Frugal Mania

I’ve admitted in the past to possessing a bit of a sweet tooth, but one sweet treat that continues to confuse me as it always has is the popcicle.

I’m not confused about the popcicle itself per se, but more to the point I can’t for the life of me understand why it is that anyone would ever buy one.  Maybe it is because of the accidental discovery of a Tupperware popcicle mold when I was a child and the subsequent pouring in and mixing of my favorite Kool Aid flavors that led to the creation of the perfect summer treats of the day, but I never found the store bought versions to contain nearly so much flavor.  And they were smaller, too.

One of the simplest sweet treats to make is the popcicle and yet so few people do it that it bewilders me.  Homemade popcicles can be made from nearly any sweet liquid, and because you are making it you can control how much sugar is contained in them.  In fact, you can make the entirely sugar free if the mood strikes.

Here are a few of my favorite homemade popcicle recipes for your enjoyment:

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Once upon a time, all people had to get themselves clean was a stream and a hearty chunk of homemade lye soap. We have come a long way since those days and the personal care / bath and body care aisle at the local store will back that statement up for me.

Since you are reading this, I’m going to go out on a limb and toss out the idea that you might not be either willing or able to pay for the latest European discoveries in skin rejuvenation. Even still there are people with special skin care needs or simply just those who want to make themselves feel pampered once in a while.

Is it possible to have frugal bath and body products that are actually budget friendly and still work well? The answer, my friends, is a resounding YES! (more…)

iphone could not be restored error 1604

I was about to cry.

I’m not an early adopter of technological greatness by any stretch, and the gift of an iPhone just weeks before the latest version was to be released didn’t change that. I wasn’t going to be one of those freaks standing in line at the Apple Store for two days to get the iPhone 3G.

I even wrote an article on a marketing web site two days before the release warning people to sync and back up their phones before trying to upgrade their iPhone software to v2.0 because part of the process would wipe everything stored on it.

And then yesterday came.

And I backed up my phone.

I downloaded the iPhone v2.0 update and I cried when I got the message "iphone could not be restored error 1604".

That was 6:01pm.

I tried everything I knew to do and was met with a refreshing variety of new errors:

iphone could not be restored error 1

iphone could not be restored error 6

iphone could not be restored error 2003

iphone could not be restored error 9

There are actually a few errors I neglected to write down as a matter of fact, but I am writing this because I want other people who had similar errors to learn from the seven and a half hours of work I put in to getting my phone restored and upgraded to iPhone v2.0.

Before you try anything else, if you are on a Windows machine, create a new user from the Control Panel:

Start > Settings > Control Panel > User Accounts

Start up the new user and go through the process with iTunes by opening iTunes with your iPhone in the cradle.

The reason this process works is because the new user fools the Apple servers into thinking that you don’t already have the update software and therefore downloads a fresh (and probably less buggy) copy.

Using this process starting as a new user on my computer, I was able to restore a bricked iPhone beginning at 1:02am and finishing at 1:31am.

More useful links on this topic:

Apple Support – Restore Error Messages

Worried that going frugal might change things too much for you?  Why not ease into things by learning to save big with just a few small changes?

Here are a few simple ways that you can save quite a bit of money over the course of a year by altering your lifestyle and behaviors only slightly and with a minimal impact on how you already live your life.

1.  Make absolutely sure that you pay each and every bill you receive by the date it is due.  Late fees and other associated penalties not only suck, they add up.  Would you not rather spend that extra five, ten or twenty dollars on groceries or put it into your savings account?  I know I would!

2.  If you have a dishwasher, you should probably use it.  I know that is possibly not what you would expect a frugal guy like me to say, but the majority of people waste a ton of water when they wash dishes.  If you aren’t the type who fills both sinks once and washes everything that way you are better off using the dishwasher and only then when it is full.

3.  Fix the damn sink!  Even a slow drip on a faucet can cause you to lose as much as a gallon of water every hour – most often it is even more than that!  Do I really need to do the math for you?

4.  If you are not using it, turn it off.  That goes not only for lights, but televisions, radios and even that precious home computer.  Electronics that are not in use can be unplugged for even more savings.

5.  If you have central air conditioning, get a programmable thermostat!  They don’t cost that much but you could save quite a bit by setting the temperature a little higher when the house is empty.  By raising the temperature a few degrees while you are at work you can realize a power bill savings as high as 10 percent or more!

If there is one thing I never seem to have a shortage of in my house, it is books.  They populate shelves and end tables, cabinets and boxes in the garage.  I think I even have some in my trunk as a matter of fact.

The other day I starting thinking about frugal uses for books - ways that I might be able to make use of some of the books that I have accumulated over the years that don’t seem to serve any purpose these days.  I’m not talking about the books that I read, or those that I may find useful for reference from time to time, I’m talking about those bulky hardback tomes that no longer serve any actual purpose (to me).

What follows are a few of the better ideas I came up with.

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Over the weekend, I had to make a visit to a local nursery.  I always enjoy my visits there because the people who work there actually know what they are talking about.  In other words, they are not your typical minimum wage earners who are just there for the paycheck, they are gardeners who love plants.

While finding what I was looking for (citronella plants), I enlisted the assistance of one of these employees.  During our conversation I shared with her that when I worked in a Florida nursery many years ago and my favorite thing to do was to fill my car with the throw-away plants – that is, the plants that are either so sickly or pot-bound that the owners don’t feel them worth bothering with – and take them home to my plant hospital.

The sweet lady’s eyes lit up as she said “come with me”.  I followed only to be led to a cart in the far corner of the lot that was full of vegetable plants destined for the compost pile.  She told me that I could have anything I wanted for free.  Free is my favorite frugal word!

I jumped for joy when I saw two tired-looking heirloom tomato plants called “Mortgage Lifters”.  Early in the season I wrote an article on the history of this beautiful heirloom tomato plant at another site I write for.  You can read that article here.

Now these two plants were tall, dry and anemic but I couldn’t turn them down because I lost all of my heirloom tomatoes (that I started from seed) because of a recent and abrupt move.  They quickly took their place along my back fence and will be treated to regular watering by the automatic sprinkler as well as frequent treats of lake water as needed.

I’m not sure how long it will take them to produce given the late start in life they are getting.  For that matter I am not entirely sure they will produce at all.  I just couldn’t bear to allow these two history-rich tomato plants to go gently into that good night.

As mentioned previously I recently returned from a few days on vacation.  I splurged (not a word you will see in my vocabulary very often) and went to New Orleans, a place I have always wanted to spend some time but never seemed to get around to it until this week.

On day one I was escorted in the 9th Ward so I could get a handle on the current state of affairs for myself.  I needed a visual that was untainted by the news; something I could see and touch and something that would be more real than images on a screen.

I got it.

Despite ongoing daily construction (and reconstruction), the entire area still bears all the telltale marks of the devastation.  The images that follow are all taken in the past few days by me, and my time in the 9th Ward proved to be the most poignant and intensely memorable of the entire vacation.

As a result, the post beyond this link is slightly image-intense.

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I’ve been quiet about this for far too long and it is time to not only toot my own horn (which sounds much dirtier than it is, by the way) but to share another wonderful frugal blog with all of my lovely frugal maniacs here at FM.

Over the past few weeks I’d noticed some incoming traffic from a blog on MSN that is written by Donna Freedman and Karen Datko. Smart Spending is full of great info that isn’t necessarily frugal-specific but it has tons of really useful tips and ideas that are frugal by extension.

The writing style brings the info to their readers in a handy and easy to read format and I haven’t told them yet that I’m going to start stealing some ideas from their uncanny methods for summarizing. I tend to have a problem with that quite a bit - tend to get long winded at times.

I know this surprises all of you who see me as the perfect example of a human being to which we should all aspire to become…

We Internet writers share a kinship no matter how much we may differ in our topics, but when I saw the introduction video that is linked to from Donna’s blog, I knew she was one lady I wish lived next door. Suffice it to say that when I make it back Westward one of these days soon, Donna Freedman and I are going to have to meet!

Check out Donna and Karen and their wonderful blog Smart Money @ MSN Money, tell ‘em you read about ‘em on Frugal Mania and that Michael wants to meet them for coffee one day soon!

If you hadn’t noticed folks, I’m running a bit behind these days, but with good reason. I have recently moved, had to deal with my mother being in town (not as bad as that may sound - she works out of town for weeks at a time), and had to do some legal running around for a friend in need.

Oh, and in two days I will be leaving for North Carolina where I will surprise my father for Father’s Day - the first time we have seen each other in 18 years.

It means I have also been remiss in sharing with you the current week’s Festival of Frugality, #128 in the weekly series. The Festival of Frugality is hosted at No Debt Plan this week. Head on over and check it out.

On regular days, No Debt Plan writes about helping you get and stay out of debt. I strongly recommend his RSS feed if that is a topic that interests you. And if that isn’t a topic that interests you then when they heck are you even reading this? Do you just love me that much?

Here are my personal picks from this week’s edition, though all of them deserve some kudos:

• Budgets are Sexy, “10 Reasons to be “cool” and make your own cards”. What, would you rather give your cash to Hallmark?
• FIRE Finance has a great piece on generic drugs that you really should read.
• “Do you notice frugality?” from Mighty Bargain Hunter gets the ‘it made me think’ award for the week.

Hope you’re have a great week! I promise to do better about not leaving you to wander the unfrugal life without my expert (if overbearing) guidance.

Have you ever noticed how many aspects of frugal living used to be considered just plain common sense?

At its very essence, frugality is the act of being a better steward of what you have whatever form it may take. That means that if you can use coupons (remember, they are free money) to spend less at the store, you do it.
That means if your clothes can be mended, it makes more sense (and cents) than tossing them in the trash (Hello…landfills, anyone?). That means if you do not need it, you spend time deciding how much you want it before making an impulse buy that may negatively affect your budget.

Isn’t that common sense? Maybe I was just raised differently, but it certainly looks that way to me.

In a day and age where people are working harder and bringing home less money, when family size is increasing and so is the size of the average mortgage payment (not to mention the skyrocketing numbers of home foreclosures in this year alone), I would like to issue a challenge to anyone who doubts the benefits of frugal living.

Give me thirty days. That’s it. One month of your time and I guarantee I can change your mind.

During your thirty days you should meet the following requirements to the best of your ability:

1. Do not make any extraneous or impulse purchases at all.
This is tougher than it may seem on the surface, because it includes everything from big screen televisions to buying a snack from the vending machine at work.

2. Make a shopping list and stick to it.
This is the toughest part to do for most people, but it is necessary in order for you to understand everything that you purchase on an average shopping trip that isn’t on your list.

Plan a menu for the week, make a list of any ingredients you need to purchase and purchase only those items.
3. Don’t eat out.
Okay, I know this one is going to drive the majority of you away right off the bat, so I am going to compromise a little – but only a little. You can eat at a restaurant once a week, but keep it to once and no more than that. This is where more money is wasted than anywhere else in the average budget.

4. Wash your own clothes.
If the clothes don’t say “Dry Clean Only”, they can be washed in your machine at home. Get out the iron and do a little back-and-forth once a week. Be strong, you can do it.

5. Save it.
Every time you avoid purchasing something that you would have done ordinarily, put that money in a jar (keep it separate!). Every soda you don’t buy, every snack you bring from home, every meal you don’t eat from the drive-thru, put that money in the jar.

At the end of the thirty days, count the money you have saved and tell me then that being frugal doesn’t make sense.

Is it possible to have a great day without spending any money? You bet it is.

Here are five excellent ideas for a money free day:

Cabinet Pot Luck
This one can be a challenge, but here’s how it works: Look through the cabinets and the freezer and make a list of what you have on hand. The challenge is that you must create a meal using only what you have in your possession. It helps if you have a garden, but you should have one of those anyway.

Write actual Letters
We have become so lazy as a society. There was a time not too long ago when the art of letter writing was involved and important – and never once included “OMG” or “LOL”. Sure, sending a letter through the mail is a lot more expensive than it once was, and this is supposed to be about being frugal, and email is free, but there are some times when you need to do the write thing (get it? The write thing? Sometimes I just kill myself)

Organize a Yard Sale
Here’s a tip that can not only save you from spending, it can make you some serious bucks. To put together a sale, spend a few days beforehand going through items and making signs.

Volunteer
This is very near and dear to me. I cannot tell you how important I believe volunteerism to be, and I don’t care how busy you are, you can set aside a few hours once a month to give back to those less fortunate than you. We may not have a lot of money but there are those who have none at all.

Community Education
Check the bulletin boards at your local community center or public library for educational opportunities that appeal to you. You may find a free yoga class, a public talk on gardening, cooking, just about anything.

At least once a day I receive an email from someone asking why I am frugal. Here is the most recent:

Michael,
You live in the greatest country in the world, you make a living, you even have health insurance according to what I have read on your website and you still don’t seem to appreciate what you’ve got. What gives? So the cost of gas is up. We’re at war. It happens. Do you really need to seem to ungreatful? It would seem sir, that you need a reality check.

A.G. in Virginia

Needless to say, I seriously felt that a response was not just warranted but called for. So I did:

A.G.,
First, I want to thank you for the time you spent to share your thoughts and opinions with me. For every response I get there are at least 100 people who can’t even be bothered to do what you did and for that I do offer my appreciation. Now to answer your question:

A report on CNN today revealed that consumer spending was the lowest in the first quarter of 2008 since the previous recession. Not a startling or surprising revelation to be sure, and yet it does illustrate the problems of everyday people here in the United States.

Regardless of how the current administration wishes to spin it, the average person is in a financial bind now more than ever and I can feel the pinch in my own home and every time I have to drive to the supermarket.

The Social Security Administration has been quoted as saying that as many as 85 out of 100 Americans who reach the retirement age of 65 will do so with less than $250 in the bank. Our senior citizens (who survived the Great Depression, I’d like to add) are now faced with the very real prospect of being forced to ration the medications that keep them alive and healthy and even go without other necessities like food and even heat in the winter months just to be able to afford to live.

Sure, I have health care coverage right now, but I haven’t been able to afford the extra $15 it would take for a visit to the doctor, much less the cost of any prescriptions that may be called for. I am quite appreciative of everything I do have and I don’t want to be a part of these statistics. I don’t want to reach retirement age with no money, when the time comes for me to retire and relax I want to spend my days doing what I want to do - relaxing - instead of worrying if I can afford to buy food or pay my bills.

If that isn’t enough of a downer, check out this article that tells the story of a man who has been evicted after paying $30,000 for his rental home, because the home he is living in is being foreclosed on. The landlord, it seems, has not paid the mortgage since he moved in last August and though the renter has paid what was due regularly, he is soon to be homeless and without the security deposit of nearly $8,000 that he paid when he took possession of the property.

I am a renter. This could happen to me. Need I say more on that subject?

And to think, people ask me why I am obsessed with frugal living and teaching other people to live on less and be happy at the same time. The news is grim, and it is up to each and every one of us to find joy in everyday life. Despite the people who are against what I stand for, I have found that joy. I live a reasonably comfortable and happy life even though the average price of gas is higher than ever and shows no signs of going down this year.

You ask me why am I frugal? The real question you should ask yourself is why are you not.

In closing, I want to tell you that I have attached to image files to this email and I have a question for you about them. Which would you want to see when you retire?

Kind regards,
Michael Nolan

The images I attached to that email are shown below. I’m pretty sure I won’t get a response. What do you folks think?

You may have never really thought about it before, but if you have to pay a water bill, there are several ways that you can decrease your dependence on “the man” without sacrificing your current water usage. In other words, it is entirely painless to do.

Convinced yet? Well read on to find out several ways to save money on your water bill.

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Fuel prices are at record highs, and seem to be increasing every day. Even the solution originally touted as our savior from dependency on “Big Oil” - corn-based ethanol - has caused its own predicaments:

1. The demand for corn has caused many farmers to stop growing crops they may have grown for generations in favor of the highly sought out corn, which makes other produce (like tomatoes) harder to get. End result - the price of produce goes up.

2. The demand for corn for ethanol has made it more expensive for livestock farmers to purchase feed for their animals. End result - the price of meat goes up.

3. The cost of fuel is so high that it has an effect on the cost of all goods that must be transported. End result - the price of everything goes up.

So what’s the solution? Well I don’t claim to be a biochemist with the next great fuel alternative. There are plenty of people with degrees and the salaries to come up with those. Instead, I propose that you grow your own corn. Yeah, corn.

A packet of corn seeds can be purchased for as little as a few cents (I bought mine this year for 30 cents), and can yield plenty of corn for you and your family. It is the perfect time in many planting zones to put those seeds in the ground, too. All you need is about four to five square feet of ground, which is a small price to pay for such a delicious reward!

It is best to plant corn about 12 inches apart. I generally plant four corn plants in each of three rows. This gives me twelve corn stalks that provide fresh cobs of joy that just beg to be tasted. The extra benefit is that they will add some additional temporary privacy, and at the end of the season, the stalks can be cut, dried and used as yard decorations for the fall.

Here are a couple of great links on growing corn:

“How To Grown Corn” on eHow
“Watch Your Garden Grow” by University of Illinois Extension

Give it a try! At worst, you are out a few cents. At best, you will have fresh corn for the summer, save lots of money and eat more fresh, produce that you grew yourself. What could be more frugal than that?

“Clouds and Corn” photo by Dani Simmonds, used with permission.

In an effort to share the most frugal information possible in the shortest amount of time (yeah, I’m frugal with that too!), Fridays will henceforth be known as Frugal Fridays, and they will feature my Week in Review. Each week on Fridays here at Frugal Mania, I will share with you the best tips, tricks and ideas from frugal maniacs all over the web.

Festival of Frugality
This week’s festival #125 is hosted by Quest for Four Pillars, and is entitled “Save Some Money If You Are Rich”. It is entirely worth the click if for no other reason than to see the French maid. That’s all I’m sayin’ about that.

The Fine Art of Haggling
Sharon aka The Frugal Dutchess shared a great primer on haggling to get the best deals. Not at yard sales, but at department stores! I can’t wait to try some of these.

Frugal and Green
The Frugal Babe shares ways to be frugal and help save the environment at the same time.

CVS Extra Care Bucks
I can’t tell you how much of a relief it was for me to find Living Almost Large and her post “CVS Extra Care Bucks Explained”. If you shop at CVS, you’ll like it too.

Coffee Grounds
The beautiful Sara Noel of Frugal Village shares several ways to make productive use of that muddy mess left over after you finish your morning pot cup of coffee. There are several ideas here that I had never imagined, and I think about coffee a lot!

That’s it for this week’s Frugal Friday! If you have a frugal tip or a frugal website you’d like to see featured at Frugal Mania, leave me a comment!