Ruth Deming's Tips on Saving Time and Money

When I was a kid, my father, the inimitable Harold J Greenwold, got his 6 children bank accounts at Women's Federal Savings and Loan in Cleveland, Ohio. Nothing pleased me more than seeing my money add up, mostly my baby-sitting money from sitting at the next-door neighbors June and John Biskind. John's father was a famous ob-gyn, and John himself was an infamous one. Remind me to show you a link. Awful.

So, there's Little Ruthie saving her money in a shellacked brown treasure-chest made out of Popsickle sticks at Camp Cardinal in Rome, Ohio.

Today I put most of my money into CDs at American Heritage. I can see at a glance on my computer how much money I don't have and wish I did. BTW, I read in the Times that First Energy of Ohio bought Allegheny energy in Pennsylvania. I think I own a teeny-tiny amount of First Energy stock, a long-ago gift from Aunt Sylvia, but I can't remember if I still have it or not. And am too lazy to look. In the money department, I defer to my mentor Eike Batista. Imagine, I thought, when I looked at the photo of his former wife, a Playboy bunny in Brazil, imagine sticking your head in those gorgeous melons. Go see for yourself.

Frugal is my middle name. But I eat well and I eat only the best of foods.

- I save money by drinking nothing other than water.

- I make my own junk food. Processed foods like cereals and chips are incredibly expensive. I've begun eating popcorn again, usually 5 bowls at a time, I am quite the pig, and I never tire of it.

- I can't stand going clothes-shopping. I hate it, detest it, despise it, loathe it. So I ask my sisters and my daughter for their cast-off clothes. In fact, sitting here, I'm wearing some ultra-warm black slacks given to me by my dentist/niece many years ago. Too proud to beg? Never.

- I don't waste money on paper towels. They're expensive and they're disposable. What do you need them for? Name one thing you need em for. I buy generic napkins. I also use cloth dish-rags that can be tossed in the washing machine.

- I don't use my dishwasher. When my son lived w/me he insisted we use it. Instead, I just wash up as I go. Immediately!

- I do not subscribe to the American dictum, If it's new it's better. In fact, I believe the opposite. I don't know how old my trusty grater is but I've had for years. In fact, my 36-yr-old daughter drew a beautiful sketch of it for a still-life she did in an art class when she was a teenager. I had it framed a couple yrs ago.

- I don't buy expensive trash bags. Instead, I use the plastic bags from the grocery store. I also get cartons from the store which I put my junk mail in. They use the recycled paper to make park benches. Let's have a seat and hold hands for Valentine's Day.

- I use squiggly bulbs in all my lamps. I got used to the darkness. Not as bad as in Alaska, though, right Bill?

- Since I'm a writer, I use lots of paper. I only print things out on 'backs.' My chief supplier is Scott who gives me huge stacks from discarded work orders. Someone from New Directions - where are you Tim or was it Les - gave me reams of new paper which I haven't nearly used up. Terry gave me wonderful envelopes which I use to write To-Do Lists on, oh thank you so much, Terry. His partner is our new Thursday phone greeter. I was so mad cuz our previous phone greeter was on Facebook all day but didn't have time to answer our phone calls, no more than one per day.

I think I could write a whole essay just on paper. Peggela, thanks so much for sending me the thank-you card. It was a pleasure going w/you to see Becky Shaw last week. And eating at - was it Randi's? - afterward. Not great but good. I had diarrhea afterward.

- This is terrible, but since I live alone, I wash my darks and my lights together. Always in cold water, of course to save money.

- Know which generic products to buy and those to eschew. Canned pineapple okay. Any cleaning product is not okay.

- I get my oil changed at a Heilman's Sunoco so that my gas price is 20-cents lower than normal. I'm a member of their club.

- I drive an economy-minded car. My new motto is "Aren't you glad you don't drive a Toyota?"

- When I leave home I turn the heat down to 65. Of course, as I'm writing this, I've got my storm door closed and the inner door open. I just love the light!

- Why rent videos when you can get em for free at the library? The Abington Free Library has a wonderful assortment of videos. If they don't have something, I use the Internet and 'place a request' as I did last nite for two videos I can't for the life of me remember. Same with books. Haven't bought a book since 1865 when I bought one of the first copies of Whitman's Leaves of Grass, o what a lover he was.

- When I make lengthy phone calls, I use my hands-free headset and I do work while I'm waiting for the person to answer. I also call people while I'm making my labor-intensive foods - Hello Mark! Hello Peggela! Hello Mom!

What are YOUR tips on saving time and money. Who will reply? Will it be YOU?