In a couple of my recent articles, the point was made that we should have a JU Value handbook. To that end, I've opened this thread. I have seen many excellent ideas tossed out on topic, and would like to toss out some of my own as well.

I've already detailed how we save money on food, clothes, and living expenses, but I will go further. Please add your own pointers in the comments section.

Garage sales, auctions, and estate sales are excellent places for bargains. In all of these, my "never pay retail" rule applies, unless, of course, the item is what you have determined that you want/ need, can afford, and is already priced under your budget (even then, it's a good idea to press for a better price). After we moved here, I set out for Amarillo with $200 in my pocket to purchase a chest freezer and a washing machine. After searching, I found a secondhand retailer who had an upright freezer of my size specifications, and the needed washing machine. $100 for the freezer, $75 for the washer. Within my budget.

Because I had already gotten my price, I decided to press for a better deal. End result, $150 for both, which are still operating nicely 6 months later.

There are rules to this game, however. Thrift stores are rarely places for bargains unless you're there every day. Resellers buy all of the good wares to resell on eBay, so true thrift store finds for those who need them are becoming endangered. At garage sales, the rule is, know your neighborhood. Better neighborhoods mean better quality goods, but higher prices. These people know the value of their junk. Cheaper neighborhoods are a better source for "value", and if you arrive early, it's not uncommon to find a few undiscovered antiques among their merchandise.

My rule to rummage sales is, arrive early and arrive late. If you arrive as they're opening, you get more of their "quality" goods, if you're willing to pay the price. If it's a good rummage sale, arriving within 2 hours of their closing will usually ensure you INCREDIBLE values on what's left; they do NOT want to haul this stuff back inside.

Estate sales work a little different. You should visit on each day of the sale. Many people who run estate sales set it up as follows: The first day, everything's full price. They allow you to put in sealed bids on the goods. On the second day, they put the items up at half price, again allowing for bids.

If you want the item, but don't want to pay full price, put in a bid on the first day of slightly over half the item's listed price. When the day's up, if yours is the high bid, they'll give it to you because it exceeds the second day's discount price. Most bidders make their bids just BELOW half price, because that will give them a shot at it on the second day. In my experience, however, items don't usually last through the second day; half price on items is a good enough value for most.

The rule on auctions (online included) is, set your price and don't exceed it. As an example, two years ago, I decided I wanted a laptop for $200. I followed my normal auction rules and researched the sellers. I put in top bids of $200 on laptops, one at a time. After six "failures", I hit on my $200 laptop. It was simply a matter of waiting it out.

Around the house, you can save significantly by diverting (bailing, if necessary) your bathtub and dishawater to pails and using them to water the garden. It is necessary for you to use biodegradable soaps if you're going to do this, but that's not hard to do. In our house, in the wintertime, we leave the bathtub full of water until the water temperature equals the room temperature. This uses our already spent fuel for heating the water once again, using the tub as a heat sink.

We are currently creating a greenhouse. Our initial greenhouse will be rather small, only about 4 by 8 (attached), but it will cost us nothing. Shower doors, salvaged lumber and salvaged tin will be used in its construction. Supplemental heating for the cold winter months will be provided by water diverted from the bathtub to a holding tank within the greenhouse. The water will be used as a heat sink as well as for watering the plants.

The trick to saving money is to save it pennies at a time. The old saying goes, if you watch the pennies, the dollars will come. It's a good rule of thumb, and one that, if consistently implemented, can be extremely valuable over your lifetime.

I'm looking forward to your contributions.