Why dual-flush toilets ROCK!

Posted on January 5, 2013 by Peg

One of the things I love about traveling to another country is experiencing how people use everyday things in different ways.

When Marcus and I traveled to Italy in 2008, the apartment we stayed at had a dual-flush toilet; as in, you push one button to flush away pee (less water) and a different button to flush away poo (more water). They were the coolest toilets ever!

When we moved into our townhouse that summer, we noticed that our toilets were your basic, contractor-choice models. Even though they were low-flow and still in good shape, we knew we could save more water (and hence more money on our water bill) if we switched to a dual-flush model.

Even though we believe in the motto “don’t fix it if it ain’t broke,” we also believe in the Super Frug strategy of spending some money today in order to save more money in the future.

It took us over a year to get new toilets–you know how life goes–but, we did our research and found a store in Seattle that offered a good selection of water-saving, low-flow, dual-flush toilets.

We decided on the Caroma “Sydney Smart” toilet. We needed two: one for the powder room and one for our bathroom. They cost $350 each, and with a Chinook book coupon for 10% off, the total was about $690.

The toilets weren’t cheap but we knew that we would make the money back in water bill savings in the long-run.

To save money, we transported them and installed them ourselves.

In case you’re wondering, we gave one of our old toilets to friends who were redoing their bathroom and we sold the other one on Craigslist (cha-ching!).

Our old toilets were low-flow and used 1.6 gallons of water per flush.

Our new toilets used 1.28 gallons for the poo flush and only 0.8 for the pee flush.

That meant that for most of our flushes, Marcus and I were only using half the amount of water that we used to use!

That’s a lot of water saved, which is great for the environment and great for our budget.

Let’s do the math.

Before we installed our new toilets, our average two-month water and sewer bill was $131.

After we installed our toilets, our average bill dropped to $94.

That’s a savings of $37 every two months. Which is a savings of $222 per year.

Over ten years, we will save $2220.

Subtract the $690 we spent on them (took 3.1 years to pay them off) and that’s still $1530 saved over ten years, not to mention all the water saved too.

And that is why dual-flush toilets ROCK!

Recommended books for Super Frugers

Posted on December 21, 2012 by Peg

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”

“That depends a good deal
on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.

“I don’t much care where–” said Alice.

“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat.

“–so long as I get SOMEWHERE,” Alice added as an explanation.

“Oh, you’re sure to do that,” said the Cat, “if you only walk long enough.”

I love this quote from Alice in Wonderland. I think it’s because I’m always wondering which way to go.

Whenever I wonder which way to go in life, I do three things. I talk to people about it. I think about it. And I read a lot of books.

I love books. Books have helped me, inspired me, thrilled me, and taught me so many things throughout my life. While walking around on a freezing day in downtown Ballard recently with my friend Alisa, she said, “There’s never enough time to read all the books.” I couldn’t agree more.

That gave me the idea that I should list the books that have helped me to become Super Frug in case you, dear reader, are also wondering which way to go. So, here they are.

Happy holidays, everyone, and happy reading!

How to buy a used car

Posted on September 12, 2012 by Peg

I’ve never bought a new car. And I doubt I ever will.

Did you know that a new car depreciates several thousand dollars the moment you drive it off the dealer’s lot? I don’t know about you, but I think that stinks. It really turns me off from buying a new car.

It’s easier to buy new. You choose exactly what you want and you know no one else has ever used that car. But, for a little time and effort, you can find a used car at a much lower price and use the money you saved towards something else worthwhile.

Do you see that big smile on my face as I stand next to my new used Subaru affectionately dubbed The Red Pony? I am smiling because the last time I had a car exclusively for my own needs was during college. That’s right. College. For the past 18 years, I have used my feet and the METRO bus as my primary modes of transportation. After years of enviro-commuting, I realized I needed more flexibility. I wanted to buy a car this summer.

Here’s what I learned about BUYING A USED CAR from a private seller (not a dealership).

1) Figure out what kind of car you want.
For dependability and longevity, I wanted a Toyota, Honda or Subaru. For hauling stuff, I wanted a wagon.

2) Figure out how much you want to spend.
I wanted to spend $3000 or less. Pick a price that’s reasonable to you and your budget. I was totally willing to buy an older car in order to stay within my price range.

To find out how much used cars are worth, I recommend looking them up at Edmunds.com and Kelley Blue Book. Both have very helpful info.

3) Withdraw the amount you want to spend in cash and keep it somewhere safe.

4) Email your friends and family and let them know you’re looking for a car, what kind you want, and how much you want to spend. Great deals can often be found through your contacts.

5) Check your local Craigslist for car postings every day.
Look under “For Sale” and click on “Cars & Trucks.” Do a search for the make and model you’re looking for. For example, I’d do a search for “Toyota wagon,” and then another search for “Subaru wagon” and another for “Honda wagon.” It helps to check the posts several times a day.

6) Look for postings that give a detailed description of the car with plenty of good photos of the car. Don’t trust the ones that give hardly any description and take one or two fuzzy photos of the car with their cell phone. Forget ’em.

7) Enter the car’s license plate on CARFAX to find out the car’s VIN. Then enter the VIN on this VIN Check site to find out if the car has been stolen or has been reported as a salvage vehicle (as in it was in a major accident). If it’s been stolen or salvaged, let it go. By the way, both of these services are FREE.

8) Do a search on Google with the seller’s phone number.
Some sellers only give an email, but if they do list a phone number, type it into Google and hit return. If the phone number is listed as selling many other cars, I let them go. They are what I call Car Flippers. They are either mechanics or people buying cheap cars at auction which they turn around and sell for a lot more than they bought it for. In most cases, the car is not their daily driver and they probably know hardly anything about the car.

9) If the seller seems legit, contact them ASAP.
The early bird definitely gets the worm. Let them know when you’re available to see the car. Ask them if you can take it for a test drive. Ask them any other relevant questions. For me, I needed to know if the air conditioner worked well. This was a deal breaker for me.

10) When you visit the car, bring someone you trust with you.
It helps if they know something about cars too. This person will help you to make a rational, logical decision about whether you should buy the car. I brought Marcus, who doesn’t know a ton about cars, but knows enough. He’s also very rational. We split the cash between us so that if one of us was mugged, we wouldn’t lose it all.

11) Take the car for a test drive.
Check all the elements to make sure they work (ie. A/C, heater, windows, window wipers, going in reverse, etc.). Look under the hood. Ask to see the car’s repair records and receipts. Do not make a decision until you are satisfied with what you are buying. If you aren’t satisfied, be willing to walk away.

NOTE about inspections: Some recommend taking the car to a mechanic for an inspection. I don’t know many sellers who are willing to do this. Also, I don’t trust any mechanics except my own. Getting in to see them would take longer than a day and the seller isn’t going to be willing to let their car go for that long. If you know a mechanic nearby and the seller is willing, then do it.

NOTE about negotiating price: Read this article and this article to learn more.

12) Be patient.
It took us about 8 weeks to find the right used car. Patience does pay off.

We ended up buying a 1990 Subaru Legacy Wagon from a very nice family in Mill Creek whose Grandma Linda had driven it and taken good care of it for years. They had all the repair records and receipts. The car had recently received a new paint job and new tires. She drove beautifully and her A/C blew fast and cold. They listed it for $2000 and that’s what we paid them. It was a fair price so we saw no need to negotiate.

I couldn’t be happier with my Red Pony.

Take the time and effort to do your research and you too can find the used car of your dreams.

ps. This post is dedicated to a kid named Gooey who I hope will remember the good times we had driving around in the Red Pony with the radio blasting and the wind whipping through our hair. Photo by Marcus Donner.

How to buy used clothes

Posted on July 25, 2012 by Peg

For most of my life, I didn’t know how to shop for clothes.

If I happened to buy something that looked good on me, it was total luck.

Then, when I was 35, I met the woman who I call my Fairy Godmother. Her name is Paula.

Paula also worked at the same university that I did and on the side, she was a fashion and wardrobe consultant.

Her company‘s name? Clothes Encounters. Cool, huh?

For $195, Paula spent four hours at my home, combing through my entire closet and educating me on what I needed to know to dress well. I learned more in those four hours than I did from a lifetime of reading fashion magazines and watching shows on TV.

I learned:
1) what kind of body type I have;
2) what style of clothes look good on me;
3) what my color season was; and
4) what colors are in my season.

Soon after going to “wardrobe school,” I hired Paula by the hour to take me shopping and show me how to put the principles she taught me to work. After two trips to Nordstrom’s and Macy’s, I became a pro at picking out my own clothes.

I learned so much during those shopping trips with Paula.

My top three ahas! were:
1) everything has to be tried on;
2) there’s no such thing as standardized sizing for women
(you might wear small or a x-large–it just depends on the brands); and
3) shopping doesn’t end at the store
(when in doubt, take the item home and think about it; and if you don’t like it after one or two weeks, return it).

I started to notice the fringe benefits of dressing well. You get better service in stores. You get more respect at the office. People start complimenting you (although they will usually ask if you lost weight or changed your hair style; they won’t realize it’s your new clothes and new color scheme). You might even get a promotion. Best of all, you simply feel better.

So, when I started this new goal to buy no new clothes for one year, I wondered if I would be as successful finding used clothes as I had been buying new clothes. It’s a lot easier to walk into a beautifully organized clothing department than it is to rifle through racks and racks of mismatched clothing at a thrift store.

But I found out last week when I shopped at the Goodwill that all the principals I learned from Paula still apply for used clothes. It’s not harder–it just takes some forethought.

Here are 7 tips to help you buy great used clothes.

1) Determine your body type and color season.
If you don’t have access to a Fairy Godmother like Paula, it’s worth the time to read the two articles I’ve linked to above that will help you determine your body type and color season. Even just knowing your color season will help you shop way more efficiently. You zoom in only on the colors that work for you and ignore all the rest.

2) Identify clothes in your closet that look really good on you.
Look closely at these items to figure out why they make you look good. What’s the shape or cut? What’s the color? What is the general shape and size? Look at the shape of the item, NOT the number “size” on the tag. Try to solidify these elements in your mind so that you can recognize future pieces of clothing that might look good on you.

3) Choose just one kind of item to look for.
To avoid overwhelm, look at your closet and figure out what you most need next. Then, just look for that item. For example, you might search only for skirts or only for shorts. NOTE that shopping for jeans usually takes longer. You might have to make a few trips to find the right jeans.

4) Try shopping at the end of the day.
I used to shop in the morning. I felt lighter, thinner and it felt good to get a jump on my day. But recently I shopped during my most bloated part of the month (ladies, you know what I’m talking about) and from 8-9pm, one hour before closing. I have to say, I was surprisingly pleased. If something I tried on fit, I would be really happy because I knew that it would fit me when I was bloated and when I was more normal. Gone are the days of mentally sorting the clothes in my closet for “skinny days” and “fat days.”

5) Shop during the last hour that the store is open.
This may not work for you, but I discovered recently when I went to the Goodwill one hour before it closed that I like having a limit on the amount of time I can shop. Even with only one hour to shop, I don’t rush myself. I tell myself: you will find what you will find and no worries if you find nothing.

6) Ignore the sizes on the tags.
If you look in my closet, you will find everything from Small to Extra-Large and from size 4 to size 12. There are no standardized sizes for women’s clothes. Men have standard sizes. Women don’t. It sucks. If you take the time to do Tip #2, you will get better at recognizing what basic “size” and shape works for you. Don’t be thrown off by the number size. If it even looks like it might fit, try it on.

7) Find a good tailor.
I remember when Paula and I went shopping for the first time and I was upset that a pair of pants were too long. She said, we’ll have them altered. Easy. I don’t know why I’ve avoided getting alternations most of my life. I guess I always thought it was too expensive. She said when clothes don’t fit quite right, women blame their bodies while men go see a tailor. So true! It’s worth the extra $10-$20 to alter an item to fit your body perfectly.

You have probably figured out that this post is really my way of paying homage to my Fairy Godmother Paula.

Clothes Encounters is closed now and Paula has moved on to other ventures, but I still think of her every time I go shopping and every time someone compliments me on my clothes. Thank you, Paula, for teaching me how to look good.

If I can do it, so can YOU.

Take these tips to heart and learn how to make yourself look great…the Super Frug way!

No New Clothes Project

Posted on May 19, 2012 by Peg

I remember when I was a kid, my friends and I would go shopping. All day. And if we didn’t buy something fabulous at the mall, we’d come home disappointed.

I started shopping as a hobby around age 10 and didn’t stop until about age 39. I blame some of it on the ingrained primal need many of us have for hunting and gathering. I blame the rest of it on stupidity.

I really thought that if I bought the right thing, the right outfit, that my life would be better.

Now, I know it was all a lie. It was a lie perpetuated by corporations everywhere to keep all of us on the consumer carousel.

Many of us don’t like our jobs. We buy stuff in order to feel better. We do feel better, but only for a minute. Then we’re back to feeling unhappy. So we work, work, work to buy more stuff. It’s a vicious cycle.

This past year, I’ve been so into being Super Frug that almost every time I felt the urge to buy something, I’d ask myself, do you really need that? Are you going to be worse off if you don’t buy that? Can you get along without it?

Thus, in one year, I only spent $15 on new clothes. You heard that right. $15.

My pajama pants had worn out so much that I had to turn them into rags. They were even too worn to donate to the Goodwill. I had to spend $15 on a pair of flannel pajama bottoms printed with moons and stars.

I’m glad I did it, but I still can’t believe it.

I mean, I had nearly 30 years of expert shopping skills in my blood. It felt weird to break such a long-standing habit. But now that it’s been a whole year, I actually feel weird about buying new clothes.

Not that I don’t covet new clothes. Oh hell no. I see stuff all the time on the internet or in the Sunday ads that I want. Things that I know would look good on me. Things that I know would make me look fabulous. And yet, I can’t seem to do it.

Then I watched this TED talk by Jessi Arrington on “wearing nothing new.”

And it gave me an IDEA.

What if I didn’t buy any new clothes for the next year? Well, except for underwear, bras and socks. I draw the line there. What if I only bought used clothes, and cheap ones at that? Could I do it?

I don’t know. I like buying THINGS used (like our spice/coffee grinder we found for $2 at the Goodwill or our beloved $12 like-new bread machine from the Value Village), but I have to admit, I’ve never liked shopping for used clothes.

But the gloriously colorful Ms. Arrington has inspired me. I love her site, Lucky So and So, and all her bright, cheerful outfits!

I’m going to try it. One year of not buying any new clothes. And all the used clothes I buy have to be $20 or less, preferably much less. I have to say, the hunter-gatherer side of me is excited…and ready to go shopping.

ps. I would like to attribute this colorful clothing photo to the rightful photographer but cannot find him or her on Wikimedia Commons. If you know who the photographer is, please contact me.