How to Be a Superscrimper
Now more than ever, saving money is less of a sport and more of a necessity. Superscrimpers – those eccentric beings that never buy anything at full price and recycle every single tidbit – are starting to look like the wiser ones now.
How can we follow in their superscrimping footsteps? Let us count the ways:
Superscrimper vacations
1. Do house swaps. Do you want to get away from it all and enjoy all the comforts of home, at practically no extra cost? Arrange a house swap with a similar-minded friend. It doesn’t matter if the friend’s home is far from being the Astoria. You’re not going to be staying in it all day anyway. Instead, you’ll be walking around the new place, exploring the sights, breathing in the new atmosphere – just like any other regular vacation.
2. Go couchsurfing. A site called connects people who are willing to open their homes with travellers who are willing to stay with them. So not only will you avoid paying hotel prices, you’re also practically guaranteed an adventure. Of course, some of us may be wary about staying in the home of strangers. Worry not – has a verification system that helps ensure you won’t be staying with a psycho killer. You can check the site out to learn more.
3. Stay home. If you’re looking for relaxation, this could, in fact, be your most relaxing option. No flights to book, no rooms to rent, no places to go. Remember those teenage days when you slept in your room all summer, a pile of books at your bedside, living on whatever your fridge holds? Turn the answering machine on and send the kids off to Grandma’s. Now you’re all set to have the quietest, most relaxing, and cheapest vacation of your life!
Superscrimper fashion
1. Swish. Tired of your old clothes, or they no longer fit? Invite your friends to a swishing event and get a whole new wardrobe. The only rule is that every person needs to bring at least one piece of good quality clothing or accessory (but of course, they may bring more than one). Make it a potluck party as well and have the guests bring eatables, so you won’t have to shell out for those yourself. Once the party starts, the items should all be on display, and you can get as many as you brought!
2. Borrow. This is especially good for maternity clothes and baby clothes, since these tend to be used for such short times, you can’t wear them out yourself, and once you’re done, you give them back and save on your own storage space.
Superscrimper food
1. Buy frozen food. They’re cheaper, and the difference in taste is not commensurate to the difference in cost.
2. Grow your own vegetable garden if you want fresh food.
3. Instead of keeping expensive pets such as dogs, keep cheap and useful ones such as chickens or rabbits instead. Learn to eat rabbit meat.
4. Fast on Fridays.
5. Substitute tofu for meat.
6. Save the free condiments from fast food joints.
Now some of these tips may seem too eccentric, but one thing we guarantee you – they work. With these money-saving practices, you can live on your income and avoid getting into debt, which, by the way, is always expensive.
If you are already in debt, this is not the time to scrimp. Debts are probably the biggest things that eat up our income. Get out of debt fast by getting good debt management advice.