In the effort to reduce our grocery bill (my personal best is $149.00 for the month - which I KNOW can be much lower), I buy most of my bread items at the dollar store.
When I was in the check-out line, I saw a pregnancy test for ... well, obviously, it was for a $1. I thought "Who in the world would buy a $1 pregnancy test?" But clearly, someone does or it wouldn't be there, right?
Which made me start thinking of the craziest things I have ever done to save money.
Right after college, I had a few weeks of living on grits (a southern staple but not very nutritionally sound) and iced tea as I lived paycheck to paycheck. More recently, I used YouTube to learn to trim my own hair and do my own highlights. Since it worked out, I don't consider that too crazy, but my co-workers consider that equal to performing my own appendectomy! 
I have never collected and consolidated ketchup packets, but I have washed and re-used ziplock bags. I do unplug every appliance in my house and control the water heater and thermostat, but I don't hang laundry as often as I should.
Now that I think about it, I probably could do more extreme things than I do.
What is the "most extreme" thing you have heard of?
Extreme penny-pinching
April 19th, 2011 at 01:15 pm
April 19th, 2011 at 03:28 pm 1303226903
For us, we just turn it down in the warm weather. It's extremely efficient and costs a few dollars to run in the spring/summer/fall.
I mentioned recently that I turned DOWN the hot water heater because the air was warming up and I got some confused/semi-horrified replies from non-SA bloggers. I just thought it was funny. One said, "I never saw that recommended." Hmmmm, neither did I, but I could use my brain and figure out I didn't need the water to be so hot when it was 110 degrees outside. It kind of heats itself and we can turn it WAY down. Likewise, HOT showers are not a favorite past time in July.
April 19th, 2011 at 07:53 pm 1303242834
April 19th, 2011 at 11:09 pm 1303254592
I call it "smart,"not crazy.