Thrifty Tips of the WeekThis weeks tips are compliments of The Homemakers Journal and include lots of car tips. Be sure to add your own or feedback to these ideas.
My Frugal Life: Dealing With Big BillsI have been hit with many big bills lately. I have disconnected my caller ID, saving me $7.00 per month. When I drink milk or juice, I add water to the glass first.
My Frugal Life: You Can Have It AllWhen I was about twelve I had a talk with my Dad about money. He looked at me and said. "You can have anything you want as long as you pay for it." Wow the possibilities!
My Frugal Life: Cooking For OneI am a 63 year old female, and I eat on an $80.00 a month food allowance. I have high blood pressure and high cholesterol, so I have to watch what I eat.
My Frugal Life: Tips from a Save-o-holicI honestly don't know where or how to begin telling everyone how I save money, because it's natural for me. It's an everything day thing. I love to teach others how to save. Saving money is a "rush" for me.
My Frugal Life: Thrift Store ShoppingI grew up in a family of 4 children, a stay-at-home mom, and a father who didn't make a lot of money. We had everything we needed but I did wear a lot of boys PJs inherited from my older brother and cousins.
My Frugal Life: Country LivingI began my quest for frugality when my husband had been laid off from his job and we were in a financial bind. It isn't something that you want to do, I don't think, in the beginning. But realizing the benefits from just changing a few things can really have an impact on your life.
So Many Ways to SaveI started reading about frugal living about 9 years ago. My main reason was to save us money for my husband and I who were living on our own for the first time. Now we just bought our first house so I'm trying to learn even more about frugal living.
My Frugal Life: Two Part AgendaMy first career was as a musician. Despite some good breaks and a substantial amount of business success, music was basically a hand-to-mouth existence. So I learned to manage on the little money that I had.
My Frugal Life: Save Everywhere I CanHere goes my life. I try to save everywhere I can. I shop at thrift stores for necessary items. I give a lot to thrift stores, because clutter will increase your cleaning by 50%.
My House (And Bank Account) Have Never...A few years ago, I was out a job from my third oil company layoff, and decided to move from Houston to Galveston to get away from big city blues. That saved me a lot right there - moving to a smaller city, only an hour away! But there were fewer jobs here, all vastly lower paying, so I had to economize. Here are some of the things I did:
My Frugal Life: Advice From a Stay at Home MomI've always been pretty smart with money, but three very special little boys have taught me that simplifying all areas of our lives is one of life's sweetest lessons learned.
My Frugal Life: Finding Small LuxuriesMy earliest adult encounter with frugal living was as a twenty-something single woman living on $425 a month in the 70's. I was exasperated with most of the budgeting articles in ladies magazines with titles like "How to Get the Most Out of Your Roast".
My Frugal Life - Free Produce... Saved From The DumpsterIt occurred to me that the local grocery store throws away bruised fruit and spotted veggies everyday that I could put to good use if I prepared them right away.
My Frugal Life - Why I Love Yard SalesYard Sales are on during the spring and summertime. Honestly, yard sales are truly a money saving thing for me. I am a person who finds treasure in somebody's trash.
My Frugal Life: Lessons Learned by a Single MomIn my early thirties, I went through a divorce and suddenly found myself as a single mother of three small children. Fortunately, I was able to still manage to buy a small home with a backyard and continue working full time.
My Frugal Life: Buying Items at Country AuctionsBuying Items at Country Auctions. We are retired and are living on a fixed income. Being frugal has become a way of living. We shop the specials at the supermarkets and I have a vegetable garden.
My Frugal Life - Frugal Rural LivingMy family was tired of living in the big city. High taxes, high crime and high cost of living. After many years of scrimping, coupon clipping, yard-saling etc., and just barely making it, we decided to make the big move.
Living Off The LandWhen my husband and I married, we each brought children to the union. Within a year, we had added the two little boys from across the street. In an 800 square foot house with two bedrooms, this did not work.
My Frugal Life - Frugality, Debt Reduction and Giving BackFriends and family have called me a tightwad or a cheapskate. I prefer to be called "frugal"! About 12 years ago, my husband and I came to the bright conclusion that we had too much debt (after only 3 years of marriage!)
My Frugal Life - A Frugal Challenge - Up From HomelessnessIn August of 1998, I decided to find an apartment after living in a long term homeless shelter for over 2 years.
My Frugal Life: My Frugal ParentsMy father was my example when it came to being frugal. He lived through the "dirty thirties" and the depression had a life long effect on his frugality.
My Frugal Life - I'm Thankful For What We HaveAfter graduation, most people go out to a big fancy dinner, spend lots of money on graduation gifts and have a big job all lined up. Nope. Not us. For dinner, we enjoyed Hamburger Helper from the $1 section at the grocery store (with free meat from my parents' farm).
My Frugal Life - Giving BackI went out into the world and started supporting myself at age 15. At age 22, after a disastrous teenage marriage, I became a single mom and learned frugality out of necessity.
My Frugal Life - BarteringI'm almost ashamed to admit it but I have not been a frugal person most of my life. Up until 5 years ago, my husband and I both had great jobs ...
My Frugal Life - It's for the kids!I am a stay at home mom of two little boys. It was not a hard choice, given my mother stayed at home for as long as she could with her four children.
Back to School Clothes on a BudgetTips as suggested by our ThriftyFun community: My daughter has three children in school. She visited our local Goodwill Store, got 6 pair of boys jeans, 2 skirts, and 12 blouses for $100.
My Frugal Life - "Time is Money"I was raised in a frugal household so I learned from the masters. I am a very organized person who believes "Time is Money" so I have learned to budget my time very wisely.
Frugal and Tightwad LivingThis is my story about frugal and tightwad living! To start, I live alone right now. I have been frugal my whole 38 years. I am also a tightwad. My family laughs about to what lengths I will go to live the way I do.
My Frugal Life - Comfortable and FrugalI grew up with frugal parents who did well by watching how they spent their money but saved for luxury items. We were taught to be careful with our money and to watch the cost of utilities.
My Frugal Life - Homemade Christmas GiftsHomemade Christmas gifts? We love them in our family. My aunt always gives homemade dishcloths, etc. My parents, who are in their 70's, loved their gift last year. I went to the store, bought a couple of big boxes of Q-tips, Ivory soap, toothpaste, everything they use in the bathroom, careful to use their usual brands.
My Frugal Life - Coupons, Contests, Freebies and RebatesI've used coupons and have done rebates and sweepstakes for years, even before my husband and I got together 20 years ago, this next month. I got started by seeing a show on TV and thinking, I could do that, too. I did, even when I was single and still living with my parents.
My Frugal Life - A Fun AdventureFor 21 years, I've lived the "frugal life" so, I guess it's really a way of life for us now. I've done all the classic frugal things. Most people say I have a knack for being in the right place at the right time, but I think it's really about being aware of what's going on.
My Frugal Life - Frugal Living on Five AcresDuring a stressful time in our lives, my DH and I did not have the money to pay our rent, so we had to search for a more frugal life for the two of us, our daughter and three children who were at the time living with us, plus our son and his two children who also stayed part-time with us.
My Frugal Life - A Week Of Frugal Summer FunThe week never cost more than $7.50. The public library has a program to encourage reading. They have story time and a craft to go along with it. We would then pick out the books for the week.
My Frugal Life - Enjoying the Wisdom of Our ParentsI am happy to say that I grew up in a frugal family. It certainly made a difference. My greatest influence was my father.
My Frugal Life - Lessons From The AmishI am going to start this by saying that I believe I was born in the wrong era or else I was given up for adoption by an Amish family! I truly believe that being frugal helps simplify my life. Go figure, when some of the things I do to save a dime are more time consuming!
My Frugal Life - Getting ByMy frugal life began when I married young against my parent's wishes. I dropped out of high school and made my way in life without a lot of help from anyone so learning to do without or making it myself became a life-long thing.
My Frugal Life - We Have It AllI guess since my hubby was in the Navy, I learned to be frugal. I save money to this day and am proud of it. I have seen my friends struggle ...
My Frugal Life - My Favorite BirthdayMy uncle Al sent everyone on his Christmas card list, the story of his favorite Christmas. In turn, I wanted to do the same back, yet I couldn't come up with one that stood out. A birthday did stand out though, it could be frugal depending on the two people involved, for us it was.
My Frugal Life: Stretch Every DollarI'm an old lady now, but I guess my upbringing is what led me to always be inventive and saving. Dollar bills did not multiply without a lot of making do and doing without!
My Frugal Life: Watch Where The Money GoesAs a single mother, money can get very tight at times. I was tired of living paycheck to paycheck so I knew things had to change.
Take Pride In Not "Keeping Up With The...What makes someone take up frugal habits? Being independent of "keeping up with the Jones'" as the saying puts it! Going along with the crowd or whatever is "in" at the moment seems to be an indication that one has no individuality!
Finding a Blessing from a DisasterSix weeks ago, I slipped on some melting snow and broke my leg but good! After emergency surgery with lots of pins and plates, I also had a two-day hospital stay.
Income Tax Payment Is A Wake Up CallA year ago, I owed an unexpected $900 on my federal income tax return. I juggled a few financial responsibilities, cut some costs and was able to pay my tax bill by April 15.
My Daughter's Well Deserved GraduationMy daughter has put in 13 years of hard work in school and received many awards. I'm very proud of my daughter in all that she has done. All she has asked of me was to let her have a graduation party with my family. Yet I couldn't afford to do this.
My Frugal Trip To DisneyWorldI first wrote asking for dining tips for our August family vacation to Disney in Florida. One of the replies to my request was a question asking how I found such fantastic deals. Research, research and more research.
My Frugal Life With The Four H'sMy name is Jen. I just turned 37 on 8/6/07. We have been fated to a frugal life and are coming to love it. I have a home with my husband of 8 years, and our 4 girls, Holly, Hailey, Hannah and Harley.
My Frugal Life: Live Within Your MeansRaising three children as a single mother is never easy. But the key to contentment is learning to live within your means. I never owned a new car, a house of my own, and worked in trade for most of my furniture.
My Frugal Life: ThriftPack a lunch. Hop the bus to work. Drive a modest car. Walk when you don't have to drive. Hang your clothes on the line. Perhaps not, someone might think you're poor.
My Frugal Life: "Frugal McDougal"They call me "Frugal McDougal" or sometimes "The Coupon Queen." Taking advantage of the many kinds of coupons available these days saves more money than one might think, and, like any thrifty housewife, I make good use of them.
Frugal And Green LaundryI just can't justify wasting warm water and soap so I often plan for at least two loads of laundry and reuse the wash water from the first load to do the second load.
What Are We Saving All This Money For?I was reflecting this morning, "what are we all actually saving this money for?" I guess there are as many diverse answers as there are readers here: Are we saving to reduce our bills and get out of debt? To buy a house? To take a special holiday?
Enjoying Being FrugalEven though my husband took a pay raise when we moved to NJ almost two years ago, NJ is one of the most expensive states to live in.
My Frugal Life: With Help From ThriftyFunOh, yes, ThriftyFun has helped me in many ways showing me ways to improve our lives. I never dreamed there were as many others such as ourselves, trying to live and get along with everyday life as frugally as possible.
How I Save Money By Keeping a Clean HouseI save money a number of different ways by keeping a clean house. This may seem like "too much work" to some people or you may say it "takes too long", however I have not found that to be the case.
My Frugal Life: Cut Any Corner You CanI'm frugal because I just don't like throwing my money around! Not that I have a lot, being a single parent and not having a well paid job. There is also a deep sense of satisfaction knowing that I can do most things in a cheaper way. I like to try to be as 'green' as possible too.
Be a Honey BunnyThis year, a lot of us will be shopping the thrift stores and yard sales for Bunnies to fill our Easter Baskets. There is nothing in the world like seeing a child on Easter morning hugging that sweet Easter bunny.
Imagine: Global Understanding DayMarch 26th is my birthday and I can't think of a better day to be born on than "Global Understanding Day". Probably the best way to celebrate Global Understanding Day would be to follow John Lennon's advice.
Bartering: The Wave of the FutureWell, all the economists are talking about recession and I don't really know what that big fancy word means. I do know with rising gas prices and with rising food prices that times are hard for all of us.
My Frugal Life: A Love Affair With Used GoodsI came from a home where everything was bought new. My parents would never buy "someone else's junk". They were frugal, but we did without many things because there wasn't enough money for everything.
Beware of Products You Don't NeedWhile teaching advertising, I've come to be quite a skeptic. Aware of the various methods of advertising, I tend to focus most on the Parable of Created Needs. What this advertising method says is that manufacturers create a need for a product, persuading consumers to purchase it because it's a necessity.
Home Electronics: Use What You've GotFriends of ours recently splurged to purchase satellite radio hookups for both of their cars and their home. They also purchased a surround sound package for their living room to give the 'movie theater affect' to their TV.
Beauty SavingsOn a routine trip to restock my medicine cabinet, I realized how much beauty products can cost. Just the basics like hair care, moisturizers, and cleaners can cost a small fortune. Instead, I experimented with some other alternatives to my usual products as well as alternative places to buy them.
My Frugal Life: The One Dollar DinnerI've always been frugal, but I guess this one could be called "facing a challenge". Times were very hard, my husband was out of a job, no money in the bank, no family to assist.
Finding the Silver Lining Behind the Gas PricesThere's not much that would make me happier than seeing a dollar sign followed by the number two at gas stations. I long for the days that I complained about gas prices exceeding $2 per gallon. However, there's little that I can do to find immediate relief, so I'm going to try to make the best of things.
My Frugal Life: How Coupons Made Me RicherI have a weekly grocery budget of $25.00. It was tight enough before, but now with rising prices it could be very tight. My husband raises a beautiful garden and
fruit trees and I can the produce, and he even raises our own beef, and we have a milk cow because we raise baby calves. What we mainly needed was some variety. Coupons have made all the difference.
My Frugal Life: Poor But ProudWhen my family lived in Coos Bay, in the late 70's, my husband lost his job. Having come from country roots, I dug in and decided we were going to be ...
Libraries Offer So Much More Than BooksDo you have a library card? If not, you're missing out. While libraries are known to offer free reading to the community, they offer a host of services to their patrons. Many libraries have lost state funding in the past years which may have caused them to stop some of these services, but there are still many benefits found through those doors. If you don't already have one, get a library card, use it, and save.
My Frugal Life: Every Penny CountsBeing a single mom, being frugal is not just a term, it's a way of life. To save money on groceries, I emailed all the companies I could think of and asked to be put on their mailing list. Almost immediately I started receiving coupons and samples.
My Frugal Life: The Itty Bitty RV AdventureThe allure of discovery, of the adventure, is human -- for we are adventurous people. We all share this earth together, and it is a very exciting place. Adventure, or discovery, adds a new dimension to our lives. It gives us a purpose.
My Frugal Life: A JourneyMy Frugal Journey started when I became a lone parent, my son was 3 years old and I had to find us somewhere to live. I was lucky that I was offered a ...
My Frugal Life: Waste Not, Want NotMy mother believed in "waste not, want not" and taught me to take good care of my belongings. If it were clothes I wore, they could be passed onto another and if it were toys, a younger child would get them.
Simple Tips to Save ElectricityWith the end of many states' electric rate freezes, the cost of electricity is rising at an alarming rate. Even if you're still protected under a frozen rate, it's not a bad idea to alter habits now.
My Frugal Life: Simple StuffMy family and friends call me a tightwad, cheap, frugal, and whatever else they can call me due to the fact that I can save and reuse things over and over. I will refill my water bottles with tap water. I will use paper plates at least 2-3 times, providing there are no spills on them.
Curb ShoppingBeing low income and depending upon curbside shopping before "city pick up days" arrive, I drive through my neighborhoods, rather than the main road, en route to any place. I keep a sharp eye open for whatever is being tossed that is:
I Don't Want a Car AnymoreMy husband and I moved back from China a year ago and it's been rough keeping up with the economy. About 3 months ago, I realized how unhappy I was having a car because I felt like all our money went to gas (we all feel this way, right!?).
My Frugal Life: 106 Ways To Save In The Kitchen - Part 1I don't buy paper products such as napkin, paper plates, paper cups or paper towels. I use "real" products and wash them. I plant the largest garden I can manage and harvest a much food from it a possible. This includes several types of beans, corn, tomatoes, watermelon, squashes, okra.
My Frugal Life: Stop Looking At The JonesEveryone starts their frugal journey for their own personal reasons. Either it is to simplify or their hand is force. I for one, fell into the latter group.
My Frugal Life: 106 Ways To Save In The Kitchen - Part 2Try to use resealable and reusable containers instead of foil, Saran wrap and such. I make my own "convenience items" such as hamburger helper and cookie mix. Then when its busy, we get those out and just add the last remaining wet ingredients, and bake.
My Frugal Life: 106 Ways To Save In The Kitchen - Part 3Don't grocery shop when you are hungry. Don't grocery shop at convenience stores or drug stores where prices most likely will be higher.
My Frugal Life: Serve Meat Kabob StyleI have found a way to cut costs on meats. If you have a large family, this will also help on costs of meats and vegetables. I went to an Adult Birthday Party and all the meat was served kabob style.
Christmas PreparationWant to really enjoy the Holidays this year instead of being lost in a frenzy of preparation that strips all the joy away from the activities you are involved in? Some of these tips can help!
My Frugal Life: Surviving On Social SecurityI'm retired due to a disability, but because of the career I chose, I have no retirement fund and no pension and must live on Social Security alone. Therefore, frugality has become my middle name. Here in west Michigan, our supermarkets offer remarkable savings every week. They love to BOGO (buy one, get one free!).
My Frugal Holiday: Planning Frugal GiftsHow to get through gift giving for the holidays without breaking the bank. I'm the first to admit I am one of the least organized people I know. That being said, when it comes to saving money I am a little less lazy than some people but don't get it confused with my terrible organization skills! When the weather starts getting cooler and the leaves are changing colours, it's always my cue to start preparing gifts for the holidays.
When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get GoingI set a goal for my 2008 savings, and realized last month that I am not as far along as I should be. They say when the going gets tough, the tough get going.
Budget Friendly Ways to Kid Friendly ProductsThe stores are filled with a plethora of kid-friendly products. The only problem is that they're not necessarily budget friendly products. There are more frugal options to kid-friendly products for the creative mind.
Make Memories By Doing, Not BuyingHow to bring holiday magic into your house without breaking the bank.
My Frugal Holiday: Clue GiftAs a young dad, I inherently understood that holidays are all about making memories. Although my two daughters learned early that the celebration of Christ's birth is the true reason for Christmas, we did embrace Santa and the exchanging of gifts like most families.
My Frugal Life: Time-Honored Ways To SaveHere I am at home, between jobs, 57 years old and looking for ways to save money. I am one of the fortunate ones; I have had a small amount saved against this possibility. That doesn't mean that I'm not watching every cent.
The Bikes From Misfit IslandDuring this time of year and the uncertainty of the financial instability, I want to share a story with you. In 1987, my first husband and I were living in Arkansas and having a difficult time making ends meet. To heat our home, we had a wood burning stove which was often used to cook our meals.
Pay Off Your HouseI have been re-reading Possum Living by Dolly Freed. Her number one thrift tip is to have your house paid for.
My Frugal Life: Have a Garage SaleI think the best frugal thing I can think of that everyone can do is have a garage sale. I have had one every year for many years either by myself, with my daughter or a friend.
Shopping WiselyAs grocery prices rise, we wait and hope for this economic trend to reverse itself. However, in the meantime there are ways to shop wise and save money at the grocery store.
My Frugal Life: Freezing MeatI was told about ThriftyFun by a friend of mine and have thanked her several times for sending me the connection to this site.
My Frugal Life: A Fan of ThriftyFunI have been thifty all my adult life. I had my first child at 19 years of age, with 2 more that followed 5 years apart. I found myself using more and more store coupons ...
My Frugal Life: Living On LessFor those who have lost their jobs, or about to do so, here is some help: Yes, I know it's a hassle, but it's the shortest, fastest and easiest way of seeing if you are living a life of wallet holes or if you truly are brilliant at saving.
Neat Chef Tools on the CheapI love to salivate over the goodies in the cooking catalog like Williams-Sonoma, but some of the things are just plain unnecessary, or you can make them yourself. I saw two such things in the latest one, and I've been doing both things for years.
Cheap or Free Retro ActivitiesIt saddens me that we have come to a place in our lives where we can't live without being "connected" to everything and everyone 24 hours a day.
My Frugal Life: Living Frugally in Puerto RicoNo one plans to be old, alone, disabled and broke. But things happen. October: Cold, and winter ahead. By chance, I see an offer for a very cheap flight to Puerto Rico.
My Frugal Life: Maintain What You Already HaveYear after year, my husband says "don't spend any money" and I make lists of things we "need" and then go about getting them. Next, I sell a bunch of what I call JUNK at garage sales every so often. See a pattern here?
My Frugal Life: Share Your BlessingsI live in west Michigan, which is experiencing unemployment rates far higher than the national average. I live on Social Security Disability with a small allowance for food stamps.
