2000th Post

Gosh. This is the 2000th post on Frugal Bastard. To think that I started it back on the 30th of March 2004 and it's been going for six and a half years. I'd say that the style has changed over time - First post. Just over 71,000 visits later and what have people received for their money? Not much, really.

Why did I start Frugal Bastard? Well, I guess I'm a bit of a mouth on a stick and if I have something to say I like to say it. Blogger gives me a mouthpiece to shout to the world. It's just a case of 'Is anyone listening?' Perhaps I've become more spiteful during my time as a blogger but I also realise that you have to be careful what you put in print as it stays there, on the Internet, in some form or other for eternity.

You may wonder where the name comes from. The guys at my previous job noted that I was tight when it came to spending money. One of my colleagues referred to me as a frugal bastard and I thought that that sounded like a great name for a Website. And the nickname has stuck. Some things never change.

My first experience with blogging I called Japan/Korea Blog and that's had some 84,000 visits which isn't too bad considering that it's only 36 posts in total. Not sure when I started that as all of the posts were published on in March of 2004 so that they appeared to read as a diary of my first trip to Japan and Korea. I uploaded scanned photos to a storage facility on the Web as Blogger didn't even have storage back then.

Blogger has become much easier to use. Nowadays you don't have to know much about HTML to link to a news story or other article on the Web whereas when I started it was quite important to know. The storage of photos, as mentioned, has become much more user friendly (still not quite as good as Facebook). The autosave feature has saved a post on more than one occasion.

Why do I continue to do blog? Well, I get a kick out of people commenting on what I have to say and the feedback is great. Gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling. I've met some great people through blogging even though I've never met them in person. There is a community feel about it. Those that blog are similar to me (Ed - poor bastards). There aren't too many that I follow from my early days that are still blogging though which is a bit of a shame. Man, did I have some material to read in the old days (Ed - old days? It was only six and a bit years ago!). If someone has something interesting to say and you comment (be nice people) then it is easy to make friends. If not, just move onto the next blog. There are plenty of bloggers out there with things worth listening to.

Thank you to all of my readers. There can't be many of you that have stuck around for all of this time.

Frugal Bastard's Tips To Combine Dieting And Frugality

I realise that there are those of you who struggle with excess weight. I know that there are those of you who struggle because you spend too much money. Allow the Frugal Bastard to bring you some tips to combine dieting and frugality.

1. Don't use Windex like Kim Kardashian as an appetite suppressant. Windex is a name brand and costs more. Save money and go with a store brand like Woolworths or Black & Gold.

2. Go to a gym. Don't make the mistake of paying for an expensive membership though as you would be missing the frugality point. Just ensure that you live at least 10km (6 miles) from the particular gym and you'll be quite tired upon your arrival. The more frugal of you will have ridden a bike rather than driven. Those on the path to frugality will have walked. Bare feet will slow you down and mean that your shoes won't get worn out so quickly either. Less time for eating, you have to go home as well remember, will assist in the dieting aspect.

3. Don't wash your dishes. Not only will you save dish washing liquid, if you are extravagant enough to use it in the first instance, but you'll feel like eating much less food if there is mould on your plate.

4. Brush your teeth before each meal. When you are enlightened enough to realise how expensive toothpaste is you won't feel like wasting it by dirtying your teeth by eating thereby saving food and your waist.

5. Eat soup with a fork. To make this work more effectively don't eat thick, chunky soups but more broth-like soups. This is an acquired skill and will have the added benefit of making you the talk of your work colleagues.

6a. If you're good with cutlery try switching to chopsticks to slow your eating down.
6b. Once you become proficient with chopsticks try eating with only one chopstick. This will not only save on the amount of food you consume but also the washing up.

7. Drink water before every meal. This acts most effectively as an appetite suppressant if you drink a decent volume, e.g. 4.55L (1 gallon [1.2 US gal]). Your stomach won't be able to handle a great deal of food after that.

There you have it. Seven simple tips to enable you to lose weight and fatten your wallet.

Disclaimer: Information and advice provided by Frugal Bastard is not intended as a substitute for proper nutritional advice. It doesn't take your particular circumstances into consideration and may not be suitable for you (or anyone else for that matter). Please take the advice with a pinch of salt (a rather extravagant mineral when combined with food preparation).

Frugal Bastard and The Boy Present - Fun With Magnets

The Boy spends hours playing with his magnets and they must be his favourite toy. I thought we could make a video and put his talents on display. If not, maybe it would keep him busy for a while at least. See what you think.


Frugal Bastard and The Boy Present - Fun With Magnets

Frugal Bastard's Tips For Saving Money

I haven't done this for a while so perhaps it's time to compile a short list of money-saving ideas. For the frugal-minded among us.

1. Buy things on special. It makes me happy when I think about the fact I'm brushing my teeth with a 4-pack of electric toothbrush heads that I bought for $23.99 when they normally retail for $34.99.
2. Buy in bulk. Release your inner Chinese. Six packets of breakfast cereal or 18 packets of toilet packet won't go off. Hoard. See point 1.
3. Forget JIT (Just In Time) - you pay more for customisation and the fact that the company doesn't have stock to offload quickly.
4. Defrost your fridge when you go on holidays. Turn all the power off in your abode. Clocks are easily reset when you return.
5. Turn off electrical appliances rather than leaving them in standby mode which can still consume 40% of online power.
6. Read how other frugal people do it. E.g. Frugal For Life.
7. Mow the neighbour's lawn. Then borrow the lawnmower to do your own. Don't cut the neighbour's grass - this will lead to expensive divorce proceedings.
8. Keep your house clean. This will enable you to walk around in the dark without endangering yourself or your belongings. It also lets your lamps last longer through less use and you also consume less energy.

25 Ways I Save Money

Dawn over at Frugal For Life, formerly here, had a post relating to "25 Ways I Save Money". Now, there's something I can relate to. I've decided to put a quick list together.

- I have a rule whereby all cheques received go into my home loan account to pay it off more effectively.
- I pick up money on the street.
- I pay bills online to avoid cheque fees, postage and time/petrol.
- I compare prices on items before I buy.
- I use the FuelWatch Website and fuel discount vouchers.
- I use shopper dockets if they offer something that saves me money.
- I buy non-perishable goods in bulk.
- I walk instead of drive if possible. Riding the bike is also an option.
- I make good use of free calls on my pre-paid mobile.
- I buy Christmas cards in bulk and post after November the 1st when postage is cheaper domestically and significantly so internationally.
- I pay my insurance and registration premiums anually to avoid a greater overall charge over the year.
- If I have to I make long distance phone calls off peak.
- I like to buy quality goods that will last a long time and therefore have a lower TCO.
- I used to work as much overtime as possible so that the shops weren't open when I wasn't working and so that I couldn't spend any money. This was a very successful tactic.
- Leftovers are eaten and not thrown away.
- Lunch is taken to work.
- The lights are turned off when no-one is in the room. I don't live in a lighthouse.
- When it's cold I put on more clothes and only use heating when absolutely necessary. Doors to rooms that don't require heating are closed.
- My son plays free online games - Flashgames247.com - instead of buying expensive computer games. If he gets bored there are hundreds of other games to try.
- Make use of the library instead of buying new books or magazines.
- Buy childrens books secondhand. They are in great condition and unbeatable for value.
- Plan my shopping so that it doesn't coincide with meal times. If you're hungry you'll probably buy unhealthy, processed food for groceries and have some junk food to tide you over.
- I drive conservatively and utilise cruise control. No hooning.
- Clothes are dried on the clothes line and not in a dryer - I don't own one.
- My credit card is automatically paid on the due date so that I never pay interest. If the bank applies a charge incorrectly I fight them and have a very good record against them.
- I only buy things on credit card if I would be prepared to pay cash for them otherwise. If there is a credit card surchage I pay cash. I make sure that I collect my frequent flyer points and put them to good use.
- I use a free Web publisher - Blogger.