The Fun of Frugality

So the upside of frugality means I get to buy pretty things while still paying off a mortage and a very expensive dream car and enjoying the good things in life.  The downside of frugality means that because I indulged in more pretty things then expected last paycycle I have had to forgo store bought coffees and bought lunches for two weeks.

This hasnt been to bad, except for Friday when I really needed a store made coffee and had to make my own at work (sad face).  Buying coffee doesnt seem like a big deal, but say in one week I usually buy two plus a magazine to read on the bus, plus two lunches - well over two weeks that was the equivelent of my Sportsgirl haul.  So frugality is sometimes about sacrifices.  But sometimes its not and its really easy, sometimes easier than actually forking out the $$, some examples are:

• Quickflix, I have been a member for a couple of years and for $19.95 a month I get 8 dvds.  There are no late fees, BUT - you get sent two at a time and you have to return them to get sent another two (about two a week basically). they get mailed out to you with paid return envelopes  So if you dont get around to watching them - instead of either trying to hold on to them to watch them and racking up $20 late fees or returning them unwatched and wasting your $$, you just return them when you feel like - even if you end up only watching four its still a saving.  I cant rave about Quickflix enough, I always get the latest movies I have put in my delivery queue and I am not a big movie watcher but I get through the 8 a month. 
• Power bill, I unplug everything I dont use (apparantly even if you turn off at the wall it still sucks energy out?), that includes the tv at night.  In winter I try and rug up until I have to turn the heater on and in Summer I try to cool down before I have to turn the air con on, I hang my clothes on a clothes horse/clothes line instead of using the dryer and we just dont have a dishwasher.  I am actually looking at energy options for a dishwasher cause I hate washing dishes!!  We have halved our power bills in the last couple of years - halved!  Thats about a thousand dollars a year in savings.