My Frugal Holiday: Shop for Christmas All YearMy husband and I are on a fixed income rendering finances tight; therefore we start our Christmas shopping in January and we shop at thrift stores.
Lessons Learned From My GrandmotherMy Grandma Smith was the perfect example of what a Grandma should be. I feel very blessed to have had her for my grandma. I was the youngest of her many grandchildren and, until I was an adult, she always told me I was her baby.
My Frugal Life: Passing the BuckI pass the buck on expensive laundry detergent, and use my favorite dish washing liquid that I do hand washing in anyway. I use the extra money from not buying the laundry detergent and pass the buck over to fabric softener.
Fall Recycling ProjectsAt our house, we are celebrating the cooler weather and watching, photographing, and being awed by the beautiful colors and hues of the trees all around us. This time of year is special, since we get the house and the surrounding area ready for snowy winter months.
My Frugal Life: Good InvestmentsWell here I am again feeling a little rather chipper at the moment. I have purchased my yogurt maker and am quite apt at making and drinking thick and Greek yogurt. Mixing in the different flavors to suit our mood.
My Frugal Life: On The FarmSpending the summer running around with no shoes was a normal occurrence. Mom bought boots for the fall and winter and carded and spun wool for socks, mittens, hats, and other winter clothes. Our cows provided milk and butter.
Hoarding: The Food WarsIn my last installment, as promised, I will talk about food. And again, I want to emphasize that I am not picking on anyone, so if you see yourself or someone you know in these articles, it is purely coincidental.
My Frugal Life: The Thriftiness of GrandparentsLike so many of you, I remember my grandparents' thriftiness. They made it through the Depression, but its impact never left them. They made the most of every penny. Even when a lifetime of hard work made got them to a place of being financially "secure."
My Frugal Life: ReminiscingHave you ever reminisced for say 40 years about doing a childhood activity? Did you go out and purchase the means of doing it? Did you do it and find it really was a childhood thing? Thank God it wasn't just me. Whew! Well, do you want to know about it?
My Frugal Life: A Lifelong LifestyleIt's so amazing to see my lifelong lifestyle-frugality becoming so popular, especially after the mass consumerism of the 90's. At one time early on, I was a single mom with 3 children, but it started even before that.
My Frugal Life: Make the Harvest Last All WinterMy adult daughter called me recently to remind me that I'm a great mom. She went on to tell me that when she and her sisters were young I fed them very well. She was remembering how we always had 2 or 3 vegetables or fruits on our table at every meal.
My Frugal Life: Ten Reasons to Embrace the Frugal/Thrifty LifestyleAs of August, I am debt free and I am very thankful for this. I just want to say a big thank-you to all of you, because I have really benefited from your frugal wisdom which you have freely shared in your posts.
My Frugal Life: Of Grandfathers, Gleaning and Gluttony
On Sunday mornings, Grandad would sometimes call for my younger brother and sister and I take us for long, exciting walks in the countryside around the small rural town where I spent my childhood.
Hoarding: Cleaning and MaintenanceI have a sister who does q-tip cleaning. Now, the first time she mentioned that to me, I immediately thought of the world's tiniest feather duster, ready to take on a dusty q-tip.
My Frugal Life: One Man's Trash . . . Have an occasional impulse to snatch something sitting at street side for the weekly trash pickup? Amazing what people throw out, but look for inherent value as the item may be more valuable in the future.
My Frugal Life: It's Crazy What They Throw OutI've become more frugal over the last few years out of necessity and for the challenge and fun it can be.
My Frugal Life: Triage Casual SpendingI conscientiously keep EVERY invoice even if it is only for a coffee, in fact particularly for such minor purchases. I just drop every bit of paper into the bottom of my handbag.
Hoarding: Too Much StuffThere are many programs to watch these days on bachelors, dancers, singers, racers, survivors, and the like. But, there are none so compelling as those that dissect a little known malady known as hoarding.
My Frugal Life: Watch Every PennyI am a 47 years old, and now on Long Term Disability for the first time in my life. Things are very difficult when it comes to paying my bills. My first tip for saving money would be to watch every penny.
My Frugal Life: The Coupon LadyLike many of the stories I have read on this site, I grew up poor. My father died when I was 4, leaving my 35 year old Mother with a 4 year old, a 6 year old and a 7 month old. She was unskilled, but tried many jobs to make money.
Balancing Thrifty And FunFor as long as I can remember, my mother would have to scrimp to make ends meet. She divorced my father when I was in first grade, so was now home with 3 children, aged 6 and under. We had lots of hand me down and thrift store clothes and toys, but rarely anything new.
Do It YourselfThe old adage "If you want it done right, do it yourself" carries significant merit in the frugal times of a frail economy. Donate some time to completing three tasks yourself, and you'll save money every time. Not enough time?
My Frugal Life: Of Grandpas and GardensGardening with my grandad was a lesson in patience. When I was a child my mother worked to put food on the table and shoes on our feet so I spent a lot of my time with my grandparents who lived across the road from us.
Easy Romantic Picnic For TwoIn these tough economic times, finding time to be with the one you love can be hard. Between scrambling to keep up and getting the kids ready for school, couples can become very stressed. Here is a quick and easy picnic that can be put together in no time and would be very easy to take to a local park or to an outdoor concert.
My Frugal Wife!My wife is one of the most fascinatingly frugal people I have ever had the honor to know. I regarded her desire to live a thrifty, uncomplicated life as thankfully low-maintenance, for we were young and broke and she could stretch a dollar a country mile with no complaints.
Follow Your DreamsI have always had to budget my money but what it taught me has paid off well. I started out as a single mom over 40 years ago working as a secretary. Things were much different then for single moms - we basically did not exist so there was no help out there.
Packing Food for Road TripsRoad trip eating doesn't have to be expensive if you enjoy the great outdoors. We always pack a cooler with canned soft drinks and take along sandwiches and snacks when we start out from home.
My Frugal Life: Robyn's TipsI was looking on here for uses for old candle wax, and I came across the following ideas. I have kind of changed several of the ideas into one that would utilize what I had in the house.
Tips for Keeping Cool in the SummerCool off with these 30 fun and easy tips: 1: Run through the sprinkler with your kids, get out the slip and slide, the super soaker or the kiddie pool (add ice cubes). 2: Have a water balloon fight. . .
My Frugal Life: Frugal Is A Choice I've MadeI have been frugal all my life - first because I had no choice, and now because it's a choice I've made. My father died when I was young, and left no insurance.
Frugal Hawaii VacationThese are some frugal ideas you can use while visiting Hawaii and still enjoy your vacation without paying as much. My daughter who was about 18 at the time, and I took a trip to the Island of Oahu. We stayed in a small room close to the International Market.
My Frugal Life: Lessons From My MotherI first learned frugality from my mother, who had a motto for just about everything. "Use it up, wear it out, 'cause if you waste, you'll do without." I'll bet I've heard that old rhyme a million times.
My Frugal Life: Thinking TwiceOne of the difficult things about being frugal is when you see others doing what you would like to do. At the mall where I shop, there are a lot of cafes and eateries. Delicious smells in the air. People sitting, talking and eating and I realize I am HUNGRY.
Become a Frugal CrafterFor those of us who have fallen on tough times more recently, this essay is intended to help you find a creative outlet for free and perhaps the chance to make some gifts that will be all the more treasured simply because you made them.
Robin's Weekly Grocery DealsThere are lots of deals in our area this week from both our grocery stores as well as Wal-Mart. Here are a few of the deals this week at Wal-Mart:
My Frugal Life: A Walk On The Wild SideMy wife and I were meandering down a well-worn packed dirt trail in the Lake Louise Area of our Canadian Rocky Mountains, when I noticed all was not forest green and wonderful in our leafy paradise.
My Frugal Life: A Lifetime of LearningWhen my mom died, I was 8 and my sister was a newborn. No longer could my dad go away for work, so he quit his well paying job and moved us closer to his family. He found a job where he was home every evening to make us dinner and tuck us in at night.
My Frugal Life: Prudence In All ThingsTo me, frugal living isn't about living on-the-cheap or settling on inferior product. It's simply a mindset that evolves into a way of life that allows one to be thrifty and creative. Prudence in all things is the key.
My Frugal Life: Staying Out Of DebtWe started living a frugal life because we have 7 children, and I wanted to stay home with them. We did not want to be saddled with debt. I planted a garden, raised chickens, and beef.
My Frugal Life: Run Of Bad LuckWe have had an unbelievable amount of financial issues lately. This all happened in a matter of days. First our toilet seat broke off. The next day, our garage door opener broke so we couldn't get the cars out of the garage.
My Frugal Life: Still FrugalI do not have to be frugal anymore, but I can't change! I did it when I had 4 children, now they are grown and it's only me and my dog.
Spending More WiselyThis year our library fundraiser earned less money than in previous years. The chair of the event mentioned that in comparison to other local events, we still did quite well. Her comment was, "People are just being more careful with how they spend their money."
My Frugal Life: Take Care of YourselvesThis post is about how frugal, caring women usually put themselves last. Everything is so expensive these days. If you have children, there are their needs to be met, school supplies, clothing, food, then there is the rent or mortgage, the never ending utility bills, and on and on.
Your Time Is Worth Something TooI think anyone living on this earth should be at least somewhat frugal, but not be too extreme.The bottom line is that, Yes: we should live frugally, but No: we should not become slaves to a frugal lifestyle to the point where life becomes "I have to."
My Frugal Life: Tips For SpringHappy Spring Everyone! Make dry erase boards of any size out of cardboard covered with clear wrapping tape. I have heart that white contact paper works too but I like to stick with the clear wrapping tape.
A Frugal MindsetBeing frugal is definitely a mindset whether it is a decision made by economic necessity or concern for planet Earth and its inhabitants. My frugality is a bit of both.
My Frugal Life: Common Sense About MoneyMy immigrant non-schooled Mom and jack-of-all-trades Dad supported a family of 5 with no-nonsense and common sense when it came to money.
Make Purchases Go a Little FurtherThought I would share a few good deals and some thrifty tips I've come up with in the past few weeks.
My Frugal Life: Learning on the FarmI grew up on a farm in the 40's and 50's. We were a family of 6; mom, dad, three brothers and me. Although we were poor, we never went hungry due to the fact that my mother grew and preserved her own vegetables and fruits and we had our own chickens and beef.
Make It LastThe average oil burner lasts 20-25 years. A car usually lasts 10. Windows have a guarantee of fifteen years, and appliances come with three year warranties. Only a few decades ago, people bought items without worry about how long they would last.
Bringing Style to Out of Style FurnitureWhen furniture goes out of style, it's a serious investment to replace it. You can't change the furniture that you may already have.
Do Your HomeworkDoing your homework can save a lot of money. Yes, studying hard in school could land you a job that drives home in a sports car, but it's an easier type of homework that saves money right now.
My Frugal Life: Learning from the Tightwad GazetteI started getting serious about being frugal when my husband lost his job. I checked out all the money saving books I could find at the library and by far the most helpful was "The Tightwad Gazette. It was written in the 1990's but is still very helpful.
Tried and True Ways To SaveI am naturally frugal by nature and often complain that there are NO new frugal tips and hints. These are not new or difficult ideas BUT they do work for me and are tried and true ways to save money!
Getting Ready for WinterThis is the time to prepare for winter if you live in one of our colder states. Waiting until the last minute to prepare for the cold or an outage most often results in spending extra money or putting money out for repairs.
Tips for Price MatchingPrice matching, asking a store to sell an item for the same price as another store, is a way to get the best deal in town. It's also a way to get the exact item that you're looking for.
My Frugal Life: Learning From a Frugal MotherI remember as a child, my mother would save small soap pieces and put them it hot water and mush them up, making liquid soap. We would use it to wash our hands. There were other things she did, such as saving any food containers.
Be a Greener ReaderIf you like to read, you might be interested to know that it takes somewhere in the neighborhood of 5 trees to print 1,000 books. At first glance this may not sound like much, but consider the fact that about 3 billion books are sold each year worldwide.
Bargaining 101Some people are comfortable bargaining, but others would rather stick with the number on the price tag. There's no need to fear bargaining; the worst that will happen is that a person will say "no deal."
Keep No More Than 30 TopsThis is an idea I've been slowly implementing. If you have 30 tops (many women have 150 or more including tees, tanks, sweaters, sweatshirts, long sleeved, short sleeved, dress blouses, cotton blouses, etc.), you could wear each top ONLY ONCE A MONTH for an entire year!
Frugal Ways To SaveHere are some frugal ideas, we use in our home. Always buy used when we can. We visit many garage sales, thrift shops and online resources like eBay.
My Frugal Life: One Income FamilyI have always been a penny pincher from day one. As a teenager growing up at home, I clipped coupons and took them shopping from time to time when mom went to the grocery store.
The Non-Vacation VacationIf the economy has brought your vacation plans to a screeching halt, there are some fun alternatives in your future. The alternative vacation plans might be even more enjoyable than a real trip, especially knowing that they're not costing you a fortune.
Recycling Newspaper Throughout The HouseBesides reading the newspaper, I find many uses for it around the house. Whenever we put a new trash bag in our kitchen trash can, we put a layer of the paper at the bottom. This will absorb any liquids that sometimes leak.
Thrifty Disabled SeniorI am a disabled senior trying to live as frugally as I can, considering Social Security isn't anything to brag about. I get around in a motorized wheel chair. Our state has a law that seniors and disabled do not need to pay bus fair on our city buses.
Use It or Lose ItI'm sitting on a jackpot, and I didn't realize it until a rainy week inspired me to clean my office closet. Over the course of this year I had easily purchased fifteen boxes of thank you cards for $3 a piece.
My Frugal Life: Recession? What Recession?It is almost funny to us, to hear these people on the news talking about the recession and how they are losing their homes and can't buy the things they want anymore.
My Frugal Life: Stretching DollarsBeing frugal has always been part of my life. My Mom had a chronic illness and had to stay at home. Our family lived on what my father made at a non-union factory job. We definitely used it up, wore it out or did without.
My Frugal Life: Consider Crafting for ChristmasFor many years we had to live like lots of Americans, payday to payday. But December of 1977 was the worst. Everything hit that month and we ended up with only 5 dollars in our pocket with just 3 days left before Christmas.
My Frugal Life: Thankful for Being FrugalWith the economic times as they are, I am so thankful that we live the way we do. We have always tried to live within our income and have as few bills as possible. We don't have new cars, fancy clothes, etc. but we have everything we need plus more.
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.
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: 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.
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 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.
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: 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.
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: 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Make Memories By Doing, Not BuyingHow to bring holiday magic into your house without breaking the bank.
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.
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.
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!).
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: 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.
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: 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: 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 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.
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!?).
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:
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.
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: 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.
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: 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: 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: 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: 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.
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: 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
