My family is now not just one percent poor side, but my parents are poor now too. I have always lived frugally, but now my mom has returned to frugal living just to survive, and I am reteaching her what she has forgotten, and the new frugal sources as well as the old ones.
We go to the thrift stores together now, and I am teaching her how to appreciate and shop thrift stores. Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch is an excellent place to get new overflow from Target at cheaper than store price. Clothes for children can be had at a good cheap price and a third of the price too. The clothes we look for are Target brand, and new tag clothes. Instead of $25 jeans, it is $4 for the same jeans that are name brand.
I get a couple for my children, and my one niece whom I now raise. My brother whom is my niece's father has custody, and he told me to help raise his daughter, and the only way I know how to is frugally by sewing dresses made of yellow and pink. I get to crocheting too, as my source for mitts and scarfs for all my children is yarn from thrift stores.
My other past time is coupon clipping which my sons do with better accuracy than me. I passed that gene onto my children. We have a garden for our veggies, and seeds come cheaply from dollar stores in my area. I raise my children to be respectful and honest when it comes to living frugally. One doesn't have to cheat the system to do it.
Our rent is rent controlled by an understanding landlord, otherwise our rent would be a hardship on our family. We live in a two-income, limited budget of $1400 combined. We each get about $700 a month. This is the last year for rent return from the state, as they will not be doing it next year, so our rent return will be saved for clothes that are not thrift store buyable, or sewable.
Shoes are bought at a Payless Shoe store two times a year. One for winter, and one for the rest of the year. Shoes are a spendy adventure for a family of 14 that includes one niece, two adults, and eleven children. All of various ages. Hand-me-downs, thrift stores, and occasional garage sales help, but mostly hand-me-down clothes.
For furniture we go to the thrift store again. I also shop for dollar store bean bag chairs for my teen son and daughter. I love the fact that people donate Snoopy and Winnie the Pooh stuff. They sell them cheaply at rummage sales too, but I guess one person's clutter is our family's gain.
I shop at Family Dollar, and Dollar Tree in Dilworth and PR for groceries and personal items for my family. I stopped shopping at regular grocery stores long ago. I make my own cleaning supplies out of items like baking soda and vinegar. I have not spent one penny on bleach or 409 in years. I clean my windows with vinegar and lemons with water as a solvent. It works well.
My family is happy and we do not feel deprived one bit. Teach them young not to want name brand and you get frugal adults. That is what I always was taught and personally have been quoted by friends and family. My children have excellent imaginations, because I raised them to know that money can't buy you happiness or fun, if what you pay for isn't what you call fun. Living frugal has always been my way.
My grandma taught me to sew, knit, crochet, and cook from scratch. My mom taught me to clean without spending money that was not around with no job, and my grandpa taught me to fish which is what we eat fresh caught all summer long. My dad taught me car maintenance, so paying for oil changes never happened in our family which is what I teach my children, and DH was raised the same way I was raised frugally, so we teach that to our children. This is how we live frugally.
By Tanya J. from MN
I love, love, love your post and your ideas. You are very wise and thrifty.
I would like to add that as I grow older I find that a good brand of shoes lasts longer. I no longer buy my shoes at Payless because I find they make my back, hips, and legs hurt. I buy my shoes online from Easy Spirit Outlet. The shoes have cushioning inside that makes me feel like I'm "gelling."
The other thought I had is that I can't see how its more frugal to make your own cleaner products. I have just started buying mine at Dollar Tree. That store sells many name brand products. Washing soda and white vinegar are both pretty expensive. So I can't see how they save money. Although they might save the environment. I prefer to USE LESS of good products. My father used to add water to them, but I only measure them for use. Be careful with laundry products because the caps usually have a lot of lines inside. Use the very lowest line.
Good luck and keep up the good work of teaching others. I like using coupons, too.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
How do I live off of $750.00 a month? How do I budget this amount of money each month? I live in section 8 housing and my rent is 191.00 a month, but I have car insurance and car expenses. What should I save from this low amount of money
By Valorie
You are the only one that can figure out what things you can save on. Could you do without a car and ride buses or take cabs. I haven't had a car since 1997, I take cabs when I have to go someplace, but I really limit how often I go anyplace. I live off $700.00 a month. I am 74 years old.
I have renter's insurance, pay electricity, phone, internet. Cable is included in my rent. I am also on Section 8 housing and I pay $210.00 a month rent, and I get $170.00 a month in food stamps. Medicare Part D pays most of my prescription meds. I don't buy any magazines or things like that. I do spend a fair amount on scrapbooking supplies and genealogy, those are my major recreational expenses.
For all of you very frugal TF readers out there, I have a big dilemma. I am trying to help someone out with and was wondering if you could guide me. Is it possible to live on $1000 per month with a mortgage payment of $800 a month which includes the taxes? I am asking for a family of two, a parent and a 22 yr. old college student.
The student's schooling costs are covered and he works part time for his expenses. The location is upstate NY which I mention because I know cost of living varies. Of course in this location there will be heating costs in the winter, but I know there is assistance available for that. Thank you for any advice you can give.By Arlinn
You are right there is assistance for heating, but it won't cover all of the expenses, anyway in SD, it doesn't. There is also other utility expenses, such as electricity, phone, etc. If they run an air conditioner in the summer the electricity bill will be quite high, Then there is food, clothing, and cleaning supplies. I don't see how with a mortage payment of $800 a month that they can live off $1000.00 monthly. Oh yes, there is also homeowner's insurance, car expenses such as insurance, gas, and general upkeep.
Hello, I am the mother of three teenagers, well one of them is only twelve, but my oldest, at only 16 is 6'5 and 230 lbs, and his dad is just as big. My problem is, although we both work, we have a very tight food budget, and I just can't seem to make it to the next payday with our food supplies. I want to cook healthy, I do frozen burritos from time to time, but that just doesn't do it. Any ideas how I can better stretch our food budget while not feeding them junk?
Tina, do you have an Aldi store nearby? You have to bag your food there and it is unfancy, but you can get so much there for your money. They have a new health food line also. I have two teenage boys and just shopping there has cut my food bill tremendously. Good luck to you!
I shop at Costco for bread, meat, milk, eggs and cheese. Super Walmart for most other things. I think one of my biggest money savers is serving smaller portions of meat. I am able to use less by cooking casseroles, rollups, etc. I also shop alot of the BOGOs and try to use coupons for those items. I am a stay at home mom with 4 children and my 14 year old is 6feet and 180 and does not seem to have finished his growth spurt yet so I have to really get alot of food for as little money as possible. Also, water or milk is all we have to drink at meals. I've heard that Aldi's is a great place to shop too.
Cook from scratch! Buy whole chickens on sale, bags of potatoes, fresh fruit on sale and in season. Avoid buying soda and junk food-empty calories devoid of nutrition. If your kids want them, let them spend their own money on them. Serve oatmeal or eggs for breakfast, rather than expensive cold cereal. Mix regular milk with powdered milk, diluted. If you serve it cold and don't tell them, they'll never know! Find bakery and grocery outlets in your area. Avoid frozen entrees and vegies in sauces. Buy frozen vegies plain and season as you like. Fruit is a fine dessert. Make baked apples. Make soup from scratch in a huge batch and freeze some of it. Serve with fresh bread, rolls or homemade muffins and that's a meal. Think ahead, be flexible enough when you shop to buy any bargain/sale things you see IF and only IF you can use it. It isn't a bargain if you can't use it or it will spoil!
Look for a scratch and dent store. Lots of bargins there, for instance bottled liter water for 39¢, veggies 5/$1. A dented can doesn't matter unless there is rust. Also, the dollar stores and flea markets are other sources.
I make lots of healthy casseroles with recipies I get online. Try Weight Watchers, and any of the magazine sites.
one of my all time fav's is beef and noodles or chicken and noodles. i usually cut a roast in half for beef and noodles add a couple of pakages of frozen noodles and make homemade mashed potatoes with chicken and noodles it only take 2 or 3 pieces of chicken . my son could match his dad in eating as a teenager so i learned to make cheap meals that would go far and were filling. also porcupine meatballs are good too just take some hamburger and add instant rice(uncooked)roll into meatballs place in pan add 1 can tomatoe juice and cook till brown once again we usually had homemade mashed potatoes to the meal because they are cheap to make and filling
There is a website and email group called Frozen Assets that's about cooking more than you need for a meal and putting the extra in the freezer. Then you can buy in bulk and save a lot of money. Many on the list cook just once or twice a month. I don't do that, but the ideas are really good and they list meals that freeze really well. It works even if you have just the freezer on the top of your fridge.
coolchinchilla
The biggest money saver in my opinion is planning ahead. Make a menu of healthy meals made with fresh unprocessed inexpensive foods before you go to the store. The once a month cooking ideas are great. Make homemade meatballs, use 2-3 lbs of hamburger +/or sausage and freeze what you don't use. Find spaghetti sauce on sale. This is a quick inexpensive meal.
I like many other people are struggling financially. but unlike many others I have been in this boat for well over 5 years. I pay for my own health insurance. I own my car and condo outright. But I am living paycheck to paycheck hoping the next check will be enough and it never is. I keep having to borrow from my savings account. My good friend is helping me with telling me which bills to pay and when as I don't have the organizational ability to do that.
How can I feed and clean a family of 5 for $200 biweekly?
Laurie from Belle River, Ontario
How is it that I am only making $1185.00 per month, for I am on disability and I always come up short? I have done everything I can think of to budget my money to make it possible to have a few dollars to put aside for an emergency.
By Lesa from Houston, TX
I am looking for tips for senior citizens who live on limited income.
Marieg
How can I buy a nice TV on a very tight budget?
Deb from Terre Haute
