Dave Hounddriver Posted March 2, 2011 Posted March 2, 2011 Many of us live on a pension. This thread is for anyone to add the ways they have found to reduce their costs. If it is successful we can learn a lot from each other. Please reply with any simple, cheap, easy things you do to cut costs.Ants and MosquitoesMy first tip is about killing those pesky bugs. Like many people, I used to spray them with Raid or Baygon or something similar. It kills them and I feel better but the cost is about 275 pesos a can and I was going through 3 cans a month.I know some people who use a borax mixture to kill ant populations. I also know some who have professionals come every 6 months to inject their house against ants and termites. This tip is for a spray that works quick and easy.I buy 1 liter of 70% Isopropyl Alcohol and 1 small foil pack of water based Baygon insecticide and mix them together. Use a spray bottle to spray the solution on your ants or mosquitoes and you will be impressed with the results. Total cost is about 150 pesos and you get as much solution as in 3 or 4 large cans of bug spray.You could use the alcohol OR the insecticide by themselves but I found they work much better in combination. It has a pleasant odor but if you inhale the vapor you will feel the effects of the insecitcide so definitely try not to inhale this concoction.Total savings for me: About 500 pesos a month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art2ro Posted March 2, 2011 Posted March 2, 2011 If anyone has good clean city water running into their homes, you can save about P700 a month from buying distilled drinking water, by installing an under the kitchen sink, a 5 stage reverse osmosis water filter system with a small built-in electric water pressure pump for those areas that have weak water pressures! A one 5 gallon bottled distilled water in our area cost P62! We go through 3 5 gallon bottles a week! That's P744 a month! With the filter system, the membrane only has to be replaced every 6 months of normal use and the 5 stage filters every 8 to 10 months. The 5 stage filter system costs around P14,000! Is it worth it? We don't have one now, but would like to hear from those out there who do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intrepid Posted March 2, 2011 Posted March 2, 2011 (edited) "If anyone has good clean city water running into their homes, you can save about P700 a month from buying distilled drinking water, by installing an under the kitchen sink, a 5 stage reverse osmosis water filter system with a small built-in electric water pressure pump for those areas that have weak water pressures!A one 5 gallon bottled distilled water in our area cost P62! We go through 3 5 gallon bottles a week! That's P744 a month! With the filter system, the membrane only has to be replaced every 6 months of normal use and the 5 stage filters every 8 to 10 months. The 5 stage filter system costs around P14,000! Is it worth it? We don't have one now, but would like to hear from those out there who do!" Here in the US I had trouble many years ago getting my well water to pass inspection. After trying all the recommendations from the health department which mostly included pouring chlorine / sun-rocks, into the well, I gave up and installed a whole house sediment filter and a ultra Violet light. This has worked great for me since 1986. I change the sediment filter about every 90days+/- and the uv light once a year per manufactures recommendations. The cost of the filter is about $3.50 and the uv bulb about $90.00 There is no limitation on the amount of water going through the uv light system and it does not remove anything,…just kills all the bacteria. If connected to a city water supply I suspect the whole house sediment filter would last 6 months and maybe longer. There are many sizes of the uv lights available and they sell them at most hardware stores in the Philippines. I say them at ACE hardware stores. The filter and uv light is small enough and easily mounter under the kitchen sink or utility are where the main water line enters your residence. This nice thing about the uv light, also similar to the reverse osmosis system, there are no chemicals are added like in a chlorinator or iodine system. And much less maintenance. When we build our retirement home I plan to install this system and drink the water. Edited March 2, 2011 by Mr. Lee install quote box 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gapotwo Posted March 2, 2011 Posted March 2, 2011 ways to reduce our living costs? my solution to that ,is live very far away from extended family.....big savings.. might sound cold to some, but in my case true :cool_beans: . and buy ur beer by the case. its cheaper.:emostrongbow: tanks ej. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Lee Posted March 3, 2011 Posted March 3, 2011 OK I am not sure how much money this might save some of you, and you may think I am crazy for even doing this, but it does help to save some water and keeps the toilet cleaner at the same time. Whenever my wife and I shower, which is frequently in the heat here, we keep two buckets in the shower and place the buckets in a position that it will fill up quickest, so during a shower some soap and shampoo may end up in there as well as the water, and then we use that water to flush the toilet or just to pour down the toilet, so while it probably only saves a few flushes a day because the other buckets just end up in there without flushing waste, it does save quite a bit of water over a monthly period, and therefore helps the eco system. I also shave in the shower and have a fog free mirror in there and yes I also shut off the water while saving or brushing my teeth, since every little bit helps and after watching the movie Water World years ago, and also hearing all the time how the world is running out of drinking water, I figure it sure cannot hurt to be stingy with the water whenever possible, and cutting down on the showers which we enjoy is not an option for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art2ro Posted March 3, 2011 Posted March 3, 2011 ways to reduce our living costs? my solution to that, is live very far away from extended family.....big savings.. might sound cold to some, but in my case true:yes: and buy ur beer by the case. its cheaper.:yes: tanks ej. E.J., You nailed it on the head, the Filipino extended family will take anyone down! And don't buy ice tea (Mojos, in Jake's case) by the glass, but by the pitcher (bottomless), it's cheaper and more of a thirst quencher! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Bernard Posted March 3, 2011 Posted March 3, 2011 Many of us live on a pension. This thread is for anyone to add the ways they have found to reduce their costs. If it is successful we can learn a lot from each other. Please reply with any simple, cheap, easy things you do to cut costs.Ants and MosquitoesMy first tip is about killing those pesky bugs. Like many people, I used to spray them with Raid or Baygon or something similar. It kills them and I feel better but the cost is about 275 pesos a can and I was going through 3 cans a month.I know some people who use a borax mixture to kill ant populations. I also know some who have professionals come every 6 months to inject their house against ants and termites. This tip is for a spray that works quick and easy.I buy 1 liter of 70% Isopropyl Alcohol and 1 small foil pack of water based Baygon insecticide and mix them together. Use a spray bottle to spray the solution on your ants or mosquitoes and you will be impressed with the results. Total cost is about 150 pesos and you get as much solution as in 3 or 4 large cans of bug spray.You could use the alcohol OR the insecticide by themselves but I found they work much better in combination. It has a pleasant odor but if you inhale the vapor you will feel the effects of the insecitcide so definitely try not to inhale this concoction.Total savings for me: About 500 pesos a month. Has anyone tried lemon grass or citronella plants to repel mosquitoes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gapotwo Posted March 3, 2011 Posted March 3, 2011 speaking of skeeter and bug repelant...many years ago they would get free used rubber tyres , and burn them onstreet corners ,the whole neighborhood would be skeeter free all day and night, i joke you not. just ask the elders....free repelant.:yes: tanks ej. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art2ro Posted March 3, 2011 Posted March 3, 2011 I use florescent "BUG OFF" yellow light bulbs, which keeps all flying insects away! Works great! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum Support Old55 Posted March 3, 2011 Forum Support Posted March 3, 2011 ways to reduce our living costs? my solution to that ,is live very far away from extended family.....big savings.. might sound cold to some, but in my case true :yes: . and buy ur beer by the case. its cheaper.:yes: tanks ej.:yes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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