What small things did you do TODAY to save money?

[Freedomin5]

Instead of throwing a big birthday bash for DD at an indoor kids playground or restaurant, we spent $50 on an Easter basket craft and 2kg of chocolate eggs, invited everyone over to our place for homemade cupcakes, and then sent the kids downstairs to the grassy area outside our condo for an Easter egg hunt. The kids had a blast while the parents chilled out and chatted. We also splurged, spending $50 on pizza and poke bowls for everyone.

[Jade]

We didn't think we had much more we could save but then decided to get rid of the BBC TV licence (£169 p/a) and I'm coming off my medication for fibromyalgia which will save about another £100 a year as an added bonus.

[eyesonthehorizon]

@Dicey - saving charity money is even better than saving personal money. And those are fun!!

In other words, no books will be harmed in the making of these centerpieces.

...
*Do an image search on "book purse craft."

Oh no. Ahahaha. Maybe if I get good enough at these I can recoup my old textbook costs. Thank you for passing this along.

[Sugaree]

I didn't realize that we had librarians here!  I may need to pick your brains about a project that I've been kicking around.  I live in deep south MAGAstan (Alabama) and our libraries are under attack right now.  I've got a small group who are trying to figure out the feasibility of stocking a bunch of the little free libraries with the books that are being banned from the public libraries.  We just aren't sure how to source the books without spending a fortune. 

[eyesonthehorizon]

I didn't realize that we had librarians here!  I may need to pick your brains about a project that I've been kicking around.  I live in deep south MAGAstan (Alabama) and our libraries are under attack right now.  I've got a small group who are trying to figure out the feasibility of stocking a bunch of the little free libraries with the books that are being banned from the public libraries.  We just aren't sure how to source the books without spending a fortune.

Not sure about sourcing as suggested, but consider including flyers with information about the various libraries which are offering free memberships (usually to people under the age of 26, I think?) for unfettered digital access to books to nationwide borrowers. There were at least five the last time I checked. Maybe to avoid drawing desecrators’ attention you could just frame it as “need something you didn’t find here? Try these Public Libraries” & include access information below.

[crocheted_stache]

I didn't realize that we had librarians here!  I may need to pick your brains about a project that I've been kicking around.  I live in deep south MAGAstan (Alabama) and our libraries are under attack right now.  I've got a small group who are trying to figure out the feasibility of stocking a bunch of the little free libraries with the books that are being banned from the public libraries.  We just aren't sure how to source the books without spending a fortune.

Not sure about sourcing as suggested, but consider including flyers with information about the various libraries which are offering free memberships (usually to people under the age of 26, I think?) for unfettered digital access to books to nationwide borrowers. There were at least five the last time I checked. Maybe to avoid drawing desecrators’ attention you could just frame it as “need something you didn’t find here? Try these Public Libraries” & include access information below.

Not a librarian, just a supporter and citizen advocate. I'm afraid I don't know how to magically make hard copies of books cheaper. I don't think library books are usually cheaper, anyway. With the book jackets, labeling, and cataloguing, library books cost more than the same book at the bookstore. What's cheaper about library books is that the library buys them once and then circulates them to many people.

For online access, however, here are a couple things you could publicize. Maybe a QR code or URL on the little free library?

Brooklyn library, among others, has a program to provide online access to teens all over: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/books-unbanned

The Internet Archive has an Open Library site, where they've scanned and digitized many physical libraries and many discarded and secondhand books. The results are available for download if the thing is old enough to be public domain and for online borrowing if it's newer. I think they deliberately hold off on some of the newer stuff, but it's often very good for older stuff, including out-of-print books. https://openlibrary.org/ or also with a bunch of other fascinating stuff like old records and radio shows at https://archive.org/

Internet Archive founder Brewster Kahle blurs the line between genius and crackpot, in a good way. His mission, as he puts it, has long been to "lock the doors open." He's about as anti-censorship, anti-book-ban as they come.

Good luck, hang in there, and don't underestimate the power of telling kids someone doesn't want them to read something, to get them to read that thing—or anything, really. (There's a quintessential clickbait headline, "Secrets [the government/the banks/big companies] don't want you to know!")

[midweststache]

I didn't realize that we had librarians here!  I may need to pick your brains about a project that I've been kicking around.  I live in deep south MAGAstan (Alabama) and our libraries are under attack right now.  I've got a small group who are trying to figure out the feasibility of stocking a bunch of the little free libraries with the books that are being banned from the public libraries.  We just aren't sure how to source the books without spending a fortune.

Not sure about sourcing as suggested, but consider including flyers with information about the various libraries which are offering free memberships (usually to people under the age of 26, I think?) for unfettered digital access to books to nationwide borrowers. There were at least five the last time I checked. Maybe to avoid drawing desecrators’ attention you could just frame it as “need something you didn’t find here? Try these Public Libraries” & include access information below.

Not a librarian, just a supporter and citizen advocate. I'm afraid I don't know how to magically make hard copies of books cheaper. I don't think library books are usually cheaper, anyway. With the book jackets, labeling, and cataloguing, library books cost more than the same book at the bookstore. What's cheaper about library books is that the library buys them once and then circulates them to many people.

For online access, however, here are a couple things you could publicize. Maybe a QR code or URL on the little free library?

Brooklyn library, among others, has a program to provide online access to teens all over: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/books-unbanned

The Internet Archive has an Open Library site, where they've scanned and digitized many physical libraries and many discarded and secondhand books. The results are available for download if the thing is old enough to be public domain and for online borrowing if it's newer. I think they deliberately hold off on some of the newer stuff, but it's often very good for older stuff, including out-of-print books. https://openlibrary.org/ or also with a bunch of other fascinating stuff like old records and radio shows at https://archive.org/

Internet Archive founder Brewster Kahle blurs the line between genius and crackpot, in a good way. His mission, as he puts it, has long been to "lock the doors open." He's about as anti-censorship, anti-book-ban as they come.

Good luck, hang in there, and don't underestimate the power of telling kids someone doesn't want them to read something, to get them to read that thing—or anything, really. (There's a quintessential clickbait headline, "Secrets [the government/the banks/big companies] don't want you to know!")

I'll also add that LFL someone who is anti-[insert title here] can just come pick up the copies (they're free right?) and toss them. That's not to say this isn't a good idea, but it's not without its own pitfalls, especially if you're stocking the library out of pocket rather than passing on items from a personal library.

It's not an answer to your immediate question, but if you're looking to organize to support your libraries, Unite Against Book Bans (https://uniteagainstbookbans.org) has lots of great resources for community members in their Toolkit.

Nolite te bastardes carborundorum.

[PMG]

You can find many books via eBay for about $4 each, shipping included. You may have to buy 4-6 books from the same seller to get that price but with a wide selection of controversial books it shouldn’t be too difficult.

[WayDownSouth]

I didn't realize that we had librarians here!  I may need to pick your brains about a project that I've been kicking around.  I live in deep south MAGAstan (Alabama) and our libraries are under attack right now.  I've got a small group who are trying to figure out the feasibility of stocking a bunch of the little free libraries with the books that are being banned from the public libraries.  We just aren't sure how to source the books without spending a fortune.

Not sure about sourcing as suggested, but consider including flyers with information about the various libraries which are offering free memberships (usually to people under the age of 26, I think?) for unfettered digital access to books to nationwide borrowers. There were at least five the last time I checked. Maybe to avoid drawing desecrators’ attention you could just frame it as “need something you didn’t find here? Try these Public Libraries” & include access information below.

Not a librarian, just a supporter and citizen advocate. I'm afraid I don't know how to magically make hard copies of books cheaper. I don't think library books are usually cheaper, anyway. With the book jackets, labeling, and cataloguing, library books cost more than the same book at the bookstore. What's cheaper about library books is that the library buys them once and then circulates them to many people.

For online access, however, here are a couple things you could publicize. Maybe a QR code or URL on the little free library?

Brooklyn library, among others, has a program to provide online access to teens all over: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/books-unbanned

The Internet Archive has an Open Library site, where they've scanned and digitized many physical libraries and many discarded and secondhand books. The results are available for download if the thing is old enough to be public domain and for online borrowing if it's newer. I think they deliberately hold off on some of the newer stuff, but it's often very good for older stuff, including out-of-print books. https://openlibrary.org/ or also with a bunch of other fascinating stuff like old records and radio shows at https://archive.org/

Internet Archive founder Brewster Kahle blurs the line between genius and crackpot, in a good way. His mission, as he puts it, has long been to "lock the doors open." He's about as anti-censorship, anti-book-ban as they come.

Good luck, hang in there, and don't underestimate the power of telling kids someone doesn't want them to read something, to get them to read that thing—or anything, really. (There's a quintessential clickbait headline, "Secrets [the government/the banks/big companies] don't want you to know!")

Thanks for links... High-five on your last paragraph.

[Josiecat22222]

30 years ago, when I was in high school, I remember my favorite English teacher telling us a story about censorship.  The town in which he was teaching decided to prohibit the student's from reading "A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch" by Solzhenitsyn.  The prohibition was because the main character (in a Russian gulag) uses a curse word to describe the food.  As a result of the prohibition by the school board, EVERY single student in the class read the book.  Censorship has a funny way of backfiring, especially with teenagers. 

Of course, upon hearing the story, I proceeded to read the book as well.

[MaybeBabyMustache]

30 years ago, when I was in high school, I remember my favorite English teacher telling us a story about censorship.  The town in which he was teaching decided to prohibit the student's from reading "A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch" by Solzhenitsyn.  The prohibition was because the main character (in a Russian gulag) uses a curse word to describe the food.  As a result of the prohibition by the school board, EVERY single student in the class read the book.  Censorship has a funny way of backfiring, especially with teenagers. 

Of course, upon hearing the story, I proceeded to read the book as well.

My dad was a high school lit teacher, and this was one of his favorite approaches as well. :-)

[Dicey]

30 years ago, when I was in high school, I remember my favorite English teacher telling us a story about censorship.  The town in which he was teaching decided to prohibit the student's from reading "A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch" by Solzhenitsyn.  The prohibition was because the main character (in a Russian gulag) uses a curse word to describe the food.  As a result of the prohibition by the school board, EVERY single student in the class read the book.  Censorship has a funny way of backfiring, especially with teenagers. 

Of course, upon hearing the story, I proceeded to read the book as well.

My dad was a high school lit teacher, and this was one of his favorite approaches as well. :-)

I'm getting ready for a library fundraising Gala. At the dinner portion of the event, I'm creating book pockets. Inside will be a check-out card, just like we used to have in the olden days.  Each card will have the donor's name and bid number filled in. Scattered on the table will be pictures of banned book covers with various denominations printed on them. Feeling generous and want to give another hundo to the cause? Grab "Catcher In The Rye" and tuck it in the pocket. Only $50? That'll be one copy of "Fahrenheit 451" please. We've never done it before and I can't wait to see how it does. Fingers crossed.

[Sandi_k]

I'm getting ready for a library fundraising Gala. At the dinner portion of the event, I'm creating book pockets. Inside will be a check-out card, just like we used to have in the olden days.  Each card will have the donor's name and bid number filled in. Scattered on the table will be pictures of banned book covers with various denominations printed on them. Feeling generous and want to give another hundo to the cause? Grab "Catcher In The Rye" and tuck it in the pocket. Only $50? That'll be one copy of "Fahrenheit 451" please. We've never done it before and I can't wait to see how it does. Fingers crossed.

@Dicey - that makes my heart sing! Please let us know how it goes!

[Sugaree]

I didn't realize that we had librarians here!  I may need to pick your brains about a project that I've been kicking around.  I live in deep south MAGAstan (Alabama) and our libraries are under attack right now.  I've got a small group who are trying to figure out the feasibility of stocking a bunch of the little free libraries with the books that are being banned from the public libraries.  We just aren't sure how to source the books without spending a fortune.

Not sure about sourcing as suggested, but consider including flyers with information about the various libraries which are offering free memberships (usually to people under the age of 26, I think?) for unfettered digital access to books to nationwide borrowers. There were at least five the last time I checked. Maybe to avoid drawing desecrators’ attention you could just frame it as “need something you didn’t find here? Try these Public Libraries” & include access information below.

Not a librarian, just a supporter and citizen advocate. I'm afraid I don't know how to magically make hard copies of books cheaper. I don't think library books are usually cheaper, anyway. With the book jackets, labeling, and cataloguing, library books cost more than the same book at the bookstore. What's cheaper about library books is that the library buys them once and then circulates them to many people.

For online access, however, here are a couple things you could publicize. Maybe a QR code or URL on the little free library?

Brooklyn library, among others, has a program to provide online access to teens all over: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/books-unbanned

The Internet Archive has an Open Library site, where they've scanned and digitized many physical libraries and many discarded and secondhand books. The results are available for download if the thing is old enough to be public domain and for online borrowing if it's newer. I think they deliberately hold off on some of the newer stuff, but it's often very good for older stuff, including out-of-print books. https://openlibrary.org/ or also with a bunch of other fascinating stuff like old records and radio shows at https://archive.org/

Internet Archive founder Brewster Kahle blurs the line between genius and crackpot, in a good way. His mission, as he puts it, has long been to "lock the doors open." He's about as anti-censorship, anti-book-ban as they come.

Good luck, hang in there, and don't underestimate the power of telling kids someone doesn't want them to read something, to get them to read that thing—or anything, really. (There's a quintessential clickbait headline, "Secrets [the government/the banks/big companies] don't want you to know!")

I'll also add that LFL someone who is anti-[insert title here] can just come pick up the copies (they're free right?) and toss them. That's not to say this isn't a good idea, but it's not without its own pitfalls, especially if you're stocking the library out of pocket rather than passing on items from a personal library.

It's not an answer to your immediate question, but if you're looking to organize to support your libraries, Unite Against Book Bans (https://uniteagainstbookbans.org) has lots of great resources for community members in their Toolkit.

Nolite te bastardes carborundorum.

Thank you!  Lots of good things to think about and discuss.

[Just Joe]

Spring is here so many chores to complete before the summer heat arrives.

Offspring#1 and I cut down a Bradford Pear. We enjoyed the blooms once more this year. In our area it is considered an invasive species. We'll replace it with something different that also blooms. Cheaper than hiring it out.

Need to get a tree company to come drop two other tall trees which are getting dicey. Rot near the ground level. Would likely fall on the garage. Offspring 1+2 and I will cut them up but we aren't experienced enough to get them safely on the ground. Our ancient chainsaw keeps getting the work done. Hopefully cheaper than hiring the tree company to do all of it.

Cleaned both cars. Always a good way to chase away the itch for a new car. A clean car is nice. Drives better. ;) Doesn't have to be finely detailed but washed, vacuumed and the plastics wiped down with 303 Protectant or similar. Clean glass. Makes our 25 year old car look - well, 24 years old. (paint is starting to fail). Interior still looks new.

Used the pressure washer to wash a rug we've had for 10+ years. To the basement movie room it went. We'll put something newer in the upstairs family room. Also washed all the car floor mats. Looking for a deal on a new(er) rug. Also washed the grill.

Rebuilding the screened porch this week. Have the screen, buying ~x10 2x4s and screws. Previous owners' had a tendency to hire a low cost handi-man. This may have been one of his projects. We've discovered his work before elsewhere. He didn't even pick the good 2x4s to frame with. Then someone put lattice over the screen and then spray painted it without masking anything. We peeled off layers of decorating "choices". ;) Simple project to R&R.

What is next? More outside cleaning. Oh, did a couple of minor lawn tractor repairs. Added tubes to the 32 year old tires (!). Cleaned and lubed everything. Mowed for the first time.

[Catbert]

Hey, Just Joe.  When you get finished could you take a road trip to Southern California?

[Newday]

Not a small thing we are undertaking this month, but this will save us some money for sure.

I was looking at our grocery bills lately and it looked like we are buying a lot of dry groceries but not eating them all. Plus we have some fish and chicken in the freezer that needs to be used, no point in just buying. So I am doing a challenge for April that we won't buy anything (other than milk + veggies + fruits + eggs) this month and try and use up as many ingredients as possible. I made a list of all things we have that havent used yet, and another list of all favorite dishes that we can make out of those foods.. DH and DD1 are in as well - although they each have one exception of a nonfood essential they both need.

And I discover on March 31st that I ran out of cumin - a spice that I pretty much put in everything. My daughter and husband both tell me that we can still get to the store before it closes. But hey, it's a matter of principle and the idea is to use up what we have.... so I say no, I will just cook without it ...

So it begins!

[MaybeBabyMustache]

The local grocery store was running an "April Fool's Day" sale, with a variety of particularly low prices (strawberries, cantaloupe, bread, etc). I went in, picked up just the sale items & headed home.

[Dicey]

Huh, can't think of much of anything, really. I can attest that no money left my wallet today. I did order something on the internet, but it will be fully reimbursed by the group I bought it for.

I just have to note that sometimes I read other people's money saving comments, mostly on a frugality blog I like, and I find myself saying, "I do that." This frugality stuff becomes so ingrained, one doesn't even think of it as frugal behavior. It's just what we do.

[midweststache]

- Thought about stopping off at a bakery on the way home with KIDDO1 after taking DH to work this AM. Decided against it - better for my waistline and wallet!
- Got a digital sale ad for a shoe store where I like to shop. Eyed some new, very cute heels, realized I WFH 95% of the time and wear flats at events. Deleted the ad.

It's the small things... and it's also only 8:30am :)

[Freedomin5]

Booked a hotel for a trip. A few days later, I got an email from the hotel booking site saying that there was a drop in price. I cancelled my previous booking and immediately rebooked the same room at the lower price. Saved about $20 with 10 minutes of work tapping on my phone.

[Freedomin5]

Changed my own bike tire instead of taking it to the shop.

[crocheted_stache]

Huh, can't think of much of anything, really. I can attest that no money left my wallet today. I did order something on the internet, but it will be fully reimbursed by the group I bought it for.

I just have to note that sometimes I read other people's money saving comments, mostly on a frugality blog I like, and I find myself saying, "I do that." This frugality stuff becomes so ingrained, one doesn't even think of it as frugal behavior. It's just what we do.

This is me. I didn't bike there carrying my lunch from home to save money. I like doing those things, and the money savings is a happy side effect.

[Just Joe]

Found a coolant leak on our younger offspring's vehicle. No more buying coolant @ $14 per gallon (only bought two so far). No paying a shop to find the leak and repairing it.

[Dicey]

This counts because I didn't have connectivity when it happened.

DH and I were heading to the Palm Springs area to work on our rentals. We were going to reward ourselves with a meander through Death Valley on our way home. We've never been, and it's wildflower season. Then we saw the temps are expected to be in the upper 90's by the end of the week, ugh.

We decided on the fly (as in, we were already en route) to flip the trip and hit DeVa (as the oh-so-hip National Park Service calls it) first. The hotel rates were nuts, so we booked the closest Holiday Inn, paying $33 + some rewards points. It actually snowed over the Tehachapi Pass!

Next day, we got to DeVa and had a blast exploring all day. We figured we'd stay at the first Holiday Inn on the far side of the park, but when we got through the park and back into cell range, we discovered it was booked solid. It's the end of Spring Break, so that wasn't really a surprise. There was nothing else available at a price we were willing to pay.

We could get a Candlewood Suites in Vegas for $60 + points, so we sucked it up and kept driving, arriving at 9:30 pm.

The beauty of snagging a Candlewood Suite is that each room has a full size fridge, which allowed me to re-freeze our ice containers while keeping our food stores cold.*

Here's the big surprise: it was the last day of a free three-day-only art installation about an hour outside of Vegas. https://fadmagazine.com/2024/04/04/wow-cj-hendry-public-pool-art-installation-in-the-desert/. And the drive was neatly bisected by a stop here: https://sevenmagicmountains.com/

That's serendipity! We had no plans to be in Vegas at all...

Back to IHG for a moment. We have their credit cards and tons of points. The Points + Cash option sips points and circumvents all the taxes, which is sweet! Two night's lodging was a total of $93!

We also rented a car for the trip. The gas savings alone more than cover the cost of the rental, saving us wear and tear on our vehicles, plus some of it is tax deductible, because: rental properties.**

*Finally, we spent zero on food on this portion of the trip. We had a lot of food with us, as our place in the desert only has a microwave and small fridge. I always make and freeze meals, so I can grab and go when we travel. I had just hosted an event the day before we left, so I had lots of leftovers that needed to be eaten. I stowed it all in two coolers. One is for lunch-y stuff. The other came from a thrift shop. It's branded from a major ice cream company. I think it was for a sales rep's samples. It keeps things cold like no ice chest I've ever owned. I spent $10 for it. Take that, Yeti!

We had a blast, spent very little money, and did it with very little effort, because our mustachian habits are hardwired.

Now we're at the rentals and it's time to get to work!

**For our Moab friends, we don't take the rig to the Desert, because parking is a PITA once we get there. Plus, she's so pretty, DH doesn't like to haul painting equipment in it. The sprayer, alas, doesn't fit underneath, so cheap car rental it is.

[MaybeBabyMustache]

Spent a half hour on the phone with medical billing, & they "found" three payments that I had made but that their billing department kept saying I didn't make/and they were calling me, emailing me, etc over the payment. Should be resolved in two days, but will obviously keep a close eye on it.

[WayDownSouth]

Found a coolant leak on our younger offspring's vehicle. No more buying coolant @ $14 per gallon (only bought two so far). No paying a shop to find the leak and repairing it.

This makes me happy to hear - majority of mechanics are glorified parts changers. YOU CAN DO IT!

[GilesMM]

Rented another U-haul trailer today for personal effects.  We are moving 100 miles away.   I go weekly between the two locations, carrying boxes of crap one way and empty boxes the other way.  I find when I pack all the boxes myself, virtually nothing gets broken.  Plus the really fragile junk I can put in the back of the car.  Once we sell and it's time to move some furniture (whatever the buyers don't want!), I will use a great little local company to do all the lifting and shifting.

[Dollar Slice]

Went to a free concert with some friends.

Called and postponed an appointment because I could tell I was overdoing it this week with tasks/appointments (taxes, lawyer, doctor, plus a couple of social things and I've been really under the weather with chronic illness ish). Hopefully this will mean less chance of needing taxis or take-out later in the week if I crap out completely.

Got my taxes done totally for free this year instead of paying for convenience which I usually do. They were simpler than usual so I figured I could do it.

[MaybeBabyMustache]

1) Helped DS17 with a subscription service that he unknowingly registered for, in order to earn "free" shipping on a purchase. We were able to cancel that, and then get a refund for one of the months charges. We went through how to avoid this in the future - a) be more cautious on websites and clicking through b) using better retailer and most importantly c) keeping on top of charges to his transactions at least weekly
2) Canceled a travel credit card. We signed up for the sign up bonus last year, and I had a note in my calendar to cancel this year ahead of the yearly charge.

[fuzzy math]

I was browsing class action lawsuits and found a decent price one that I was eligible for!! (Seresto flea collars). Lo and behold my petco account had saved receipts for the purchases and I was able to claim a lot.

Also did some extreme couponing yesterday at walmart and got paid (after venmo rebates) to buy a jar of mayo.

Today I did my taxes. While we owed money its a huge relief to have waited up until nearly tax day and get it done, thus NO PENALTY.

[Sugaree]

So, I was today years old when I found out that a women's 7-7.5 shoe is the same size as a big kid's size 5.5-6. Do you know what's a whole lot cheaper? Kid's shoes. Why am I just now finding this out?

[PMG]

A word of caution, according to a write up on REI’s website about children’s shoes I just happened to read through yesterday, they do not offer the type of a support an adult needs. Article here: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/understanding-kids-shoe-sizes.html

Quote: Consider adult shoes if your kid weighs more than 80 pounds: If your child weighs more than this and can fit into adult shoes then they should make the jump up. Kids’ shoes just aren’t built to provide the necessary support for heavier loads. This is also important to understand if you’re an adult with small feet and looking to save some money by purchasing kids’ shoes. You’ll save some cash, but your feet might not be happy about it.



How true is it? I don’t know.

[Gin1984]

A word of caution, according to a write up on REI’s website about children’s shoes I just happened to read through yesterday, they do not offer the type of a support an adult needs. Article here: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/understanding-kids-shoe-sizes.html

Quote: Consider adult shoes if your kid weighs more than 80 pounds: If your child weighs more than this and can fit into adult shoes then they should make the jump up. Kids’ shoes just aren’t built to provide the necessary support for heavier loads. This is also important to understand if you’re an adult with small feet and looking to save some money by purchasing kids’ shoes. You’ll save some cash, but your feet might not be happy about it.



How true is it? I don’t know.

I worked in a kid shoe store through college and wore them myself.  It depends on the brand. Certain brands even among kid shoes are higher quality and they do design them for the correct weight.  A size 4 boys is expected to support a boy who fits a size 4.  And often that is bigger than a size 6 woman.

[GuitarStv]

A word of caution, according to a write up on REI’s website about children’s shoes I just happened to read through yesterday, they do not offer the type of a support an adult needs. Article here: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/understanding-kids-shoe-sizes.html

Quote: Consider adult shoes if your kid weighs more than 80 pounds: If your child weighs more than this and can fit into adult shoes then they should make the jump up. Kids’ shoes just aren’t built to provide the necessary support for heavier loads. This is also important to understand if you’re an adult with small feet and looking to save some money by purchasing kids’ shoes. You’ll save some cash, but your feet might not be happy about it.



How true is it? I don’t know.

I worked in a kid shoe store through college and wore them myself.  It depends on the brand. Certain brands even among kid shoes are higher quality and they do design them for the correct weight.  A size 4 boys is expected to support a boy who fits a size 4.  And often that is bigger than a size 6 woman.

Your feet are designed to hold your body weight just fine while running, jumping, and climbing without any support at all.  I think the idea that you're going to get (or need) support from a shoe leads to at least as many problems as it solves.

[Sugaree]

A word of caution, according to a write up on REI’s website about children’s shoes I just happened to read through yesterday, they do not offer the type of a support an adult needs. Article here: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/understanding-kids-shoe-sizes.html

Quote: Consider adult shoes if your kid weighs more than 80 pounds: If your child weighs more than this and can fit into adult shoes then they should make the jump up. Kids’ shoes just aren’t built to provide the necessary support for heavier loads. This is also important to understand if you’re an adult with small feet and looking to save some money by purchasing kids’ shoes. You’ll save some cash, but your feet might not be happy about it.



How true is it? I don’t know.

I'm a big believer in buying good shoes if I'm going to wear them all day, especially after finally getting the plantar fasciitis taken care of.  But for something that I expect to wear maybe a few times a month and/or get wet and muddy?  I'll take my chances.

[PMG]

I’m curious to hear what kind of footwear you prefer @GuitarStv ? I did mostly “barefoot” type for several years thinking I was strengthening my feet. Then after pregnancy I developed plantar fasciitis in both feet. I’m still healing from it almost two years later. The only relief at all was wearing very supportive shoes and now if I spend too long barefoot or in unsupportive shoes I feel it. I’ve gotten conflicting advice about how actually strengthen my feet so they actually can carry me without pain. Im sure losing some of the baby weight would help, but it’s sure hard to be active when it hurts! 

I suppose I’ll tie this to saving money by saving that I was able to buy my super supportive shoes at deep discount via eBay. And I even sold some of my unsupportive shoes on eBay for almost what I paid for them.

[oneday]

Commiserations, PMG. I am dealing with my third round of PF and it is such a frustrating catch-22: weight loss does help, but it is hard to lose weight when one of the most basic activities, walking, exacerbates the problem. I am NEVER barefoot anymore. Even when the PF is not flaring. The risk of relapse is just too great.

What the barefoot proponents seems to forget is that we are all individuals with differences in physiology, lifestyle and preferences. So what works for one person does not necessarily work for all.

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

A word of caution, according to a write up on REI’s website about children’s shoes I just happened to read through yesterday, they do not offer the type of a support an adult needs. Article here: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/understanding-kids-shoe-sizes.html

Quote: Consider adult shoes if your kid weighs more than 80 pounds: If your child weighs more than this and can fit into adult shoes then they should make the jump up. Kids’ shoes just aren’t built to provide the necessary support for heavier loads. This is also important to understand if you’re an adult with small feet and looking to save some money by purchasing kids’ shoes. You’ll save some cash, but your feet might not be happy about it.



How true is it? I don’t know.

I'm a big believer in buying good shoes if I'm going to wear them all day, especially after finally getting the plantar fasciitis taken care of.  But for something that I expect to wear maybe a few times a month and/or get wet and muddy?  I'll take my chances.

@PMG This is interesting but context is important. I mean, I sometimes wear ballet flats to work. They have essentially zero support. I just bought a pair of Air Force Ones because I wanted some nice white sneakers, and I bought a boy's size because they were $25 cheaper AND I really needed the wider width that you get with kid's/men's shoes.

I dunno if the kid's AF1s are different in anyway from the adult ones, but- they are way more supportive than a whole lot of women's shoes are! So i guess maybe be cautious if you're buying, like, running shoes that you are going to do actual running in, but for "fashion" shoes the distinction may be less important.

@Sugaree the width is the difference! Kid's shoes are wider width. For me that is a big bonus but a lady with narrower feet might find it inconvenient. Enjoy your new shoes! I am enjoying the thrill of owning a pair of shoes that has impressed my adolescent children.

[GuitarStv]

I’m curious to hear what kind of footwear you prefer @GuitarStv ? I did mostly “barefoot” type for several years thinking I was strengthening my feet. Then after pregnancy I developed plantar fasciitis in both feet. I’m still healing from it almost two years later. The only relief at all was wearing very supportive shoes and now if I spend too long barefoot or in unsupportive shoes I feel it. I’ve gotten conflicting advice about how actually strengthen my feet so they actually can carry me without pain. Im sure losing some of the baby weight would help, but it’s sure hard to be active when it hurts! 

I suppose I’ll tie this to saving money by saving that I was able to buy my super supportive shoes at deep discount via eBay. And I even sold some of my unsupportive shoes on eBay for almost what I paid for them.

I've been experimenting recently with the 'barefoot' type shoes for seven or eight months now, which has been kinda fascinating for me in breaking a lot of myths that I used to believe.

Not having an angle between the heel and toes in shoes completely fixes the lower back pain that I used to get when standing or walking slowly for long periods of time (really, really noticeable when we're doing museum stuff).  I never really had any discomfort wearing shoes that push all the toes together at the front, but do find the wider toebox to feel nicer.  I really like the minimal padding in the sole when running (seems comfy and keeps me from lazy heel striking) and hiking (seems like the feedback from the ground helps to prevent doing weird stuff with my ankle), but don't like it at all for walking around on sidewalks where my heels will hurt a little sometimes.  Don't notice much (any?) difference at all as far as having supportive shoes vs barefoot shoes - feet and knees seem fine either way.

It makes sense that you would have more foot pain after putting on a lot of weight quickly from having a child.  Usually pregnancy comes with it a lot less movement as well in the third trimester which would have exacerbated the problem.  But I'm also a fan of doing what works for you, so if the supportive shoes make your feet happy then go with 'em.

[crocheted_stache]

A word of caution, according to a write up on REI’s website about children’s shoes I just happened to read through yesterday, they do not offer the type of a support an adult needs. Article here: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/understanding-kids-shoe-sizes.html

Quote: Consider adult shoes if your kid weighs more than 80 pounds: If your child weighs more than this and can fit into adult shoes then they should make the jump up. Kids’ shoes just aren’t built to provide the necessary support for heavier loads. This is also important to understand if you’re an adult with small feet and looking to save some money by purchasing kids’ shoes. You’ll save some cash, but your feet might not be happy about it.

How true is it? I don’t know.

I've been very happy wearing the kid's size that fits me, at 60% of the cost. I know this brand works, because I get a new pair of the same kind every few years. YMMV.

[MaybeBabyMustache]

I brought snacks to the mountain for a ski day (bananas, pretzels, mixed nuts, fruit snacks, etc). We also shared a few lunch options, vs getting our own, as the snacks from home filled in the gaps.

[Roadrunner53]

I didn't actually do this today, but I like a certain brand of clothing and the size is almost always a perfect fit every time I buy it. So, rather than pay full price, I shop on Poshmark and Ebay for slightly used or sometimes with tags and never worn. I am usually very satisfied and save a ton of money. As soon as the item arrives, I wash and dry it. It is as good as new. On the occasion that it doesn't fit right or I end up not liking it, I just donate it to charity. It makes me very happy to buy 'used' or maybe new stuff in great condition! Many of us have clothes we wear one time and hate it or it doesn't fit right and we get rid of it. I have not had many problems from sellers selling an item. One time, the seller didn't list the item as 'petite' and it fit but not perfectly. I contacted the seller and they refunded me the money and they told me to keep the item.

I have friends that would be horrified if they knew I bought USED clothing! Hahaha, I just laugh all the way to the bank!

[Dicey]

I didn't actually do this today, but I like a certain brand of clothing and the size is almost always a perfect fit every time I buy it. So, rather than pay full price, I shop on Poshmark and Ebay for slightly used or sometimes with tags and never worn. I am usually very satisfied and save a ton of money. As soon as the item arrives, I wash and dry it. It is as good as new. On the occasion that it doesn't fit right or I end up not liking it, I just donate it to charity. It makes me very happy to buy 'used' or maybe new stuff in great condition! Many of us have clothes we wear one time and hate it or it doesn't fit right and we get rid of it. I have not had many problems from sellers selling an item. One time, the seller didn't list the item as 'petite' and it fit but not perfectly. I contacted the seller and they refunded me the money and they told me to keep the item.

I have friends that would be horrified if they knew I bought USED clothing! Hahaha, I just laugh all the way to the bank!

Fortunately,  you're among your tribe here. Doesn't everyone do this? ;-)

[GuitarStv]

I didn't actually do this today, but I like a certain brand of clothing and the size is almost always a perfect fit every time I buy it. So, rather than pay full price, I shop on Poshmark and Ebay for slightly used or sometimes with tags and never worn. I am usually very satisfied and save a ton of money. As soon as the item arrives, I wash and dry it. It is as good as new. On the occasion that it doesn't fit right or I end up not liking it, I just donate it to charity. It makes me very happy to buy 'used' or maybe new stuff in great condition! Many of us have clothes we wear one time and hate it or it doesn't fit right and we get rid of it. I have not had many problems from sellers selling an item. One time, the seller didn't list the item as 'petite' and it fit but not perfectly. I contacted the seller and they refunded me the money and they told me to keep the item.

I have friends that would be horrified if they knew I bought USED clothing! Hahaha, I just laugh all the way to the bank!

Fortunately,  you're among your tribe here. Doesn't everyone do this? ;-)

Most of my clothing will last a decade or more before needing replacement, so the tricky part is finding a brand that doesn't change their fit for that length of time.

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

I didn't actually do this today, but I like a certain brand of clothing and the size is almost always a perfect fit every time I buy it. So, rather than pay full price, I shop on Poshmark and Ebay for slightly used or sometimes with tags and never worn. I am usually very satisfied and save a ton of money. As soon as the item arrives, I wash and dry it. It is as good as new. On the occasion that it doesn't fit right or I end up not liking it, I just donate it to charity. It makes me very happy to buy 'used' or maybe new stuff in great condition! Many of us have clothes we wear one time and hate it or it doesn't fit right and we get rid of it. I have not had many problems from sellers selling an item. One time, the seller didn't list the item as 'petite' and it fit but not perfectly. I contacted the seller and they refunded me the money and they told me to keep the item.

I have friends that would be horrified if they knew I bought USED clothing! Hahaha, I just laugh all the way to the bank!

Fortunately,  you're among your tribe here. Doesn't everyone do this? ;-)

Most of my clothing will last a decade or more before needing replacement, so the tricky part is finding a brand that doesn't change their fit for that length of time.

I have had this problem with shoes lately. I think my feet have spread out a little but I held up two different pairs of the same brand and the new ones were noticeably smaller.

[Jade]

We needed a bread maker, found one in Lakeland (UK) for £60. Posted on nextdoor.com to see if anyone was selling a bread maker locally and got a reply offering the Lakeland one (used) for £5! We've just picked it up, v good condition and working.. chuffed!

[Loretta]

After giving it 3 days to improve, I spent $30 for an urgent care copay to get real relief from the bug that has me coughing, sweating and snorting like a mad man over here.  OTC meds like Sudafed, mucinex , Flonase were doing nothing.  Now I have doxycycline, a cough suppressant and an inhaler. 

[Michael in ABQ]

Needed a car wash and the one we stop by every few months had a special price of $5 instead of $12 because it was Wednesday. Didn't even know they had a Wednesday special (and was fully willing to pay $12) but I was happy to take advantage of it.

[GuitarStv]

Do cars need to be washed now?  I mean, I'll hose the salt off ours in the winter every once in a while . . . but why would you care about the protective layer of dirt they accumulate?