Frugality = Creativity

I love saving a dollar and will do just about anything to do so, as long as it’s practical, legal and moral.

I add water to handsoap to make it last longer and an extra can of chicken broth to soup to make it serve more.

I use heavy-duty scissors to dissect lotion containers and toothpaste tubes to get that last little bit way down at the bottom.

I can get three applications from a single package of hair color by only mixing a small amount at a time. (I learned this the hard way – it changes color over time which causes innovative, but usually unwanted, tones and highlights).

I reuse (wet but clean) paper towels, pass along magazines, and upcycle (the new word for alter) outfits purchased at the Union Mission or Goodwill.

I also love finding a great deal. I hunt through junk stores and have been quite successful in uncovering inexpensive hidden treasures.

Some of my greatest finds include a traditional blue Wedgwood plate, a small, but perfect, Waterford crystal clock and a gorgeous full set of china which turned out to be worth about 20 times more than I paid for it.

I took the china back to the storekeeper because I felt they had made a drastic mistake in selling it so cheaply, but was told to “go home and enjoy.” I do.

Another interesting way I save money is to experiment with new or different uses for ordinary things, some of which have succeeded and some, well, some have not.

Take the time I used Elmer’s Glue as a facial mask. My family was appalled but I was thoroughly refreshed by the feel of pulling the hardened glue (along with the first layer of my skin) from my “frozen-in-time” face! Oh, well, nothing ventured, nothing gained!

And then there was the time I used dish detergent in the dishwasher. “Why not?” I queried “dish detergent vs. dishwasher detergent – what’s the difference?”

When I walked into the kitchen to find hundreds of little bubbles oozing out of the machine, I said “oops, there is a difference!”

My summer “saving money” venture has been the production of sweet and cinnamon pickles (125 jars, in fact, due to the abundance of our garden) which I will use for Christmas gifts.

My kitchen resembled a pickle factory and I remained sticky from head to toe for weeks!

And I’m always clipping coupons, usually from the Sunday paper’s inserts of Smart Source and Red Plum. I also check my local stores’ Web sites for weekly bargains and browse the following sites for great deals:

http://clippergirlssavingspot.blogspot.com/

http://hip2save.blogspot.com/

http://dealiciousmom.com/

http://becentsable.blogspot.com/

http://www.couponcravings.com/

http://bargainbriana.com/2009/07/CVS-deals-75-to-711

I think of saving money as a game and always keep a positive attitude about it.

I do not want my life to be controlled by money, but I do want to know that I have done the absolute best for my family when it comes to value and quality!

Donna Clements speaks with 15 years under her belt as a financial Adviser and 10 years as a professional in association management as it pertains to the field of law. She is available for personal consultation or for speaking engagements with businesses, civic groups and nonprofit associations. She can be reached via email at dc@donnaclements.com.