When it comes to saving money, some people will go to great lengths to have a few extra pennies to add to their piggy bank. While their commitment to growing their cash is laudable, some of their money-making methods nonetheless fit firmly into the category of ‘weird and wonderful’.
We’ve trawled the internet and done hours of research to find the very best examples – and our favorite part is that they actually work! Here are a few strange ways to save that you might want to try.
Freeze your dry goods
We all know that popping food into the freezer when it’s approaching its sell-by can give us a little extra time before we have to throw it away, but did you know that freezing can hugely increase the shelf life of lots of dried goods? Putting flour in your freezer for a couple of weeks could help it to stay edible for an additional two years, and the same is true for sugar, grains, and baking mixes. If you don’t want to waste money by throwing them away before you’ve used them, here’s a way to extend their lifespan for long enough that you’ll never need to.
Potty train your cat
Now this one is truly odd! If you have a house cat, statistics show that you’ll spend around $165 per year on litter, or over $1,500 over the course of your cat’s lifespan. In order to avoid the cost, some people teach their cat to use the toilet instead. If you don’t believe us, google it!
Never buy new
While most of us will have bought second-hand goods from eBay or something similar, we almost certainly buy new too – in fact, approximately 81% of items sold on eBay are brand new. However, super-saving aficionados claim that one of the easiest and most effective ways to stash the cash is by always buying used. On the very rare occasions that they break this rule, they make sure to search around for special offers and/or promotions beforehand, so that they still don’t pay full price.
Bubble-wrap your doors
It might sound strange, but did you know that bubble-wrapping your doors could save you a significant amount on your heating bills? To stop your energy outlay from creeping up when the colder weather arrives, those in the know suggest that you place this material around any draughty doors or windows in your home, in order to save up to $3,600 per year.
Wash your clothes in the bath
Want to save money on your water bill? Then handwashing your clothes is a great way to manage it. Rather than just taking your delicates into the bath with you, pull your whole washing basket into the water and kill two birds with one stone. If you can manage to give everything a good scrub in the shower instead, you’ll cut your costs even more. It may dampen the relaxing mood somewhat, but it’s notably more economical than a traditional approach.
Freeze non-food items too
We already mentioned that freezing your dried goods can significantly extend their shelf life, but did you know that the same is true of many non-food items? Everything from lipsticks through to candles and batteries are meant to last longer if they’re stored at a cooler temperature. That being said, do check before you put your beauty products alongside your milk and butter, because while it’s good for some items, it can compromise the integrity of others, such as perfume,
I do my best not to waste, but at a certain level, it can be nuts. I do freeze bulk meats I buy and use a Foodsaver.
But imagine living in a home with bubble wrapped doors and cleaning all your used clothes in the bath tub, then going to the freezer to get some rice to make? Somewhere, the quality of life is sacrificed. The cost of freezer bags will negate savings of a bag of flour and sugar.
Properly weatherstripping a drafty door will do much more than bubble wrap could do. Often times, your local utility company will do an energy saving inspection of your home and often will help pay for upgrades to insulation, etc.
I’m writing this while looking at the house across the street 4 doors down that has aluminum foil on windows and a tarp over the front porch for 14 years. And it’s a rental…