Green Living | You Have More Than You Think

7 Literally Disgusting Ways to Save Cash

September 6, 2011 By Shawanda Greene 8 Comments

If you’re like most Americans, you’re probably pretty wasteful. I don’t know what it is; we love throwing stuff away – used and unused alike. Until I kick my paper towel addiction, I’m not one to talk. However, I feel obligated to let those of you in the intermediate stage of frugality know about some relatively [...]

Guest Post at Modern Hippie Mag: The Beginner’s Guide to Freezing Food

January 30, 2010 By Shawanda Greene 5 Comments

Remember when I made that New Year’s resolution to reduce food waste by 75%? Yeah, I’m serious about that. Thus far, I’m doing pretty good. There’s much room for improvement, but still, I feel like I’m on the right track. As I mentioned about a month ago, part of my strategy for decreasing food waste [...]

Menu Plan Monday ~ Jan 4, 2010

January 3, 2010 By Shawanda Greene 13 Comments

One of my top New Year’s resolutions is to reduce waste by 75% in 2010. When you’re as frugal as I am, it’s painful to throw things in the garbage that could’ve been put to good use. To the extent possible, I try to ensure my possessions find a proper home before making their way [...]

The Last 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying Anything

December 17, 2009 By Shawanda Greene 6 Comments

The previous post dealt with The First 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying Anything. Here we’ll primarily address what to do if you haven’t convinced yourself not to purchase a particular item, or you don’t know how to get it for free. Before you open your wallet, ask the following: 1. Can I borrow [...]

The First 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying Anything

December 15, 2009 By Shawanda Greene 21 Comments

Okay, there are actually 10 questions you should ask yourself before buying anything. This here’s a two parter. To the novice frugalite, it may seem like a lot. But once you hone the art of not spending money (or parting with as little as possible), these questions automatically answer themselves. 1. Do I need it? [...]

The Birthweek Roundup

August 22, 2009 By Shawanda Greene 9 Comments

The highlight of this week was having the opportunity to meet a You Have More Than You Think reader in person. The meeting was especially interesting for me because he’s from Sweden. I’m always eager to hear how people from other countries live.

A Negative Side Effect of Frugality

August 5, 2009 By Shawanda Greene 26 Comments

Pickling cucumbers. Making laundry detergent. Growing vegetables. That’s not my bag. It sounds like a lot of work. Many people shy away from frugality when they think saving money will become too time consuming. I’ve managed to save money the lazy way.

The Only Tip You Need to Start Saving Money

July 15, 2009 By Shawanda Greene 17 Comments

When you wander through life unconscious and unaware, you waste a lot of money. I mean, literally, waste it. You crumple it up. Toss it in the trash. Don’t confuse wasting money with foolishly spending money. Putting a round of drinks on your credit card when you’re flat broke qualifies as stupid.

Just airing a beef

July 6, 2009 By Shawanda Greene 1 Comment

I witnessed something truly egregious today. As you can see from the photo, I have a neighbor who failed to break down their moving boxes and recycle them. Ideally, they would’ve let the greater Washington, D.C. area know they had boxes to give away on Craigslist or Freecycle. This particular neighbor might not know there’s a super easy way to make sure their boxes are reused before heading to the landfill. For that, I’ll let them slide. HOWEVER…

It’s Not About the Money

June 22, 2009 By Shawanda Greene 2 Comments

No longer can I sit quietly while commenters on popular personal finance blogs dismiss the importance of scrimping on toiletries. Apparently, we shouldn’t concern ourselves with meaningless cost cutting strategies. Well, I’m not so busy that I can’t be bothered to restrict my toilet paper use and cutting a dryer sheet in half isn’t beneath me. Although it’s a well known fact that I’m a scrooge, refusing a needy comrade a piece of gum isn’t about the money. It’s about my time.