Ten (dubious) Tips On How to Save Money

In today's world, it's all about going green, eating organic and saving money. Just this morning I came across an article that promised all kinds of money-saving tips, along with tips for a healthier lifestyle. Not all the tips were helpful though.

Tip 1: Put plants in your bedroom

This might not be such a good idea. While some plants might be air purifying and produce oxygen, others give off carbon dioxide at night. The last time I was in the hospital the nurses removed all plants from the rooms and put them in the corridor.

Tip 2: Install a low flow shower head

Sorry but not on your life. I lived in a condo a while back where the bathroom had a low flow shower head and I put up with it for exactly three days. After that, I called the management office and the superintendent and demanded a regular shower head. Have you ever tried to get shampoo and conditioner out of your hair with a low flow shower head … it takes forever.

Tip 3: Clean with vinegar

While vinegar might work for some purposes, in general, it doesn't do the trick. For instance, I tried to clean the inside glass of the oven door. I tried vinegar, I tried baking soda, I tried the two combined with quite a bit of elbow grease and nothing worked. Only when I switched to a powerful chemical cleaner, steel wool and elbow grease did the glass get clean.

Tip 4: Unplug the TV when not in use

A fine idea but impossible to execute in my place. My TV sits in a wall unit. In order for me to unplug the appliance, I would have to move the nine-foot cabinet or squeeze through the gap between the cabinet and the wall, which is about 4 inches. I'm slender, but I'm not that thin.

Tip 5: Invite friends in winter

Instead of turning on the heat, the article suggests that I throw a party and cuddle up with my friends to keep warm. My friends are spread over the four corners of the earth so that's not going to work. And even if they could come over at a moment's notice, and I would want to snuggle up with them, I'll bet they would say … "Hey, don't get fresh", or "Sorry, I'm married".

The writer also recommends snuggling up with a cat, a dog, or another animal. Well yeah, that can work, but eventually, the animal will move.

Tip 6: Use a microwave vs. a conventional oven

Sorry, but in my case, that is not going to happen. You can't roast a chicken golden brown in a microwave; you can't make a crisp crust pizza in the microwave, and you certainly can't make roast potatoes in the microwave. Not to mention the amount of radiation the food gets exposed to. In another article, another writer cautioned consumers about overusing a microwave.

Tip 7: Sleep on organic sheets

You know, I'd love to sleep on organic sheets, unfortunately, I can't afford them. A quick price check revealed the following … set of white sheets in a regular store $40, a set of organic white sheets in a specialty store $350. Are you kidding me?

Tip 8: Wool not polyester

The writer recommends switching from polyester sweaters and blankets to woolen ones. Again, I'd love to, but my bank account is going to protest. Real wool sweaters and blankets cost about four times more than polyester ones. Plus, cleaning them is a nightmare. I remember washing a cashmere sweater and after drying it was the size of a handkerchief.

Tip 9: Go for a mattress that is not treated with chemicals

I did some comparing here too and I was rather shocked. A regular mattress at regular stores cost between $399 to $999. A mattress not treated with chemicals at a specialty store range from $2,000 to 5,000.

Tip 10: Shop at a farmers market

Not too long ago I was at a farmers market and walked away empty-handed. The fruits and vegetables were beautiful and much bigger than in the supermarket, unfortunately, they were also much more expensive.

Bell peppers in a supermarket - $0.60

Bell pepper at the farmers market - $1.50

Strawberries in a supermarket - $2.99

Strawberries at the farmers market - $5.99

Zucchini in a supermarket - $1.20

Zucchini at the farmers market - $3.00

You get the idea.

I'm sure that many of us would like to shop organic, but it's just too darn expensive.