Don't pay for _______, use _______ instead

[NestEggChick (formerly PFgal)]

Don't pay for bottled water, use tap water (where reasonably clean and free of contaminants)

I know it was already said, but this is my biggie: don't pay for books you'll just read once, use the library! And while we're at it, the same goes for audio books, dvds, and music.

[hybrid]

As long as you have a skill to reciprocate with, this is a great idea. But you don't want to end up being "that guy" who expects his friends to fix all his shit for him for free (or even for beer).  People with marketable skills like mechanics and computer fixers (and anyone who owns a truck) get hit up for help all the time. DH has mad graphic design skills, and he really enjoys what he does, but he is busy and always booked. He is happy to do work for our close friends and family for free, but when acquaintances come asking he usually responds with a quote. That can be awkward for everyone.

I agree with this.  Since becoming a lawyer, I get asked by friends and family all. the. time. for legal advice, frankly on things I don't know much about.  I also get annoyed reactions when I say I'm not the best person to help them (because I'm new to this, and because I don't practice family/criminal/estates/tax law).  Thankfully, my real practice area is one very few family members or acquaintances will every deal with, so this excuse should last me a long while.  Since experiencing this, I am very reluctant to ask others for free use of their skills, since I'm not as able to share my own (or at least its not all that useful to the average person).  My parents, however, have this down to a science with their neighbors and friends.  Someone is a mechanic, who fixes their car, the mechanic has a horse so my parents trade work in hay, etc.  That has worked out really well for them.

I'm one of those computer guys who gets and gladly answers a lot of questions, but yeah, my well runs dry real quick if someone assumes a three hour computer rebuild = a couple of beers.  On the other hand, I have a lawyer buddy I turn to for free legal advice and he turns to me to fix his home PCs, so we have an unspoken trade agreement in effect.

Perhaps the author could have rephrased with "services" and "bartering".   

[Paul der Krake]

advice / your own head (most of the time)

I don't fix computers either unless it's clearly a 15 minute fix or immediate family. That will change the day it becomes acceptable to ask fine arts school buddies to come and repaint my walls.

[StarswirlTheMustached]

Potting soil / compost

Unless your compost is a lot 'fluffier' than what my city sells, you really, really need to mix some peat and vermiculite in there to use it as potting soil. Compost+fluffers is still cheaper than premade potting soil, though.

[SnackDog]

Is this like Matchgame 76?  Don't pay for sex, use BLANK instead...

We always had a washer and dryer in the US. When we moved to Australia we found vented gas dryers don't exist.  So, we started hanging clothes outside on the line, where they dried in about 45 minutes in the desert heat.  Saved on capex for dryer, opex to run it, greenhouse gas emissions, and got to know the backyard critters and neighbors a bit better. 

We have a dryer here (came with apt) but have never run it.  We just hang the clothes on indoor hanger lines which hoist into the ceiling in above the washer. 

Kill your dryer!

[papaya]

shampoo: baking soda (no need for conditioner as your hair won't be stripped of its own oil -- naturally curly girl here)

Don't pay for _______, use _______ instead

conditioner or anti-dandruff shampoo/apple cider vinegar (diluted)
lotion/olive or coconut oil
exfoliant/sugar, coffee or ground oats
ground oats/your blender or food processor
acne treatments/baking soda wet enough to stick on your acne overnight (not right by the eyes!)
toothpaste/1 part baking soda and 3 parts water, in a paste (will be salty)
drinking glasses/cleaned jars from grocery items, candles, gifts
plastic wrap/reusable containers ^
cleaning rags/cut-up old clothes
the supermarket for fresh veggies/your soil and sunlight

[Stachsquatch]

Dog food scoop / old tin can

[nktokyo]

a car / your legs or a bike

[Self-employed-swami]

As long as you have a skill to reciprocate with, this is a great idea. But you don't want to end up being "that guy" who expects his friends to fix all his shit for him for free (or even for beer).  People with marketable skills like mechanics and computer fixers (and anyone who owns a truck) get hit up for help all the time. DH has mad graphic design skills, and he really enjoys what he does, but he is busy and always booked. He is happy to do work for our close friends and family for free, but when acquaintances come asking he usually responds with a quote. That can be awkward for everyone.

Anyone in the trades that I know, doesn't mind helping sometimes, but they hate being asked to do their jobs for free (My Dad-mechanic, my friend-plumber, me-my truck).

[crestheaven]

don't pay for cable tv if you can use the leaf antenna (watch you tube video and check your distance to TV sations. I live in Cherry Hill NJ and it works great for me).

Don't pay for wifi if you can use Walmarts MIFI pay as you go plan. Minutes never expire.

[nktokyo]

As long as you have a skill to reciprocate with, this is a great idea. But you don't want to end up being "that guy" who expects his friends to fix all his shit for him for free (or even for beer).  People with marketable skills like mechanics and computer fixers (and anyone who owns a truck) get hit up for help all the time. DH has mad graphic design skills, and he really enjoys what he does, but he is busy and always booked. He is happy to do work for our close friends and family for free, but when acquaintances come asking he usually responds with a quote. That can be awkward for everyone.

Anyone in the trades that I know, doesn't mind helping sometimes, but they hate being asked to do their jobs for free (My Dad-mechanic, my friend-plumber, me-my truck).

This includes helping people unf**k their computers. Or "tweak" websites. Requests for help disappeared when I started offering to send quotes.

[Ed Mills]

Don't set up a phone through your cable or phone company, instead use a Skype subscription with a "real" phone number http://www.skype.com/en/rates/.  You pay $30 a year for unlimited U.S. and Canada long distance and $30 a year for a number.   So, for $60 a year or $5 a month you have a decent "phone" plan.  This is my fourth year using a Skype subscription; it's not perfect but it's good enough for us.

[Insanity]

Don't set up a phone through your cable or phone company, instead use a Skype subscription with a "real" phone number http://www.skype.com/en/rates/.  You pay $30 a year for unlimited U.S. and Canada long distance and $30 a year for a number.   So, for $60 a year or $5 a month you have a decent "phone" plan.  This is my fourth year using a Skype subscription; it's not perfect but it's good enough for us.

]

I'd be careful with skype...

http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2013/06/new_details_on.html

[George_PA]

Don't pay for a vacation to Disney World, use Nature and the outdoors to entertain yourself and the kids instead.

[StarswirlTheMustached]

Don't set up a phone through your cable or phone company, instead use a Skype subscription with a "real" phone number http://www.skype.com/en/rates/.  You pay $30 a year for unlimited U.S. and Canada long distance and $30 a year for a number.   So, for $60 a year or $5 a month you have a decent "phone" plan.  This is my fourth year using a Skype subscription; it's not perfect but it's good enough for us.

]

I'd be careful with skype...

http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2013/06/new_details_on.html

Like they can't tap your phones just as easily if they wanted to?

[Insanity]

Don't set up a phone through your cable or phone company, instead use a Skype subscription with a "real" phone number http://www.skype.com/en/rates/.  You pay $30 a year for unlimited U.S. and Canada long distance and $30 a year for a number.   So, for $60 a year or $5 a month you have a decent "phone" plan.  This is my fourth year using a Skype subscription; it's not perfect but it's good enough for us.

]

I'd be careful with skype...

http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2013/06/new_details_on.html

Like they can't tap your phones just as easily if they wanted to?

Does that make it ok?  Sorry, the following attitudes are the reason why things are getting the way they are:
1) we need to be secure (collecting more data does not make you more secure, there is different risks with large data stores that exist  - and don't assume one risk is more dangerous than the other)
2) they can do it to xyz also (this doesn't make it right and the acceptance without pushback is why things are going the way they are)
3) I have nothing to hide (or so you think)

The You in these are general, not you specifically.

[carolinakaren]

Clothes pins.....use the little square plastic bread tie thingys.
measuring scoops.....save the plastic lids off spray cans (example: Pam cooking spray lid) makes great pet food or flour scoops!

[StarswirlTheMustached]

Don't set up a phone through your cable or phone company, instead use a Skype subscription with a "real" phone number http://www.skype.com/en/rates/.  You pay $30 a year for unlimited U.S. and Canada long distance and $30 a year for a number.   So, for $60 a year or $5 a month you have a decent "phone" plan.  This is my fourth year using a Skype subscription; it's not perfect but it's good enough for us.

]

I'd be careful with skype...

http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2013/06/new_details_on.html

Like they can't tap your phones just as easily if they wanted to?

Does that make it ok?  Sorry, the following attitudes are the reason why things are getting the way they are:
1) we need to be secure (collecting more data does not make you more secure, there is different risks with large data stores that exist  - and don't assume one risk is more dangerous than the other)
2) they can do it to xyz also (this doesn't make it right and the acceptance without pushback is why things are going the way they are)
3) I have nothing to hide (or so you think)

The You in these are general, not you specifically.

I'm not saying that it's not a problem. I'm just saying that it doesn't make much sense to say "don't use X, they can tap it" when they can tap virtually every other form of communication that's publicly accessible over a wide network. Landlines, cell, VOIP, skype-in, whatever-- you can't choose based on what the NSA can listen to because they can listen in on any and all of those. That doesn't mean you have to be happy with that fact, or that you can't protest or politic against it.
And, by all means, between your tech-savvy buddies, use encrypted chat clients (but don't blame me if you all end up on a watch list) -- it's just that you can't use those to order a pizza or call your grandmother.

[somethink.different]

I also had trouble coming up with things that I thought were on the appropriate level. Here goes anyway.

a big yard/a local park

Or use your big yard for vegetables!

[sheepstache]

The You in these are general, not you specifically.

I don't do it because it's so posh but I wish we could have the British "one" as a subject in American English.  Save a lot of trouble.


Ooh, I thought of one tonight.
Don't buy ice gel packs, put a wet washcloth in the freezer.

[grantmeaname]

Ooh, I thought of one tonight.
Don't buy ice gel packs, put a wet washcloth in the freezer.

Frozen peas are even better. They stay cold for a long time and they're heavy enough you can squish them around multiple sides of a sore joint and they'll stay put.

[sheepstache]

See my problem with that is I buy the big bags of frozen peas and take individual servings out.  But if the bag thaws and you put it back in the freezer now you have a big block of frozen peas and you can't get individual servings out any more.  ymmv as they say.

[arebelspy]

See my problem with that is I buy the big bags of frozen peas and take individual servings out.  But if the bag thaws and you put it back in the freezer now you have a big block of frozen peas and you can't get individual servings out any more.  ymmv as they say.

The example given was for use as an ice pack, not for eating.  ;)

[anastrophe]

See my problem with that is I buy the big bags of frozen peas and take individual servings out.  But if the bag thaws and you put it back in the freezer now you have a big block of frozen peas and you can't get individual servings out any more.  ymmv as they say.

I don't like to use edible food for anything but eating, so I have an ice pack. But repackaging your peas into smaller ziplocks would help prevent that problem anyways.

[grantmeaname]

We have clearly marked 'food peas' and 'joint pain peas'.

[sheepstache]

See my problem with that is I buy the big bags of frozen peas and take individual servings out.  But if the bag thaws and you put it back in the freezer now you have a big block of frozen peas and you can't get individual servings out any more.  ymmv as they say.

The example given was for use as an ice pack, not for eating.  ;)

Well then it's a stupid solution!  :)   An icepack is reusable while the frozen peas won't be flexible the next time you want to use them.

But I meant that using it as an icepack prevents me from using it as peas.  So it's not free in the same way the wet towel idea is.  Okay, okay, I can still use it as peas, but suboptimal peas. 
It's a good solution if you only rarely use an icepack.  I guess I use them too often for it to work for me...

repackaging your peas into smaller ziplocks would help prevent that problem anyways.

...but not so often that I would go to the effort of re-packaging :)

Actually sometimes getting it home from the store is usually enough to thaw them so when I go to get individual servings I have to whack it against the counter to break it up.  Maybe my store brand has an unusually high water content.

(Which was going to be my next post in the thread.  Don't create wear and tear on your ziplocs, whack frozen veggie bags against the counter instead!)

[Spork]

wow.  When I want an icepack I just use ice.  I am so unimaginative.

[yolfer]

My wife and I just made reusable gel icepacks (good for injuries or coolers). The recipe is simple: a 2:1 ratio of dish soap to rubbing alcohol in a resealable bag.

2 cheap bottles of dish soap from the dollar store plus a 50 cent bottle of rubbing alcohol makes 1 large (gallon bag) and 2 small (quart bag) ice packs. They're bright green too!

[sheepstache]

We have clearly marked 'food peas' and 'joint pain peas'.

Perhaps my "stupid" remark was over hasty.  You clearly have more experience than I.

My wife and I just made reusable gel icepacks (good for injuries or coolers). The recipe is simple: a 2:1 ratio of dish soap to rubbing alcohol in a resealable bag.

2 cheap bottles of dish soap from the dollar store plus a 50 cent bottle of rubbing alcohol makes 1 large (gallon bag) and 2 small (quart bag) ice packs. They're bright green too!

Fantastic.  I knew if I just kept incessantly bumping the topic by chattering about peas, somebody would say something brilliant.

[grantmeaname]

Perhaps my "stupid" remark was over hasty.  You clearly have more experience than I.

Not to be all I'm-joint-pain-ier-than-thou, but I honestly might. They're not a perfect solution, but I find them to be much better than real icepacks.

[kiwi]

Another one - cheap athletic tape instead of fancy blister pads.  This is for prevention, not when you already have blisters.  I just spent 5 days traveling and walking a lot in shoes that are pretty good but sometimes give me blisters on my heels, and the athletic tape stayed on for the whole time.  The edges were coming up, and it wasn't white anymore, but no blisters!

[englyn]

Fixamul is even better for blisters. It's really good for prevention and also excellent for stopping them getting worse. And cheap.

[nktokyo]

Books on your kindle vs using the Library.

I live in Japan & English libraries are pretty nonexistent (although there are a couple of book stores), the Kindle is a cheap and efficient way for me to get books and cheap entertainment all around. I'm in a group of 10 who share books each buy one off a list and swap around too.

Contrast that with my Mother who lives 1km from a library that she happily used for about 25 years, but now loads her kindle full of books for the "convenience".

[CaliSaver]

new: freecycle/craigslist

It's amazing how many times I have bought something at the store and saw it on freecycle the next day, doh!

[ender]

new: freecycle/craigslist

It's amazing how many times I have bought something at the store and saw it on freecycle the next day, doh!

I just signed up for freecycle, I'm curious!

(the signup process requires like 15 pages, lol)

[livetogive]

Unfortunately the cable:amazon/hulu/netflix/whatever doesn't always work.  Most major league sports are only provided via pay packages.  So if you like two or three of them and that's the main reason to have cable, you are already up to the cost per month of cable to support it.

I disagree.  I'm a HUGE american football fan and I don't have cable.  Also my favorite team is across the country in a minor market, so I don't see their games.  So in the spirit of this:

Don't pay for ______,  ______ instead.

Pick your poison depending on how much you care:
Cable to watch sports / walk to your local bar and have a beer 
Cable to watch sports / split it with family members across the country and watch it on an htpc
Cable to watch sports / sign up for ONLY the sport/team you care about online (big ten network, motoGP.com, etc.)
Cable to watch sports / listen to the games on internet radio
Cable to watch sports / watch the local OTA broadcast
Cable to watch sports / pay $3/mo for a VPN and pirate a live feed
Cable to watch sports / subsidize someone's satellite TV sports feed in exchange for their streaming PW

I haven't had cable for 2 years and will likely never go back.  I watch about the same amout of sports that I did before, the only difference is now I only watch the teams I care about vs. whatever is on so my quality went up and my costs went down.

[Insanity]

Unfortunately the cable:amazon/hulu/netflix/whatever doesn't always work.  Most major league sports are only provided via pay packages.  So if you like two or three of them and that's the main reason to have cable, you are already up to the cost per month of cable to support it.

I disagree.  I'm a HUGE american football fan and I don't have cable.  Also my favorite team is across the country in a minor market, so I don't see their games.  So in the spirit of this:

Don't pay for ______,  ______ instead.

Pick your poison depending on how much you care:
Cable to watch sports / walk to your local bar and have a beer 
Cable to watch sports / split it with family members across the country and watch it on an htpc
Cable to watch sports / sign up for ONLY the sport/team you care about online (big ten network, motoGP.com, etc.)
Cable to watch sports / listen to the games on internet radio
Cable to watch sports / watch the local OTA broadcast
Cable to watch sports / pay $3/mo for a VPN and pirate a live feed
Cable to watch sports / subsidize someone's satellite TV sports feed in exchange for their streaming PW

I haven't had cable for 2 years and will likely never go back.  I watch about the same amout of sports that I did before, the only difference is now I only watch the teams I care about vs. whatever is on so my quality went up and my costs went down.

The first one and third one can run you up to as much as cable for the year (mlb, nfl, and nhl for me) when you factor in you need a high speed connection..
The fourth one defeats the purpose of watching the game.
OTA doesn't get you all of them.

The rest are essentially violations of the Terms of Agreement for the service.  You can argue the worthiness of those or whether it should be.  But technically it still is. 

[AlmostIndependent]

We have clearly marked 'food peas' and 'joint pain peas'.

Perhaps my "stupid" remark was over hasty.  You clearly have more experience than I.

My wife and I just made reusable gel icepacks (good for injuries or coolers). The recipe is simple: a 2:1 ratio of dish soap to rubbing alcohol in a resealable bag.

2 cheap bottles of dish soap from the dollar store plus a 50 cent bottle of rubbing alcohol makes 1 large (gallon bag) and 2 small (quart bag) ice packs. They're bright green too!

Fantastic.  I knew if I just kept incessantly bumping the topic by chattering about peas, somebody would say something brilliant.

I don't know if I'm a little delusional from being at my desk all week but I find the whole pea conversation absolutly hilarious. I'm having a hard time refraining from lol-ing and letting everyone in the office know that I am definitely not working.

[Daleth]

I thought I was going to be able to rock this list, but everything I can think of boils down to "made: home-made", "new:used", and "stress:deal".

You have no idea how big a deal "new:used" is.

Can I share my greatest new/used badassity? On Craiglist I saw a Miele washer/dryer set, with the little stands they sit on, for $300 TOTAL. That's $300 for BOTH. They were about 8 years old, but these are German-made machines that normally last 20 years, and the pair costs more than $3000 new (plus another $400+ for the two little stands).

It was such a ridiculous deal that I felt suspicious, and asked why they were selling them. The answer? It was a couple moving in together, the guy's laundry machines were bigger, so they decided to sell hers. She had no idea how much they were worth because they were given to her by a local philanthropist back when she was a struggling single mom.

We've had them for a few years now and they truly are excellent machines.

Oh, I also made a good discovery recently. There's a place in Texas called Designer Home Surplus that sells high-end scratch and dent or floor-model appliances. I got a gorgeous $1200 Bosch gas range with 5 burners and various other bells and whistles for $560! And shipping was free due to some promotion they were having.

[footenote]

Daleth - Totally badass!!

[Daleth]

Daleth - Totally badass!!

Thanks! :)
I'm a huge believer in Craigslist and in scratch and dent/floor models. The chances of my ever buying something that was NOT a floor model or scratch-and-dent seem very low... it just doesn't make sense. I even got an 18" Bosch dishwasher, stainless, that was over $200 off SOLELY because it had some dents where you wouldn't even see them once it was installed. It still had the blue film that protects the door! Brand new, nothing wrong, just the one dent that NO ONE would EVER see.

That said, I steer well clear of Sears Outlet because every appliance-related experience I or my mom has ever had with them has been wretched.

[AlmostIndependent]

Daleth - Totally badass!!

Thanks! :)
I'm a huge believer in Craigslist and in scratch and dent/floor models. The chances of my ever buying something that was NOT a floor model or scratch-and-dent seem very low... it just doesn't make sense. I even got an 18" Bosch dishwasher, stainless, that was over $200 off SOLELY because it had some dents where you wouldn't even see them once it was installed. It still had the blue film that protects the door! Brand new, nothing wrong, just the one dent that NO ONE would EVER see.

That said, I steer well clear of Sears Outlet because every appliance-related experience I or my mom has ever had with them has been wretched.

I had been going back and forth about buying a set of cordless tools. I knew I would use them but couldn't bring myself to spend the cash. Then I stumbled upon the very set I had my eye on; discounted 33% because the packaging was damaged. THE FUCKING PACKAGING! Which I recycled 10 minutes after it came in the front door!

[Daleth]

I had been going back and forth about buying a set of cordless tools. I knew I would use them but couldn't bring myself to spend the cash. Then I stumbled upon the very set I had my eye on; discounted 33% because the packaging was damaged. THE FUCKING PACKAGING! Which I recycled 10 minutes after it came in the front door!

Stop the insanity! Actually no... don't stop it. We Mustachians thrive on the existence of such insanity as discounts for damaged PACKAGING. That is ridiculous!!!

[sleepyguy]

I won't repeat what others posted here (handyman work, transport, etc).

Mine is vacation related... we love camping (cheap and super fun)

1. buy a USED canoe if you love to stay on the water, boat and canoe rentals are usually pretty outrageously priced and perform like crap... we got our very nice 16ft 2person used canoe for under $400 (kijiji), just a few scratches... new it is was around $1100

2. for day hikes where you need to make a small meal or quick drink/soup... don't bother with fancy fuel or gas burners... build yourself an ikea stove or coke stove... google them.

3. if the water is clean, invest in a fish cleaning kit (cheap) and a simple med-light action spinning combo... shore lunch for life :)  Sunfish are super tasty :)  I don't eat any fish over .5lb around our waters.

4. camp fire is the best mosquitoe repellant and somewhat free :)

[imustachemystash]

Tissues.... your sleeve.  J/K, can you tell I work with kids :)

[Bakari]

Tissues.... your sleeve.  J/K, can you tell I work with kids :)

I don't get the joke.

Though I usually only use sleeves as a last resort, sniffing is usually sufficient.

[Spork]

Tissues.... your sleeve.  J/K, can you tell I work with kids :)

I don't get the joke.

Though I usually only use sleeves as a last resort, sniffing is usually sufficient.

if you have a big enough mustache then it doesn't matter.  ;)

[EmEmEm]

The You in these are general, not you specifically.

I don't do it because it's so posh but I wish we could have the British "one" as a subject in American English.  Save a lot of trouble.


Ooh, I thought of one tonight.
Don't buy ice gel packs, put a wet washcloth in the freezer.

Or fill an old sock with rice & tie a knot in it or sew it closed. Keep it in the freezer as a cold pack, or 30 secs in the microwave for a hot pack.

[racherinh]

Don't pay for brand new expensive duvets, sew some from sheets and tablecloths instead.

The cheapest duvets are still over $80, and one can usually find tablecloths and sheets on sale (less than $20, even for 300-400 thread count), get some at yard sales, from relatives, or even thrift stores. It takes about 20 minutes to sew together three sides of two sheets to make a duvet. You can take another ten minutes to add ties to the bottom, if you want. I just made two using gifted tablecloths (cute fabrics in and of themselves, but not what we like to eat off of), and the flat sheet of an ordinary sheet set. The tablecloths are a little thicker and sturdier, and the sheets side is nice and soft.

(Our kids strongly prefer duvets for sleeping instead of a top sheet, as they don't get tangled up and making their bed takes about 5 seconds).

[StarswirlTheMustached]

Don't pay for brand new expensive duvets, sew some from sheets and tablecloths instead.

The cheapest duvets are still over $80, and one can usually find tablecloths and sheets on sale (less than $20, even for 300-400 thread count), get some at yard sales, from relatives, or even thrift stores. It takes about 20 minutes to sew together three sides of two sheets to make a duvet. You can take another ten minutes to add ties to the bottom, if you want. I just made two using gifted tablecloths (cute fabrics in and of themselves, but not what we like to eat off of), and the flat sheet of an ordinary sheet set. The tablecloths are a little thicker and sturdier, and the sheets side is nice and soft.

(Our kids strongly prefer duvets for sleeping instead of a top sheet, as they don't get tangled up and making their bed takes about 5 seconds).

I'm a bit confused-- it's probably a regionalism, but around here, a duvet is a think quilty thing-- it's flat bag of down or other insulation you use as a blanket. You put it in a duvet cover, which is rather like a pillowcase. What you're describing sounds something like the duvet covers I'm used to. Can I ask where you're from? I'm guessing someplace warm, where the inner bag isn't needed, and the word got re-appropriated to the cover.
Good tip, though.