Please answer the following question, PLEASE!
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What does being frugal mean to you, and how do you make your pennies stretch?
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Your answers may or may not help me out with a presentation I am doing.
8 years ago
Tuesday
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A couple years ago we decided to not buy anything new for a whole year. Except underwear, socks, groceries, toiletries. But otherwise, it's just buying 2nd hand, finding for free, or doing without. It was hard, and we did cheat a couple of times, but if you look at each purchase as something you probably don't need (other than food, underwear, etc.), you'll end up saving a lot of money.
I guess being frugal means, to me, only buying what you really NEED, learning to do without, or at least really thinking about each individual purchase.
Also, brand names are usually not superior to store brands, but I do spend the extra money on brands I really do like (such as those that don't test on animals).
Being frugal means making your own desserts, instead of buying them. It means buying only one new shirt, and not 3. It means seeing what's already in the freezer for dinner, instead of going out to eat. You can stretch your dollars by shopping in stores that carry random items at discount prices...weird stores. In my town we have NPS, Guy's, and some others (kinda like Big Lots). Also, second hand stores often have some fun treasures for cheap.
Excellent! Thank you!
April I love the don't buy anything new for a year idea.
Hey Melissa! I like to make our dollars cry!
-Know what we use & wait for sales to purchace,
-"put my wants in one hand and needs in another" & see which weighs more. Stalk wants and wait for price to go down (not always successful when at Target or Costco). By the way, at costco, if the item's display tag has an astrick, it's usually marked down and they are getting rid of it & the little red Target clearance tags have the percentage marked down up in the right hand corner. Sometimes their clearance isn't that great of a deal.
-Compare prices on the internet & love free shipping.
-I try to use cash as much as possible, because I love having those greens, silvers, and coppers in my pocket.
-We've joined a produce co-op.
-And we moved to an area that is consumer deficient, so it's easier to not spend.
-And sometimes, if possible (& it's saved for), it's ok to splurge.
Love to you & yours!! (and I'm sad that the daily posts were just a joke-I loved them!)
R's OK Wife.
Melissa- I forgot to tell you what being frugal means to me. It means that I can be a stay at home mom, who gets to enjoy every boring, tender or crazy moment in our family's life. I can focus my energy on my husband & children's needs. I get the priveledge of creating an environment & life for them without distraction & I love it. I'm not perfect & definately trying to do better. Being frugal helps keep the money worries away & makes my home job much more pleasant.
Thanks for your question-I'm usually pretty quiet about things, but this topic's been a big one of mine forever. R & I have worked hard to get to where we are. I had to work so much during our early years, I really appreciate our life right now.
Again, love to you and yours,
R's OK Wife
Jon would laugh at me for giving a suggestion because he does not think I'm frugal - We had a big discussion the other day about saving money - When I come home from the store and I saved $14.73 because I bought stuff on sale. To him it is spending less, not saving. Saving is putting money away. I argued that since I didn't spend it, it is still there. And that if it wasn't "saving" that maybe I should just pay full price. I think sometimes we spend more because we are "saving" since it's such a great deal. I think he is kind of right, but don't tell him.
My mode of frugality is to not go to the store.
That is to say I plan ahead and do all of my grocery shopping at once. Then find other forms of entertainment.
I love all the ideas/input! I can't wait to hear what you come up with for Thursday. You are going to do great!
Being frugal to me is about living bellow your means, just because you have the money for it, doesn't need you should buy it. And concentrating on what you have/need/want instead of looking at what everyone else has. Also I really feel good about myself when I can use my industry to improve something, or get a better deal. Like when I can cook something using basic ingredients( that I got on sale) and make a yummy dinner for a fraction of the price of eating out or buying prepackaged foods. Or when I buy a visually challenged piece of furniture and turn it into a gem, with paint or repair.
Frugal...it has to become a life style. (kind of how eating right and exercising) it is a gospel principle not just a nice idea. Sometimes I stink at it and sometimes I am right on the money. :)
I'm thankful for a life time for those teaching practicality and fugality. Having this engrained in me has helped us to survive this time while Jusitn is out of work. Little things like making due and doing for yourself what you might want to hire out really saves.
I also look around the house and take note of products that I buy because we are conditioned to think of them as needs. One example is laundry detergant. A friend gave me a recipe and we tried if for FHE. The ingredients cost about $8 to make several batches which could easily last us over a year. The great part is that it works great and easy to do.
Well, if you are giving a presentation on it, I think it was Dr. Frugal who was a collegue of Dr. Freud's who said, "To be frugal is to to one with the coupon." Freud responded by knocking him over the head.
Of course I'm kidding but it's 12:40 am and I am still working because I don't want to have to be so FRUGAL! I must say that being frugal sometimes stinks. I want to spend whatever I want whenever I want. And yet, there is a freedom in frugality I didn't know I would find. And because I have learned it so much lately, I will never not be a frugal person. Unless I am at Sur La Tab, but that's entirely acceptable, right?!?!
I hate leftovers. Can't stand eating them, no matter how well intentioned I am when I put them in the fridge. This means cooking at home ends up being just as expensive (if not more) than eating out, because there aren't many recipes for just 2 servings. So when cold cereal just won't do, we eat out. You're right, how is this frugal? Generally, we will order just one entree to share(no leftovers!). Also, at sit down restaurants I always order water. I am not very frugal, but that is how I try. AND sharing a meal means my calory intake doesn't creep up--restaurant portions are ginormous! Hi, back, Melissa!
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