Tips for saving money

[BlueRidgeMtnGrl]

Hi,

 

I am new to this forum. I've been crocheting for several years but didn't start crocheting anything but basic baby and toddler blankets until this past fall, so really I am a newbie when it comes to crocheting.

 

My question is what tips can anyone offer on how to save money... for example, I recently came across a pattern that called for the inside round of a plastic coffee can for a purse bottom and another that called for a CD for a bottom. (I'm partial to purses!)

 

Because I don't have a lot extra money to spend on crocheting, I am looking for any ways I can stretch what money I can spend.

 

I already haunt thrift stores and love the treasures I find there!

 

Thanks!

 

Blue Ridge Mountain Girl

[shelly_bean]

Well check your local freecycle and craiglist to find yarn. I posted a wanted ad on my freecycle and came away with a bunch of yarn. it was awesome. Try and find things that are stash busters. When looking at patterns see if you can make them with cheaper substitutions. For instance if one is calling for cotton see if a less expensive yarn would work just as well. Thrift stores are awesome for recycling yarn as well as other notions, like buttons and ribbon.

oh and free patterns are the best, there are no shortage of them.

[CLLinda]

Garage sales and yard sales are also places to find inexpensive yarn.

 

Goodwill stores sometimes have yarn too.

 

Hobby Lobby runs ads in the local papers on Sundays and they run some terrific sales. Also, always check the clearance bin. I have gotten some yarn for hardly any money that way.

 

Michael's and JoAnns do have some sales, and they run 40% off one item coupons. Those are in the Sunday papers also.

 

Also, try to crochet where you are seen. People will give you yarn if they know you crochet. I have received gifts of yarn from people my husband works with, just because they know I crochet.

 

Good luck.

 

[bgs]

Check out RecycleCindy's site. She has made things using plastic bags, vcr, and cassette tape.

 

http://www.myrecycledbags.com/

[candiwv_]

I save money on other things so that I can have my yarn. By cutting down on one store bought coffee or pop a day will give you $31.00 extra for yarn in a month.

 

I make most of our food homemade. My grocery bill for 3 people is usually less than $180 a month. Buy generic food. Most of it is as good as brand name.

 

Make sure your tires are at proper pressure for maximum gas mileage.

 

I hang our laundry to save on electric.

 

I wash dishes by hand to save on electric and water.

 

Don't wash your clothes as much. If they have been worn for four hours and you were not running or working in them. They can be worn one more time. This saves on laundry detergent, water, and electricity. Towels can be used twice. Your body is already clean (we hope) when drying off. Assign each person a certain color towel.

 

I think I have read about a dozen budget stretcher books. LOL. Just reuse everything (well not everything:lol) and you will save money.

[Momcrochets]

Okay, to the calling for a cd...an internet *cough* provider used to mail those.. ...many of those patterns began around that era...course, you can also use a cd you don't like anymore...or anything about that same size that's plastic that you can cut.

 

$stores and Thrift stores are my best friends... ditto for freecycle. That goes for yarn, clothes, etc etc....

 

I use the dishwasher, I've heard they actually use less water than the traditional method...but they do use a bit mroe electric...I also don't bother with the "heated dry cycle"...I open the door and let them air dry.

 

I also air dry almost everything I wash. saves on electric. (in our case...some times gas)

Use the high-efficiency bulbs...they're cheaper in the long run.

 

there's lots of tips for saving on heating and cooling (like curtains...when to open (in the winter, on any sunny day ) that help cut corners.

 

recycle, re-use

I save premade food for when we're short on time...then it's usually something like spaghetti-rings no name for the kids, and a sandwich for me and DH...and we have a warehouse food store here...ALDI where the stuff is super cheap (Better than walmart...and even the produce is good, usually...have to watch it though)...and it tastes just great. BYO bags though. that also saves a ton.

 

I also try to group all my errands together...and then go in the most efficient order...granted with a 3yo I can't hit 6 stores in a day...but I can hit 3 or 4 and save the rest for another day...and then I do the farther out ones at once, and the closer in on another trip. but teh fewer trips, the better on gas... oh, and re-use bags...many chains are now selling re-usable bags...well worth the $...the tag on the walmart ones say they were made with post-consumer recycled pop-bottles (woohoo )

 

www.crochetpatterncentral.com and http://www.myhq.com/public/c/r/crochetpoet/ helps me save on patterns (those are a great place to start, you'll find tons more)

 

I second the crochet in public...I just got a bag full of yarn for free....now I have to figure out what to do with it all.

 

make coffee at home, rather than the big chains...much cheaper...if you drink coffee...I do tea.

hmmmm....well, this is long enough and I can't think of anymore OTOMH.

HTH

[Knit Happens]

don't forget there are sweaters you may have that no longer suit you, and you can unravel them and reuse the yarn--also sweaters can be bought at the goodwill and recycled as well as others wrote, go generic when possible with foodstuffs and sign up for a freecycle near you; frequent your local library

[vonnie]

Can you give me the freecycle website?? I have lost my link.. TIA

[Becky Morgan]

Never turn down a free pattern. If you don't like it now, you may someday. Also, remember

http://www.freepatterns.com

The major crochet magazines put up patterns from past issues on it. (Careful-=-there's a somewhat-copycat site around that asks for a ton of personal information. Freepatterns.com does not.)

 

Last year I spent almost $50 on yarn. This year I went hog wild--I've spent about $30 already, thanks to Big Lots having sales and a huge bag of all kinds of good stuff at Goodwill that set me back $9.99. Oh, and my part of the tax refunds was a new set of Susan Bates hooks

 

We drive old economy cars, haven't been on a vacation in ages (the next even remote possibility is an overnight business trip to a nearby city in May) and don't do recreational shopping. I don't set foot in a hair salon and do my own nails. If I worked, I'd wear makeup, but since I can't work, I use a little lipstick in dry weather. Most of my reading matter comes from the library, Project Gutenberg or other free online sources.

 

I love to cook, but live with DH who will barely eat anything and DS who is incredibly picky. Left to my own devices, I could get away very cheaply on food, since my idea of a good dinner is a bowl of salad with some chopped cooked chicken on it.

 

When it comes to fast food, you can't beat the $3.99 pizza Wednesday at Domino's. Wherever you go, look for coupons. If you have a buy one get one free coupon for something that will freeze, use it. If you buy a value meal and don't like fries, get a salad and take it home for supper. One Long John Silver's "variety platter" will feed three people and can actually be a good deal if you use a couppon (and if your system can tolerate that much grease.) Oh...and check the sports page this summer. If Matt Kenseth wins a Nationwise car race, curly fries are free on Monday at Arby's. You have to ask, but they really are free.

[Becky Morgan]

Can you give me the freecycle website?? I have lost my link.. TIA

 

www.freecycle.org

 

(then pick your city.) And

www.craigslist.org

[vonnie]

Thank You, I was trying with .com forgot it was .org...LOL

 

Yes Craigslist is a daily thing....I have sold tons of stuff on there, not crochet but lots of other things...

thanks again

[candiwv_]

Another one that I just thought of. Reuse your ziploc bags (as long as they do not contain meat) turn them inside out on your hand and wash just like a dish. Then hang them to dry on your utensils in the drainer. This will save around .10 a bag.

 

Put a liter bottle filled with water in your toilet tank (make sure it will not interfere with the working parts ). This will decrease the amount of water it takes to flush. Also, do not use this if you already have a water saver tank.

[Cliffnote]

Fleamarkets are great to find deals as well.I have found a medium garbage bag for 5 bucks!

 

 

Kim

[Super Granny]

I went to a thrift store and found an afghan that someone had started and spent $5 on it .. I brought it home and it measured 15 foot x 8 foot.. I unwound it and got 20 skeins of yarn out of it... it is country blue/ rose/ white/ variegated

[PBLKNP]

Look out for any sales...I just picked up a lot of Patons Classic Merino at AC Moore on sale.

 

Also, tell all your close friends and relatives...NO MORE BORING COFFEE TABLE BOOKS, SELF-HELP BOOKS, SLIPPERS, OR LAME CLOTHES FOR PRESENTS. Tell them you want gift certificates to places that sell yarn. I have wishlists on Herrschners and Amazon that I point people to.

[JessicaRenee520]

Hello, here are a few of my tips for saving money for crocheting.

 

1) For a newbie to crochet, I have found that it is cheaper to purchase a 'Beginner's Kit'--The have all the basic hook sizes as well as some basic necessities. Michaels sells one for $9.99--look for a coupon in the Sunday paper and it becomes $6. A friend of mine was intrigued by my crochet, so for her birthday, I put together a dollar tree basket together of: one of these kits ($6), a new skein of green yarn ($2.50) and stash busted with some small balls of other colours to get her started. The cost of this: $10 with tax and she loved it.

 

2) I always check out the clearence sections at Michaels and Handcock Fabric--just yesterday, I found beautiful Lion Brand Chenille thick-n-quick for $1.50!!!! (it's ususally $6.99)

 

3) Check Michael's online for their weeekly sales at www.michaels.com. Stock up when your favoruite yarns are on sale. They usually have a couple of types on sale each week. Ex. 7ox. skeins of simply soft were on sale for $2.50 last week, they are usualy $3.49. = BIG SAVINGS

 

4) At Walmart, you can get big 1lb cones of cotton yarn for $5.99. Try dying it for a wider varity of colors. (note: I have not actually used the tip...yet) Check out cool-aid dying on the internet, home dyes, or maybe even commmerical dyes.

 

Happy, less expensive, crocheting.

[Gran]

If you're making things to give away, that is, charity projects, even small ones, there are usually folks at churches who will donate yarn. I asked at some church offices and they were willing to collect supplies for me, so that I wouldn't need to post personal info on a bulletin board. Many people have yarn, thread, hooks, etc. stored away and don't need it anymore.

[BlueRidgeMtnGrl]

Thanks for all the great tips and suggetions! I had the opportunity to go to some thrift stores this week and bought some old purses that had great bamboo handles and a funky beaded purse (beads are made of nuts or something), each for a quarter! . Have tried unraveling sweaters but haven't been very successful with that endeavor.

 

I recommend Peaches n Cream's website. I bought 4 grab bags and one closeout a few weeks ago and have had fun with the surprises. I used the grab bag yarn and the handles I bought and made a purse for probably 50 or 75 cents. Gotta love it!

 

Blue Ridge Mountain Girl

[Cherokee2]

I love these money saving tips...!

I learned a long time ago to never go food shopping when I'm hungry! And to avoid the impulse buying as much as possible.

Also, if you can, try to make up a menu for a week or two, according to what you have on hand, make a list of what you will need and only buy what's on your list.

I also reuse plastic storage bags... and I use the store bags for small trash can liners, instead of buying trash bags.

BUT.. my husband is picky when it comes to the store brands of some things. He will only drink Folger's coffee and we go through a lot of coffee. I have, on occasion, bought a cheap brand and sort of mixed it with the Folger's and he never knew.

[JoBug]

I want to add my tip if I may, I save ALL my change, I NEVER use any in my purse, and at the end of the week, I empty it all into a jar, or coffee can here....and then I put a partial skien of yarn in it with a very little hole in the middle of the lide, and stik a tail out, so NO ONE will know I have my stash money in there!!! Except you all now....lol....but my kids and hubby have NO clue! I currently have almost $50 in it!!!! I am saving for vacation though in August...

[Gran]

I'm enjoying all the good ideas. Am hoping for more.

[boksie]

When an item of clothing is worn out and not fit to donate, cute the buttons off and save. Use the fabric as cleaning rags or maybe crochet into rugs. Another hint for buttons is to look at the final clearance rack at thrift stores. Many times you can buy an item very inexpensively just to get the buttons! I recently had to buy buttons. I needed 5 of them...had to buy 2 cards at $1.67 each card. It cost more than the baby sweater I needed them for!

[Priszm]

Along the lines of the thrift stores, I got a bunch of completed afghans and 2 skeins of yarn at Goodwill for $16. I told them it was being used for charitable purposes (it is, Sissie44's lapghan request) and they gave me a deal on what I was getting. A couple are already in good shape and lapghan size, so those will be left as is. The rest will be taken apart and re-done in squares.