FrugalVictoria

Thank you for being a Frugal Victoria reader! To celebrate, we are giving away a copy of the 2010 Entertainment Book for Victoria and area which expires in November. There's still lots of useful coupons -- more if you choose to register your book online.

When you're looking for something to eat between Fringe shows, be sure to show your button at these locations:

University and college courses are notorious for requiring expensive text books. While some of these costs cannot be avoided, there are other options. Lifehacker offers a few options (including, amazingly, digitizing a whole book which is usually not worthwhile when you consider the time it takes and is currently still illegal), some of which are important to consider.

Rather than a list of thrift and second hand stores, I decided to curate a collective map. I will be editing this (adding and subtracting as need be). I encourage you to send me any news of thrift stores, second hand stores, and (reputable) pawn shops in the Greater Victoria area!

Sitting in a crowded cinema surrounded by people can be an enjoyable experience but it isn't what I consider frugal. There are ways to see movies on the big screen for less but the real savings are elsewhere if you don’t need to see a blockbuster on opening weekend.

Hello everybody! Welcome to Frugal Victoria -- a special welcome for those just visiting for the first time, thanks to the Times-Colonist article that ran August 5th.
We've already had some feedback -- including one reader who strongly disagrees that replacing a toilet is too challenging for DIY. What do you think?

The annual Fringe Festival is just three weeks away and even if you don't take in the shows (which you should, because they are some of the most fun you'll find in the City), there's lots more that your one-time $5 button purchase can get you.
Read on for the inside scoop from Sammie who sent me a note via the Frugal tip submission!

Lots of questions this year because July 25th came and went with no Luminara in Beacon Hill Park. There will still be Luminara but rather than one single, central location, the celebration will be spread across the city in several neighbourhoods:

Almost every mall now has a “dollar store” or similar discount store whether it is a large chain like Dollar Giant or the Great Canadian Dollar Store or something quirkier like the Mini-Price store at Colwood Corners.
The value you get for your dollar varies, however. After a couple of decades of discount shopping, here’s my pick for the best and worst products you can find in a typical discount store.

The cheapest way to beat the heat is to not let it in your home in the first place. 

1. Use blinds and/or curtains to block out the sun wherever possible, especially in south or west facing windows. Assuming you have window coverings already, cost of this is $0. If you miss the sunbeams, go outside!
2. Install retractable awnings. We put one over our front, west-facing window and it has made an enormous difference. If you're willing to do the installation yourself, you can pick up manual retractable awnings at Home Depot or Rona for around $200-$300.
3. For about $150 you can get an energy audit and find out where you can save more -- often you can adjust the insulation in your attic or roof to find savings year-round.
4. Don't use the oven to cook meals -- use a bbq outside, or a smaller appliance like an electric frying pan in the kitchen or just eat cold foods.
5. Similarly, turn off home electronics that kick out heat especially computers, televisions, DVD players, PVRs and game systems.