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 is to learn how to freeze food properly. Well, I have. Check out my learnings in The Beginner’s Guide to Freezing Food at Modern Hippie Mag.

If you have time, you might also want to take a peek at 7 Simple Ways to Save Energy in the Kitchen, another guest post I wrote for Modern Hippie Mag. I totally forgot to tell you about it when I wrote it *clears throat* over a month ago. The information is still applicable.

Before I forget, I sincerely enjoy compensation via commentation. So, please leave a comment on the article if you have any tips, anecdotes, rants, or complaints regarding freezing food.

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 to the landfill. However, food is a tough one. Even when I carefully plan my meals, sometimes I’m not in the mood for the meals I planned. Sometimes I’m too lazy or too busy to cook. Unfortunately, when food is no use to you, it’s usually no use to anyone else.

Unlike other frivolous purchases, food has a way of forcing you to acknowledge your faults sooner rather than later. You can’t hide it in the garage and carry on about your life as if you’ve got it all put together. Nope. With food, the day of reckoning is nigh.

Earlier today, I threw out two tangerines that went bad before I got around to eating them. It felt like a little piece of me died as I tossed them in the trash. No more! Uh, actually, I can’t commit to zero waste. But 75% less waste I can do.

This year will be different.

• I will be diligent about portioning meats before mindlessly slinging them into the freezer.
• I will stop preparing meals suitable for a family of four when I am a fabulously frugal and single entity of one.
• I will learn how to freeze prepared meals.

This won’t be easy. In order to reduce waste, I must cook the food I’ve purchased. I’ve thawed meat too many times only to let it fester and spoil in the refrigerator because I wasn’t up for cooking it. *Sigh*

I have to do better. I will do better.

Here’s what I’m responsible for cooking this week. I’ll report back with results.

Monday - Curried Rice with Shrimp

Tuesday - Black Bean Soup with Sausage (slow cooker recipe)

Wednesday – Leftovers

Thursday Filipino Adobo and Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter

Saturday - Sauteed Tilapia with Lemon-Peppercorn Pan Sauce

Saturday - Broccoli Bakers (How to Bake Potatoes Video)

Sunday – Beef & Broccoli over Jasmine Rice

Check out other options on Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie.

This week wasn’t bad at all. I’m still crossing my fingers and hoping my web site stays up.

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. It fascinates me when someone makes a point that forces me to question the validity of what I’ve always held as truth. *Shivers*

Alright. We’re talking about personal finance. So without further delay, here are my weekly picks.

Calculating Net Worth: Does Home Value Belong There? by J. Money at Budgets Are Sexy.

I guess it was fate. J. Money’s August 18th (my 28th birthday!) post deals with how to calculate your net worth. Apparently, it’s more complicated than assets – liabilities = net worth. The debate surrounds whether your primary residence should be  included in the calculation.

What do you think? Don’t answer that question here. You can find my thoughts on this earth shattering, ground breaking, and mountain moving issue in the comment section of the post.

How to Minimize the Impact of Canceling A Credit Card by Jim Wang @ Bargaineering

I don’t like this new credit card legislation. I’m not convinced credit card companies are going to become any less slimy than they already are as a result of it. For that reason, I’m concerned that those of us who are responsible with credit will have to terminate existing relationships and take our business elsewhere. But there’s a catch: FICO®. How do you cause the least amount of harm to your credit score when canceling a credit card?

Who’s to Blame for Overdraft Charges? by Liz Pulliam Weston @ Ask Liz Weston

I ‘d like you to read the blog post on Liz’s web site. In case you’re pressed for time, I’ll answer the question of who’s to blame for overdraft charges: You’re to blame.

That is all.

Things You Don’t Need to Buy – Reducing Waste by Carla Rose @ Green and Chic

As long as you don’t get carried away, I find that greener living is simpler and more cost effective. Eliminating waste is a surefire way to increase your savings.

Although I’ve gotten more careful about the books I buy, I recently purchased annual subscriptions to Real Simple and Smart Money magazines. They were only $5 a piece. I’ve received four issues between the both of them and haven’t read one. We’ll see how the remaining ten months pan out.

Recognizing You Have A Problem by Mapgirl @ Mapgirl’s Fiscal Challenge

Mapgirl delves into one of the biggest unnecessary drains on our finances. Why is it so difficult to combat disorganization and laziness? For me, every day is a struggle.

Now for a little Arrested Development.

Photo By: MShades

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. I just stopped buying stuff…mostly.

Shopping isn’t an enjoyable experience for me anymore. As a result, it’s much easier to let money peacefully rest in my bank account.

I ran out of soap last week. Before you go “eeeeeeeeew,” let me explain myself. The last time I went to the store, there wasn’t any soap on sale. To save money, I purchased two bars of soap that I normally wouldn’t buy. I figured I’d purchase the good stuff once it was offered at a discounted price.

About two weeks ago, I noticed my soap dwindling down. So I slapped the two thin slices of soap together and carried on with my normal cleansing routine. It wasn’t until the soap disintegrated in my washcloth last Friday morning that I realized I’d taken my frugality to new heights.

In reference to taking advantage of available resources, a wise woman once said (I think it was Liz Pulliam Weston): “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” Well, obviously I’m not about to go without soap. The thing about frugality is that it makes you creative. You see. I really didn’t feel like going out to buy more soap. When I ran out last Friday, I didn’t panic. There had to be a solution to my problem that existed within my apartment.

It may not have been the best option, but there was dish detergent within reach. I use it as bubble bath. Now, I have the privilege of announcing that I’ve also used it as soap. Figuring dish detergent wasn’t the best cleaning agent for my skin, I told myself I’d buy soap that day. But, something strange happened. I didn’t feel like it. When I prepared to take my shower the following morning, I swapped out the dish detergent for shampoo. That’s what I’ve been using the last few days.

I’m glad I finally found a use for all that shampoo that failed to deliver the miracle results promised on the back of the bottle. Eventually, I’ll get around to taking a shower like a normal person.

Besides, my skin itches.

This post was featured in the Carnival of Pecuniary Delights Edition #20! over at Counting My Pennies.

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.  Cutting a dryer sheet in half isn’t beneath me.  Everyone knows I’m stingy with my Eclipse Spearmint gum.

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.  It’s about convenience.  It’s about avoiding the feelings of frustration that overcome me when I realize my stinky breath friend chewed my last piece of gum!

If you like gum so much, buy your own.

In 7 Money Mantras for a Richer Life: How to Live Well with the Money You Have, author Michelle Singletary mentions an individual who’d drill a small hole in the top of the toothpaste cap.  When squeezed, a thin line of toothpaste would dispense from the tube.  Thus, less toothpaste was used.  Extreme?  I don’t think so.  You only need a small amount. Using this technique, it’d only take a minute or two to extend the life of a tube of toothpaste three, maybe even fourfold.  I rarely spend more than a buck on toothpaste, so it’s not about the money.

Toilet paper, soap, lotion, deodorant, shampoo, and other miscellaneous toiletries aren’t items most of us can go without.  Have you ever found yourself without instant access to at least one of the aforementioned necessities?  Were you panic stricken when you hopped out of the shower and discovered there was nary a drop of lotion to moisturize your crusty soles?

Shopping isn’t a particularly enjoyable activity for me anymore, so running to the store is a fairly painful experience.  Besides, the more often you go to the store, the more likely you are to pick up something you don’t need.  That’s not financially savvy.  Think about it.

Judging by the number of bathrooms I’ve been in with toilet paper holders bearing a naked tube of cardboard, I suspect I’m not the only one who’s pressed for time.  I’ve concluded the proper place for a full roll of toilet tissue is on the back of the toilet, next to the toilet, or on the bathroom vanity,  but never on the toilet paper holder.  I’m very busy.

I’m sure you are too.

Which is why you should exercise restraint.  If you’re so busy you can’t be bothered to change the toilet paper roll, where do you find the time to get in your car, drive to the store, grab a load of crap you don’t need, wait in line… Do I really need to continue?

Try not to misunderstand me here.  Use as many sheets as necessary to get the job done then move on with your life.  Don’t scoff at limiting the number of sheets of toilet paper to five or six.  Depending on the number of ply, you might be able to get it down to three or four. There’s no need to make a toilet paper mitten if you’re going to be in an out.

When I was a kid, my brother would eat anything and drink everything I put in the refrigerator.  During the summer months, my mom would let my sister, cousin, and me walk to the neighborhood convenience store.  I’d buy candy, fruit punch, and the occasional pickled sausage.

Don’t judge.

Even as a child I was able to practice self control and save some of my treats for later.  Unfortunately, later never came because my inconsiderate and overweight brother would get to my stash before I could.  Just like now, it wasn’t about the money then.  If you’ve ever had your heart set on a cold icy grape soda, a slice of sour cream pound cake, or a pink pickled pig’s foot, and found out it’s been devoured before you could get to it, then you know it’s not about the money.

Perhaps I’m being unfair.  Maybe a stark comparison can’t be drawn between the emotions experienced when you prematurely run out of toilet paper and those felt when someone eats the last of the pork chops.  But I simply cannot be the only one who wants what I should already have when I want/need it.

Last week, a friend of mine requested I print two articles each totaling 15 pages.  At $5 for 500 sheets of paper, that works out to a penny per page.  Surely I can come off $0.30 to help a friend out, but let’s not get carried away.  I can’t have you using up all my paper, so that my supply is depleted when I get ready to print out an internet coupon.

Okay. Maybe it’s a teeny tiny bit about the money. But I maintain that wasting my time running unnecessary errands is the primary reason I felt moved to speak out on this subject. How about you? Where do you stand when it comes to saving time, and money, on the purchase of toiletries?