don't flash – stash that cash!

Despite the current economic crisis, I haven't significantly altered my spending habits. Lest you think I'm a big roller, let me make it clear: I've always been a bit frugal with my money. I don't live large or have any addictions to maintain. In truth, though, my cheapskate lifestyle stems not so much from a compulsion to save money but rather a desire to be in command of myself. My strives toward self-mastery in the face of a love for fashion – an industry that thrives on lack of self-control – have been detailed in this previous post that you need to read.

Though the introspective aspects make up the foundation, the essence of a person in charge, a woman's also gotta have a game plan she can put into practice. lc from Fops and Dandies has shared her own distinct tricks to holding on to her moola; now, I'm coughing up my miserly methods.

Ask for a discount on damaged goods. I learned this trick from my expert haggler/bargain shopper mom. If there's a stain, rip or hole, I speak up at the register. Then, I take it home and mend it myself. Most major chains honor the request, and I think smaller boutiques should do this, if they don't already. It's just a matter of good business; a purchase is an agreement in value between the seller and the buyer. If the product is in any way inferior to the company's standard, the value of the item has degraded and should be priced accordingly. In recent memory, Macy's and H&M both gave me a percentage off. (More on that later!) Zara was the exception. Once, I found a delectably dainty, sheer cream blouse with a ripped seam; the sales assistant, however, said I needed to pay full price if I wanted it. Lame, Zara. Very lame.

Wait longer periods of time between haircuts. Usually I get my hair done every 8-10 months; the rest of the time I cut it myself. Though some of this method's appeal comes from saving money, it's largely due to the fact that I'm low maintenance with my mane – my hair needs to reach bouffant proportions and rattiness beyond repair before I can be bothered to care. This isn't for everyone, of course. Perhaps you're Cammila from dressed up like a lady, a.k.a. Cammila of the Utterly Striking Pink-Striped Pixie 'Do, and you need regular trims. That's cool. After all, I used to be a Louise Brooks bob woman myself – it's all about picking and choosing what works for you.

Read magazines at the store. Then, buy only the ones you love and will hold on to. Most people buy magazines, flick through them and eventually get around to tossing them into the garbage. How wasteful is that? Casual magazine reading is an incredible waste of resources. Sure, I can dig the occasional purchase to pass the time away on flights, Greyhound/Chinatown bus trips to NYC and beaches. But, consider this: If the medium (the magazine) is ultimately a throwaway to you, then how important and nourishing can the content really be for you? What's the point of filling your mind and – let's be honest – spirit with magazine fluff if it's not worth filling your home with the physical manifestation thereof? Other alternatives include sharing magazines with family and friends, and dropping off old ones at the library swap table for inspiration foragers like me to pick through.

Go without cable TV. I grew up mostly without it anyway, so I'm used to it. I don't think TV's inherently evil, but if you can't even consider the possibility of going without cable, then you have bigger issues then merely keeping up with the escapades of Serena van der Woodsen. Thanks to YouTube, I can satisfy my Project Runway fix online, and if I need to ogle Tom Welling and Kristin Kreuk's pores in hi-fi, then I'll rent the season's DVD. Which brings me to....

Wait for the DVD. Unless there's some mind-boggling effects, it's a film that I actively want to support and see, or it's a special Date Night/Friends' Night Out, I usually just rent films from my local, effing awesome movie rental stores.

Buy used books and borrow from the library. I admit, I take a certain pleasure in buying new books, but I also satisfy my literary predilection at secondhand stores. Fortunately, I live in a city with so many fantastic used book selections: Brookline Booksmith (I took Fops and Dandies here once when she finished her tome on the way up to Boston and needed some reads for the trip back down), Harvard Bookstore (The Back Story and I were just there in the store's subterranean section the other day; she scoped out some Jane Austen while I got her modern lit discards), Lorem Ipsum in Inman Square (their Kurt Vonnegut selection is prodigious), Brattle Book Shop and Raven Used Books in Harvard Square make up my faves. Back in Honolulu, Partner and I'd trawl the shelves at Rainbow Books and Records.

Look for discounts. My workplace hooks us up with all kinds of tickets and passes, everything from movies theaters to museums to Six Flags. In addition to planning ahead, I also try to keep some spares to each of my favorite theaters in my wallet for spontaneous movie outings. Recently, the MBTA (Boston's public transit) got a little more aggressive about promoting its 2008 CharlieCard Discount Book. Being public transit riders and card holders ourselves, Partner and I scored some free mango lassis from Diva the other weekend. That was an easy $7+ saved between the two of us, and all we had to do was flash the plastic (CharlieCard, that is.) Perhaps my favorite discount in the book is the 10% off at The Upper Crust Pizzeria. (No, wait, I might be wrong – apparently there's a 10% discount at Club Monaco?!? *hysteria*)

Bring home lunch! Homemade food is so much more scrumptious and healthy than the swill in the cafeteria. It's also cheaper. I figure, if I buy lunch out, I'll be spending anywhere from $7 to $15. Whereas, if I bring home lunch, I put out $1 to $4 max. Zen Habits makes a tasty case for the benefits of brown-bagging it, along with some tips to spice things up. The exception I make for buying from the cafeteria is Quiche Day. Major yum. That, and the mysterious triple chocolate sludge. *slurrrp* Occasionally, I'll go out with my co-workers to the neighborhood Indian, Thai or sub sandwich shop, but there's no financial guilt there because I do it so rarely. In fact, eating out in general then becomes a luxurious, more enjoyable treat – I savor every morsel.

Bring my own snacks. Both at the office and when I'm out and about, I usually try to bring along a baggie of trail mix or some baked goods. In fact, I have a perpetual stash of treats in my desk for the mid-day munchies. Much like bringing home lunch, my "imported" snacks are cheaper and (usually) healthier than the hydrogenated-oil, preservative-stuffed gunk in the vending machine.

Carry a reusable bottle of water around. We all need to stay hydrated throughout the day – why spend money on bottled water that's been jacked up three times as much in price? Man, convenience stores and food stands must make a killing off of people who don't plan or are too lofty to lug their own sustenance. I fill up my bottle at home and trot around the city with it. More than it just being economical, it's convenient – whenever, wherever I'm thirsty, I have water at my disposal. No traveling and hunting required.