Dollars $ Sense: The Frugalista

fru·gal[froo-guhl]  

–adjective

1.economical in use or expenditure; prudently saving or sparing; not wasteful: a frugal manager.

2.entailing little expense; requiring few resources; meager; scanty: a frugal meal.

 

A moment in history :D

Many moons ago, during my "student years," I worked as a receptionist for a chiropractic clinic. It was during a time of "healthcare" change in Ontario - where chiropractic service, once covered by our public health insurance (in Canada), was no longer seen as an essential benefit and was cut from funding.  Unless it was covered by people's private insurance, patients paid for the treatments out of their own pockets.

Chiropractors across the province were hurting financially as a result.  They lost a great number of patients who were unable to afford the treatments - or unwilling to pay for it themselves.

 

Winter in Ottawa - as snowy, salty, mushy time.  Every night, a cleaner came in to remove the salt, dirt, and mush from the carpeting in the waiting room. ($$$).  Every few days, the doc would send me off to Staples to buy some more ink cartridges.  He used a "home use" PC and printer for his business.  ($$$$$) He was trying to replenish his dwindling roster of patients - so he placed a full-colour ad with photo in the local newspaper ($$).

 

My point is, if you run a small business, it's wise to think creatively (or just practically) to reduce unnecessary costs.  Many clinics ask people to remove their boots at the door before entering the clinic.  There are printers designed for business use.  He was spending hundreds of dollars on new ink cartridges each week - bad for the budget, and the environment.  Even still, there are many, many ink refill services out there.  Bring in your empties, they refill, off you go.  Much less expensive, and much less wasteful.

 

Putting an expensive ad in a great, big newspaper might bring in a few patients, but it's wiser to target people who have an interest in such therapies - health magazines, for example.  Online advertising is usually much less expensive, too, or even free for some classified sites like Craigs List or Kijiji.

 

 

Money-Saving Ideas for WAHT Frugalistas

 I'm not cheap - I'm FRUGAL

 

 

It's hard not to be a "penny pincher" when you are literally paid in cents!

Have you ever gone out for dinner, looked at your bill and thought,

"What? This just cost me 5000 lines!"

There are lots of ways you could save money - in fact, there are plenty of books on the topic!   

Here are a few "cheap tricks" of my own:

 

$ Reuse your ink cartriges.  You may even be able to refill them yourself.  Find out more on eHow.

 

$ Set your printer to "economy" or "draft."  Print double-sided, and reuse unwanted printouts as scrap paper, or let your kids scribble on it. :D

 

$ Use energy-efficient lighting in your office (and everywhere).  Choose a work spot with a window. The sunshine is good for your spirits - and reduces lighting costs.

 

$$$ BUY USED.  Seriously, whenever possible.  Used car, used books, used computer, used furniture, second-hand clothing.... you get the idea.

 

$ Borrow.  Need a dress for a one-time event?  Borrow one from a friend.  Use your local library.  Many even offer movies and magazines.    

 

$$$ FIND FREEBIES.  Free software downloads, free word lists, free practice dictations, free how-to videos :D such as (WAHT TV) :D Look for coupons, discounts, etc.  AHDI members are entitled to certain discounts.  Career Step students, also.  Check what your school or company offers in this regard.  (PS - Summer Productivity Blitz: Free productivity downloads and lists - coming soon!)

 
$ Take advantage of free trial offers - everything from software to Virus Protection to the Chicago Manual of Style. (Caution:  Be careful about providing your credit card info - lest you forget to cancel the trial!  No obligation "freebies" are the way to go) 

$$ Are you an online diva?  Learn more about SKYPE and the powers within it.  You could save an immense amount of money by using Skype services instead of a business phone line (or home phone line!).  Receive calls, call internationally, without paying for long-distance fees.  You can purchase a personal, online phone number for about $6.00 per month.

$$ Shop around.  And look for free shipping!  Let's say you'd like to purchase The CMT Review Guide.  The Stedmans.com list price is $56.95 plus shipping.    Amazon is currently selling it at $58.99 with free shipping.  Or --- buy it USED.  Depending on where you live, free shipping offers could save you a good chunk of money.

For more frugal tips, check out these resources:

  SocialShopper.com

  ThriftyFun.com

  FrugalLiving.about.com

  Frugal-Living-Tips.com