Shameless money saving and stripper tips

Emanuelle

*I meal prep so that I don't eat something unhealthy or a $20 salad after work out of starved desperation.

*I buy eyelashes at TJ Maxx & Marshalls. The exact same ardell eyelashes I buy for $3.50/pair at the beauty store are $6 for a 5-pack at TJ Maxx. They also have great makeup, Kevin Aucoyn, Dolce & Gabbana, Anastasia, Gucci, etc., but make sure it's unopened before you buy it. I saw a woman testing lip glosses on her arm and putting them back in the packages once. Gross.

*I have a dollar jar that I use to treat myself. If I have a lot of dollar bills I cash them in for larger bills at work, and everything goes into the bank. Any dollars I have left go into a jar and when I feel like I need to treat myself I count my dollar jar and buy myself something. It soothes my need to spend without cutting into my savings.

*I have my savings accounts with banks that don't offer ATM cards, like American Express, and Marcus by Goldman Sachs. Not only do they offer higher interest rates, but I can't withdraw money in a moment of weakness. It takes about 5 days to transfer money to my checking account at Chase, and by then I've come to my senses.

*When a customer buys me an expensive handbag or a pair of Louboutins, or whatever, I sell it and buy a replica version to use in front of him. Don't judge me. I know fakes are controversial, but I don't care that much about fashion. I just want money to buy real estate and stock investments.

*I sell my used thongs from work and real life. I have an Instagram account and an OnlyFans account just for this. I post pictures of myself at work in the thongs, and pictures of myself at the gym with my regular underwear and post a purchase price that depends on how dirty and sweaty I get them. lol I sell my old dancer shoes and thigh highs too. I'm thinking about selling the work dresses I don't want anymore. I'll see how that goes.

*I get almost all my entertainment for free. I read books & audiobooks on Libby & Overdrive apps from the library. I watch videos on Kanopy, from the library & YouTube. I listen to music on Hoopla from the library, which also has books and videos. I learn languages on Duolingo and the library offers the Rosetta Stone app for free. I learn a lot of other things on Khan Academy, EdX, Ted & Ted Global. These things are entertaining for me.

*I also get nutrition and workout plans from YouTube instead of paying a trainer, and I still look like I did when I used to pay a trainer. Just be careful who you take advice from. I follow people like Gauge Girl Training, Jim Stoppani, Athlean X, Pick Up Limes, Abby Sharp...... people who have college degrees in dietetics, exercise science, biochemistry, etc. I also follow a few professional bikini competitors, because they have professionals helping them, so they have good advice to share. I love a lot of other fitness girls on YouTube & Instagram, but I don't take their advice too seriously because they're just figuring things out as they go along. I use them as fitspo.

*I buy my work dresses from places like Fashion Nova, Boohoo & Missguided and wait for 50% off sales, which happen constantly, so my dresses are all like $6 each.

*I buy almost all of my IRL wardrobe from The Real Real and Thredup. On Thredup I set the filters to New With Tags, or Like New, because everything else is in pretty bad shape. They even have workout clothes New with Tags. I also buy gym shoes and clothes from 6pm.com, which is the outlet site for zappos.com. I have a ton of Nike and Adidas gym clothes that I got for about $15 each.

*I set very detailed goals. For example if I want to buy a property in one year I figure out the average price for what I want, then what I will need for a down payment & closing costs. Then I calculate how much that means I need to save each month, each week, and each night of work to meet my goal. I open a separate savings account for that goal, and it's easy to track when I know day by day if I'm ahead or behind. I do the same with my education expenses.

*I track every little thing I spend in Google Sheets. I don't set a budget, per se, but I do pay attention if one month my spending is a lot more than usual. I started doing this because my spending was....... I didn't even have a clue where my money was going. "I see it I want it, I want it I got it. I want it I got it...." That was my life. So I started to write things down and I was like WHAT?! I spend $1,200 a month on taxis?! And $200 a week on shitty diner food after work?! And I used to be really into shopping for clothes. It was out of control. I know budgeting is boring, but writing down everything you spend and seeing it all add up in one place really holds you accountable for what you're spending. It helped me so much to make better financial decisions.

arielbriel

I drink tap water - NYC tap is great.

I rent or airb&b my extra bedroom.

I send out my promo codes for my apps so I can get free stuff.

I utilize rewards programs and airline points so I don't have to pay for travel.

I steal sealed waters and sealed sodas from tables at work when the guys leave stuff behind and stock my fridge with it.

neverendingkneebruises

Aliexpress is my dirty, shameless money saving secret. I'm addicted to it. The shipping takes forever but I save a lot of money on stuff I'd be spending a lot on just stock up. Also read the reviews I've never had an issue!

Makeup brushes - they work and blend so well and are so beautiful to display on my vanity. These I recently got and are my favorites but they have a tonn. So many cute sets for usually under $10.

Makeup bags - again so many cute designs to keep my makeup, nail and other beauty stuff in.

Beauty blender case - love these (the cases with the holes in them so they're breathable and dry while not in use). Search "blender case" there's tons of cute ones. Keeps my sponge away and clean.

Lashes - Probably what I save the most on, LOL. I search "faux mink lashes" these usually get you the highest quality ones. Again read the reviews. I get sets of 5-10 of them for like $2-3. Compared to $3-5 for ONE pair Kiss or Ardell lashes at the drugstore. I reuse them as much as I can LOL yeah maybe that's cheap but I'm getting my $1~ per lashes worth LOL

(don't buy actual cosmetics from China, it can be dangerous or gross. But stuff like this is totally fine)

Nails - I get blank press on nails and do them myself at home. (There's also a ton of cute press ons ready to go on ali but I am REALLY shameless w my money so I get a box of 500pcs for $5 and do them myself , LOL) I also get little rhinestones, opals, glitter, sequins, decals, etc to put on there for a blinged out look, they cost like $1. (also this tutorial for ombre nails with regular nail polish)

I was going crazy spending $50-100 at the nail salon twice a month. It was so stupid. And i'm a gamer so the nails were getting in the way of my keyboard. Also hated how papery thin my nails felt if I had to take them off.

So now I do the press ons however I want and glue them on the night before work. And take them off whenever I want. As long as you prep them right you're good to go.

Menstrual underwear - Also bought these off ali lol. $3 a pair and I don't buy pads anymore. I like them way more than pads too. They work surprisingly well. I just rinse w cold water when I'm done with them, and pop them in the washer with the rest of my clothes.

Cheap jewelry - Ali is sooo good for cheap cute jewelry. I get all my chokers from there. I also have my septum pierced and I buy septum rings from there for $1 compared to $10 at the store. (I'm always loosing those little balls) Obviously, make sure the piercing is fully healed before you put anything other than implant grade jewelry in there.

Fishnets - they are like $1-2 on Ali compared to $8-15 at a store so I stock up in all different colors because they're always ripping on me.

Lingerie - I don't buy a LOT of lingerie from Ali. Most of it is a gamble. But those bodystockings you'd normally pay $20 for in a box, you can get there for $3-8 and they're SUCH good quality!! This lasted me a while and I got a ton of compliments in the club.

Silk robes - again, read the reviews. But they're like $5 each so when I was in a robes club I'd get tons of different colors.

Camillauk

I colour my own hair with a organic hair colour I buy from a health food store and it works well on my naturally dark hair. I do my own nails and swear by Strong Nail System nail strengthening gel coat with keratin in. Really helps my short nails grow and become stronger.

I buy discounted fruit and veg after 5pm -8pm and get really good bargains so now my food shopping has cut by half by being frugal and using staples in the cupboard instead of impulse buying for the sake of it.

I have a bottle that I bought from ebay and I fill that up with filtered water and put fresh lemon wedges in to flavour the water for fitness and every day. It encourages me to drink more water.

I go to charity shops where I live and have picked up some great bargains and go to dress shops where you can sell your unwanted stuff. Ebay, V Collective etc..

SnuffleUffleGrass

Super-shameless savings tips-

If you're moving & don't want to a do a trip to the dump, Goodwill + other charity shops have trucks that will pick up big donations (furniture) & the stores usually have a site on premises to accept boxes & bags. (Keep in mind some landlords keep deposits over items left in a dwelling after moving out date is past.)

If you live near Universities with dorms- students will often throw out new and expensive items upon leaving school when school breaks start.....they're not going to pay to ship these things home, or they don't need these things anymore. I knew a guy whose whole family cruised the dumpsters at the University of Austin Texas & got lots of nice items. (In my city it's Chinese students who throw out these things.) You're basically dumpster diving for new items/furniture.

A few of the Dollar Tree cleaning items are dupes for more expensive products, I'll have to sit down later & document which ones.

KyliePaige

Amazon!

- Pack of 80 eyelashes for $10. They're not great quality, but can be reused and stay on great with high quality glue.

- Outfits. Tons of cheap ones from China (as mentioned the shopping takes forever, but the savings are worth it).

- Make up. I buy cheap makeup in bulk on Amazon. The only things I don't purchase are foundation and eyeshadow. Everything else comes from Amazon for cheap.

- Learned to make homemade lattes using Amazon ingredients. Lowered my monthly Starbucks bill haha.

- Freezing fresh ingredients in ice cube trays. Such as ginger, garlic etc. That way I'm not wasting money buying fresh when cooking and throwing most of it out.

SnuffleUffleGrass

Re- Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, Dollar General etc.- they have really stepped up their game in terms of what they stock & promos/coupons. I always check there first.

I use men's deoderant & men's shaving products. They're cheaper & if you sweat hard men's deoderant works better than women's, frankly.

When I travel I will park my car & use public transit when running everyday errands. Saves stress & gasoline. Plus I get to know a city better.

I buy clothing off of Facebook groups if I can't check out consignment shops. Pennies on the dollar, frequently barely worn.

WendiStarr

Ditto on Dollar Tree and Family Dollar. I've found Dollar Tree useful for cleaning supplies, toothpaste, mouthwash, candles, and birthday cards. For everything being only $1 there, it's pretty awesome. Also, they sell these things that are just like Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser, except at Dollar Tree they come 3 in a pack which is awesome. Family Dollar often has deals on stuff too. Thrift stores for clothes. Sometimes you can find stuff on craiglist free section, just bring a friend with you for safety reasons or public area if possible. I scored a free dresser in great condition that way and a desk. Also, if there are churches around many of them seem to have food pantries. Some of them don't even ask you for pay stub or income info, just as long as you show up on a set day and time they give free food to anyone who shows up.

Piper328

Over time, I've scored a 32 inch flatscreen tv for $45, PS3 for $50 and a bundle of games for another $15, Nintendo 3DS XL system for $40.... etc etc. I've also seen desktops and laptops for dirt cheap. Nice, most of the time brand new electronics for these prices! How you ask?

Look up when grades close/report cards release in your city/town's school district, and around that time check craigslist and facebook yardsale groups or Marketplace. Kids will get bad grades and parents will sell their games and other electronics for dirt cheap. ESPECIALLY the grade closing period after Christmas (kid gets new PS4 for Christmas, grades drop once they get it, it gets sold). It's kind of shitty to think about but I save so much money my conscience is cleared.

SnuffleUffleGrass

* OK boring information but in time for Spring Cleaning Shopping Lists- Dollar Store tub cleaner "The Works" is incredible. Works better than Tilex minus the toxic fumes. 1 buck a bottle.

* Several of the LA's Totally Awesome! cleaners work way too well....all Dollar Store staples. Very helpful if you have a large household or clean up after pets.

* Auto repair- many dealership mechanics will take after hours work. Just ask. This will save you hundreds on suspension work alone. Just ask.

* I used to laugh at this cheapo tip but Crisco shortening works well as a balm for cracked feet or super dry skin.

* Prom season is a great time to stock up on rhinestone jewelry & some prom dresses can be altered for use in gown clubs.

* A lot of gift packs of beauty and bath products are on clearance at TJ Maxx & similar outlet stores right after Christmas. Good to stock up on if you use those a lot.

lovelace

i do my food shopping in bulk to take advantage of the special offers

i make sure i always have food in the house so i’m less tempted to buy fast food after work

i use my one night off a week to sit down and do my own nails

i dye my own hair

i INVESTED in very good quality expensive hair extensions - had the same hair for over a year now and it still looks fresh and amazing (i also use good-quality heat protection spray to look after it)

coconut oil for everything! can buy a huge tub from holland + barratts and they sometimes have special offers on. i use it for shaving, hair treatments, dry skin, mixed with sugar for a body scrub etc

go to pound shops for things like baby wipes and deodrant

i got into a habit of saving all my 1ps, 2ps and 5ps in a jar

since the start of the year i have put £10 in a pot every saturday night. this will pay for my christmas shopping in december so i don’t spend all my november/december earnings on christmas

SnuffleUffleGrass

Super shameless tip (hey, that is the topic)- lost and found boxes at restaurants and bars. If you are in desperate need of a coat, gloves, or scarf....say you think you left yours there & ask about it. Sometimes they'll let you check through the box to save their own manpower. Also a good way to get phone/device chargers. (I worked in restaurants for years. Lost & found items either get dumpster-ed or sent to a charity thrift store. So don't feel guilty.)

Cheap ways to manage anxiety/ stabilize mood- Scentsy warmers at home (cheaper and safer than candles in the long run) breathing exercises, keeping your living space orderly and clean. Acupressure, set mealtimes, and meditations.

Piper328

Turns out... Dollar Tree’s fragrance section is actually not too shabby! I bought their knockoff of Viktor & Rolf’s Flowerbomb ($85) as a gag gift for my mom as it’s her favorite perfume. Wore it another day and she yelled at me for using her expensive perfume before I told her I was using the $1 version LOL

They have pretty scents and tons of knockoffs that are pretty close (I know some wealthier customers recognize expensive fragrances). For $1 it's worth checking out

SubSpace666

Taking your shoes/boots to a cobbler is great! I just had an $85 pair of Pleasure boots repaired for only $15! They look great (besides some tiny areas where he had to peel the shiny top coat bc it was worn and had sprayed new clear coat. In the dark you won't be able to see that! He got them glued, polished, and had black over the worn areas. I was honestly surprised it was so cheap! I'm going to be doing this to other old pairs of shoes I have now, AND they repair zippers and luggage, etc. Save money getting your old stuff fixed and you don't have to keep buying full price for new boots/shoes, luggage, purses!

I'm also into making my own clothing and custom outfits and want to get back into sewing. I've learned how to add glitter to heels quite easily instead of spending upwards of $100 for a pair on Etsy. If you are a DIY stripper, you're golden ;P I'm thinking of starting a store at some point >.<

If you make your own make-up or lotions, even better!

I try to save money however I possibly can. I bought a van and lived/worked out of it for quite some time with an anytime fitness membership and it was really convenient not to have to pay rent or for hotel/airbnb. But it takes a very special type of person to be able to live comfortably in a van (or bus) for long periods compared to people who are used to needing a ton of space. I'm a minimalist and super OCD so I'm really organized

Oh and instead of paying a ton to get my lashes done I buy the Ardell Faux mink lashes and I can wear a pair for about 3-6 days so a pack of lashes can last me a month and it's only $17

I'm a big fan of dry shampoo and often go 5-7 days without washing my hair by not using any hairspray or any product the first few days, and then as my hair gets dirtier, or before it gets dirty, I throw my hair up into either a ponytail, pigtails, or space buns and use hairspray the last two days for those. They last when I sleep and cuts down on getting ready time. And I'm not washing out my dye as fast as I would if I washed my hair every other day. AND I'm saving money in the long run on shampoo and conditioner and sometimes can get by just using other peoples or what is supplied to me with no problems while traveling. I don't need a lot of it and it saves time Dry shampoo for my bangs, otherwise I wouldn't need it!

missmay

Love this thread!

-I only buy stuff on clearance most of the time. I buy baby wipes at the dollar tree or in the travel section at target for 89 cents

-I use extra hair ties as money holders since the pack comes with so many

-I bring my own alcohol to pregame with

-I hand wash my outfits with hot water and antibacterial soap and put it in the dryer if I want to reuse an outfit piece before it’s time to do laundry

-Off brand items work just as well as name brand items most of the time

-I eat before/on the way to work and bring snacks for work breaks and in the car

-makeup products can serve multiple purposes. I use bronzer/highlight for eyeshadow, eyeshadow for eyebrow powder, blush for eyeshadow, Vaseline as a lip gloss over lipstick especially for super dry Matte lipsticks or as a chapstick, etc

SnuffleUffleGrass

* This is a big one and I still forget to check my receipts sometimes- if you buy a lot of items in one trip to the store, read your receipt BEFORE you leave the check out area. I just found out a cashier charged me twice for a cheap item- it's kind of my fault for not checking before I left. BTW the store checker at the exit is only going to make sure you're not taking out an unpaid for item. Any overcharges on your side are your responsibility.

* Use less laundry soap if you wash your clothing on the regular- it will lessen the wear on the garment, and it's not likely that you need to use that much, especially in the age of High Efficiency washers. Dry your jeans by air instead of the dryer to reduce wear and tear. It's cheaper too.

buttonpop

Besides dying my own hair, doing my own nails, sewing clothes and repairing shoes before I buy new ones (black plasti dip is great for peeling leather or any scuffs on black shoes btw!), here's a few things i do.

-I search online and by experience for drugstore dupes of my favorite Sephora makeup. Just google the name of the brand and "dupe". i also follow some instagram accounts that post dupes, i found them by searching the tag makeup dupes. Just found a drugstore dupe of my $40 foundation for $8. At this point, almost all of my makeup is drugstore brands that I've spent many years finding the perfect formulas for my skin and whatnot.

-I return ANY AND ALL products I dislike or didn't use. Many grocery stores have very liberal return policies and I take full advantage. Dried out mascara? Return it. Fruit spoiled before you could eat it? Return it. Didn't like the new conditioner you bought? Return it. Sephora and Ulta both have good return policies too and will take used products that you didn't like. Whole foods will take back anything for any reason, even half used bottles of vitamins.

-I make my own cleaning supplies out of vinegar and dish soap.

-I buy a 5-pack of my favorite lashes (ardell 45) at Ulta (9.99) and use 1 pair a week. I put a coat of mascara on them when I first get a new pair and then am careful to only apply mascara to my real lashes during each use after that. I pick off the dried glue before re-using and store them a plastic container to keep them from getting wet or squished. Even though I wear them 7 days a week I can sometimes get 2 weeks use out of them if I'm careful.

Cashmere Star

I try to eat at home before work, but I also bring food from home (or frozen food microwaved) so I don't have to buy food while at work.

I get energy shots, bottled water, nail polish,baby wipes, lipsticks at dollar store. I make my own energy drink with bottled water and caffeine drops (I Like Mio Energy). Eyeshadows aren't worth it at the dollar stores IME.

I go to the thrift store of rich areas of town, and charities with influential women/trophy wives running it because they have the best clothes and jewelery for cheap. I got a lot of my rhinestone and nice jewelery there for dancing, and beautiful outfits for OTC.

Don't do drugs, drink, or smoke!! They take so much money and you lose by missing out on potential money. A custie can refuse to spend on you because he doesn't like your smoker's breath. They also age you out so fast. I hate how younger girls than me already have wrinkled skin and tired looks because they do drugs and they live off junk food, and I can tell they were naturally beautiful face and body wise. But idk, they still make money and some guys probably like that "look" (especially the skinny cocaine look), but drugs/alcohol/cigarettes themselves cost money too.

Use Korean italy towel to exfoliate your body, then throw it in with laundry to keep it clean. I've been using the same mitts for 3 years and they're still good as new, and I use walmart's $1 bottle of cocoa butter lotion (it's really good!!)

I keep and use perfume samples from department stores like Sephora.

Make friends with the local beauty school students and stick to one or two. When you're a regular, they begin to know what you want and figure out what looks best on you even though they're students.

I use veet on my body every 1-2 week instead of shaving or waxing. It's very convenient.

I don't dye my hair or tan, and I might be missing out on potential money but IMO I save more time that way and I'll stay longer in the industry in the long run. My goal is super long and shiny hair, which makes money, and focus on fitness. I invest in health (inherent beauty) than beauty I have to maintain and pay for. Spending too much time coloring my hair and tanning stresses me out.

We had a rabbit like you

I do trailer chic so that saves a lot. Lmao.

Press on nails.

I bleach and tone my own hair w Sally's products. Saves massive amounts.

Go on YouTube and learn how to cut bangs, layer, and trim yourself or w a little help. Just get professional scissors.

My hair looks awesome because I use coconut oil on it religiously.

V05 conditioner works great and I believe is silicone free. I also use their shampoo or suave.

I work w my natural texture and don't straighten or blow dry.

Buy your own self tanner or go pale.

Wet n wild and elf are AWESOME for the price and you can get your eye makeup more pigmented by adding water. If your mascara dries then add eye drops.

You can use lipstick as creamy blush by applying sparingly and blending into dewy makeup.

I buy a tinted sunscreen that doubles as foundation. Two birds/one stone

You can also use your eye shadows as liners and brow powders..just add water and apply w a different brush.

Starbucks napkins as blotting paper

Sugar or coffee grinds mixed w coconut oil make the best body scrubs or pedi scrubs

Learn to do simple sewing. They sell a tube dress which is literally two pieces of fabric stitched together..for 60 bucks!! When ppl learn you're a stripper they think you're a sucker who has more money than sense and they overcharge.

But the biggest thing I've learned about is "the pink tax". So if you can..BUY THE MENS PRODUCT. Seriously. My razors,shaving creams, etc are from the men's section. More product and cheaper.

Selina M

Super Long Selina Is a Pennypincher That Still Likes Nice Shit 'Master Reply'

Beauty:

- If you have an 'upgraded' Planet Fitness around, it's $20/month for the gym + tanning + hydrotherapy and regular massage tables/chairs + red light therapy

- Groupon! Right now I see $12 gel manis, $30 facials, etc. They run discounts a lot too so it can be even cheaper.

- Massage schools. $30ish for 60 minutes, and with coupons & student/military discounts you can get it to $20 sometimes

- Learn to do your own acrylic/gel nails. I posted this before, but it costs me like $2/full set & I do it while I'm watching TV anyway

Food:

- Again, Groupon for eating out. Lots of 50% off deals.

- If you're a huge fancy coffee drinker, the Ninja coffee bar is actually great. They even have one with a steamer wand now. You can buy the flavored Torani syrups at grocery stores. It's about $150 but if you drink a $5 latte a day, it'll pay for itself in ~1 month.

- Some restaurants do DineRewards, where you can get every X number of meals half off. Sometimes it's the whole 'parent company', like for example Darden Restaurants, so you're not stuck to one place. Even if you don't eat out a lot, you'll still EVENTUALLY get a discount

- Loyalty cards. I hoard these things. Literally everyone seems to do these, even the eyebrow threading places here.

Clothes:

- Poshmark is pretty cool both for buying AND selling your old clothes. You can get lots of 3-4 VS bras for $7-$10, barely used designer bags for <$100, etc.

- Sign up for the emails at stores you shop at. I can't remember the last time I paid over 60% of regular price just making a point to shop when they had a sale on. If you don't want the spam, make a separate 'couponing' email address.

- See something you really like at Charlotte Russe, Wet Seal, etc., that's in the front of the store (you know, where they put all the new shit that's marked up?) Wait a couple weeks. Can't tell you how many times I've gotten dresses for $10 instead of $30.

Food/Household:

- Dollar store for dry goods (cleaning supplies, etc.)

- Winco & Walmart are the cheapest grocery stores I've found. Fry's and Albertson's are like 30% higher in price sometimes.

- Buy in at least semi-bulk... like multiple pounds of meat, or stock up if there's non-perishables on sale.

- Learn to cook. Oh my God. Seriously. The amount of $$ I spent on eating out decreased by a landslide when I learned how to cook a few basic things + bought a crockpot. There's some crockpot meals that you can get 3-4 meals out of and they cost like $3 to make, AND all you had to do was throw shit in the pot.

Scarletkisses

Smell is one of the most important things in out industry.

Another tip nothing to do with money. I put my outfits in ziplocks and put a dryer sheets in the bags to smell fresh.

Also I buy my perfume from ebay as testers. They are full but are just missing a cap and nice box. And you save so much.

Melonie

my own list of money-saving tricks from when I used to live in New York ...

- buy in bulk once a month at Sam's Club / BJ's wholesale - everything from baby wipes to canned vegetables to body lotion. This saves money 'twice' ... first via the discounted price and second by reducing the number of shopping trips

- check Dollar General / Dollar Tree once a month for 'opportunity' bargains ( but not everything they sell is really a bargain !!! )

- INVEST in your own exercise equipment. This also saves money 'twice' ... first by cutting out gym membership cost and second by reducing trips to a gym

- INVEST in a quality home coffee maker and quality thermos + travel mug. Even if you buy name brand / gourmet coffee beans, this still saves huge compared to the 'drive-thru'

- INVEST in a sewing machine to make / repair stage outfits.

and of course you can save again by 'writing off' 50% of the cost of these investments as business expenses !!!

Eric Stoner

Here's an easy way to save on both your gas and electric bill - put one or two dry towels into the clothes dryer. It cuts drying time in half ! I heard about it, tried it and it works. Did a full load in 30 minutes instead of an hour.

SeaBelle

I read through this thread and didn't see it listed, but I buy a lot of my shoes on line. (Since I am new, and although I did read the rule section..my mind is a bit fuzzy on if I allowed post a link to the sites). I stumbled across one particular company years ago and while some of their stuff is high, I usually just rummage around their last pairs and clearance sections (I usually find tons). They also have props, costumes, lingerie, etc etc. Last month, I bought six pairs of shoes for $5 and under each. They do offer mens and some children's shoes but the site itself is geared toward dancers. That said, I have bought what they term "disposable" boots for $1.99 about 3 years ago, and just had to recently throw them out. (Luckily, for me, they still had a pair in my size for the same price and now I have a new set!) This year in deciding to come back to the industry, I found another site that I like as well - and they have flash sales, I found several items there.

Like a few of you have said, eBay is great! I also order from China/Korea and I don't mind the wait either! It is almost like cutting out the middle man and the cost! I have bought lingerie, clothes, jewelry, make up (although, for make up I am very cautious) as well as gifts for Christmas/Birthdays and saved a fortune! I switched from wearing gold to silver a few years back, and found some really good bargins - although I had to watch for the dreaded "plated" word!

I actually make my own candles, fragrances, air fresher which saves me quite a bit as before I was a candle buying addict. I also sew and quilt when I can find the time - buying fabric on ebay, using sheets, pillowcases..etc for ideas.

I read in one response where Goodwill does the 1/2 off days, when I lived in TN, they did a 99 cent day twice a week (Sunday and Wednesday's). One color would be 1/2 off week and then the next that color would be 99 cents and another color would be 1/2 off. Unfortunately where I live now in Florida, doesn't participate. I found some really great deals though!

I shop Ross and look for their clearance items, same thing with Beall's Outlet (Burke's in some states) - I usually will not buy unless it is at least 70% off, and then I try to shop on Friday's (On Friday's they offer 15% off entire purchase - including clearance items- to people 45 and under, Monday's for people 46 and up). I also hit up the VS outlet near here and utilize them for bra's, thong's, sleepwear, lingerie...etc.

I also discovered the Everything's $5 store at our local mall! In fact, my middle daughter has me hooked - word of caution, some sizes run SMALL! But $5 for a cute dress/cover up/etc... is pretty decent.

I am also like some of the other girls, with the fake nails - only I use the toenails. I didn't realize that you can use non-acetone remover on them! So I try to keep them on hand, and buy Walgreen's brand of nail polish when it goes on sale. (I use Ebay to get the sticker decals to decorate with) And then a good quality clear top coat.

I also garden my own tomato's, trying corn this year to help save on vegetables, I don't know about the rest of you, but the grocery store is where I spend the most! So I clip coupons and utilize the BOGO deals to the best I can.

That is about all I can think of...

arielbriel

Take public transit during the day.

Drink tap water as much as you can (NYC).

GROUPON.

Cooking at home.

Finding a place with a loyalty program for threading your eyebrows or COffee.

Taking the subway during the day as opposed to cabs.

Doing your own hair & Makeup at least once a week.

Saving your receipts for tax write-offs.

Coupons & sales at the grocery store.

Costco.

Buying rhinestone Jewelry at the dollar stores or for a couple bucks.

Putting gowns individual zip-lock bags to keep them cleaner longer.

Getting to work earlier to save on house fee.

Participating in club promotional work and selling bottles to also save on house fee.

Buying generic perfume for work.

Headbands as garters.

Buying used gowns.

Shopping at the stripper stores when I go on vacation. (Chances are they are way cheaper than NYC).

Splitting a cab with a friend.

Never buy my own drinks.

Selina M

Great thread!

- My friend in beauty school does my hair for the cost of the materials and an extra $10. She's afraid of bleach, so getting to practice on me is good, since I don't freak out if something isn't quite right. Saves me about $60 every 6 weeks!

- Looooove Ross. The little Asian-run jewelry stores in the malls are awesome too - everything is like $1 or $2 for fake diamonds and hair pieces.

- "Creative parking", as I call it... I've been at university for 3 years, and have never bought a parking permit - they run from $280 to $800. I park about a mile away and either walk or take the free bus to campus. When I have to go to the satellite campus, I take the school shuttle and spend the drive doing homework.

- I am ALWAYS selling shit on craigslist. Bf was a hoarder before I moved in; he cleaned about half of the stuff out, but I find something every week or so that I can persuade him to sell for $25.

- Drinking mostly water, both at home and restaurants

- I save all my house fee receipts and those from stripper stores, for taxes.

- I go in right at opening to get cheaper house fee. My club also does free house fee if you open and then stay 7 hours.

- Bring snacks to work. I bring granola bars, apples, peaches, etc. instead of ordering the club's "fruit plate" for $5.

Zofia

If you have credit card debt, pay it off as fast as possible. With interest rates on savings accounts, government bonds, even corporate bonds, at historic low interest rates, it makes very little sense to put money in savings. Pay off credit cards first, then save.

I used to flip houses. That business is dead. But, one thing I learned from that experience, buy the house the way you want it. Don't buy with a plan to completely make it over. You'll never get you money out of a complete makeover in today's market.

HTH

Z

mia_noxx

the things i do, not only do they save me money, but also time !

i've permanently tattooed my eyebrows and upper eyelids, and lips, and it saved me 20 minutes each day

i shave, i cut my own hair, i dye my hair with black henna, i pluck my own eyebrows, i do my own mani-pedis

okay, this might seem weird to you, but i never use glasses in my home.. only plastic disposable cups... i'm too lazy to wash them off of hardened coffee drops, coke, or efervescent magneziun pills.... same goes with plastic forks and knives!

i cook my own food, always buying it in bulk... always freeze it, so i would always have a healthy meal... take-out is the devil !

when it's payday, i fill up my cart with delicious healthy food that lasts: fresh carrots, grapefruits, frozen strawberries, frozen baby carrots... i buy my meat in bulk, portion it, and stick it in the freezer... i buy a 60 egg carton, which would take me about 3 hours to make 30 omelettes to bag and freeze. - my emergency sweet stash only consists of a bag of 10 ounces or golden raisins, which i nibble on whenever i get lightheaded.

i've read a college tip for saving water, so:... if the water reservoir from your toilet is 9 liters, then take a 2 liter bottle, fill it with water and disinfectant, seal it shut, and place it in the container, and it's sheer volume will prevent the can from filling up with a whole 9 liters... with every flush, you save 2 liters !

public transportation...duh

i'm a firm believer in combo-products... if i have dandruff and dry ends, i buy the head'n shoulders 2 in 1 shampoo..... if i crave both crispy crunchy junk food AND hearty confort food, i'll just get a bag of barbecue-flavoured chips.

i keep every coin in my pocket and save it in a piggy bank.. you could be surprised how much you could raise..... in one year, i've saved a whole month's bills in equivalent !

sharpie + superglue + safety pins = godsend

my last one, and this probably is the MOST valuable tip i've ever learned and will religiously take with me through the rest of my life: you see, i shop groceries by impulse, and i always end up buying bags for them... i had almost 200 plastic bags in my house at a moment in my life, and now i just use them as trash bags lol....THIS IS THE KEY

jadey_23

I use fabric dye and a paintbrush to dye the white soles of my Pleasers black. I know of a few girls who would throw away their shoes just because the soles were dirty -- waste.