News of a struggling economy is not always bad news. There are a number of advantages to living in a downturn.
Whether one is actually negatively impacted by the economic situation or not, fear of the unknown often motivates an individual to learn to “Live for Less”. It is beautiful when we decide that we are going to find new and creative ways to cut our living expenses.
One of the most practical lessons I have learned in the past months is that you do not have to own everything! Why purchase things that you will only use once? Why purchase large quantities of items you will never use?
Here are 4 lessons I have learned about sharing lately.
Know Your Neighbors!
We are very fortunate. We are best friends with the couple living one house south of us.
We share so many things. From spices to milk to tools to wireless internet! It saves both of us a ton of money and it seems to draw us closer together in our relationship when we depend on one another.
Not only is sharing with neighbors good for you pocketbook, it s also good for your emotional health! It just feels good to make new friends. And, believe it or not, most people will feel honored if you ask them to borrow something.
Take Advantage of Larger Businesses
I hate auto mechanic work! I absolutely abhor it.
However, I decided last week that I would change my own water pump to save some much needed cash.
Those stupid engine fans! Why can’t they just make them so that they are easy to remove. I should have known that I would need a fan wrench and fan clutch holding tool! Arghhhh…
I was just about to decide that the job would end up costing me as much as if I would have used a mechanic with all the extra tools I would need to purchase.
Then I fired up the ‘ol internet to find out just how much a fan wrench and fan clutch holding tool would set me back. That’s when I ran across a helpful blog entry that set my spirit sailing! “Do not buy the fan removal tools! Rent them from Auto Zone.” Oh the joy of a money saving tip!
Well, I prefer our local O’Reilly’s over Auto Zone, so I just picked up my phone and gave them a call.
Me: Do you rent tools?
Lady: Yes we do.
Me: How much for a fan removal wrench and a fan clutch holding tool?
Lady: $74.95
Me: WOW! That’s a lot.
Lady: Well, we credit your card back if you bring the tool back within 48 hours.
Me: What? You mean it’s free.
Lady: So to speak.
Yes! I essentially borrowed a $75 tool for 2 days from a place that tries to sell them for profit! That was an exciting moment.
And by the way, what I do love about Auto Zone is that on their website you have full access to vehicle repair manuals! Wow, now that was a big savings.
That is one example of the power of leveraging larger companies to help you save money.
Beat the Gasoline Monster
I ca not say that I have been as creative as I would like with this one, but I am hoping to try harder.
One way we have been able to cut back on the high priced gallon of gas is to ride share with good friends.
For the past three years we have been able to carpool our children with others in our neighborhood. There are several advantages to carpooling. It is good for your bank account, good for local traffic and good for the environment.
Who says every family member needs to be out and about in a different car? Several cars per family could become a thing of the past with the rising awareness of economic crisis, the oil situation and the health of the environment.
The Library vs. Books-A-Million
I LOVE BOOKS! There is something nostalgic about having books on my shelves. I don’t know why, but I just feel like I have to own every book I read. Well… I don’t!
This is another idea that I need to adopt in practice. I fear I will always love to own books. Especially with Amazon and other online used stores just a click away. However, if I really want to get serious about this frugality thing, I must learn to borrow from the local library. After all, I can stake a claim of ownership over the books I borrow. My tax money paid for at least a few of them. Anyway, how many books does a person read more than once? I can count them on a couple of hands.
CONCLUSION:
I was discussing with a friend the other day how much I have learned since the economy turned downward. Sharing, shade tree mechanics, and carpooling are just the tip of the iceberg. I can only hope that when the fear subsides I will have developed habits that will be beneficial for the rest of my life.