Here are the first 3 frugal habits I have embraced so far:

1. Using the Library.

I’ve mentioned in the past that I have recently re-discovered the joys of borrowing books from the library. On average, I buy at least 3-4 new books a month. At $20 a book, that’s about $60 a month. Borrowing books from the library is free. You do the math on how much I am saving.

2. Buying second-hand or pre-loved products.

As the eldest daughter in the family of 3, I always had brand new stuff. Come to think of it, even my younger sister rarely got hand-me-downs so using or buying second-hand or pre-loved stuff is something we didn’t really grow up with. Now, I am realizing how much I am saving by buying second-hand goods. Now, a trip to a thrift shop (mostly to scour for vintage stuff) is a regular occurrence. When books are not available in the library, I also resort to buying books second-hand rather than going straight to the bookstore.

3. Selling Stuff I don’t Need

Just as I discovered buying second-hand stuff, I also discovered the joy of selling stuff I no longer have a use for or those that I haven’t worn for more than 6 months. I like it when I sell my stuff, it means more moolah to buy other stuff that I need!

What about you? Are you a recovering shopaholic too? C’mon, do share me your “discoveries”! I’d love to feature them here on Bliss Tree.

Post from: Blisstree

Part 1 – A Shopaholic’s Frugal Living Tips

One of the interesting tips that I have come across is this: buying a smaller container for garbage. Well, if you’re going to think about it, this would mean that you would have to make that much trips to empty your container each time it fills up. However, on the other hand, this just means that the smaller trash bin you have, the more reminded you are that you should throw out less. Unless you want to take that many trips to the dumpster.

Do you still think about the trees? If you do, then you should put a sign or a sticker on your mailbox that proclaims that you do not accept junk mail. That way, you get to throw out less paper. And that means less trash. And with that, less trees are going to get cut.

Source: Reduce Your Rubbish

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What Do You Do With… (General Tips)

Well, one of the best tips that I have found about how to reuse paper I discovered lately. If you have a kid who loves drawing or painting, then you can reuse that whole paper as a gift wrapper. Nice idea, right?

But that does not end there. If you have some really cool magazines with wonderful pictures, you can also use that to wrap gifts. Or maybe even wrap old books. The same can be done with old calendars. Or even with those rolls of wallpaper that you have lying around and you do not know what to do with them.

Anything else you can think of on what else you can do with paper?

Source:  Reduce Your Rubbish

Post from: Blisstree

What Do You Do With… (Paper Edition)

And so this is the first of the series and this is all about what you can do with those plastic bags that you get from shopping and everywhere else.

• Use them as bin liners.
• Place them in the bottom of plant pots and hanging baskets – they act as great drainage systems.
• Children can use them for carrying PE gear to school.
• Scrunch them up to surround items when you’re packaging as an alternative to bubble wrap.
• Use them in the garden to hold your grass cuttings and hedge trimmings before transfer to a compost bin.
• Use them when packing for a holiday to keep dirty/wet clothes and shoes away from dry clothing.
• Use them as ‘doggy doo bags’ when out walking your dog!
• Some supermarkets recycle plastic bags, so you can return plastic bags to them.
• Re-use washed zip lock bags for sandwiches and snacks rather than using plastic wrap.

Other ideas on how you can recycle plastic bags?

Post from: Blisstree

What Do You Do With…

Well, here are a couple of tips on what we all can do to recycle those old books:

1. Throw a book swap party. Get in a few bottles of wine (organic and fair trade of course) and get together your friends, family or neighbors for a book swapping party. You can make up ‘rules’ if you wish, or just let people dive in and help themselves.
2. Donate your books to your local library. You can feel great knowing your old books will be read by hundreds more people.
3. Take them to your local charity, thrift or goodwill shop. Profits raised from your books can help other people benefit from a better life.
4. Donate on Freecycle. You might even find yourself a like-minded friend from your neighborhood in the process!
5. Sell them on Green Metropolis. If you’re in the UK, you can sell your books on Green Metropolis, which donates money to the Woodland trust for every book sold.
6. Sell on the Internets. Make some money on eBay, Amazon or in a second-hand bookshop.
7. ReadItSwapIt. Do as the name suggests, and ReadItSwapIt. You’ll meet a virtual community of people who want to read your book and swap their own. Paper Back Swap offers a swap site for U.S. readers.
8. Become a Book Mooch. BookMooch offers a similar system, but instead of swapping, you earn ‘points’ for every book you give away, which you can use to ‘buy’ other people’s books.
9. Set your books free. BookCrossing is a wonderful idea — you just leave your books on a train seat, in a restaurant or at a hotel for a new reader to find! You can ‘tag’ your book with a unique code and follow your book as it travels across the world.
10. Share the love. A local hospital or hospice would love to take your old books from you for patients to enjoy.
11. Educate others. Take children’s books to a local school and specialist textbooks to a local college or university.

Post from: Blisstree

Recycling By The Book