New For 2010

So ok 2010 is almost at the middle mark….but we’re back in full effect Check us out for more Brokeish things!

BACK It’s Been a While! but here’s a new tip: CUT THE TAX

In states such as California there is a thing called a DINE IN tax. Pinkberry ( a popular froyo place in California) for example charges 3.50 for a plain small yogurt. Whew… ok so when you go to the cash register they ask you if you would like to dine in or take it to go. You would naturally think that there is no difference  (unless you really have to take it to go with a lid) however, if you say it is for here you are charged a DINE IN tax fee which is currently 9.75%. Extremely High! So when given the choice ALWAYS SAY TO- GO! so you don’t end up Brokish!

Getting that extra umph out of dessert!

Image Via Pinkberry.com

With Economy being how it is, a lot of dessert companies are trying to cut back on expenditures. So how do you get more when you’re brokeish?

EASY! you ask for a little more! Now a days customer service is very important to alot of companies! A little extra topping on your ice cream or even a complaint for a dropped phone call can get you a long way in today’s tough economy! Try it!

Broke-ish storing for a new year

Holidays such as Halloween, Easter, Thanksgiving and especially Christmas leaves us with something more than just holiday spirits. We are left with after holiday sales! This is a brokeish technique that can really help out in hard times as such we have now. Large chain stores such as Target, Wal-Mart, and many groceries are filled with holiday goodies during the season such as: Holiday versions of cookies, candies, and other fine goodies. Unfortunately for the manufacturer, not all of these holiday goods are bought out, so after the season these item go on a ridiculous sale! 50-75% off sale and that’s where you as a brokeish reader should be. I myself went to Target the other day with a Christmas Present (a $30.00 target gift card) and purchased a plethora of different items that would usually cost quite a pretty penny! I bought Lindt truffles (usually $2.75) for $.79 each, A box of Ghiradellhi brownie mix that makes 48 brownies for $.89 and etc.. etc.. you get the point? If you’re eating these things does it really matter if they have a snowman and santa on them? Happy New Years and don’t be broke.. be brokeish

What I bought from target with 30 bucks

Gift Wrapping Paper Alternatives for the Brokeish!

picture from candywrapperpurse.blogspot.com

With the holiday season lurking around and the amount of presents being bought in the spirit of the season, the fact of wrapping gifts is inevitable. This is in particularly bothersome because when times are how they are and the average roll of gift wrapper is $3.00-$4.00…. making a presentation of your present gets costly! So here are a couple tips to try instead of buying a bunch of printed paper that is going to be thrown away:

1) This is one of my favorite ideas that I personally do all every year; use newspaper! News paper is a great alternative because its cheap (about a quarter on the weekdays) and in some cases you can go to groceries and pick it up for free! ( some newspapers thrive on advertisement revenues so they don’t need to charge for their newspapers, take advantage and get your free gift wrap on!

2) Using Fabric. Scrap fabric either laying around your house or from a fabric company is easy to acquire, cheap and some times free. Depending on the size of your gift you can find an assorment of fabrics that would make your present definietly stand out amoungst the other secret santa presents

3) Reusing the bag it came in…if the bags that come with the presents are paper bags paper bags can be cut up and used to wrap the presnt! All you need is some scissors and  some creatve aspect!

4) Potato chip bags. Turn them inside out, wash them and cut them up, this gives the same effect as those nice foil wrappers!

5) if all else fails the 99 cent stores near you always sell gift wrap to capitalize on the events for … you got it, 99 cents!

Have a Brokeish holiday!

Phone Free Through Skype

image courtesy of Skype.com

Here’s something cool that can definitely help the broke..ish… if you want to get the most of your phone (considering you own one of the phone I will list below) then check this out…. Skype ( which offers VOIP phone service off your comp) now offers it on certain platforms of cell phone. What does this mean? this means that if you have one of the certain java enabled phones, and can connect to the internet you can make calls from that to call other people on skype for free (only if you’re using wifi or pay for the internet usage charge of your carrier) or if you subscribe to one of skypes “SKYPE OUT ) plans then you can call anyone, unlimited, for the mere price of 2.99! SO… check out if you own one of these phones:

Motorola:
maxx V6
MotoRizr z8
Razr 2V9
Slvr L9
V3xx

Nokia:
5200
5300
5310
5610
6111
6131
6165
6230i
6233
6234
6270
6280
6300
7370
E61
N70
N72
N73
N76
N78
N80
N81
N82
N95

Samsung:
SGH-D800
SGH-D830
SGH-D840
SGH-D900
SGH-E770….

you get the point … check www.skype.com/m if you have a compatible phone…..

Souplantation: Chicken salad w/o paying for chicken

 

image courtesy of souplanation.com

If anyone knows of a souplanation where they offer meat that you don’t have  to pay for please let me know! For those who do not know what a souplanation is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/index.html?curid=6831792…. for those who are brokeish and want a good chicken salad without paying for it listen up!

Part of Souplantations regular “buffet” serving is chicken soup,  when you’re broke-ish but want to eata  healthy buffet without paying extra:

1. dig the chicken out of the chicken soup
2. place it seperatley on a plate where you can dry it witha napkin
3. place on salad and enjoy!!!!

there you go Brokeish chicken salad!

“Twofer”

 

picture courtesy of vela-paper.com

 

 

 

When you’re broke…ish stretching the dollar is what it is all about! Twofer  (not the Disneyland ticket thing) is the idea inspired by a discussion board article in which someone actually mentioned “www.brokeish.com”!! [ http://goldismoney.info/forums/showthread.php?t=326544] 

Cool people actually read this! 

 

So anyways…. if you buy two ply toilet paper , you can separate it into making two sheets!

TWO PLY= TWO SHEETS…..

with this concept you can apply things that can be used to get more! here are some BROKEISH.com adaptations:

Twofer lunch from a double-double hamburger: Two Patties= Lunch and Dinner

Or better yet ….

Order a bacon burger and save the bacon for breakfast! Bacon Burger= breakfast and lunch

Order a one topping ham, sausage, pepperoni or meat of your choice and save the meat topping for a delightful sandwich for lunch!

 

 

image from quirkyjesse.com

courtesy of motai.net

 

 

Simple and essential in a down economy when you’re broke-ish!

 

Recycling for the brokeish

 

Image courtesy of dreamstime.com

 

When you’re brokeish, recycling is always a good way to collect some cash as well as save some cash. Here are some new ways of recycling that you might not know about … but they can save you some $$$ and when you’re brokeish saving money is just as good as making it! 

 

Waste Vegetable Oil = Alternative car fuel

Waste vegetable oil is the oil that your favorite fast food joint cooks the fries/onion rings/ rats is to serve you a delicious meal.  This oil eventually needs to be changed every once and a while to keep the food from tasting like last year’s French fries. This oil is then picked up by a service to be disposed of.

WVO however, can be used as a alterative to gasoline! Diesel cars (such as your moms old Benz) were originally used made to run off stuff like this and can be easily primed to run off the oil from your local fast food joint ( and I’m not talking about the oil from the cashier workers face…ewww).  This stuff (although illegal to transport without a license) can be accrued for free if you got hookups in the fast food department, because they just give it away, or for a small fee which would make the owners happy to make some money than none. Once you have WVO you need to filter it before you can throw it into a car, or else the pieces of fried stuff will mess your engine up. You can get those at : http://www.nobullbiodiesel.com/ and then once you have it you got to convert the old car to run the stuff… you can get directions on how to do that here : http://www.noendpress.com/caleb/biodiesel/index.php

Once that is done… Voila… free gas (well after all the expenses) something we brokeish can use.

 

POOP power

When the electric bill is crazy and you’re kinda broke..ish,  trying to find alternatives to electricity is always a good thing.  I know what you’re thinking solar power right? Ehhhh… not exactly , for as far as solar panels have gone (from solar panels to solar cylinders)  it’s not as recycle random as this. According to WIRED  magazine a prison in Rwanda uses human poop to power the facility… that’s making something that all of us brokeish folks can afford. Check it out : http://www.wired.com/science/planetearth/news/2005/07/68127

 

 

 

 

If these two ideas are too out of reach or you want instant money results, the straight recycling is for you. Cans, bottles, newspapers can all be found in your neighbors trash cans, public trash cans, and in backyard of every college party you can find…. Take some time to collect some bags full then check out a site likehttp://earth911.com/ to find a recycling center near you

Gas Planning

logo courtesy of gasbuddy.com

Even though gas prices are going down ( the national average is under $2.00)  when you’re broke…ish saving every penny counts at the pump! Sooo the good people at gasbuddy.com are helping out the brokeish.  What it is, is a social network that lets you plug in gas prices that you see to help others who are brokeish. all you have to do plug in your city or zipcode and it uses it’s data base of people who are helping out to find you the cheapest gas around your area!!! Cheap gas is always good when you’re broke, ish.