A penny not spent is a penny that you saved.

                  




        Being an observer since young has given me ample of enriching and valuable experiences in life. My first teachers or gurus in my life are my older siblings, then my Teachers, neighbors, my religious Teachers, my friends, and the people whom I mingle with. My learning environment, my school friends, each and every one of them has their own way of teaching me or letting me experience this life. Other than all of these, my travels. Each of the travels taught me some valuable lessons which I should thank or unable to pay the fee for those rich exposures.

      Regarding my siblings,  My older sisters are the first gurus of mine to let me learn the basic way of life and how to avoid spending unnecessarily. For example my eldest sister grew her own herbal garden around her house and whenever she needs ginger, lemongrass or lime leaves, she plucks from her plants or dig the ginger and turmeric roots, as much as she wants for cooking.

     My second sister when she cooks lentils or dhall, she prepares several dishes using  same ingredient. She makes lentil soup, lentil gravy,  cabbage and lentil fry.

      My brothers grew veg in our garden and the vegetables were there for us.we hardly buy vegetables from market since those available in the garden. my brothers share several pairs of shoes among them selves, because their shoes were same size.They shared their shoes among themselves and avoid buying new and wear to office the same brand of shoes.

   One of my brother, hardly buys shirts or spends unnecessarily, but took care of my expenses. Gave me my pocket money on weekly base.

  After living and being with them, I adapted their way of life in my daily life and start to avoid spending unnecessarily.

       The family that I’m married to have contrast way of life and it was difficult for me to adjust the way they spend and buy things lavishly as they like.

     But the people whom I've mingled with since childhood, has taught me indirectly the value of money and how to be thrifty and to avoid spending unnecessarily. Today almost all my siblings and their children live better life which we missed during our childhood days. Almost all of them travel as they like and visiting  the other parts of the world due to discipline and planning their expenses wisely.

        Here I would like to share the knowledge which I gain from my friends , and from my observations and from  own experiment in life. I hope this sharing of ideas will enhance others life and to live life without unnecessary spending. 

  
Simple tips

Grow your own vegetables.

Turned garbage into compost. Bury the garbage in a hole or keep it air tight in drums for several weeks.

Don’t buy when there is no need.

Buy only when there is discount or clearance sale and buy in bulk and store it.

Wear what you have, don’t follow trend or latest fashion.

Make your own facial cleanser or mask using lentils and fruits.

Avoid travelling or visiting relatives or friends when there is no need.

Turned old materials and suits into curtains, table cloths, or as bags or as doormats.

Cook food and eat at home or when you are working, prepared food at home and take to office. Avoid buying food outside.

Eat more lentils and other vegetables and fruits, less meat, because vegetable protein is much cheaper and no cholesterol.

Make a list and buy what is necessary, don’t simply buy what ever you like.

Walk or cycle to the nearest place or somewhere near you neighbour hood, you save petrol and you are healthy because you burn your calories when you walk.

Always drink warm or plain water to avoid getting flue or being infected by bacteria or to avoid allergies and save money and avoid visiting  Dr.

Learn to mend things in your house and to stitch to avoid paying others for repairing.

Grow vegetables in  waste plastic bags and in rice sacks, use compost soil or burnt soil and expired pills and medicine as fertilizer.

Avoid buying snacks from outside, only prepare at home meals and snacks.

Collect rain water in big pails or drums and use to wash clothes and to wash the dishes and to clean the house and to water the plants, by doing this way you save your water bill.

Read online news and avoid buying news papers and magazine, almost every news is available online including the latest news, update yourself with latest online technology.

Reuse old dresses by redesigning into different designs, and rugs.

Plastic drinking bottles carved and can turned into lovely cute stationary holders.

Old edible oil plastic bottles and tyres can turned into plant or vegetable growing  pots or rugs.

Biscuit tins and old containers turned them into vases or pots to grow your own vegetables or flowers.

Extra white rice, don’t waste, blend it and dry into coin shapes, and add Cummins and fennel seeds and dry it. This makes delicious crackers when fried in oil. Keep in air tight containers.

Extra vegetables cut in to smaller size and soaked in yogurt and salt and dry it. Keep in air tight containers, fry when you are having meals , its and extra delicious dish.

  Fruits peel don’t throw away collect it and keep it in a big drum, air tight for two to three weeks, cleaner is ready without any penny. Dilute with water and use to clean your corridor, toilet bowl and your bathroom. This removes stubborn stains on cloths.
Learn to stitch your clothes and curtains, because you can save alot when you can stitch your curtains or your dress.
you can redesign your pillow covers and bed sheets by using patch work  in many different styles.
     An elderly couple  who lived in a remote  US farm was found to be the richest couple, after they were found dead due to old age. Their wealth was estimated million dollars. According to other farmers frm near by farms,  these couple do not have children and hardly go anywhere, and lived in the farm till their death at old age, spent nothing and bought nothing. So their saving multiplied.

   The penny not spent  is the penny that  you saved.