The Accumulation Effect: Why I'm Focusing on Micro-Savings Instead of Massive Budget Moves

image: Katie Harp on Unsplash

Sometimes our lives are peppered with blockbuster money-savers. And other times there's nothing stunning about the way we are living out our frugal lifestyle. This week's frugal efforts have seemed less than engaging. Nonetheless, it's these run-of-the-mill activities that save our wallets the most. 

We need to be honest. There's likely just one or two ways any of us will save tens of thousands of dollars in one fell swoop. And there are only a handful of ways we can save one to five thousand dollars. But there are endless ways we can save a few dollars a pop.

In reflecting upon this past week, I really couldn't think of anything in particular that I'd done or accomplished that met the definition of frugality. I certainly didn't buy or sell real estate this past week. And I didn't buy a car or large appliance, nor did I DIY a fantastic project around the house. But what I did do kept us on our financial track. It wasn't a spendy week. In fact, as average of a week it was, I maintained my own values throughout. 

Here are some of my micro-savings for the week:

• I cooked all meals from scratch, and that in itself is a huge money-saver. 
• When my daughter had her wisdom teeth extracted on Wednesday, I cooked up a bunch of very soft foods for her. And we reused ice packs that we already had to minimize swelling in her face. I was her driver, and it was an early appointment. I could have driven through Starbucks and no one would have faulted me for wanting a drink to take into the waiting room. Instead, I packed up my breakfast smoothie into a small canning jar to sip while I worked on some things on my laptop.
• I used a timer for watering the garden, so I watered each area a precise amount and didn't waste water. To help compensate for the water I am using on the garden I took very brief showers each morning. And I saved produce rinsing water to pour over the potted plants on the deck.
• I made the most of our garden produce. Many of our meals focused on garden produce this week. For example, today's lunch was leftover scratch baked beans with a side of garlicky Swiss chard and a bowl of garden raspberries. I've also been freezing raspberries all week to use in smoothies this fall. I harvested a second batch of oregano and dried it for winter use. A few apples have been knocked off the trees. I picked them up, chopped them and froze to use in winter.
• We were running low on laundry detergent, and I didn't have plans to go to the grocery store for a few more days. So, I used about half of my normal amount, both stretching the detergent to last until I shopped and saving a little money in the process. Bonus-- I hung-dry part of the laundry on two clothes racks.
• The weather is pleasantly warm this week. While I was hot in the kitchen cooking dinner last night and tonight, instead of turning on the box fan, I opened windows on opposite walls to bring in some fresh air. It was just cooling enough for the day. Cross ventilation with open windows is free.
• All of our entertainment for the week happened right here at home and cost nothing. We watched movies for free with free streaming services and borrowed DVDs. We listened to the non-premium Spotify, the level that plays ads periodically and is restricted to shuffle play. We took walks on trails within our neighborhood, and enjoyed the beauty of summer in the garden and under the stars.
• I piggy-backed a prescription pick-up for my daughter at Walmart's pharmacy on Thursday onto my weekly shopping at Walmart, shopping strictly by a list. I took care of two errands at one time by delaying the grocery shopping by a couple of days until I would be able to get the prescription filled. I saved gas and time.

My week may have not had sensational frugal moments. However, I stayed the course. When you add the smoothie from home instead of a drive through, the water savings, the gas savings, the meals all cooked from scratch, and the free entertainment, these little choices become a steady stream. Sure it would have been great if I could have saved my family thousands of dollars this week. But frugality isn't just about drastic budget overhauls; it's about the nondescript micro-decisions that protect our time and our wallets. The small stuff really does add up.

I'd love to hear from you. What is one micro-saving habit or small frugality you practiced this week? Share in the comments.

The Invisible Threads: 10 Simple Habits That Keep My Home Running (Almost) Seamlessly

image: Good Days Digital on Unsplash

When we talk about our frugal living lifestyle, it's easy to get lost in the big DIY projects or major financial decisions. But when I look at my own life and how we maintain the peace in our home while staying on budget, keeping a home and family running well isn't about major shifts in spending. It's about the invisible threads, those tiny, quiet daily habits that take less than 5 minutes but save us in time, money and mental energy down the road.

Here are the 10 small habits that keep my household running smoothly week after week:

1. Game Plan Tomorrow's Breakfast: Sometime while making or serving dinner, I take 5 minutes to think through and act on the following questions about the next day's breakfast. Do I need to get a loaf of bread or stick of butter out of the freezer? Do we need a new jar of jam? Is there milk available, and if not, do I have some in the freezer I can thaw? About once a week I make overnight oats. I use this time the evening before to put together jars of overnight oats for everyone. I also make suggestions for everyone else's lunches for the next day, checking the fridge for leftovers or foods that need eating soon.
2. Put Bills on Autopay: Nuff said. And for the ones I prefer to review before paying (auto and home insurance, for example), I pay the bills immediately after reviewing. I don't set the bill down someplace. I don't plan on paying tomorrow.  I don't add the bill to my 'tasks.' I pay the bill the day I open that piece of mail or email.
3. Keeping a Designated Mail Sorting Spot and In-Kitchen Recycling Bin: I sort mail right next to the recycling bin under the sink and place glass, metal, and plastic recyclables into the bin as I rinse them. Paper waste and recyclables don't stack up on the kitchen counter.
4. Making My 3 Things List the Night Before: At the end of the day, as I'm turning down the bed, I make a mental list of the most important 3 things I need to do the next day. Is it a watering day? What will we have for dinner? Is there a special household chore I need to address tomorrow? Is there an appointment or work I can't miss? Do I need to answer emails or send cards? I choose the top 3 things that in my mind need to get done. When I get up, I know exactly what work needs addressing. No mornings spent wondering what I should do first. And when that next day is finished, no matter how the day went, I can feel satisfied that I did those top 3 items.
5. The Mending Program: I keep a box in the laundry area for clothing that needs mending. As I see torn seams, missing buttons, or falling down hems while doing laundry, I pop the item into the box. I've set aside one evening per month to do all of the mending. I binge-watch a favorite show or put on nice music to help the work fly by. The day before mending day, I pick up whatever mending essentials I need -- white thread, Wonder Under iron-on patching, etc. Twelve evenings per year keeps all of my clothing and household textiles in perfect repair.
6. The 5-Minute Reset: After the last dish is washed, dried, and put away after dinner, I take 5 minutes to put everything else back in order in then kitchen. The counters are wiped down, the sink is wiped out, and the dishpan is emptied and wiped out. Then the dirty washcloth is put into the rag bag in the laundry room. Lastly, all clutter on the countertop is put away, the napkins are folded, and the table looks bright and fresh for the next morning.
7. Using the Cloth Rag Basket: I have a cute little wicker basket on a shelf near the kitchen that is filled with squares of cotton knit cloths cut from worn t-shirts. When we have a spill, we grab a cloth for clean-up instead of paper towels. The t-shirt cloths are fun to look at when I grab each one, reminding me of specific times or places one of us wore those shirts. After use, the cloths go into a rag bag next to the washing machine. When that bag is filled, I do a load of rags, kitchen towels, napkins, and kitchen washcloths.
8. Flip for a Second Run: When I take a shirt off at the end of the day, if I've only worn this shirt once and want to wear it again before washing, I put it on the hanger, but turn the hanger around, so it hooks from the backside. I know that shirts that I then take off the rod with a backwards hanger will go into the laundry at the end of that day. For sweaters that I want to wear a few times between washings, I do this: When I take the sweater off, I hang it over the back of a chair in the bedroom (the only thing I place on that chair). I allow it to air out overnight before folding and putting it back into its cubby in the closet.
9. The Five-Minute Inventory the Day Before a Grocery Run: I include bathroom consumables, laundry and cleaning supplies, battery needs, OTC meds and supplements, as well as the pantry, fridge, and freezer. This quick habit keeps our food waste to a minimum and prevents me from over-stocking a variety of consumables.
10. Freezing Kitchen Scraps as I Generate Them: Everything from leftover bits of vegetables and chicken carcasses, to meat fat scraps go into the freezer right away. Later, when I have enough to make a casserole, a pot of soup, some soup stock, or render fat to use in cooking later, I take care of that job. 2 or 3 chicken carcasses simmered in a stockpot make a delicious and rich broth. Since rendering meat fat takes a couple of hours, it's just as easy to do a pound of meat fat trimmings than a small amount. In other kitchens,. scraps like these might be tossed. Those of us who practice frugality know that these bits are gold. It feels like free food.

None of these habits require a huge shift in behavior or a finicky organizational system. They've become second nature over the years, 5 minutes at a time. The peace of mind I've gained is priceless.

Your turn: What is the one small habit you follow that saves your sanity or wallet every single week?

• Is it a plan for keeping your clothing clean and in good repair?
• A smart grocery habit?
• Or an evening kitchen routine?