Debt or Alive

note- I posted this blog earlier this morning and tried to edit it with an update and it was deleted - it seems to happen in the save to draft and preview stage. I don't really have this editing tool conquered yet- ya think?

"There are several things I do to save money."

I hold onto my receipts because I find many of my purchases are made through impulse buying. I look through my items the following day and often think "why did I buy this?" I put the items back into the original bag and staple check the items on the receipt then staple it to the bag. It goes into my car so the next time I am passing near the store I return the items. the feeling is better than shopping as money get redeposited into my account.

The next habit comes from living out of town. I hate to drive 25 miles round trip for a small item. so I get creative and find a substitute. It's late and I can't think of an example right now but I most like will in the morning and I'll post it then.

UPDATE Here is one creative solution. I wanted to install extra shelves above the ones I have in my linen closet and bedroom closets.
I didn't have the wood and if I did - I also didn't have a saw. But, as an artist I had foam core board and some 1" x 1" wood (as a gardener it was a felled trellis) I can basically cut the 1x1 with a a small hand saw (ok - I have a saw, but not a large one :- )

The wood strips ( 2-5) not only hold the core board(1) they also support it horizontally. I was feeling quite clever after this one.

Another is making the local library my satellite office. Those ink cartridges are expensive and living in a dry climate they clog up all of the time. So I copy what I need on a pen drive or email myself the file and open it up at the library three miles away and pay 10 cents a copy. I must have spent a whopping $3.00 so far this year.

the next one may seem off base but hear me out. I research a lot on line. A few weeks ago I was experiencing a hacking cough which began three and a half month before. I went to the doctor and she couldn't find anything but said if I had insurance I could get the x-rays or some expensive tests. I walked away with a prescription I never filled.
I finally doubled my research efforts and found to my surprise a website created by a woman just on the topic of cough-thing she had for three years. (it's more like a virus)
She had researched extensively and found the vitamin B complex, vitamin C and I believe fish liver oil, taken in a certain regimen, rid her of the cough - pronto.
All I had was Vitamin C crystals, but wouldn't you know it 80% of my cough was gone immediately after drinking a couple tablespoons in a large glass of water. The rest vanished in a few days.

the last one for now is also about online research. I have been googling symptoms my pets will show and have frequently found homeopathic and other home remedies for symptoms which don't seem life threatening like ear mites and uti symptoms. (Arsenicum completely brought down a fever my cat had at 3:00 a.m.) Instead of harsh medications these tried and true solutions have been working and for a cost of $6.00 - $30.00 versus a total vet bill of $150 or more. I do think vets are valuable but they can be overly relied upon.

That's about it for now. Thanks for reading my ideas - maybe they will come in handy for you, too.

What was your experience with obtaining help with your debt? Did you run into honest and helpful people?
Did you meet those who wanted to take or did take advantage of you and cost you more money?

What I am trying to ask is did you meet honest or dishonest people.