I wonder if you taught MacGyver that ?as Duke said, it makes a great firestarter, especially when mixed with petroleum jelly or hand sanitizer. cheap but effective....lol
Here are a few ways to save on big-ticket items - do regular maintenance and preventative maintenance on anyting with a filter or a motor. Keep things clean because dirty things tend to break. Lube. Don't let things rust.
I try to stay really organized with tools, equipment ,all the way down to screws and nails and nuts and bolts. About the latter - if time is money there is no way I'm going to go back and put the odd screw or nail back where it belongs - which would be its original box. Toss 'em. For me that jar of odds and ends just leads to wasted time and lots of frustration and a sloppy job.
2 maxims;
OHIO - only handle it once. Aka, put stuff back where it belongs right away.
An old-timer once told me this on a job when I was looking for a tool. " if you can't put your hands on it right away then you don't own it."
Being Frugal with time saves money and also gives me extra time to watch cartoons and pro wrestling.