The purpose of frugality is to save money in some areas of your life so that you can live the life you want. What are your goals in life? If you want to travel, travel. If you want an iPhone, get an iPhone. If you want to learn to fly, learn to fly. If you want to buy a house in 5 years, save! I want to retire pretty early and build a house, so I am saving/investing a large portion of my income like you.

It sounds like you've got this Frugality thing down pretty well, so here are some Personal Finance basics:

1. Start an emergency fund in a new savings account with 3-12 months of expenses. Don't touch this unless there is an emergency (job loss, car repairs, etc.). This will keep you from acquiring any debt and allows you to be bold with your savings/investment and other life goals.
   
   
2. Take advantage of any/all tax-advantaged investment vehicles that Australia offers. (American equivalents would be 401Ks, Roth IRAs, etc.)
   
   
3. If you've made it this far, all you have left to do is live your life. You're making all the right decisions, so do what you want. Save for a house or a car, start a family, give to charity, take time off from work, travel, etc.
   
   
4. If you don't know what you want, continue to save, save, save so when you DO find out you can do what you want. If you can max your retirement accounts every year, you'll be well on your way to financial security. But those are your retirement savings, and you won't be able to utilize them for a while. So your best bet is to save and invest a large portion of your remaining income - this will ensure that you will not have to take on any additional debt and can save thousands if not hundreds of thousands along the way (think paying cash for a house vs. a 30 year mortgage)
   
   I would also start reading some about personal finance. It sounds like you might benefit by reading Your Money or Your Life - it's a good philosophical read for those that are thinking about a money/life balance. For a little motivation to keep up your frugality, try The Millionaire Next Door - It's pretty eye-opening and I recommend that to everyone regardless of their personal finance goals. For starters in investing, The Boglehead's Guide to Investing is great, and a lot of the information can be found free at the wiki.
   
   Good luck!

I am not a financial advisor or anything of the sort and this is all my opinion.

Before you do anything... READ.

This will take awhile to get comfortable with and organized but it will benefit you more then you can imagine. Being as young as you are and starting now is hugely beneficial. Please do this as it will benefit you for the rest of your life if your serious about it now.


I would recommend either (get it at your library)
Bogleheads Guide To Investing or Common Sense on Mutual Funds as an easy book to get started with. However, there are many others that can be just as good.

If you are serious you should not see an advisor. This is something you and almost everyone can do yourself.

Investing in index funds is the simplest and arguably the best way to save money. The books above explain this very well. Don't worry about stock picking or anything stressful as that is often a fools errand. Good investing is highly automated and only requires patience and persistence.

As for your questions.
Compound interest is not a type of account. It is the idea of earning interest on the interest you have already earned in the previous years.

What you should do is read, starting with the book mentioned above (get it at your library).

A Roth IRA is an investment vehicle for retirement, not any specific type of investment.
A Roth IRA is very practical and until you have a 401k(another type of investment vehicle) you should be putting all your money that you intent to save, up to $5,000 a year into it.
While as soon as you read retirement you may thing its not for you, starting to save now will put you incredibly far ahead of your peers during all parts of life.

Sorry to be so vague but the books I mention above will explain everything far better then I can here. As I said if you are at all serious PLEASE read one.

I'm kinda hijacking this thread but only because it's been several hours since you originally posted and I want to make sure you get this advice.

I want you to spend some money, but not much. We're talking $15 or less, you might be able to go used. You are going to take that money and buy a book called Your Money or Your Life. I struggled in my youth as well, I read everything I could on personal finance and investing and financial planning but it never clicked for me until I came across this book. Somehow I never made enough money to have any left over to save.

I have an older edition, so some of the reviews refer to material I have never read, but this is not the main point. The book will provide a way for you to frame your relationship with money and define your approach to managing it. It is a start-to-finish roadmap for how to get from where you are today to "financial independence", whatever that may mean to you.

Just to give you a taste, your "aha" moment will likely come once you calculate your true hourly wage as instructed and begin to examine your spending in that light. Your job likely requires more time than just the time you spend on the clock: you have to get ready, commute, work, commute some more, get home and spend some time unwinding before you move on to your life. All these hours are work-related, add them all up for a week (x 52 weeks). Now add all your work-related expenses--car maintenance, gas, haircuts, any special clothes or uniforms, lunches, what have you--and subtract this from your annual wage. Divide these numbers and you'll see what I mean by true hourly wage. These are the dollars you trade an hour of your life for, and each hour you spend at your job is an hour of your life you will never get back. Is it worth it? Going forward, examine every purchase you make and any expense you have and ask yourself, is it worth x many hours of your life?

This is just a small piece of what you will take away from this book. As a former banker and licensed investment rep, I recommend it as the single most important book a person could read to learn the fundamentals of money management. I consider it required reading. Hope this helps.

Edit: I'm curious, why the downvotes?

As someone who just switched from cartridge razors about a month ago:

>The first is it takes a lot more skill and effort to use the safety razor.

I couldn't disagree more. I was terrified at first, and was almost shocked at how easy it was to pick up. I nicked myself once, the very first time - and haven't seriously since. And really, that's why god invented styptic pencils.

>With the safety I might be able to shave the time down to 15 but it's still with much greater effort.

...I don't know how you're shaving that it takes you 15 minutes. I mean, if you're using a brush and everything - yeah, probably - but I don't currently have the money to invest in one, so I've been using regular old shaving cream from a can (I know, blasphemy. I'm sure I'll switch eventually - but seriously, it works just fine.)
You have to make shorter strokes than you would with a cartridge razor, but that's it. It takes maybe a minute longer - but not significantly so, or I wouldn't do it. ~5-7 minutes, max.

>Third thing is cutting yourself is more common but it's not just easier to do, you can also actually leave a scar if you haphazardly use it on your face or rush.

Again, I was terrified of this, and find this to be incredibly misleading. You can nick yourself, but you honestly would have to try pretty damn hard to cut yourself any worse than you could with a cartridge razor. Maybe if you, like, sliced it horizontally across your cheek or something, but why would you do that?

In addition, while it does have a higher intro price - from that point on, your blades are dirt cheap. I mean, seriously cheap. Like, 100 blades for ~$15 cheap, though when first starting, you should spend a little more and get a variety pack to see what blades work best for you. Even still, it pays for itself inside a month or two.

For anyone looking to switch - this is the one /r/wicked_edge recommended me, and I've loved it so far. I'd never switch back, because I honestly haven't found a single downside. Blades are cheap, shaving is quick and close, and most importantly to me - my face doesn't constantly hurt anymore. If you're prone to razor burn, a safety razor will change your life.

I did some research myself and concluded that a good boar brush was well-regarded and even recommended for lathering with hard shaving soaps, and a high-quality boar brush (e.g. by Omega) would still be about half the price of a decent badger brush, which itself would be better suited to lathering with softer shaving creams.

For a double-edge safety razor handle, you can often find perfectly good, old Gillettes for a song at antiques shops and eBay, but for new models I can recommend the recent Muhle or Edwin Jagger models, which both use the same, gentle but effective head design (if you have a really coarse, dense beard, get the open-comb design).

For a cheaper alternative to dip your toes into safety razors at lower cost and risk, the Feather Popular seems well-regarded as a gentle, quality razor handle for the price, and if you decide to upgrade to a nicer handle later, you can always keep this around as the travel razor you could stand to lose with trivial concern.

After researching blades, I splurged on a 100-ct carton of Astra Superior Platinums and couldn't be more satisfied; smooth and sharp (but not quite as dangerously sharp as the more expensive Feather brand), they seem to last about twice as long as the 10-pack for $1.50 on sale Kroger store-brand blades I'd started with.

FWIW, most of my pre-purchase research was done at the Badger & Blade forum's reviews section, just take care they don't tempt you into making this an expensive hobby!

Wet shaving is the cheapest way shave I have ever found, and the best shave I have ever gotten. I shave every other day and get a "5 o'clock shadow" around mid-afternoon the second day. This has been better for my skin too.

Depending on how fast you go through blades, it can be pretty cheap. I use these blades as they have the best quality-to-cost ratio I have found - Shark Super Chrome

Invest in a good badger hair brush - it will last you years if you take care of it. It really does make a difference and will allow you to use better, cheaper soap than any foam you can get in a can.

For soap, I am a big fan of Taylor of Old Bond Street. A $15 tub will last me 1-2 years (a little bit goes a long way!) I dab a finger in to the tub and put it in to a cup that I use to froth with my brush.

From a brief description here, it doesn't sound frugal. But I buy blades every ~18 months and soap every ~24 months... I use a Merkur DES handle I bought years ago for $30, and buy a brush every few years. I would say my annual costs are less than $20. Cheaper than any other method I have used while having better shaves and less irritation.

I'm in a similar situation. Here's some of the stuff I'm doing:

I just bought a bunch of these - shrink film window insulators. I'm in a new apartment this winter and I'm in a colder climate than I'm used to, so hopefully they'll work. My brother uses them and he says they work really well. It makes sense that they would, since air is a great insulator. And buy insulating (or at least very thick) curtains. During the day when the sun is out, keep them open to get warmth in (on windows that are facing the sun), but at night shut them to keep out the cold.

Other than that, try to find out where in your house the warm air is escaping. I found out that my back door had about an inch-wide crack along the top that I stuffed with brown packing paper, which helped a lot. If there are any rooms you don't use that often, close them off as best as you can - seal off the window, shut the door and put a door runner along the bottom to keep all the cold air out and the warm air in. You want to be trying to heat as small of an area as possible.

You can also try to replicate a Japanese kotatsu if you have a low table and a heater that is low to the ground. I have a low coffee table I sit at, and I'm planning on getting a large blanket to imitate the general idea of a kotatsu with. The heater I use for my living room blows hot air out low to the ground, and a lot of it ends up under the coffee table anyway. I can sit at the table and keep my legs warm.

Also, as weird and lame as they are, I recommend a slanket. I know people make fun, but they're not at all the same as just having a bathrobe on backwards - they're much longer, much thicker, and they have hoods and pockets for your feet. You could try to make one but I don't think that would end up being more frugal, because the fabric would be expensive. The one I have is a godsend, especially since I do a lot of work from home and it keeps me warm while I'm on my computer.

Finally, drink a lot of warm drinks. Always have a hot cup of coffee or tea in your hand. It will warm up your hands and your body. I think that the logic behind the "warm drinks actually make you colder" thing is that they make you sweat, but if you're cold enough that you aren't sweating at all from drinking them, you're retaining most of the heat. And get enough food! Your body burns calories to keep you warm, so this is not the time to restrict yourself.

Instead of paying to talk to a financial advisor, why not spend a little time and becoming your own?

I'm not talking about making a living of being one or doing it for others, but don't automatically assume that a financial advisor is what you need to go about investing your money. I highly recommend you read The Bogleheads Guide to Investing. It's an excellent book that'll discuss how you can go about investing your money without spending a lot of money in an easy to understand way.

Beyond that? Take a trip, indulge a bit in that new video game or watch that you've always wanted. Keep it frugal, but enjoy things in life. As I tell my penny-pincher grandfather... you can't take it with you. Congratulations and enjoy!

This next one is more for your husband. There is no reason to spend lots of money on shaving. If your husband is currently shaving with disposable razors or with a cartridge based system then he is probably wasting money.

For shaving get a double edged safety razor. I use a Merkur Long Handled Safety Razor. The razor blades are sold separately and this is where you save a lot of money. Getting both together is a really nice Christmas present.

The Shark Super Chrome razor blades cost $0.12 per blade. I go through maximum two blades per week. So that is less than a quarter each week for a really good razor.

Be forewarned. Safety razors are not for everyone. Some people don't like shaving with them.

Now the next part. Shaving foam. Shaving foam is expensive. If you use shaving soap and a badger brush instead you will save money. It takes a bit longer time to lather up the soap but the savings are worth it.

You don't have to get the safety razor and the shaving soap at the same time. I would get the razor first and see how your husband likes it.

There is also a subreddit for old school shaving called /r/wicked_edge that is really good. People there will be happy to answer any questions you have.

Amazon.

I recently bought a queen size, memory foam mattress (2 inches of mem foam and 10 inches of reg. foam). I have amazon prime so it shipped for free in 2 days. The mattress took a day to expand out of the packaging and it had a chemical smell for a little while but I was super happy with the purchase, I didn't have to go anywhere and talk to anyone to do it, and the mattress is super comfortable. I spent $517 and it was worth it.

Edit: Our mattress is on the floor and I can't tell the difference between that and having it on some sort of platform or frame. This is the one we bought. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003CT37L0/ref=oss_product

Some comparison math for those wanting to see the numbers right now:

All from Amazon.com, and the cheapest I could find at a decent quality...

• Gillette Fusion Pro Glide w/ Flex ball and two blade refills: $10.59
  
• Gillette Fusion razor blade refills, 12 count: $40.99
  
  __
  
  
• Merkur Long Handled Safety Razor w/ guard, w/ 1 platinum-coated double-edged razor: $29.85
  
• Personna Double-edged Razor Blades, 100 count: $14.54
  
  Already, the totals are: Fusion, $51.58 and the safety razor, $44.39.
  
  Now, let's shave.
  
  I'm not including cream or soap, since that's a preference for people, and can change prices drastically for what people use. Personally, I use absolutely nothing; water works just fine and I don't break out at all like I would if I applied some sort of substance on my face prior to scraping it off.
  
  We'll give Fusion the benefit of the doubt as well, by getting THREE shaves out of a single blade. The double-edged razors, we'll toss out after every shave (yup, double-edged or not, resharpened or not, one and done for this experiment). We're going to shave twice a week. That's 104 times a year (I wanted a figure close to 100, because I like that number).
  
  Fusion: One razor, 35 blades (three shaves per blade). That's three packs of replacement blades, totaling out to 38 blades including the two that come in the starter pack...$10.59 + ($40.99 x 3) = $133.56. You can go an additional nine shaves before having to buy another replacement pack.
  
  Safety razor: One razor, 104 blades (one shave per blade). That's two packs of replacement blades, totaling out to 201 blades including the one that comes in the starter pack...$29.85 + ($14.54 x 2) = $58.93. You can go an additional nine...ty-seven shaves before having to buy another replacement pack.
  
  The craziness is that even after giving as much home field advantage to Fusion as I could, they still cost over $70 for the first year. Realistically, you can get a lot more shaves out of the single-blade, double-edged razors which increase the longevity of a single replacement pack. If treated properly, one 100pk can last over three years. Those "moisture" strips on blades today last maybe a shave, and they're just about worthless afterwards; hairs constantly get stuck in between the blades and are difficult as fuck to remove, thus causing frustration or added swipes to get all the hairs off your face; and these added technologies like a swivel head, vibrating shaft, lubrication spitting spout, or rotating super ball does nothing differently than what you've already learned how to do with the contours of your own face and how the products treat your skin, rendering these features completely redundant.
  
  It's a no brainer.
  
  Edit: Oops, messed the links up. FIXED NOW!
  
  Edit edit: I just want to state that I am in now way shunning the use of the pro glide if it works for you. If you have found a way to increase the longevity of those blades, and you prefer them to any other blade, then by all means, continue to shave with what you like best. This price comparison is to show to those one the fence about trying a new method, or are searching for new methods to save a couple bucks, that there is an alternative. This formula is very basic, and doesn't contain all the variables that go with shaving (i.e. sharpening blades, the actual amount of shaves you can get from a single cartridge, a high quality durable electric pre-shave, hair growth and thickness). This is just to show that the single blade product at its most basic level is a much cheaper solution to shaving needs.

A few years back, I was unhappy at my position. When I told my boss I was resigning, he asked me why and I expressed my concerns, particularly with many of the tasks I was spending my time on. He suggested that if I didn't like doing them, then to stop and spend my time on the tasks that truly interested me. He also pointed out that the worst thing that could happen was that my employer would fire me and I was already prepared to quit.

While this advise wouldn't work for many situations, it was very timely for me, because I had been spending much of my time addressing areas that others in the organization should have been responsible for. With this advise, I completely changed my focus and began to enjoy my job. I ended up staying with the company for an additional 3 years and consider that time some of the most successful part of my career.

I know that it sounds cliche, but my big learning was that sometimes we make our own happiness and that happiness can be found right where we're at. In my case, I wasn't properly establishing boundaries and employees are always happy to move their work to someone else. Of course, sometimes we're just in a bad situation (or the wrong job) and need to move on.

My advise is to decide why you're unhappy and act accordingly. Is it because of the job? Or because your social life is lacking? If you decide it's work related, I would suggest having a conversation with your boss to discuss your concerns and put together a plan to make it better. Sometimes this works, and sometimes it doesn't. Again, the worst that can happen is that you decide it's time to move on.

And lastly, I would recommend reading Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominquez (http://www.amazon.com/Your-Money-Life-Transforming-Relationship/dp/0143115766/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320519091&sr=8-1). Not only is it a great book on frugality, but it also does a great job of putting work into context of our overall lives.

For me, the short answer is I spend less money.

The long answer, though, has to do with the YNAB method, reading some key financial books and ultimately changing the way I view money. Earlier this year my soon-to-be father-in-law gifted me The Millionaire Next Door. Then I read Your Money or Your Life. Those two books, combined with being so exhausted from living paycheck to paycheck, got me started down the path of actually really caring how I handled my money.

I had been using a basic spreadsheet to track income and expense but after finding YNAB, via Reddit of course, things just started to change. I stopped buying stupid shit I didn't need. I eliminated impulse buying. I stopped buying coffee and going out to eat a few times a week. Those little things add up. I saved for things I wanted instead of putting them on credit and paying for them later.

It sounds like you've got a lot of that under control already though. Like /u/ASK_IF_IM_PENGUIN said, it's the method. The four rules. You can absolutely incorporate those four rules into your existing spreadsheet and not pay a dime for the software. But the software they've developed is so goddamn good it just makes doing it myself so unappealing.

The other thing that helps is their support system. There is so much content available on YouTube. The podcast is awesome. You can even take their online courses for free.

Give the trial a go. You can use it fully featured for 34 days I think. There's a good chance it'll drop to $15 whenever the steam sale happens in a week or two. Pick it up then if you like it. If not, no harm!

My setup consists of Edwin Jagger's DE89L razor and Tweezerman's badger brush, both which consistently get great reviews on the shaving forums such as badgerandblade.com (mentioned by lou2ser). Getting these two alone will be saving you about $30 without sacrificing quality. (This is assuming you are buying new since getting a used razor would be even cheaper).

As for blades, the Merkur platinum blades are consistently good, but I never felt they were a good value at $0.50 to $0.71 a blade. There are other brands out there that will give you a better, smoother shave at a fraction of the cost. Although there will be great debate on what blades people prefer, my go to blade are the Astra platinums which you can get as low as $0.15 a blade.

What you should not leave out is the shave soap. If you are using the shaving cream from a can, that can add up quickly. By using shave soap which a decent puck can run between $2 - $6, it can last you for a year or more. Finally, you should wait on getting a stand since it is not really essential for getting a great shave.

edit:formatted the links

First, understand the mechanism by which your fridge cools itself in the first place. Whatever you do, make sure to maintain plenty of air flow.

Don't use foam or newspaper, as they'll collect bacteria.

Now, think about those water jugs. Gee, they keep things nice and cool, and resist temperature changes so much better than air, right?

When you open the door of the fridge, warm air gets in, and the water jugs absorb the heat, and then...

... and then the fridge cools the air some more, and the heat in the water gets absorbed back into the air... and the fridge then expends the same amount of energy to cool the air as it would have in the first place.

So all the water jug really does is it reduces the volume of warm outside air that can get into the fridge when you open it. Jugs full of air, or vacuum, or just keeping food in your fridge, would work just as well.

So cut down on empty space in your fridge, but keep plenty of airflow. Get a Kill-a-Watt and measure the "before" and "after" consumption of all your plug-in devices to verify that your efforts are really working.

If you don't see yourself saving more than the $23 bucks the Kill-a-Watt costs on Amazon, then don't bother.

If you don't keep your fridge full, sell it to whoever is willing to haul it out of there, and buy yourself a nice, modern, mini-fridge.

Just remember that having a full-sized fridge/freezer will save you plenty of money by keeping ingredients fresh and freezing bulk meals that you prepare yourself.

Look for government rebates on energy-efficient appliances. In fact, pore through the entirety of energysavers.gov if you're serious about this stuff.

Also, make sure that these energy projects are the most money-saving projects you can do for your time and effort right now. I'm guessing there is other low-hanging fruit you could attack to lower your costs, or increase your revenues [learn to think like an entrepreneur and seek out novel sources of additional income].

Agreed, rich dad blows. It's a complete joke along with most of the parents' book recs.

Edit: OP, in the spirit of being constructive I'm going to link you to one of my favorite investing books. It's written by one of the best contemporary value investors, Seth Klarman. Klarman, through his investment organization--The Baupost Group, has returned upwards of 20% annually for years. His 1991 book, "Margin of Safety", sells on Amazon and the like for $1500+.

Link to the Margin of Safety PDF

For a book about mutual funds you can do no better than "The Bogleheads Guide to Investing"

> FYI, I shave probably every other day and get 3-4 shaves out of each blade.

I finally figured out that I can get away with only shaving once a week.

I'm a slow beard-grower and it's mostly a goatee, so by the end of the week I have a nice, attractive, and even stubble like the ones that some men work to get the right balance of. I look best with either that stubble or fully shaved, from there my beard starts getting patchy until it's long, and then when it's long it just poofs out and goes everywhere.

I also can use a blade three times before I need to dispose of it.

SO, a single DE blade lasts me three weeks, which means if I ever get through all these sample blades I bought (I have a favorite so far, Shark Super Chrome), I can buy a pack of 100 for 16.99, that's 17 dollars for 300 weeks...

... in other words, seventeen dollars for six years. In fact, that investment is on a long enough time scale I'm wondering I shouldn't just buy a smaller pack because I don't know what my lifestyle will be like six years from now.

I'm copying and pasting a comment of mine from last week:

This mattress is amazing. I mention it every time someone needs a frugal mattress recommendation on here because I love it so much. It's the best sleep I've ever had for the price of a regular crappy mattress.
The BF and I have been sleeping on it for 10 months and I never have back pain, hardly ever wake up in the in the middle of the night (which I used to constantly on a regular mattress), and his tossing and turning does not shake the entire mattress.
It doesn't get hot as some people worry about either, and no permanent indentation so far. I am 150 lb and he is 180 lb, if that helps.
Plus it can be delivered straight to you, make sure you air it out!

You can get a full for $219 and I guarantee it will be way better than a $300 regular mattress. It is honestly the best mattress I have ever slept on.

I shave with a top of the line Edwin Jagger 89L that cost me something like $30 (& $10 for Badger brush and soap) due to the fact i have a dense wiry beard that goes in every direction that normal cartridge/disposable/electric shavers won't shift, especially on the neck area.

200 Derby blades (each giving 4 shaves on average), used every other day for $15 - gives me 5 years worth of blades!
All purchased from Amazon


Recently i forgot my shaving kit on a vacation trip, so I bought a cheapo Gilette double edged razor for $5, a tube of Ingram shaving Lather for $2.50 and a Boarbristle shaving brush for another $3) at a local drugstore.

I had an unopened pack of Derby blades in my washbag, so i used them with the Gilette.

The results were as good, if not better than the top of the range luxury DE blade kit.

So it's down to shaving technique and blade quality - the cheapo razor, lather and brush (lather whipped up in a wide cappuccino mug)


If you're really budget conscious, and don't like the plasticky feel of the Gillette razor, try the Egyptian made Lord LP 8122 for around $5-10. This is a great metal razor, comparable to the high-end european metal EJ/Merkur models. The finish may not be as perfect as the chromed EJ/Merkur models, but that's only cosmetic and won't affect the performance


Derby or Astra are excellent budget razor blades.
I'd recommend badgerhair brushes over boar-hair, as it feels a lot nicer and doesn't get bent out of shape. Still whips up and applies the lather just as well.

For an outlay of $30, you too could be shaving with no additional costs for 2 years or more, depending on your beard growth.
($5 Lord LP 8122 + $15 Derby blades + $2.50 tube shaving soap + $5 badger-hair brush + $2 cappuccino mug)

As others have said, get away from the Gillette or cartridge razor system.

Get a cheap double-edge safety razor. Get one of these. It's a classic, easy, and reasonably priced option.

Then get some razor blades. Here's a good sampler set, and it should give you a good overview. Then, buy the one you like best. One of my favorites, the Astra Platinum Deluxe, is < 10 bucks for 100 blades. That'll last me a few years, since I only shave once a week, and use each blade twice.

Once you pay the money for the razor itself, the blades amortize to about 10c each, so you can easily have a new blade every week.

You can also get them from Amazon in 12 inch and 10 inch heights. I have the 12 inch and highly recommend it -- it's $430 right now for the queen. The only issue is you really want a topper for summer if you are a warm sleeper as it really insulates you. It is great during the winter.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003CT37L0/

I put it on top of an inexpensive (and maybe not frugal as not very durable in terms of finish) Ikea Malm frame:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S39849855/

And what I think is the key part -- the best support slats they have:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60125969/#/20125971

Having Costco deliver does sound very nice though. I had to haul mine up three flights of stairs and it was a workout.

I purchased that very same brush/soap/cup combo, and have been pretty happy with it, honestly. I also purchased a few cakes of colonel conk's soap, which I am happier with as a shave soap. The brush is not great, but it works just fine with a quality soapcake or any of the cream-style shave soaps out there. I might be purchasing the tweezerman badger brush soon, as I've read good things, and the price is pretty good.

You're saving some dollars, but your method isn't as efficient as 3M window plastic. I've used that stuff before and it's great. I'd rather spend a few extra bucks to get better heat retention, plus ya know, I enjoy being able to see out my windows and have that warm natural light come in. Since you aren't getting as much sunlight, how much extra are you using electric lights? In my opinion the 3M kit is the more frugal option.

I came here to say make your own coffee and meals, but sounds like you already figured that out. Stunning how much people spend on take-out coffee and food a month. Next up--making your own work lunches. My husband and I cook up larger batches of food than we need, specifically to put up single servings of lunches in the freezer. If you only double a recipe, you both have the next day's lunch, but you can save more cash and time by cooking larger crock pot meals. A surprising money saver for us was getting rid of disposable blade razors and buying a safety razor like this. That paid for itself in no time.

In order to use google voice to bypass the cost associated with traditional sms messaging on ting I use the following setup. My phone number is actually on google voice not on my ting account. Using the google voice app I'm able to send and receive calls and text messages using my google voice. People don't even know that my number is on google voice and not on ting. All text message are sent over the data connection or wifi. Although there are data charges the amount of data used for messaging is quite small. Since data is used to send messages you would lose the ability to send messages while roaming. Another advantage to this setup is that messages can go over wifi. This is useful if you (like me) are sometimes in a college basement and can't get a signal but you still have access to wifi.

Limitations:

-this only works with android phones

-you will lose the ability to message non traditional numbers (ex 464411)

-you can't send or receive MMS messages


Setup:

When you set up ting you should move your number to google voice not to ting. This cost $20 one time. If your not attached to your number google voice will assign you a new number for free.

Log into your google voice account and add a forwarding phone that is the number that is the number assigned to your ting phone. This is not your google voice number but the number listed in your ting account. When you do this it will place a test call to your ting phone for verification purposes. I would also recommend turning off call screening and enabling the spam filter.

Next download the google voice app and start the setup process. It's important to skip "sprint google voice integration" because your using ting and not sprint. However google voice can't tell that your a ting customer and not a sprint customer so it still prompts you. You should select the following options while setting up the app.

-use google voice to make all calls

-skip voice mail forwarding setup (this is not necessary since your call are already going through google voice)

Next you should log into your ting account and select the line that your are setting up google voice for. Select the following options.

-disable the ability to send and receive text messages

-disable voicemail

Another cool thing you can do now that you have your number on google voice is send and receive text messages in a web browser on your computer by going to voice.google.com If you make a lot of calls at home and have a reliable internet connection you can purchase an obitalk voip adapter. http://www.amazon.com/OBi100-Telephone-Adapter-Service-Bridge/dp/B004LO098O/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1376716249&sr=1-1&keywords=obi100

This allows you to make unlimited calls with your google voice numbers while at home using a traditional phone.

If you are making your boyfriend lunch every day, you need to take a look at bento boxes! It's a Japanese lunchbox. Usually it has rice, fresh veggies, eggs, noodles, chicken, sausages, or anything else you can imagine! I've even made sushi, dumplings and soup. I haven't made any in a couple years, but I used to make them for my wife. They are very healthy and filling and don't need heating.

They make special boxes if you want. However, a couple Tupperware containers will work fine. If you really get into it, you might find a thermos lunch jar.

You can try this book from Amazon. It's a good intro from an American perspective.

http://www.justbento.com/

http://www.aibento.net/

http://lunchinabox.net/recipes/

For getting started here's my recommendation:

Razor: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003A722RE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Blades: http://www.amazon.com/Astra-Platinum-Double-Safety-Blades/dp/B001QY8QXM/ref=pd_ys_sf_s_rp_a1_1_p?ie=UTF8&refRID=0VH05WKF6N17QPSV05SM

Rest of the kit: http://www.amazon.com/Van-Hagen-Premium-Shave-Brush/dp/B001A3HPT0/ref=pd_ys_sf_s_rp_a1_2_p?ie=UTF8&refRID=0VH05WKF6N17QPSV05SM

I've got a somewhat better brush than the one in the kit [(here's the one I'm using)] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003WR3QSG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1), but for the price you can't go wrong.

Brush and soap aren't required to use a double-edge razor, but I'd highly recommend it. You have full control over the consistency of your lather and it lasts a lot longer than any foam would. I bought a 8oz tub of Proraso back in the spring and I've yet to go through all of it.

If you have any specific questions /r/wicked_edge is a great sub for shaving enthusiasts.

One catch, their coverage isn't amazing. It's okay, but don't expect it to be as good as the more expensive carriers.
http://www.virginmobileusa.com/check-cell-phone-coverage

But their internet coverage is through Sprint, and you can make calls over the internet.

Heck technically if you have lots of access to wifi, you wouldn't even need a monthly plan at all.
http://kentsbike.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-swiss-army-knife-has-no-corkscrew.html

_

That said, me I'm currently on the $300 phone on the same plan.

Had it for about 2 weeks, and starting to finally get it to feel like it's configured right.

Hit me up for any questions if you want to know what's good to install.
That or http://reddit.com/r/android

___

Another nice option would be to have a cheap Trac Phone, and one of these, and then route all your calls through a Google Voice number (Such that all incoming calls ring both devices).

• http://www.tracfone.com/
  
• http://www.amazon.com/OBi110-Service-Bridge-Telephone-Adapter/dp/B0045RMEPI
  
• https://www.google.com/voice?pli=1
  
  And then only use up your mobile minutes while you are away from home.

I've been using that very model for two years—it's on sale on Amazon right now for US$20 link.

I keep my hair in a mohawk, so the sides are close (#1) and I trim the center with the longer guides and scissors. It works really well, and I'm saving at least $10-15 a month on haircuts—usually closer to 40, because female hair is somehow inherently more expensive to style. WHATEVS.

My boyfriend likes short back and sides, which we do by buzzing those parts (#3) and trimming the rest by hand. It's doable yourself with a hand mirror and practice, but you can ask a special friend to touch things up once in a while.

For my son's school lunches, I bought a food thermos from amazon. It keeps the food piping hot for many hours. This is a great way to send soups, ramen, pasta, stew, etc. The thermos has been amazing, I'm very happy with it, plus it comes with a sturdy foldable spoon in the lid.

I went with the Mekur model 180 long handled razor, with Proraso shaving soap. I also got a real badger brush after reading some reviews about how they were better than the synthetic kind.

I am really impressed with the Mekur. It's all metal and really easy to take apart and clean. I would definitely recommend the long-handled version though, because it's not all that long. But I have biggish hands, so that might just be me.

With the badger brush, well... I really like mine now. But when I took that thing out of the box the stank that it produced was prodigious. I soaked it for about two weeks alternately in vinegar and conditioner (both recommendations I found through google). Now it just smells like the shaving soap.

I usually shave after I get out of the shower, because it's easier for me. I fill up the sink with hot water and use that for wetting the brush and cleaning off the razor. Dip the brush to start out, and shake out some of the water. Too much water makes a really loose foam with the shaving soap. Cover however much of your leg you want with the soap (I do by sections, rather than the whole thing at once). Shave one or two passes with the razor, then rinse it. And repeat.

Be extra careful around knees and ankles because, as some of the other ladies have attested, you can cut yourself wicked bad. I have a couple of new scars to prove it. For those areas, you just have to go a little slower and pay attention to what you're doing.

It has definitely helped with my razor burn/bumps problems, in a big way. As an added bonus, my legs are also softer from using the shaving soap.

Male here. I cut my own hair with no assistance.

The first time was horrible. I tried it with a beard trimmer and ended up with a buzzcut.

The next time I watched several "do it yourself" videos on youtube, and got myself hair clippers. Seriously, watch 5 or so videos and you will learn enough basics to have an alright cut. All you need is a good clipper, a hand mirror, a wall mirror, scissors, and patience.

My personal style is #4 on the sides and back, #3 on the edges and around the temples, #5 on the back top half, and I cut the front half and with scissors to a length that is long enough to crop up. It comes out looking something like THIS. I am no where near that handsome mind you.

I've been cutting my hair for about 6 months now every two weeks. I've gotten good enough that I think I look better than when I got $16 cuts at Great Clips. I save around $300 a year. It takes me 10 minutes now to do a simple haircut. I love it.

i think your first step should be to try opening the curtains during the day so you can get some solar heat gain, and only closing them when the little one is sleeping. any heat gained during the day will help keep it warmer in there at night too. you can also look into using a window insulating film like this during the colder months to keep drafts out and keep the heat in.

as for a space heater, you could try to wall-mount one or put it on a high shelf so that it is well out of his reach. if there's a ceiling fan in the room, reverse it so it blows up and turn it on low to recirculate the heated air back down toward the floor.

as for having to close the door, is there a particular reason you want to keep kitty out?

You should consider a laser printer if you can. Brother makes some great printers, and if you only print B&W the toner will last you years and years.

Plus, it's magnitudes less expensive. I picked up my printer for $99 on sale, which is the current price on Amazon as of today:

http://www.amazon.com/Brother-HL-2270DW-Compact-Wireless-Networking/dp/B00450DVDY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375384864&sr=8-1&keywords=brother+hl-2270dw

It is wireless and prints in duplex, and is fast!

The "starter" toner (like 1/3 full?) it came with lasted for something like 3 years. I replaced it with a "full" toner cartridge and have been using it for another 3 years just fine.

Plus, if you go into the manual, there is a setting in the printer which you can disable which will allow the printer to keep printing even if the toner is low, unlike inkjet printers:

> Here is how you override this:

> Go into the printer control page for the printer on your network via a web browser. This will be whatever IP address your printer is on, for e.g. 192.168.1.x where x is the ip assigned by your network. Just type it into your address bar. For example, mine is http://192.168.0.100.

> Once in, choose "printer settings" - it will ask you for a user name and password, and Brother tells you on the page to use "user" and "access". If you cannot get in, use the "administrator access" and the password of "admin" and password "access".

> Then go down to where it says Replace Toner - right down at the bottom. Change the bullet from "stop" to "continue". Press the "submit" button. Exit from the whole thing.... and off you go, printing away merrily again.

I did a bit yeah. In another discussion on here(I forget which subreddit) this printer was highly recommended by several people, some of which said they only had to change the toner every couple years. If anyone is interested, it was $10 cheaper on Amazon yesterday.

I wanted the scanner/copier functionality so I did a bit more research and ended up buying this one which had similarly good reviews on Amazon and some other pages, though I didn't see it specifically mentioned on reddit. If anyone is interested, this printer was $20 more yesterday when I checked Amazon, but the OfficeDepot nearby had it for $130.

I could have kept my old all-in-one ink-jet for the scanner/copier and saved the $30, but I don't really have a good place for two printers and I can probably sell my old one to a co-worker for $20 or so anyway. My office uses an electronic bulletin board where the thousand of employees in the area buy and sell stuff cheaply on a regular basis.

____

Looks like my original response got eaten by the spam filter. I had originally used affiliate links to the Amazon pages(force of habit) but I guess frugal's filter doesn't like those. I've swapped out the links with non-affiliate versions.

This has been recommended before, and it was such a great idea I bookmarked it. If I could give proper credit I would, but Reddit's search function is the absolute most useless piece of garbage I've ever been subject to in 20 years of computing. I've owned more $1000-$2000 mattresses in my life than I'd genuinely care to admit, and this combination is more amazing than any of them:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003CT37L0/
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S39849855/#/S79849844

Congratz! I have a Merkur Long Handle one. Been shaving with the same razor handle since 2012. It's been very nice to me and my skin. I actually get less irritation as well. I buy a pack of 100 blades per year from Feather Blades. They cost me about $30 dollars total. That's less than what I would spend on TWO months of shaving. Hair clippers, hair trimmers, double edge safety razor and the savings add up quickly!!!

Bought my grandfather a DE razor as well, he loved it! He didn't know they still sold those. He was so happy! I buy him blades in packs of 100 or sometimes 200 to make the international shipping worth it.


http://www.amazon.com/Merkur-Long-Handled-Safety-Razor/dp/B000NL0T1G/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1425970089&sr=8-3&keywords=merkur

You'll want to look into larger packs like this.

With shipping it'll run around $20 / 100 blades; 20 cents per blade vs. 60 cents that you are paying. I'm sure you can do better than this as well if you look harder.

/i/FinnaGetDusted Double edge safety blades are definately going to be cheaper than disposable razors. Compare to something like this 6-pack of disposable razors for 5$, and it's going to be 1/5th the price.

If you're just getting into it and don't know if you should drop $100+ on a knife, you should try the Victorinox 8" Chef's Knife. It's the #1 best selling knife on Amazon, and for good reason. I have it and I love it.

If you're willing to make it rain, a lot of people suggest buying a Wusthof or a Shun

This is what you want. This is probably what everyone should use. Maybe painters tape would work better, though I suspect it will fail soon enough too, but I tried using painters plastic drop cloth and duct tape, lots of it, and it started to peal off in about a week.

I'd personally prefer the dropcloth as it's slightly cheaper (~5$ for probably 15-20 windows, plus the cost of tape) and more importantly I like that it's translucent as opposed to transparent. The kit I linked essentially looks like nothing is there at all if done right, you definitely won't have a problem with light.

For a landline alternative at home, the choice is unbelievably easy. OBi100 and absolutely any modern cordpess phone. The OBi100 requires no subscription fee, only the hardware purchase. It ties to Google Voice for incoming/outgoing calls.

Google Voice on a smart phone sucks. GrooveIP and Talkatone are half-duplex, so you get cross talk a lot. They also kill batteries fast. And their quality is just not good enough. But GV on a OBi100 with your cable Internet/ethernet, and the quality is fantastic.

By the way, for my setup, I use this Gigaset cordless phone. It is expensive, at over $100, but it allows up to 6 VoIP numbers to connect to it (and regular twisted pair phone line if you wanted), plus lots of other features. I have a toll-free number for my business and a Google Voice number that connect to it. It is pretty hardcore VoIP, so I don't recommend it to many people.

Also by the way, I use Callcentric for a $4/month toll free number (1-888)

This. A good chef's knife will do 90% of the tasks you need a knife for. A smaller paring knife will pretty much round out the rest of your cutting needs, unless you cut a lot of bread.

Honestly, I only had one chef's knife for a year and it did pretty much everything I needed to. Victorinox makes a decent knife for a reasonable price (it's available on Amazon), though my $6 knife from the Asian grocery has served me well.

I agree with /u/HisSelf. Wahl's clippers are relatively cheap and last awhile. I have this clipper set which is super nice, easy to clean, and it paid for itself after one use. You could even look into some of the more expensive versions, but Wahl's tends to be a good bet.

I have a Victorinox 40520 Fibrox 8-Inch Chef's Knife and a Victorinox 47508 3-1/4-Inch Paring Knife and I own a good sharpener...and I absolutely adore them. They're perfect.

Ive ditched the phone cord for a prepaid cell phone that I use on the go, and for most calls I use a Obi110 and Google Voice. (4 months ongoing now)

Its lets me route all my calls from GV into the Obi for free (at least until Google decides its time to charge for it). You can use a normal landline phone with the Obi, or configure it to just use a smartphone as your "landline" phone via wifi or even plug in your existing phone system into the device and have the option of either. Obi -> Obi calls are free and you can even (with permissions) dial another Obi device and use THAT phone system to make calls from.

Anyway, I probably use my cellphone for maybe 100 minutes a month and the rest of my phone use is at home. Pretty cheap and I don't feel limited by minutes. I also don't need to have a computer running 24/7 in order to recieve calls.

Full-tang construction is really not the only thing to look at, and the Victorinox knife has a better edge and blade geometry. Cooks Illustrated uses them in their test kitchen. Here is the actual highest-rated knife in their tests (the other one is apparently the consumer version, which is almost identical, but with a slightly different handle).

Personally, I'll take improved performance over slightly worsened durability.

Of course, I'd also recommend not using a pull-sharpener, and learning to sharpen knives properly, but, hey, to each his own. I own $150-200 knives (my primary chef's knife is a Hattori HD-7, and I've also got a Moritaka 165mm carbon nakkiri), so I'm a bit picky with how knives ought to be treated. :)

I really love the Tempur-pedic knockoff I got on Amazon. Plus, a 20-year warranty and eligible for Prime Shipping. I coupled this with an Instant Foundation and put it in a new king-size frame that I bought at a discount furniture store.

I'm quite happy with my purchase. The mattres and foundation, combined, were $775 (for a King set) when I bought it. I had the money available, but opened up an Amazon Credit Card at the time for an extra 10% off (or maybe it was $50? It was two years ago, tough to remember) and also bought Prime at the same time.

It's special film and it's very cheap at your home improvement store. It comes in a kit with tape and you stretch it with your hair dryer. It works great.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00002NCJI/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?pc_redir=T1

i got these for christmas and absolutely love them. the blades come in 20 boxes of 5 and i haven't used one box yet. best christmas present ever.

I was going to recommend the book The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing. I just finished reading it, and it really has changed my outlook on investing in general.

prozaconstilts pointed out The Boglehead's Guide to Retirement, which may be even better for your purposes, though I definitely recommend the book I linked.

Have you tried a good safety razor? You can get the blades for $10 per 100 so its cheap even if you only use each blade once. I shave my head and get a super close shave.

Merkur razor

Blades

The bottom one has an insulted, liquid proof.
Next highest is insulated, not liquid proof,
Then there is I think 2 more for the regular Mr. Bento, just simple tupperware.

Everything has lids. It's pretty awesome.

ETA: http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-Bento-Stainless-Steel-Lunch/dp/B000246GSE
(I realise it's not exactly frugal, but it is awesome, and explains in detail what is there)

I would suggest measuring the electricity consumption of your fridge. I suspect it's using less energy than you think. How many kWh is your monthly bill?

Steps to reduce the energy consumption of a fridge:

• Clean dust off the coils/fan in the back. An old sock works well.
  
  
• Test around the seal with a piece of paper. If it pulls out easily, replace the seal. Sometimes you can get away with just cleaning it.
  
  
• Move the fridge away from sources of heat (sunny windows, heaters, ovens). Keep the back a couple inches from the wall for airflow.
  
  
• You could always add insulation or other crazy stuff.
  
  Since you asked for refrigerator alternatives, here are a few:
  
  
• Root cellars. If you're storing fruits and vegetables only, this can be a good bet.
  
  
• Canning. It's possible that a friend/relative has old canning jars, and they're not expensive new. There's plenty of resources for this online, so I won't bore you.
  
  
• Dehydrate food. Electric dehydrators are cheap but use lots of power. You can make a solar dehydrator for basically nothing. Here's another design.
  
  
• If you live in an arid climate, a pot-in-a-pot refrigerator might get cold enough to be practical.
  
  
• Buy/harvest just what you eat! If you have food from the garden, pick only enough for the meal. Chickens are convenient meal-size animals, (remember to can the boiled stock).
  
  
• Sugar/acid preservation. Making jams, candying fruits, and pickling are all effective at preventing spoilage.

Heat shrink. Something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/3M-2141W-Indoor-5-Window-Insulator/dp/B00002NCJI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1292816085&sr=8-1


Should be available at any neighborhood hardware store. Goes on with a hair dryer and does as good a job as anything else would.


If you don't care so much about sunlight, a heavy blanket would work best.

I won't pass on any tips that are useful to me up here in Northern Alberta, but I was born and raised in Southern Ontario, with winters significantly milder than Northern Ohio and Western New York because of the lake effect.

In short, no matter the age of the windows, this stuff will significantly lower your energy consumption: http://www.amazon.com/3M-Indoor-Insulator-Kit-5-Window/dp/B00002NCJI

Where I last lived in the Hamilton, Ontario area, we did the bedroom windows the first year and it went down 10%. The next year we did the bedroom and kitchen and it went down 20%. The last year in that house we did all of the windows including the basement and it went down 45% from year 1.

The kit I linked to is just an example though. There are other, cheaper brands which can do about as good a job for less. It'll take you about an afternoon to do a house your size probably, and about $100-150 in material every year, but it's pretty worth it.

The funny part is that where I live now, this would likely lead to cracked windows or at least trapped moisture because the difference between outside temps and inside can be as much as +/- 70C/158F

I used an Amazon card 2 Christmases ago to buy a basic set of hair clippers with a bunch of different sized adaptors: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000JNQSIQ?pc_redir=1414563556 (on mobile, hope the link works). I couldn't be more pleased with them. They're cheap enough right now you could probably fit in a paperback book or some other small recommendation from this thread, and you save yourself money going forward.

I got this sampler. Ok, so my memory was fuzzy -- it was $25 for the 100.

There are several brands (Derby being a popular one, which I enjoyed for my most recent shave) being sold for $30 for 200. 15-cents a blade!

Assuming a price of 0.25$ per kW/h, you're consuming about 10 kW/h a day. I don't know about your lifestyle or your situation, but I consider that to be a lot for a single person.

For example, my father and me consume about 5 kW/h a day (wood furnace, no A/C. We also have an electric stove but we don't cook that much. We do the laundry less than once a week.).

If you're interested in (possibly) saving energy and money, you can buy a kill-a-watt and monitor your appliances.

Anyway, it's funny how half the people in the world are cooling their house while the other half are heating it!

This Tweezerman is generally recommended for people starting out on a tight budget.

Still, when we wet shavers talk about the financial savings with proper shaving, it's either comparing the total cost in the long run or the occasional per-blade comparison. A decent brush and razor should last a lifetime with proper care, and even the luxury soap and cream is more cost effective than canned gel.

These are the best cheap clippers you can get. Way more sturdy and with a better motor than similarly priced brands.

Best: Use shaving soap & a shaving cream whipping brush, and use a safety razor. After the initial investment the blades are much cheaper. And the body of the device will last a lifetime, unlike any modern razor. http://www.amazon.com/Merkur-Model-180-Handled-Safety/dp/B000NL0T1G/ref=cm_lmf_tit_1

I've never used one of the butterfly ones, but I could never figure out the appeal. On the model I have, I could adjust blade angle by tightening the handle, but I never really bother.

This is the model I use (long handle because I have long hands): http://www.amazon.com/Merkur-Model-180-Handled-Safety/dp/B000NL0T1G

I like the weight. It means I use the weight of the handle to do the shaving. I guarantee that any of the people giving bad reviews on this are pressing WAY too hard on their safety razor, which is a huge mistake. The shaving should be due to angle of approach and not pressure.

The reason I'm pointing all this out is that you should NEVER need to use leverage when shaving.

It also worries me slightly to see only one guide for loading the blades. There are probably some edges I'm not noticing that secure the blade better, though.

• Murkur Long Handled Chrome Safety Razor. ($32)
  
  
• 100 Sharp Stainless DE Blades ($13.99)
  
  Say you only get 2 shaves out of each blade. (With as cheap as they are it's hard not to feel a fresh blade every time). Say you shave every other day.
  
  So that's 1 blade lasting 4 days. 100 blades lasts 400 days. All for about the same price. Best part is the next 400 days will only cost $14.

I actually have a safety razor which is so much cheaper than disposable razors. I'm not sure how you've used one blade for a whole year. I switch em out once every other week but I shave my head, A whole lot more surface area. Still though, one blade in a year?

I thought buying a 200 pack and having that last me 2-3 years was impressive.

I do dry the razor after every use (and only shave every other day) but do not have a sharpener...

Edit: I have a box of these.

I bought a memory foam mattress off of Amazon last year for under 300. I like a soft bed though so I also bought a 60 dollar soft memory foam topper, this is a nice way to save the bed a little wear and save it from the ever possible cat vomit. I love it, I pretty much hate sleeping anywhere but my own bed. It doesn't seem to be showing wear at 1 year old, but I don't weigh a lot. Mine is a queen. I think this is what I got but I think I paid 260 for mine.

My local lib has Kill-a-watt devices for free loan. Pretty handy.

Also internet, DVDs, ebooks, audiobooks etc etc.

http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-8-Inch-Chefs-Fibrox-Handle/dp/B000638D32?tag=amaz08-20

They sell a paring knife too.

I've been running on just these knives for months and they're fantastic, way better than some of the $100+ blades I've tried.

Ok peoples two secrets.

Both share the same services. The Obi adapter runs on Google voice is easy to setup and frequently updates the firmware.

http://carlosurreta.com/2011/04/25/how-i-reduced-my-69-cell-phone-contract-to-2-99/

How I Reduced my $69 Cell Phone Contract to $2.99

http://www.amazon.com/Obihai-OBi110-Service-Telephone-Adapter/dp/B0045RMEPI/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top/182-6152060-8778354

Obihai OBi110 Voice Service Bridge and Telephone Adapter

The Victirinox Chef's knife has won Chef's Illustrated best kitchen knife for years and years. Its reviews are phenominal. Cost less than $40 and has beaten the pants off knives costing 5 times as much.

You can save even more using an old-fashioned safety razor with disposable blades. Booyah.

I know one of them was a Brother laser printer. Seems the top review (which is one of the best reviews I've seen on a product with Amazon) says 12,000 pages.

Luckily there's a slurry of companies that make reusable k-cups, including Keurig themselves. I can't vouch for their quality compared to regular k-cups, let alone a regular old cup of coffee, but it certainly seems to solve the issues you have presented.

I got this Wahl at Marshall's for $15. It's great. Check out the reviews.

The highest quality out there is Oster, but at $80 for the cheaper model (and $140 or so for the pro model) I don't think it's a frugal choice. I've had arguments with people here about it (to their credit, it usually is the one that barbers use), but my Wahl is fantastic and my dad's had a similar one for over a decade. He doesn't oil it or anything (but you should). They are veterinarians and also have a wahl they use before surgeries (admittedly it's more of an industrial model). It's been around since they opened in the 80s.

Also, I'd recommend an "Ivy League" cut over a buzz cut. At the very least, do "high and tight." After being on the swim team, I buzzed my own hair from 17-20, only stopping because I was (accurately) told I'd look better with longer hair. Eventually I got tired of always having my appearance change because I refused to shell out $15 for a haircut more often than every 4 months. Now I cut my own hair again, doing the "Ivy League." It's harder, but it looks much better than having the same length everywhere.

I use a #8 on the top (1") and a 3 or 4 on the sides.

It may be worth it to purchase a Kill A Watt to better understand how much electricity certain appliances use.

Sounds like OP has this:
http://www.amazon.com/Wahl-79300-400-Color-Complete-Haircutting/dp/B000JNQSIQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1393944068&sr=8-2&keywords=Wahl+clippers

which is coincidentally exactly what I have. Especially for the price, I find it to be quite satisfactory. Like others have said, it takes practice, but I think it's worth it in the long run.

Shaving with a DE razor. A good razor is about twice or three times as much as a cartridge razor, but the long term savings are nuts.

Merkur 180 Razor $33

Omega Shaving Brush $13

Proraso Soap $8.50

Optional Razor Stand $22

Optional Alum $5

100 Pack of Astra Blades $10.50

Total cost of 100 DE shaves including startup costs: $92

Total Cost of next 100 shaves (blades and soap): $19

Gilette Fusion $11

100 Cartridges (8 packs) $362

Shaving Cream $20

Total cost of 100 cartridge shaves including startup costs: $393

Total cost of next 100 shaves (blades and shaving cream): $382

> Each winter I end up using a electric heater, is this the best way to keep warm?

Probably. Most space heaters use about 1500 Watts of energy. If you are curious how much energy it uses over time, you can get a Kill-A-Watt.

Plug one of those in and use your heater for a week, then check how many kWH you've used. You can look at a recent power bill and find out how much your electric company charges per kWH.

Multiply (energy usage for a week in kWH) (cost per kWH) 4 = estimated cost to run your heater for a month. You may have to revise this as the outdoor temperature gets colder and your heater runs more.

I bought a Brother laser printer B&W new through Craiglist for $50. It's the older model of this. So far they have been pretty reliable and it's been almost two years now and I'm still on my original toner. I use it mostly for school stuff.

Awesome & cheap Merkur. I love mine.

Are you using a phone adapter thing, like this http://www.amazon.com/OBi110-Service-Bridge-Telephone-Adapter/dp/B0045RMEPI/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=IOIIG7CQMOV77&colid=2ZDNU5ATBRQUK or do you just use your computer for calls? I have been thinking about switching to VOIP only, and loosing the cell phone. I have also considered getting a newer smart phone, and doing VOIP over WIFI, without cell service, but I am curious about your experience.

buy some of that insulated clear plastic that goes over the windows.

Like this:
http://www.amazon.com/3M-Indoor-Window-Insulator-5-Window/dp/B00002NCJI

+1 for this.

Voice quality is awesome, and everyone who calls can't tell that it is VoIP.

I have the Obi100 which only cost me $30. I paid another $12 for 911 services since Google Voice doesn't do that.

You need to understand why your windows are drafty.

There's typically 3 reasons --

• Air leaks - the window is not air tight
  
  The first is the one you are probably aware of, if the windows have unfilled cracks, don't close tightly, then you are going to have air blowing in on you. You need to make the window air-tight for this problem. This is fixed with weather stripping and better fitting windows. As you are in an apartment, you can't fix the windows, but consider weather stripping. Alternatively, you can put heat-reactive shrink wrap over your entire window frame. Attach the film as tightly as you can so it floats above the glass, then use a hair dryer to make it shrink.
  
  
• Heat loss through window - uninsulated glass
  
  For this, put your hand about an inch away from the glass. If your hand gets cold, your window is poorly insulated. If you don't care about looks, and your apartment complex doesn't care about looks, and you don't need light in that window, get some EPS foam boards (Expanded Polystyrene - "styrofoam"). Find some of this scrap from big box stores or elsewhere, it's often used as a packing material. You can buy it too, but it may not be cheap. A half-inch of the stuff would be great, cut it to the size of the window. EPS makes a great insulator. Alternatively, bubble wrap, probably cheaper and lets light in.
  
  
• Convective currents
  
  This is something you may not be aware of. Cold air sinks. Hot air floats. Imagine an empty room that has one window in it. Unimpeded, the hot air in the room will rise to the top. The air near the window will get cooled by the window, and sink to the bottom of the room. This creates a circular air current from above the window to the floor, across the bottom of the room, getting heated by the ambient heat of the room, then rising to the top again. This can make a mini-vortex that cools the room quickly and creates a draft. Older homes would combat this with drapes and radiators directly below the windows. The heat of the radiator would counter the convective current. This is also why your window has a sill. Drapes can stop the convective current effect. While drapes may not be very insulating, they block the flow of air and kill the convective current. A similar effect can be done with the heat-reactive shrink wrap.
  
  

Assuming you are in the US and calling the US. If you must make the calls on your iPhone (and don't want a home phone at all) options include:

• A Skype Number and unlimited Skype calling. ~$5-6/month.

• The Talkatone app lets you make and receive Google Voice calls over wifi. I have used the android version, it mostly works as advertised. One time cost/free with ads.

If you are okay with having an actual home phone/willing to buy a handset for that you should check out the Obi. Uses google voice for calling. This is my preferred solution, though it does depend on google keeping free calling via gmail around for the free calling. Should that be discontinued you could just sign up with a SIP provider. http://www.amazon.com/OBi100-Telephone-Adapter-Service-Bridge/dp/B004LO098O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377883447&sr=8-1&keywords=obi

Of note, none of these include emergency calling for free, with the Obi you can sign up for an emergency calling subscription too, but it'll cost you a couple bucks a month.

This is the one i have. It was an impulse buy since I had a free coupon on Amazon I had to use or loose.

Or you can get a cheap safety razor for $6 and a pack of 100 blades for $11 on amazon.com with free shipping (if you have prime or buy other things to total $35).

The razor I use- good quality, but the handle is a little short(you get used to it very quickly)
http://www.amazon.com/Silver-Double-Shaver-Nonslip-Handle/dp/B0050HO9MI/ref=sr_1_5?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1407807209&sr=1-5&keywords=safety+razor

The blades:
http://www.amazon.com/Astra-Superior-Premium-Platinum-Double/dp/B001QY8QXM

Sounds like one of those places you could heat and heat and still not be real warm. Those old homes were meant for wood stoves and steam radiators. My grandmother had an old coal boiler in her home and when it was going you'd have to throw open all the windows.

Covering the windows with window plastic should pay for itself. Also, weatherstripping any leaks in exterior doors is fairly easy to DIY.

Excellent suggestion. I use this one for $18.

I own this and it's excellent. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00474X5DO/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_StY-ub1BS80XY

I know several people who have been saved from ruin by this book: Your Money or Your Life

I've read lots of personal financial management books and it's my fave by a healthy margin.

Duck Brand 10-Window Insulation Kit. That's pretty cheap!

invest in a hot food container with multiple compartments (like this one for example). put a hot starch in one container, and a hot gravy dish in the other. combine and eat. rice and curry would work well, for instance, or pasta and tomato sauce, or bread rolls and chili. just make sure to have it really hot before filling the thermos.

I'm a big hot lunch person, which makes it really hard for me to pack anything. I really want this: http://www.amazon.com/Thermos-Stainless-King-SK3000MB4-Midnight/dp/B0017IFSIS/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2YXBMELHJN3KI&colid=LHY9MS4ORGMK
For soups and pastas, and other yummy things.

If you have the internet you can always get:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0045RMEPI/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?t=slickdeals&ie=UTF8&tag=slickdeals&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0045RMEPI

Which is $50 and will connect a land line to google voice for free US & Canada Calls.

I haven't found a windows phone app that works with google voice yet. I use google voice with an obi100 device and a cordless phone for making & receiving free calls.

Buy a Kill-A-Watt. That is all.

Well, it's not all, really - it lets you see precisely how much power a device is using (limited to 115 volt devices, though). You can set it to record usage over a set time period and see what it's used. That way you are not in the dark at all about the usage of anything that uses 115 volts. You will know how much it uses, and can then cut usage back more intelligently.

An electronic usage meter.

You'll find out pretty quickly how many of your appliances are leeching electricity even when turned off.

A friend visited last week and we got to talking about chefs knives. This is the entry level knife he suggested and I ordered last night.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000638D32/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?keywords=victorinox%20knife&qid=undefined&ref_=sr_1_2&sr=8-2

Here's the amazon link if you want to read reviews. PM me if you decide to order cuz sometimes there are good promo codes through the website.

If you have a spare iPhone then all you need is a WiFi connection and Hangouts to use it with Google Voice as a "landline." Hangouts is clunky for dialing out, but answering is pretty smooth. You can place the phone in Airplane mode and then enable WiFi, no need for cell service on the iPhone.

Alternatively, assuming you have a landline handset that you already like and are comfortable with is to get a Obi100 ATA ($38 on Amazon) and a Callcentric account (If you select that you are outside the US and dont care about 911, it is free incoming forever with no montly fees). Dialing out is not possible with this setup (unless you initiate things through Google Voice on the website or the GV App on your iPhone) unless you pay money.

The Obi can connect directly to your GV account to make outgoing calls, but there are a few problems with how it does that. The XMPP interface was supposed to be shutoff by Google earlier this year, but that has not happened. In addition, if you have gmail open, the phone doesn't ring because the calls are redirected there. Therefore it is advisable to have the SIP account to receive the calls with and turn off Gmail for receiving calls in Google Voice(This may also kill Hangouts, so you need to choose what is important to you).

A highly rated VoIP device. Let's you use your internet connection as a phone line, and does a very good job of it apparently (I have not personally tried one because I don't need a land line at all.)

[OBI] (http://www.amazon.com/OBi110-Service-Bridge-Telephone-Adapter/dp/B0045RMEPI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342985872&sr=8-1&keywords=obi)

Get yourself a Wahl clipper and trim yourself up. I bought one about 3 months ago and use it every two weeks or so to keep my head nice and trimmed.

You should start shaving with an old school double edge safety razor. See /r/wicked_edge for more info.

I use a Merkur razor and Feather razor blades.

There are special shaving brushes and shaving soap but I don't use those. I use normal shaving foam.

The price is about 30 cents per razor blade. Each blade lasts me a week. However I don't shave every day.

This nice lunch set (as mentioned by someone in another post) seems awesome for keeping your hot stuff hot until lunchtime.

Also the Jetboil is made for camping but it screams 'lunch pho' to me. Bring noodles, veggies, etc. in a ziploc and boil up for lunch. Yum!!

Does your work have no power plugs? If your boss is ok with a microwave being there you may find one at a thrift store cheap.

You can also just store food hot in a container like this. If you put in a soup that was simmering in the morning by lunch it would likely still be hot. As I said elsewhere in this post when I put coffee in my thermos in the morning it could still be hot 12 hours later.

Stainless Thermos.

Read the reviews for this knife (Cooks Illustrated loved it too). I have yet to handle it, and know that it won't measure up to my Global, but if I'm ever in the market to replace that, I'm going for this guy. Esp. considering I could almost get a Victorinox chef's, santoku, bread knife and paring set for the price that was paid for the single Global chef's.

Do you have a hot tub or pool? Do you power off the computers at night? All vampires unplugged, not just turned off? There is a wattage thing, kilowat that we use, got from amazon.

Mr. Bento

Its a bit pricey, but you can keep both hot and cold things in it. The trays are liquid seals when seated together so soup isn't a problem. Why buy lunch meat when he could be eating higher quality, but cheaper cut, meats like pork shoulder (who doesn't like pulled pork) or marinated flank steak for lunch!

I bought a memory foam mattress/bed frame on Amazon for $400 and it is SOOO COMFY!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00474X5DO/

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KQ5KQG/

Read this book: Your Money or Your Life

Really think about what money means. In your case, you're spending an hour of your time in exchange for $10. But it's probably less than that, because you're wearing out clothing, spending gas to commute, maybe paying taxes, etc. So let's say you're spending an hour of your time for $7.

So if you spend $21 on something (movie tickets, let's say), that means you're spending about 3 hours of your life for that thing (in addition to the time at the movie). Maybe that's worth it - or maybe it's not.

Why do you need to heat the entire apartment with one? Does your heat not work? You might consider closing off any of the rooms you're not using and putting the space heater in the one you're using. If you're cold at night, get extra blankets and either an electric blanket or heated mattress cover. If you want to know how much electricity these things are consuming, you can use a device called a Kill a Watt to find out.

Give this a spin. http://www.amazon.com/Your-Money-Life-Transforming-Relationship/dp/0143115766

And in keeping with the spirit of the exercise.. check it out from the library instead of buying it.

Astra Platinum. A pack of 100 costs $10.51 on Amazon.

It really depends on the device. Most cell phone charges and small things only draw ~1w while not being used, however I've seen reports of some TVs drawing as much as 50w while turned off which works out to about $50/year where I live ($0.11/kwh). Generally for small devices you can tell just by feeling them; if they're warm they're wasting power.

The only way to really know for sure is to get something like a kill-a-watt and check each device. Most won't be worth unplugging but there may be one or two that are.

following a guide I found on here, I got rid of ATT for google voice and verizon pay as you go. I got an OBi100 from Amazon, and a cheap VTech Phone for home. This gave me unlimited talk when I was at home. This substantially reduced the amount of minutes I needed.

Secondly, I got rid of my expensive family plan from ATT, and went for the 100 minutes, unlimited data/text plan from Verizon. I was paying $135 a month from ATT (for two iPhones) and am now paying $65 a month, for the same two phones. I have a lot less minutes, but I just use my home phone and don't really talk on the phone when I'm out and about. This saves me $70 a month, or $840 a year.

I've spent a total of maybe $70 in shaving over 3 years

$10 antique find for the razor

$14 target sourced badger brush,

$15 stand since coathangers get rusty

$10 100 blades (you want to start with a sampler though to figure out which blades are right for your face)

$0.67/oz shaving cream

Each blade lasts me 2-3 weeks so that box of 100 should last at around 4 years, that soap foams up like crazy I think I go through a little over a tube per year. So the soap/razors are cheap the buy in cost is the razor, stand, brush and bowl if you want to go that way I just build the lather on my face.

You also probably want some after shave and lotion but you probably already have some, I just use over the counter navivia or what ever and the blue stuff but /r/wicked_edge has all kinds of suggestions

Both razors and shaver are available cheaper, and I haven't had any problems at all using this razor and these blades.

You want one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/P3-P4400-Electricity-Usage-Monitor/dp/B00009MDBU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425858350&sr=8-1&keywords=kill+a+watt

Electric heat is the obvious culprit, but an old fridge can use a staggering amount of electricity.

Source: electrician.

You can check your computer rating by looking on the power supply on the back where the power plug goes. You may need to open up the case to find the sticker on it though, which is more than most people would want to do.

Another option is to buy a Kill-A-Watt and just measure everything in your house :D (Or borrow one from a friend).

I don't have a DVR, but my $15 electric bill includes a server I run 24/7, set top boxes, router, modem, some network switches, ceiling fan, etc. I don't do too much to cut back, but most of the things I run are low power.

Quite old now but still relevant:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Your-Money-Life-Transforming-Relationship/dp/0143115766/

Use the shrink wrap stuff.

http://www.amazon.com/3M-Indoor-Window-Insulator-5-Window/dp/B00002NCJI

5 windows, $18. I did exactly zero shopping around, so you can probably get it for less than that.

You own a kill-a-watt, not a kilowatt.

I use THIS one.

Kurig actually sells the single cup ground coffee cup, let me see If i can find it, I bought mine at Jcp but I don't know if they still have it.

Edit: found it on amazon

Link

Razor

Blades

Brush

Shaving Soap

Safety razor. Blade refils are about 10 cents each. As opposed to the $4 -$5 for cartridges.

Glass and hot coffee...hmmmmm....no

i eat curry 3 times a week. i keep it piping hot in this:http://www.amazon.com/Thermos-Stainless-King-SK3000MBTRI4-Midnight/dp/B0017IFSIS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345616713&sr=8-1&keywords=thermos+food+jar
then pour it over rice or eat with naan at lunch.

Duck Brand is $1 less for twice the plastic.

I'm using stuff from Sleep Innovations - check it out here.

This

Magicjack creeps me out. I use this baby for my home phone w/ my Google Voice #.

I picked up an Obi for about $40. You'll need a fast/reliable internet for the Obi to work. Basically you'll transfer/port over your home phone number to Ring.To (a free VOIP service). Then subscribe to Anveo E911 service for about $13 year. Once the porting of your home number is complete (usually takes 5-10 business days) you'll have a VOIP land line for $13/year plus the initial cost of the Obi. There were a couple hiccups in the beginning but it's all been sorted now. With Ring.To it's free local and long distance calls but no international calls (I use my cellphone plan to make international calls).

http://www.amazon.com/OBi100-Telephone-Adapter-Service-Bridge/dp/B004LO098O

The way I cut my cable bill from $120/month to $46/month was by purchasing an Obi for home phone, cut TV and use OTA antenna channels combined with a Roku (subscribed to netflix/hulu plus/amazon/HboGo etc) and purchased my own cable modem instead of paying the monthly fee.

Sign up for a Google Voice account, Pay $20 to have the # ported to Google Voice, Ask her to get one of these for $40. Once setup, She can use it as her land line anywhere she goes (with an internet connection).

Not so sure about flipping the # back to a cell # when she gets back though.

I suspect this answer may already have been given, but it's been deleted. Therefore, check out the Kill-a-Watt.

I started about ten years ago when I was in college. My hair grows fast and I like to keep it short. I cut my hair every other week. I've saved untold thousands. I used to do a high-and-tight, which I mostly learned through internet tutorials and trial and error (if I screwed it up, I just shaved it to one shorter length and tried again two weeks later). Now, my hair is thinning and I do it all at a 1.

The clippers I use are:
http://www.amazon.com/Wahl-79300-400-Color-Complete-Haircutting/dp/B000JNQSIQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410950031&sr=8-1&keywords=wahl+clippers

I bought my first pair of Wahl's and they lasted about five years before the motor was starting to go. On my second pair now and I think they've got another year left. $20 every five years is just fine for me.

Get a Kill-a-Watt. Leave it hooked up to the TV. Tell your brother that he is responsible for the costs of electricity for every hour past X hours per night. Put the money in a jar on the counter so that he can see how much money he is loosing by being a douche bag and falling asleep with the TV on. He'll learn to turn off the TV.

I've had my Wahl hair clippers for close to 10 years. don't buy some fancy trimmer for just your beard and mustache. i spent $17 bucks on mine which is how much it cost to have my hair cut and have cut my own hair ever since. plus of course it does face hair and....other...hair.

edit: buy the one that comes with the guards and you should be set.

not the one i own but the new version
the color coded thing is nice because i can't tell you how much time is wasted tryin to find the right number on an all black set inside a black box.

Get yourself a Kill-a-Watt and test for yourself.

I have fixed some of this with my entertainment system by investing in one of these. It turns off power to peripherals if the TV itself is off--my Apple TV, DVD player, and connected computer are off-off when the TV's off. I keep my DVR hooked to the always-on plug so it can record things when I'm not home or not watching TV because I hate commercials that much and never watch live TV.

Stores sell loose coffee filters and cups for them.

I cut my own hair, have now for about a 2 years and a half. I have the cheap wahl color guide pair, its actually my second. My original became dog sheers, I have had no problems with either of them. If you can find someone to do it for you, good but your at least gonna have to have someone clean up the neckline. You can do it, but its gonna be a pain. I bought the #10(1 1/4") guide on amazon by itself as it didn't come with the kit) cause I like it longer on top. Watch some youtube videos to get the jest, your gonna mess up a few times. The worst that happens is you have to take it shorter so start long. The wahl one was only like 20 bucks maybe cheaper now.
http://www.amazon.com/Wahl-79300-400-Color-Complete-Haircutting/dp/B000JNQSIQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410449563&sr=8-1&keywords=wahl+clippers

I own this one, and it's fantastic. It also has a 20(!) year warranty. No issues with heat...I wouldn't believe anyone who makes that claim. And I, too, am a hot sleeper, and the worst thing in the world to me is to not be able to sleep because I'm all sweaty. I have not had that problem with this mattress.

I picked up a cheapo brother laser I saw on the front page of slickdeals a few years back, never even had to change a setting and it just kept on printing until pages came out white. I've since replaced it with a high yield cartridge and I couldn't recommend this printer more for anyone who wants a no frills (seriously, it has one single button apart from on/off) cheap laser.

Razor: http://www.amazon.com/Merkur-Long-Handled-Safety-Razor/dp/B000NL0T1G/ref=sr_1_2?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1416436727&sr=1-2&keywords=safety+razor

Blades: http://www.amazon.com/Feather-Hi-Stainless-Platimum-Double-Blades/dp/B0022R947O/ref=pd_sbs_hpc_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=1YP1D2Y5AXKCA5ND1H9B

Actually when you click on the blades link it will show all three things as "frequently bought together." The only thing missing would be a brush: http://www.amazon.com/Escali-100-Badger-Shaving-Brush/dp/B003WR3QSG/ref=pd_sim_hpc_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=1616A06J3C54Z4CXGWHN

Get a power meter. A cheap and popular one is "Kill a wat". http://www.amazon.com/P3-P4400-Electricity-Usage-Monitor/dp/B00009MDBU It will tell you how many watts something is using. From this you can simply calculate the cost by watts x time x cost of kilowatt/hr in your area.

I don't know why you're getting downvoted. Your question is both interesting and nuanced. It's a disgusting sign of the times that people just assume that if you're not a trust fund brat that the only other option is to be a wage slave. A third option is self employment, working whatever part of the time you personally feel you require to meet your needs.

The career trap can have both benefits and huge drawbacks. Everybody concentrates on the wages and benefits, but having been stuck in a career rut for 30+ years, it's worth pointing out some of the drawbacks.

• Having to be at someone else's beck and call.
  
  
• Commuting
  
  
• Having to be on someone else's time scheduling
  
  
• Paying to park
  
  
• Work clothes (be they suit and tie or uniform or scrubs)
  
  
• Coworkers
  
  
• Micromanagers and incompetent bosses
  
  
• Loss of self, over identification with mortgage payment device
  
  I recommend this book to you. Your Money or Your Life: 9 Steps to Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence

Disposable razors are harsher on your skin, and don't give as close a shave.
It's also not expense to get started either, double edge razor blades are dirt cheap, you can buy 200 for $10.30 here so they are much cheaper than disposables once you get past the initial cost of the razor which also doesnt have to be a lot, you can buy a reasonable safety razor for $11.95.

You can buy one of these for $50 and use it with a google voice number: http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B0045RMEPI/?tag=dp-us-20

Problem for me is google voice offers no local phone numbers in my area, so I'd either have to have an oddball landline number which would be long distance for neighbors to call, or fork out the $200 for the ooma.

I use the Zouirushi Mr Bento set

It's convenient as hell, especially if you don't have a fridge.

I use Wahl Color Pro

2 for the sides, 1.5 for a little lower on the sides, then 1 on the very bottom of the sides to taper it off at the bottom. I try and blend from the 2 going to the top of the head with the 3 and then for the whole top usually use a number 5.

My first go at it I went slow, but once you get the hang of it hair cuts are a breeze. I cut my hair once a week just so I never look like i need a hair cut. Im sure its not perfect but im 6'4 so if i ever make a mistake not to many people will notice anyway. SAVES A LOT OF MONEY.