores when items you have purchased go on sale
5. Breastfeed (even if you haven’t had success in the past, this is still possible to accomplish with subsequent babies and FREE help is available in our area. Ask me where to go!)
6. Use a clothesline in the summer to dry clothing
7. Get cheap haircuts
8. Grow a garden
9. Buy a frozen Pizza instead of going out to eat
10. Start a dinner coop and impose a budget

Jedi Master Tightwad

(I also call this the Black Belt Tightwad--- not for the faint of heart, but very rewarding financially and, at least to me, personally)

1. Cloth diaper your baby (and use cloth wipes!)
2. Wash and reuse baggies and bread bags (not if there was meat in the bag though)
3. Make fire starters with toilet paper tubes and dryer lint
4. Use a clothesline year round to dry clothing (one indoors and one outdoors--- the added winter benefit is that drying clothes inside like this can help humidify your home a bit)
5. Cut your family member’s hair (like you can do worse than your 3 year old with the scissors)
6. Grow a garden and can it, dry it, use every last bit of it
7. Make pizza from scratch instead of buying a frozen one
8. Dumpster dive
9. Use cloth pads or reusable cups for your menstrual cycle (diva cups or mama pads are common brands)
10. Take all your old stained unusable clothing and sheets, cut them up and use them instead of paper towels for your cleaning around the home