The Beginner’s Guide to Being Cheap

Have you been tightening your purse strings after a little too much indulgence? It’s the little things that add up, so consider these interesting tips.

By Tara conry

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Have you been tightening your purse strings after a little too much indulgence? It’s the little things that add up, so consider these interesting tips.

1) Separate your bananas. This keeps them yellow longer. Bananas produce ethylene, a gas that causes them to ripen. Separating the bunch can slow down that process.

2) Store your lettuce. Seal it in a zip-lock bag with a moistened paper towel to add days of leafy goodness to your produce.

3) Shake off a wet razor. After use, shake off excess water, then dip the razor in rubbing alcohol and store in a dry place (not in your shower). This will clean the blade, stave off rusting and add weeks of shaving life.

4) Flip and rotate your mattress. Repeat every three months to extend the mattress’s lifespan. Flip sofa cushions, too—and swap their positions so they don’t become moulds of your family’s backs and behinds.

5) Cut down on cleaners. Halve the amount of soap, toothpaste, shampoo and detergent you use, and use 25% less detergent in the washing machine. You won’t notice the change.

6) Control washing machine use. That lint you see is from your clothes slowly being
disintegrated by all the tumbling. Stop soon after the rinse cycle, and hang clothes to dry. And you save 80% on power if you don’t use the machine’s heater—a good detergent can do the job without hot water.

7) Protect your soles. Have the soles of your leather shoes lined with rubber to prevent them from wearing down. And don’t don the same pair of leather shoes two days in a row: They are susceptible to moisture and will last longer if you give them a day off.

8) Air your soap. Many frugalistas swear that airing a bar of soap before using it will allow it to harden and last longer, with no effect on the lather.

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