Learning, Sharing, and Teaching > Reader Recommendations
Gadgets & Gizmos Supporting Frugality
jengod:
These items help me save money by reducing waste:
* Battery tester: Never throw away a charged battery again!
* Food scale and/or postal scale (OXO digital model): Pay precise amounts for postage, bake by weight instead of volume, weigh garden harvest
* Funnels (stainless steel from restaurant supply store): Combine small amounts of liquid into one bottle, store soups and stuff in jars
* Squeeze-its: Get every last bit out of the tube
What other gadgets or gizmos do you find useful in your frugal household?
cjottawa:
Great idea!
Mine: soldering iron.
I use this regularly but here's the latest project: replacing the soldered AA-battery in my electric toothbrush as it had lost the ability to take a charge.
Here are the instructions:
http://toothbrushbattery.com/guides/braun-oral-b-vitality-battery-replacement/
(not mine - I just followed the guide)
Oh, previous project was soldering up the wire harness for my new car stereo. Saved a few dollars versus hiring someone to install it.
jengod:
Oh, thought of another one. Blender! We happen to have a Magic Bullet, but any will do. Reduces food waste dramatically: I can clear out little bits of fruit and veg left in a fridge and pulverize them into a yummy smoothie.
cjottawa:
OK... WHY IS THIS THREAD NOT EXPLODING WITH REPLIES?!
*shakes head*
Other suggestions:
Wet/dry vac. This great for cleaning your car or spills around the house - saves on having a professional do it.
3/8" corded drill. Never lets me down, never needs to have batteries charged.
Dremel rotary tool with flex shaft and accessory kit. Like the soldering iron, this has been a great tool for "hacking" stuff, fixing broken things, modifying stuff to make it work better and so forth.
Basically, a well equipped tool kit would be the general idea here.
Not so much a gadget but I have a bunch of matching Rubbermaid containers that I use for lunches. I typically cook a week or two in advance, freeze all but one and just take one out of the freezer each morning. No waste.
EDIT - I forgot about this: NiMH rechargeable batteries. Specifically, MAHA/PowerEx brand, with fast charger. They make AA, AAA, C, D, 9-volt. The latest variety don't discharge very much while in storage and they have very high capacity. There's really little excuse to use disposables around the house, though I do still keep disposables in the car for use with flashlights, knowing they have a shelf life of 10-years.
h2ogal:
Sewing Machine is my fave gadget for savings. Everything from Halloween costumes to slip covers for old furniture.
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