The following is a guest post from Miranda Marquit. Miranda edits information about debt consolidation for DestroyDebt.com.

There is a lot written about the benefits of frugal living, and even tips on how to save money and live frugally. But one of the things I had trouble with as I began to live more frugally was getting started. Just ending the bad habits wasn’t good enough — and it was overwhelming to go “cold turkey.” Here are some things that helped me start living frugally:

Know the difference between needs and wants.

This is one of the most important aspects of living frugally. My husband and I tracked our spending for two months, just to see where all the money was going. Then we analyzed our spending habits. Were we buying things we didn’t need? Of course we were! We also discovered that some of our “needs” — things like the most expensive juice or eating out twice a week — weren’t really needs at all.

One way we learned to distinguish between needs and wants was to have a “waiting period.” Could we do without it for the waiting period? If we bought it, how long did we think we would actually need the item? If it turns out that we can get by easily without the item, we don’t buy it.

Pay for wants with money you already have in hand.

Life without a few wants would be a little grim. A few well-chosen, unnecessary, pleasures can make life more enjoyable. But when one lives frugally, one doesn’t spend a lot of money on extravagant wants. And one certainly doesn’t pay for wants with borrowed money. Part of our journey to get started living frugally was to institute a rule that all wants had to be paid for with ready cash — and only after our needs (and this includes setting aside money for an emergency fund and for retirement) had been taken care of. This meant that when we wanted a new video game system, we had to save up our ready cash for a couple of months.

Another thing that can help is to have an “allowance.” If you can count on regular income, and if you have enough extra after your needs, you can give yourself an allowance. But once that money is gone, you have to realize that it is gone. My husband and I have an “allowance” for an annual summer art fair with vendors from all over the country. We take cash, and leave the cards at home. Once our “allowance” is gone, it is gone. This helps us carefully consider our purchases, so that we only get what we really like, rather than coming home with a bunch of “stuff” that does little more than clutter the house.

Use a list

Every week before we do the shopping, my husband and I go through the house and make a list of things that we need. When we go to the store, we buy only what is on the list. If we have some “want money” available, we can use that for things not on the list. Shopping with a list can help you cut down on impulse buys. Another thing that helps? Look at the items in your cart before heading to the check-out line. Did some unplanned wants find their way into the cart?

Replace more expensive habits with less expensive habits

One of the best ways to develop new habits is to replace the old ones with better. Think of the expensive things that you do, and replace them with less expensive options. Instead of eating out, plan a special dinner that you make at home. Buy slightly more expensive ingredients, or ingredients for a more exotic meal than you normally eat. It makes the dinner special, but doesn’t cost near as much as eating out. My son loves “movie night” at home more than going to a theater. We make popcorn and sit on a blanket in the living room. It’s a little bit different, and doesn’t cost near what going to the theater does.

There are many less expensive activities that have the bonus of creating quality time with the family. Walks, bike rides, camping, trips to the park, sledding and other activities are inexpensive and promote family togetherness. Also, look for free and inexpensive activities locally.

Frugal living is a lifestyle. It can be hard to get started, but if you take the time to plan your moves and take a hard look at your needs and wants, you can change your habits so that you are living in a way that not only saves you money, but also provides you life satisfaction as a family.

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Is sneaking in candy to a movie theater being frugal or being cheap (and dishonest)? I posed that question to the Wise Bread forums a couple weeks ago and received some interesting responses. It seems a majority of people there think the practice is acceptable, as long as there aren’t signs posted specifically forbidding the practice. I’m interested to get your feedback as well, and I’ll share a few of my thoughts on the subject.

Here’s a copy of my original Wise Bread post:

My wife and I went somewhere last weekend we had not been in a long, long time - a movie theater! I hit the boxed-candy-for-a-dollar section at a nearby Target and picked up a couple boxes of our favorites to “sneak in” the theater. My wife said I was a cheapskate.

Normally, I would thank her for the compliment, but this time her comment had me thinking. Is sneaking in candy to a theater being cheap, or being frugal? I don’t normally think of myself as being cheap, but in this case maybe she’s right. But $3.00 for a box of M&Ms?!

After giving this scenario some thought I’ve come to the conclusion that sneaking candy into theaters is cheap, and possibly dishonest. After all, concessions seem to be where most theaters make their money (along with a percentage from ticket sales). While bringing in your own candy may appear to be a smart frugal move, and it is admittedly much cheaper than buying from the concessions stand, the smarter move would be to simply skip the candy altogether. And if I just had to satisfy a sweet tooth I should suck it up and buy a box of $3.00 M&Ms from the theater.

Some of you are probably shaking your heads wondering how the “Frugal Dad” could come to such a conclusion. Well, maybe it is the eternal capitalist in me that sees that a business has the right to sell refreshments and request outside refreshments not be brought in. After all, if I don’t like that policy I can stay home. I also think this folds into my way of thinking - live frugal, but stop to smell the roses. In the grand scheme of things, a box or two of movie candy or a large tub of popcorn is really not going to make or break us. As long as we budget for the expense, and pay cash, there isn’t any reason why I can’t treat the family to a few splurges every now and then.

Ask the readers: So what’s your take on this issue, moviegoers?

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photo by Thinkcage

I originally titled this post, “75 Tips to Survive a Recession,” but since there is still some dispute from economists on whether or not we are actually in recession, I just stuck with the phrase, “down economy.” Regardless of how economists refer to it, people are hurting, financially. $4.00 a gallon gasoline, rising food prices, declining home values, and a deflating dollar are combining to make it tough to stick to a budget.

Here are a few ways our family is coping:

1. Switch to cloth napkins. I’m not sure why it took a down economy for this one to dawn on me, but cloth napkins are a great alternative to paper napkins, which increase waste and add to our non-food budget.
2. Just say no to social events, or agree to meet after dinner. Peer pressure can wreak havoc on your financial plans. It’s never fun to turn down a chance to go out with friends, but there are ways to say yes without spending a fortune.
3. Scale back the cable. We’ve been living the last six months with only basic cable, and don’t miss any of the expanded cable channel offerings. Cable bill went down from $40 to $12 with this move alone.
4. Look for a value internet package. While I was scaling back on cable service I asked our cable provider for a cheaper rate on internet service. They told me about a little-advertised “value package” which costs half the normal monthly rate for reduced speed. Since I mostly surf the web and check email I barely notice, but I saved about $20 a month on our internet service.
5. Hang up the land line telephone. If most of your calls are to other cell users in the same network, consider canceling the land line and using a cell phone exclusively.
6. Have a no-spend weekend. Sometimes it takes a break in the routine to get spending under control. Try to go an entire weekend without eating out, shopping, or ordering something online. It won’t solve all your spending problems, but it’s a start.
7. Carpool a few times a week. Take turns carpooling with a coworker, especially if they live close to you. Pick them up and take them home this week, and next week allow them to return the favor. You’ll both cut your driving time in half.
8. Check your vehicle’s tire pressure each time you fill up. Things like under-inflated tires and dirty air filters can reduce your gas mileage. Pick up an inexpensive tire gauge and check the pressure while filling up.
9. Change your driving habits to save on gas expenses. Cut out “jackrabbit” starts and heavy braking.
10. Do not buy new cars - Buy a used car, and drive it until the wheels fall off. My grandfather has driven two vehicles in 34 years! Sam Walton drove a twenty year-old pickup truck right up until the time he died. Don’t tell me it can’t be done. Remember, a new car is “used” the minute you drive it off the showroom floor.
11. Consolidate errands into one trip. If you have to get out try to consolidate all of your errands into one trip away from home, instead of driving back and forth several times from store to home.
12. Ride a bike for short commutes. I’m fortunate to live about 5 miles from my employer, so I occasionally commute by bike. If you happen to live close to stores, consider riding a bike for small errands. Take along a backpack, or put some panniers on your bike to carry things back home.
13. Unload the trunk, and remove unused cargo racks. Added weight in the trunk reduces gas mileage, as does the added wind drag from an unused cargo rack.
14. Wash your own car. Our town has one of those automated car washes and for $9.00 you can get “the works.” Essentially, it is a wash, wax and application of tire shine. I’m pretty sure I can do it for less. Better yet, employ the kids and let them earn a little extra money this summer.
15. Bank “found” money in a separate account. With any income above your normal earnings, bank the amount in a separate checking or savings account and use the money to pay down debt, build up savings, or offset increased expenses. Overtime, tax refunds (and stimulus checks), gifts and similar windfalls belong here.
16. Eat like a kid again. Eat off the same plates your kids eat off, which will force you to eat smaller portions. Your wallet and your waistline will thank you.
17. Drink tap water. I don’t have the inclination to run a cost comparison between an ounce of Coca Cola and an ounce of tap water, but I’m fairly confident tap water is infinitely cheaper.
18. Eat less meat. I’m about as far from vegetarian as you can get, but I recognize that my carnivorous habits cost me big at the grocery store. We’ve recently started having breakfast for dinner (eggs instead of meat), and substituting things like pinto beans (a great source of non-meat protein) in meals instead of meats.
19. Look for manager meat specials. When you do buy meat, check the manager’s specials area for meat that is about to pass the “sell by” date. The meat is still perfectly good, but freeze it immediately if you don’t plan on cooking within the next day or two.
20. Look for a used freezer to stock up on meat specials. Many times people relocating can’t take the extra chest freezer with them and advertise it on Craigslist or the local newspaper. If you can find a good used one stock it full of manager meat specials to reduce your food budget.
21. Don’t be afraid to buy generic. Forget brand loyalty when trying to save money. When we buy ketchup, we look for the lowest unit price, regardless of brand. Same with other foods and household supplies. There are a few exceptions, but for the most part generic items are just as good as name brands.
22. When in the store, look high and low for deals, literally. Marketers know that eye-level is the place most people tend to shop, so they put the items with the highest margins right in front of you. Better deals are usually found on lower shelves.
23. Cherry-pick coupon deals. Combine coupons with store sales to maximize savings. Our local Kroger store recently had mayonnaise 2/$4. We found a coupon for $0.50/1 that doubled to $1.00, so we picked up a mayo for $1.00. Don’t use a coupon to buy something you don’t need.
24. Supplement pet food with meat scraps. Quality dog food is expensive. To make ours last a little longer we occasionally skip the dog food and give our dog meat scraps. Avoid meats with sauces or spices as it can upset their stomach, and be sure to remove any bones. Plain beef, chicken and turkey make for a great treat for our dog.
25. Water down juices. When we open a new apple juice for our kids we pour up half in the old container and add about 1/4 - 1/2 container of water to each bottle. This makes each new bottle last a little longer, and dilutes the grams of sugar and calories per serving.
26. Shop at a farmers market for in-season produce. Few things taste as good as fresh fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, most of the produce you’ll find in a grocery store is grown elsewhere, particularly if it is out of season, locally. Figure out what’s in season and support local growers by visiting a farmers market.
27. Avoid using the oven during the summer. Ovens heat up a house faster than any other appliance, adding to the strain on air conditioner systems. Plan meals that don’t require baking, or bake in the late evening and microwave the next night.
28. When eating out, divide entrees in half and save the rest for a second meal. Ask for a to-go box as soon as your meal arrives and save half for tomorrow’s lunch. Restaurants are notorious for piling on portions, so this move will help you spread out the calories and cost of the meal.
29. Avoid pre-packaged foods. The little 100-calorie packs are convenient, but you can accomplish the same thing by buying a larger package of chips or cookies and then dividing into smaller portions using Ziploc bags. The unit cost savings are significant.
30. Grow your own vegetables. Unless you plan to dig up the entire yard to plant rows of food, you probably aren’t going to be able to grow enough to live off. However, a square foot garden can produce enough for some great summer salads without adding to your grocery bill.
31. Say no to fast food. Unless you hit the dollar menu exclusively, fast food can add up. Consider the cost of a combo meal for four people versus sandwiches, chips and drinks from home.
32. Properly insulate your home. Especially important in the summer and winter months, when the extreme temperatures outside can affect your temperature inside and cause utility bills to skyrocket.
33. Use a drying rack or line dry heavy clothing. Pick up a drying rack or install a clothesline to dry heavy garments and towels. When nearly dry, place items in dryer with a dryer sheet for just a few minutes to complete the drying cycle, remove wrinkles, and soften clothes.
34. Plant a tree next to your outside air conditioning unit. By shading your outside unit you may improve the operating efficiency of the overall system by 20%. Take care not to plant to close to the unit to maintain proper airflow.
35. Replace home air conditioner filter every month when in use. Manufacturers suggest changing your filter every 90 days, but I’ve found systems work better when changed once a month, especially in peak times like summer. Instead of picking up a top-of-the-line air filter, go for a medium grade filter and just buy more of them.
36. Switch to CFL lighting inside, and solar lighting outside. CFL bulbs use much less energy than incandescent bulbs, and give off less heat. Solar lights used to line pathways around your home run off a rechargeable battery that is charged up during the day by the sun, and lasts for several hours after dark.
37. Half the number of days your lawn is being watered. An established lawn doesn’t really need to be watered every day. In fact, daily watering can cause a shallow root system because grass roots don’t have to work hard to find water. Water once or twice a week, for a slightly longer duration and let Mother Nature help fill in the schedule with the occasional rain.
38. Use bathroom exhaust fan during showers and for 10 minutes after. Exhaust fans help carry moisture out of the bathroom from a hot shower. Don’t believe it? Run the exhaust fan during your next shower and notice how the mirrors don’t fog up.
39. Take a “Navy” shower. Get in, soap up, rinse off and get out. And put a low-flow showerhead on there while your at it.
40. Reuse bath towels. Sounds gross at first, but think about it - you are clean when you get out of the shower. Hang up towels after each use to thoroughly dry, and only add them to the dirty clothes pile after every three or four uses.
41. Don’t run water when shaving or brushing teeth. While shaving pull up the sink stopper and pool a little water in the sink for rinsing your razor.
42. Skip baths. Even though they are relaxing, baths require a lot of H20 and drive up your water bill. They also drain your home’s supply of hot water, forcing your hot water heater to replenish the supply, further adding to your utility costs.
43. Bathe your own pets. Skip the pet grooming salon, pickup some shampoo at a pet supply store and wash them yourself.
44. Skip the theater, subscribe to Netflix. Going to the movie theater is a great way to beat the heat, but it’s also expensive. Skip the theater, and sign up for an online DVD rental service. No late fees, and no gas used up traveling back and forth to the rental store.
45. Avoid stores. Stay out of stores unless you have a list (mental or otherwise) of specific things you need to buy. Shopping out of boredom leads to impulse buying and can quickly blow a budget.
46. Sunday paper only. Consider scaling back subscriptions such as newspapers to the bare minimum. If you are only going to get a paper once a week, opt for the Sunday paper, which usually includes coupons and weekly sales flyers from local grocery stores. Toss the other sales circulars - you may see something you want to buy!
47. Transfer existing debt using 0% balance transfer offers. If you have debt, make becoming debt free a top priority. Moving existing balances to 0% interest plans helps more of your payment go towards repaying the balance, and less towards interest. Beware of high upfront fees and go-to rates when considering your options.
48. Don’t renew the gym membership. Being healthy can save you money, but exorbitant fees and inflexible contracts make gyms a dangerous proposition. Take the money you would have spent at the gym and try to build one at home with used equipment.
49. Make your own Play-Doh. Kids can find many hours of enjoyment from a homemade play-doh recipe, and it’s a cheaper than buying it from the store.
50. Try a home haircut. Mine is pretty easy since I buzz it short all over. Guys, you will still need someone to help you with the neckline, unless you are good with mirrors.
51. Rediscover a local library. To replace the time previously spent watching television develop a reading habit, and support your local library while you are at it. Can’t find the book you are looking for? Don’t rush out and buy it. Many times libraries are networked and can request a copy of a book from another library.
52. Start your own “keep the change” program. Several banks are now running “keep the change” promotions where they round up your purchases and put the difference in a savings account. Problem is, these accounts don’t pay a great interest rate, and the program encourages increased spending. Create your own program by spending only cash and dumping the change in a coin jar. Make deposits into your own high-yielding savings account at the end of the month.
53. Put away the credit cards. Save cash for large purchases by creating a dedicated savings account specifically for the next item on your list. Make regular contributions to the savings account with each paycheck, and when the balance is high enough to pay for the item, pay for it with cash.
54. Ask creditors to lower your interest rate. Creditors are feeling the crunch, too, and they recognize it takes more money to find a new customer than to retain a current one. If you are a profitable customer (pay interest), call creditors and ask for a lower rate. Tell them about all the 0% transfer offers you’ve been shredding for your garden!
55. Divide credit card minimum payments in half and pay that amount twice a month. Interest is calculated based on the average daily balance of your account for the entire month. By making a payment every couple weeks you are reducing that average balance and therefore reducing the finance charges assessed, as opposed to waiting until the end of the month to make a single payment.
56. Don’t pay a dime for banking privileges. There are too many free checking options out there to pay one penny in fees for the right to write a check or use a debit card. Many banks and credit unions simply require direct deposit or a minimum number of debit card uses per month to qualify for fee-free accounts. If you can’t find one, try ING Direct.
57. Raise insurance deductibles. Assuming you have a proper emergency fund in place, raise deductibles on insurance policies. The difference in a $500 deductible and a $1,000 deductible on your car insurance policy can help reduce your monthly or semi-annual premiums.
58. Brown bag it. Can you believe how much a combo meal is at a fast food restaurant? And don’t get me started on dine-in restaurant tabs for lunch. You’re lucky to get out of there for less than $10-$12 including the tip. Multiply that times four or five times a week and we’re talking $200 added to your food budget each month.
59. Adjust your W-4 at work. The fastest way to give yourself a raise is to reduce the amount of taxes withheld from your paycheck. If you received a huge refund this year, increase the number of exemptions on your W-4 to reduce withholdings. Check the IRS website to calculate the number of exemptions required to break even.
60. Sign up for budget billing with utility company. This won’t necessarily save you money, but it certainly helps the budgeting process by smoothing out highs and lows in your utility bills. Most companies offer this “levelized billing” service after you have 12 months of history to compute an average.
61. Use shredded credit card invitations as mulch in the garden. What a great way to put junk mail to good use! Run the mail through a shredder and use the clippings to mulch around your garden.
62. Buy generic ink cartridges for your printer. Ever stopped to calculate the cost per gallon of printer ink? Me neither, but I hate when my printer runs out of ink because it seems impossible to spend less than $30 or $40 to replace the black and color cartridges. Check out a generic cartridge reseller. The quality of ink is comparable to manufacturer’s ink, and many offer a dollar or two off if you recycle the old cartridge.
63. Use a power strip to power down unused electronics. Electronics continue to use power even when they are turned off for LED displays, stop/start memory, etc. Reduce this “phantom power” drain by unplugging devices, or plugging them into a central power strip which can be powered down with the flip of a switch.
64. Figure out how to do things on your own, rather than paying an expert. This year I’ve managed to rescue a toy from the bottom of our guest bathroom toilet and unclog and empty an air conditioner drain line. With the help of the internet, or a good “how-to” book such as Save $20k With a Nail, you would be surprised how much you can do on your own and avoid expensive repair charges.
65. Find new uses for old things. Not long ago my car’s check engine oil light came on, and the dip stick revealed I was seriously low on oil. I found a new use for an old milk jug by cutting away the bottom half and using the remaining top as a funnel to reduce spillage. This saved me a trip to the auto supply store to buy a funnel.
66. Diversify your income. Look for ways to increase your income outside of your full time job. Do you have a hobby that you could make a small business? Could you spend some time working online surveys (many of these survey companies are scams, but the one I’ve linked is not. I’ve been a CashCrate member for over a year now)? Could you add some freelance work in the same line of work you do full time?
67. Cross train at work to make yourself more valuable. Make yourself more layoff-proof by taking on a new challenge, and adding to your skill set.
68. Look into 3-month supplies of prescriptions via mail order. Many employers now offer as part of the health insurance plan a 3-month mail order prescription plan. I only have one daily prescription for asthma/allergies, and the cost of a 30-day supply from a local pharmacy is $25. For the same cost, I can get a 90-day supply via mail-order.
69. Sign up for medical flexible spending account (FSA) at work. Estimate carefully as unused portions of FSAs are not refundable. At a minimum, account for the amount of your family’s health care plan deductibles plus any over-the-counter medical supplies you must purchase during the year. As an added bonus, FSA contributions are pre-tax, which lowers your taxable income for the year.
70. Quit smoking. Besides being an incredibly unhealthy habit, smoking is expensive! Many pack-a-day smoker could easily trim $200 from their budget by kicking the habit. If you can’t find any other motivation to quit, use finances.
71. Shop for clothes on eBay. Add”NWT” to your search query and find many clothing items listed as “new with tag.” These items can be purchased for a fraction of their retail cost.
72. Buy wrinkle-free clothes to avoid dry cleaning bill. I have a golden rule about clothing purchases. I don’t buy anything that requires ironing. In some cases this means I pay a little more for “wrinkle-free” materials, but I save in the long run on the time and money spent ironing or dry cleaning.
73. Look for kids clothes at yard sales and thrift shops. Kids have a way of outgrowing most of their clothes before they “out use” them. For this reason, many times you can find excellent buys on clothing at thrift shops and yard sales.
74. Look for furniture on Craigslist or Freecycle. Many times people buy a new sofa or coffee table and don’t have a way to get rid of the old one. They will list it on Craigslist for a reduced price, or on Freecycle for free in exchange for picking it up and hauling it off. If you need a piece of furniture, but are short on cash, check out one of these sites before even thinking of going to a furniture store.
75. Give IOUs and homemade coupons rather than expensive gifts. In tough times there is nothing wrong with a homemade card and an IOU as a substitute for expensive presents. One Valentine’s Day my wife gave me a decorative jar with little scraps of paper where she hand-wrote “50 Reasons Why I Love You.” It was one of the best gifts I’ve ever received, and cost less than $5.00 to make.

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Photo by respres

Do you ever sit down with your monthly budget and just feel “nickel and dimed” to death. $6.50 for the Sunday paper, $16.95 for TiVo, $35 for the gym membership, $7.50 for travel club insurance. None of these expenses are going to necessarily make or break your financial plan, but when added together they likely represent a sizable portion of your monthly budget. They do for me.

But I Can Afford the Payments

One of the reasons our society finds itself so deep in debt is we have a collective “monthly payment” mentality. Few people stop to think about the true costs of things these days; it’s all about whether or not they can afford the monthly payment. Same is true with our discretionary spending habits. If I asked you if you could afford $960 for cell phone service your response would probably be, “A month?!” When told that number is a yearly figure you would probably justify the expense by telling yourself it is only $80 a month. I made the same rationalization for many years. The problem is that over time $80 here and $20 there eventually start to add up, and in much the same way debt minimum payments eat away at your income, discretionary spending items begin to weigh down your financial plan. Each new membership, subscription or entertainment expense you take on requires a couple more hours of work to pay for each month. Pretty soon you are working an entire day or two out of the month just to pay for these optional expenses.

Offsetting New Expenses

One way to keep a lid on your discretionary spending is to draw a line in the sand representing your current total monthly outgo on non-housing, non-utility expenses. Once you’ve totaled up all expenses in this category make a note of this amount, and agree to never exceed it. Let’s say your discretionary recurring charges currently total $300 a month. You would really like to sign up for an online membership at $13.99 per month, but you can’t add to your $300 budget. Something has to give. You can either cancel an existing membership or subscription, or choose to skip the online membership for now. Whatever you decide, you can’t cross that established $300 a month budget.

A Real World Example

We have been mostly disappointed in cable television viewing options here lately. Few things seem appropriate for my kids, and even less are things I personally find entertaining. We agreed as a family to cut the expanded cable service down to a basic package, and use the $35 a month saved towards other discretionary expenses - things we’ve been interested in, but unable to do because our budget was maxed out. We decided to sign up for a basic Netflix membership for $8.99 per month. This way we can request the movies we want to see (the kids get to pick every other selection). With the remaining $25 we enjoy a once-a-month dinner out at our kids favorite pizza place. The $25 covers dinner for all of us (including a few leftovers) and a few dollars worth of tokens for games. By offsetting expenses we’ve managed to enjoy a pizza night out once a month and a few movies all with no net increase to our monthly budget.

photo by Darren Hester

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Yahoo ran an interesting article this morning indicating a rise in the number of survivalist communities cropping up around the country. I have been wondering myself how much of the recent energy crisis is causing people to do things like stockpile food and water, grow their own vegetables, etc. Could it be that there are many people out there stockpiling and their increased buying has caused food prices to increase? It’s an interesting theory, but I believe increased food prices have more to do with rising fuel prices as cost-to-market costs have increased and grocers are simply passing those increases along to the consumer. A recent stroll through the camping section of Wal-Mart did give me pause - what kinds of things are prudent to have on hand in the event of a worldwide shortage of food and/or fuel?

Survivalist in Training

I’ve been interested in survival stories since I was a kid, which is funny considering I grew up in a city. Maybe that’s why the idea of living off the land appealed to me. My grandfather and I frequently took camping trips along the Blue Ridge Parkway and around the Smoky Mountains. Looking back, some of the best times we had were when we stayed at campgrounds without electricity hookups, because it forced us to use what we had to get by. My grandfather was well-prepared with a camp stove and lanterns (which ran off propane), and when the sun went to bed we usually did along with it. We played cards for entertainment, and in the absence of televisions, games, etc. we shared many great conversations.

Survivalist in the Neighborhood

I have a neighbor who recently converted his entire side yard into a vegetable garden. I don’t know his motivation, but I couldn’t help but wonder if he was a sort of “urban survivalist,” planning to grow his own food to live off in an emergency. Maybe he is simply hedging against higher food prices. Either way, he is growing an impressive amount of food. We recently upsized our square foot garden into an in-ground garden in our backyard. By no means could we live off the harvest at this point, but we may have a few veggies to supplement summer salads. Perhaps I need to follow my neighbor’s trend, and borrow his tiller!

Survival Gear

Having a few basic necessities on hand makes a lot of sense, not only in the face of recession, but as a practical homeowner who at times may face natural disasters, power outages, etc. Within this post, I’m going to start a list of items to have on hand in the event of an emergency - sort of a home emergency kit. Over time, the list will grow much larger as I remember new items, or as readers share their lists with me. We keep our home emergency kit in an old school backpack (the contents are stored in gallon-sized Ziploc bags to make them waterproof) and stored high in a closet. In the event of an emergency we could easily grab it and have all the smaller contents close by.

1. Gallon of water per person, per day of required survival. A general rule I’ve read from others is to keep about three gallons of water on hand per person. Hopefully, in a small scale disaster water treatment facilities could make necessary repairs of diversions to get water back online within a few days.
2. Water purification tablets. Pickup a few of these at a camping supply store. In the event you can’t generate heat and boil water these tablets may provide the only way to make drinking water safe.
3. Can opener. I sort of chuckled as I wrote this, because we always hear jokes of people being stranded with canned goods and no can opener. Think of all the things in your pantry - how would you open them without a can opener? I guess you could resort to smashing them against a sharp object, but save yourself some time and effort by picking up an inexpensive, manual can opener.
4. Weather radio. Just a couple weeks ago tornadoes ripped through the town just to our north, knocking out power, and taking several radio stations down. Without a battery-operated weather radio tuned to the NOAA emergency station you would have no way of knowing what was going on outside your home.
5. Spare container of propane for gas grills. Grilling out is kind of a luxury now, but in the event of losing power for several days it may be the only way to heat food.
6. Ramen noodles. A cheap way to store several days worth of carbs and necessary fats. Add a little water and you have a meal in a real crunch. Hey, if college kids can live off these things, you could in a pinch.
7. Gatorade. In a hot summer I can go through gallons of Gatorade when working outdoors. In an emergency situation, Gatorade can be a great way to replenish salts and electrolytes robbed by dehydration.
8. Waterproof matches. Along with a torch lighter or two, waterproof matches may be your best bet for lighting candles, fires or the grill mentioned above.
9. Whistle. Whistles are great to carry along on hikes because they can make a lot of noise without wasting a lot of energy. They are also good to keep at home in case of a structural collapse as a way of communicating with rescuers.
10. Swiss army knife. Many of these have multiple tools such as screw drivers, corkscrews and bottle opener, in addition to a variety of cutting tools.
11. Flashlights. Every home should have a few flashlights and spare batteries.
12. Gun and backup ammunition. Gun-control advocates won’t like this one, but I believe in our right to bear arms. Make them safe and out of reach of kids if you have them. In the event of a disaster you may be forced to defend your food and other supplies from those who failed to prepare wisely. It is a scary proposition, but unfortunately it is human nature - survival of the fittest.
13. First aid kit. Every home should have a well-stocked first aid kit. Most of the larger retail stores sell pre-packaged first aid kits, but you may find you can stock your own cheaper. I like to add to ours occasionally by picking up trial-size items at Wal-Mart or Target. It’s nice to toss a small bottle of aspirin or acetaminophen in the kit without having to buy 100 tablets in larger packaging.
14. Dust masks. I have a box of these on hand anyway to help fight allergies while mowing our lawn. They also offer protection from dust and debris in the event of a structural collapse. We all remember the images of 9/11 when the towers collapsed, spreading toxic dust hundreds of feet.
15. Prescriptions. It’s a good idea to never let everyday prescription supplies run low. Those taking medicines such as insulin or blood pressure medication should always keep a fresh supply on hand in the event they are unable to venture out for refills.
16. Hand sanitizer. Sanitizing wipes or squirt bottles are an effective way to clean hands before eating without using up precious drinking water. Again, keep out of the reach of children as sanitizers are toxic if ingested.
17. Vitamins. Vitamins may help supplement important nutrients missing from an emergency food diet, such as iron and potassium. For purposes of an emergency kit I recommend a bottle of generic Sam’s Club vitamins or similar because a large quantity can be purchased dirt cheap. Look for vitamins that can be halved and given to children making it unnecessary to purchase separate bottles.
18. Protein bars. Inexpensive way to store individually wrapped servings of protein.
19. Antibiotic cream. To ward off infection to cuts and scrapes.
20. Gallon Ziploc bags. We store the contents of our emergency kit in Ziploc bags, but we also store a few extras in case we need to separate things during an emergency, or to store opened food, etc.
21. Duct tape. Can be used to seal off windows and doors in the event of a biological attack. (submitted by Gretchen)
22. Surgical mask. Offers some protection against the spread of airborne biological agents. (submitted by Gretchen)
23. Books to read, a deck of cards, a travel game, and note book and pen. All good ways to pass the time if forced to “wait it out.” (submitted by Greg)
24. A wad of small bills, mostly ones and fives. Stores would soon run out of change and most vending machines only take small bills. (submitted by Greg)
25. Waterproof copies of legal documents.  Keep copies of birth certificates and other personal papers in a Ziploc bag. (submitted by Jenni)
26. Include a book about edible plants.  This is a great idea, and a topic I took great interest in when I first read the SAS Survival Handbook - in fact, I may just pick up a new copy of this excellent book and toss it in the pack. (submitted by lootsdw)
27. Stockpile seeds for your garden. (submitted by lootsdw)
28. Don’t forget pet food. I try to have an extra bag on hand for the dogs and when I’ve used up the current bag I rotate and go buy a new backup. Doggies need to eat too! (submitted by castocreations)
     

Be sure to rotate your stock of food, water, vitamins and prescriptions so that they are fresh and effective. Most canned goods can easily be stored up to one year, and most dried goods may be consumed up to six months from their purchase date. If no expiration date is present on items, label the date you added them to the emergency kit with a marker so you’ll know when it is time to replace them. I’m not advocating you rush out and buy all these things today (unless you are ready to make a significant investment), simply add a few items from the list to your grocery budget over the next few weeks and begin to build your own family emergency kit.

Ask the Readers: What kinds of things are in your home emergency kits? I’ll add new items to the list and make this a group project.

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photo by: ktylerconk

Additional Resources:

• Original Yahoo Article on Survivalists
• American Red Cross
• Department of Homeland Security Preparedness Checklist

Lynnae at BeingFrugal.net has been reviewing the book, (Not) Keeping Up with Our Parents. Her posts have caused some reflection on the early years of my own marriage when my wife and I struggled to keep up with others, to our financial detriment. We had some church friends that were in much better positions than we were, financially, and we wanted to match their lifestyles. The couples were a few years older than us, had been married longer than us, and in all but one instance had no kids. This allowed them some serious wealth-building time with two incomes without the costs associated with raising children.

photo by Jas & Suz

Apples and Oranges

Our situation, however, was much different. Our first child was born nearly two years into our marriage. That first year and a half our incomes were extremely low. I had just started working for a bank in a customer service call center, and my wife had trouble finding work after relocating to marry me. I think our first year of marriage we earned about $20,000 combined. The second year wasn’t much better as my wife’s pregnancy made it difficult for her to maintain employment and she came home about six months into her pregnancy. This loss in income affected us more than we realized at the time, and we failed to properly adjust to living on one income.

Who are You Trying to Impress?

Our friends had nice homes, drove nice cars and often bought the latest toys and gadgets you would expect the average DINKs (Double Income No Kids) to own. We were admittedly jealous of their situation and tried to keep up by leasing a new SUV, buying new clothes and falling for many of the same technology gadgets. I was still trying to impress my wife, and her family, and trying to prove I was a worthy provider. In fact, I was doing a pretty lousy job. I should have been spending more time living frugally, saving money and investing some of my income in retirement accounts to build for our future, and the future or our newborn daughter.

Treading Water

After we finally came to the realization that something had to change, the damage was done. I had accumulated some student loan debt in my first two years away at school, and even more school debt after returning to college in the evenings and online to continue my education. Looking back, I should have saved and paid cash for school rather than financing the majority of tuition and books on a Visa card, but at the time I was anxious to get finished and move up in my career and move on with my life. The college expenses, and the decision for my wife to remain a stay home mom, meant we would tread water, financially, for the majority of our twenties. The good news was we didn’t add much new debt, and as we both approached thirty we began to realize the lessons learned from living on one income had made us more frugal, more financially savvy, than we would have been otherwise. Who knows - without this wakeup call we may still be trying to keep up with those same friends.

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Many of us stay on the sidelines of saving and investing for our future because of a perceived lack of capital. I’ll be the first to admit when things are tight it seems unrealistic to even consider selecting a mutual fund to invest in. The idea of ramping up retirement contributions when you are living paycheck-to-paycheck is even more out of the question. What if I told you that you could increase the amount you invest each year by $1,500, painlessly. $1,500 a year in a decent mutual fund could appreciate to a significant amount over a working lifetime. Here are six painless ways our family has reduced our monthly expenses by $130 a month. Some may cause a temporary sting, but over the long haul you will barely notice.

Reduce cable service to basic channel offerings. The idea of canceling cable altogether strikes fear in most couch potatoes. A good compromise is to cut back to basic cable service. You’ll still receive your local cable channels and will be able to use a TiVo or DVR to record network television shows. Many cable providers offer this bare-bones package at $10-15 a month - compare that to what you are currently paying for 150 channels of things you barely watch. Monthly savings: $35

photo by reeveb

Skip the bookstores and hit the library. Before I started making an attempt to live more frugally, I frequently picked up a book or two at the local bookstore to the tune of $25-30 a month (this is a conservative estimate as newly released hardcovers typically cost much more). To satisfy my reading habit in a more frugal fashion I decided to visit a local library. I found the sections on personal finances, career development and personal productivity clustered in one area. I was in heaven! Monthly savings: $30

Carpool once a week. Based on last month’s gasoline charges we are spending about $190 a month on gas. That works out to roughly$6.33 a day on gas expenses (some days we spend a little more, and some days much, much less). By carpooling or finding another way to travel to and from work just one day a week we eliminate four days worth of gasoline expense per month. I’ve even taken to the idea of riding my bike home from work a few times a week to offset the costs associated with operating our second vehicle (and to lose some weight). Monthly savings: $25

Switch to value internet package. It is nearly impossible to function in today’s society without an internet connection. Gone are the days of cheap dial up access as broadband has just about taken over the internet access market. However, this doesn’t mean you have to pay an arm and a leg for the privilege of surfing the web. We found out our cable internet provider offered a “value” package at half the price of the normal high-speed cable internet package. We gave up some speed, but since I rarely download files or stream video it is barely noticeable. Monthly savings: $20

Lower your cell phone package minutes. Fortunately, many cell phone providers now offer in-network calling where you may call individuals on the same network for free, or a minimal flat monthly fee. Since most of our cell phone calls are between family, and we are all on the same network, we were able to drop our allocation of airtime minutes and save some on the monthly package. Be sure to analyze your calling patterns from the past several months (usually available online) before making such a move. It is costly if you go over your monthly limit on a new, reduced calling plan. Monthly savings: $15

Switch from baths to showers. This is a no-brainer for me because I gave up taking baths when I was a kid - something about sitting in dirty bathwater just doesn’t appeal to me! However, like most homes recently built ours is equipped with a garden tub with jets and my wife enjoys the occasional bath. And of course our kids both required baths until just recently. My oldest child has switched to showers, and my wife now takes baths with much less frequency. This small lifestyle change has netted us a small monthly savings on the water bill. A warning to other husbands and fathers out there - be prepared to be overruled here. It may not be worth $5 a month to start a family water battle, and there are other opportunities to save larger amounts. Choose your battles wisely! Monthly savings: $5

If you liked this article, please consider subscribing to Frugal Dad for free via RSS feed or email delivery.  Subscribers also receive my free eBook, The 7-Day Turnaround!