Thinking Creatively Can Save Money
Pensando Ingeniosamente Puede Economizar
by
Mary Hunt Webb
Posted Monday, September 30, 2019
Have you ever noticed how heavy a man's pair of dress shoes is? [Photographer: Insidehenderston. Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com.]
While walking for my health one autumn morning, I fell, broke my arm, and sustained other injuries. After the cast came off, I was advised to begin lifting weights to strengthen my arm.
When I was asked if I owned any weights, I replied, "My husband's shoes and big tomato juice cans."
My response prompted laughter, but I was serious. To back up my statement, I maintained a supply of several large cans of tomato juice and kept two of them under the bathroom counter. I pull them out every morning to lift them in various ways.
Who needs to buy weights that are difficult to store when canned food can serve the same purpose? [Photographer: Mary Hunt Webb.*]
Lifting those cans of juice hurt the first few days but, after a while, the pain decreased and eventually stopped. My arms and my abdominal muscles gained strength, and the cans were easier to store than weights purchased from a sporting goods store.
That kind of substitution not only saves money but it also provides a kind of satisfaction at being innovative. There are many ways to do this. For example, I like to use orphan socks to dust Venetian blinds, but they can also be used as eyeglass covers, whiteboard erasers, or cell phone covers.
Another example of an alternative use is a slow cooker that I purchased for $2.00. It didn't have a lid or a removable crock when I bought it. I found a spare lid I already had, filled it with distilled water, put the lid on the crock, and plugged it in. Since a little steam always escapes under the lid and adds a little humidity to this dry climate, I use it as a humidifier. When my nose becomes stuffed up, I take the lid off and hold my head over the open crockery for four to five minutes. Not only does it open my nose, but it also adds moisture to my face. Sometimes I hold my hands over the steam as well. I replace the lid until the next time I need it. It works so well as a humidifier that I have plugged in a second small electric crock in another part of the house. The advantage is that those appliances are easier to clean than humidifiers.
The crock in my little blue slow cooker cannot be removed for cleaning, but that makes it suitable for humidifying the air. The flower vases behind it hold cooking utensils and items for cleaning. [Photographer: Mary Hunt Webb.*]
As you can see from the photo, I also use old flower vases to hold utensils and pot scrubbers. The vase on the right is too large to hold any flowers that I might have, but using it in this manner justifies keeping it.
I could provide more alternative uses for household items but these should be enough to stimulate your imagination. Since your situation is different to mine, your needs will motivate you to come up with ideas that would never occur to me. Imagining them will please you so much that you will continue to think up new ways to use items you already have even after you can afford to buy specialized products. Doing so will also save space in your environment.
It's not just about saving money; it's about strengthening your mental ability. Once you get in the habit of thinking original thoughts around your home or work space, you will start to employ that problem-solving ability in other areas of your daily life. Problem-solvers are overcomers that don't let obstacles hold them back. According to Proverbs 19:8, "The one who gets wisdom loves life; the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper." (NIV) With time, your situation will improve as you become more creative in using what you already possess. As you begin using both your mental and material resources more efficiently, you may inspire others to do the same.
Who knows where the benefits will end?
Recognizing unique ways of using items that you already have will strengthen your mental ability at the same time that it benefits your finances. [Artist: Mohamed Hassan. Rendering courtesy of Pixabay.com.]
BIBLE VERSE FOR THIS POSTING
Proverbs 19:8 — "The one who gets wisdom loves life; the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper." (NIV)
Proverbios 19:8 — El que posee entendimiento ama su alma; El que guarda la inteligencia hallará el bien. (Reina-Valera 1960)
Once you start using both your mental and material resources more efficiently, you may find that you are inspiring those around you to think more creatively, too. [Artist: 13smok. Rendering courtesy of Pixabay.com.]
* Please do not use our original photos without our permission. These include photos by Mary Hunt Webb, Morris Webb, Jr., Morris Webb, Sr., and C.B. Hunt. Thank you.
