Making Things Easier for the DisabledThis is by no means a medical advice story or something that anyone else has to do. It's simply tips I have used to make my life easier and it might work for anyone who is interested in trying them.
My Frugal Life: Frugality Taught Me FlexibilityThrough the course of adopting a frugal lifestyle I have discovered that frugality has not only helped me become more flexible, it has shown me that flexibility must reign supreme over routine when saving money is the goal.
My Frugal Life: Frugal Homemade GiftsI try very hard to be creative when giving gifts to friends and family, giving thought to their likes and dislikes, or what may be age appropriate. Having a limited retirement income means I need to be mindful of my pennies, so I do as many people do.
The Lessons of LessI have found myself in reduced circumstances pretty chronically for the past 5 years. I am sure that I share this fate with many people, but, in spite of knowing this, my predicament has seemed like a very private and shameful hell.
How We Shared in our Needy DaysWe lived in the countryside and we had some hard times, just like many others. That did not stop us from sharing with people or trading to make things easier for both us and others. We had a few second hand stores in the town we went to shop.
Frugal Colonial Lifestyle of the PastI feel very close to the people in the English Colonies. I may be somewhat different in my circumstances but I have the same heart! I appreciate all that I have and try to make it go as long as it can. I use things in different ways, that I think they might have given me the nod of approval.
Stretching My Meager DollarsI am a single mother of two kids. The income I have comes from what little I make from my full time job, my job working in my church's nursery on Sundays, and Child Support for my oldest. I am constantly learning new ways to stretch my meager dollars.
What is Living a Frugal Life About?At various times of my life, I have had to live frugally. I've had times of plenty and times of hardship. Over my many years, I have become a bit of an expert.
Life in the Fab Lane Without Breaking the...So, alright, I work at Wal-mart and see all kinds of shoppers. Some are good and buy mostly generic. Others use coupons. Then there are people that buy 6 makeup items and spend almost $50! They could have taken five minutes and saved almost $15 in coupons!
Save Money with Digital BooksWe love books but our book collection required bookshelves which required wall space and that means more square footage, which meant a larger house. That larger house required larger payments for mortgage and taxes.
Big Family on The FarmMy husband and I are raising 10 kids on about $25000 a year, yes 10! We have always lived inexpensively even before we had any children. We were able to purchase a small farm with an old farm house on it many years ago and fixed it up ourselves over time.
Being Healthy is FrugalWith health care being the most expensive cost in all of our lifetime, maintaining and improving our health is the most frugal way to live. It just makes sense to stay healthy, reduce stress and will improve the overall quality of your life well into your senior years.
Frugal Queen in ProcessI am frugal and learning every day. I budget every cent I have on pen and paper. When I spend it, I keep my receipt and log in down. I pay a little more on each bill as often as possible.
Clean Living Is Frugal LivingOver the years, I have tried to use less commercial products and make more of my own products for myself, my family and my home-naturally, simply and economically!
ThriftyFun is Part of My FamilyWe live in an area where there are lots of trees and woodland critters. A large rat had taken up residence in my neighbor's yard had been killed. My son, who has a mischievous streak a mile wide, asked me if I needed pics for ThriftyFun.
Frugality, Foraging and FarmingI've been on my own now for four years, a single parent turned "empty nester", and living on a disability pension. Here are my tips.
Suzzycue's Frugal LifestyleLiving a frugal lifestyle is not easy. It takes a lot of dedication to make it work. The best thing I did to promote my frugal lifestyle was learn to cook. If you learn to cook you can have delicious meals with leftovers for the next day for the same cost or lower than buying one hamburger.
Becoming More DIYI have learned through my 60 years on this earth that not everything that is good is easy. Rewards come to those that wait or work hard for what they get. This holds true with food. I am single but now helping to raise my 16 year old granddaughter with my son, who is unemployed.
My Frugal LifeHello, I began to be frugal many years ago. I found myself disabled and living on $700 a month SSI. I could not make ends meet for anything. I ate at the food kitchen two weeks out the month with my 3 year old. She is now 22 years old.
Growing Up with Little MoneyI grew up in a family of four and my mom was on a fixed income. I thank her for making me understand how important it is to know that not being able to buy all the name brand clothes because, even though we got those things, we were still not happy.
No-Car DayThis summer, I decided to do an experiment. I decided to see what would happen if I didn't use my car one day a week. I have discovered that this is a really good idea for many reasons.
My Very First DIY FondantBefore my son's birthday celebration, he came to me and said he wanted a themed fondant cake. I was planning to bake a cake for him but to make a fondant, I wasn't sure if I could do it. What disheartened me most was when I went out to canvass prices in cake shops, the prices were really out of my budget.
When Frugal is Not!After watching some TV shows tout frugality that aren't really in our best interest, I wanted to express what I think is not frugal.
Memories of a Thrifty Love StoryHere are tiny packs of chocolate my cousin sent all the way from Pennsylvania. Those are the kinds of chocolates that most Filipinos love to have on their so called "balikbayan package". Last night, I received mine. The sight of the chocolate made me go back to seven years ago when hubby and I were young lovers.
Thrifty Living Could Mean EverythingThrifty living does not mean you have to avoid the good and healthy things that cost a lot. Sometimes, it also means self discipline. For me, policies are indeed useful for disciplining myself.
Daily All-Purpose WalkEvery day, I take my daily walk as my exercise. I walk to where I wait for the bus and when I arrive in the city, I walk my way to the office. I do that every morning and afternoon as I head home. One way would give me an estimated total of 20 minute exercise.
Clara Walker's Last DaysIf anyone ever lived a frugal and very simple life, Clara Walker did. We were neighbors from the time I was born til my family moved a couple blocks away when I was six. Most all my memories of Clara were formed during those six years.
An Ounce of PreventionBy definition, the word "frugal" means to not waste. And I have always believed it meant more then to not waste money, but also work and time, energy and resources.
The Bracelet Legacy to a Florence NightingaleMy oldest daughter Angela lost her home in a horrific fire and was downsized to unemployment in her job. She made the decision to return to college and pursued a nursing career. I presented her my high school graduation charm bracelet at graduation.
Why Doing Things Yourself is More than FrugalMost people I know have someone else to clean their homes and wash their cars. They bring in food a lot and go out to eat often. They tell me that since I work full-time, I am wasting my precious free time. They also think I'm cheap.
Developing a Frugal LifestyleI used to think that frugal living centered around clipping coupons and buying items on sale. I have come to realize that frugal living is a lifestyle that can be developed by adopting specific money-saving habits. Getting and staying organized can be the foundation upon which the many other frugal living habits such as simplifying, scheduling and budgeting, can be successfully implemented.
Goodness Still ExistsWhen I was eleven or twelve, I did something I'll never do again; probably couldn't do again. I walked twenty-two miles in a single day. Just on a lark. At that age, I was often besieged with fits of 'larkism'.
Our Throwaway SocietyIt always amazes me how much other people throw away. I did not grow up with much, and I always took very good care of whatever I had, as I knew my parents worked very hard for it. I thought I set an excellent example for my children, until the other day.
Learning FrugalityHi there I am Sharon, I live in NY and it's very expensive here. I have done a few things over the past few months to save money. We have a new store called Dollar General. Some of you have had it a while now. Today I learned about a download. I did it and scanned some coupons. You know what I mean, right. I went to the store and asked about the program.
Being Frugal Can Be Hard WorkBeing frugal can be hard work for some people. I find it very satisfying and fun. Doing things to save money is better than doing nothing. You must be realistic. You have to have an open mind to accept new ideas. If you do nothing, you will accomplish nothing.
Shopping with Less MoneyHello again, I would like to share my frugal story. I am living with fibromyalgia so I am in a lot of pain. It took a while to get this done but it is done. I am paying off my credit report for this year. I am living on $780 but my check is paid out.
Cut the CardThis was the best decision I could make during this time. I have worked hard on my budget and trust me. If there is a fee to even have the card, I don't want it. I did many reviews on Creditone bank. Not to be cruel but they are not a nice company. I found one of the hardest parts of reading the reviews was cutting off the card.
Procrastinating On Our PrioritiesProcrastinating on our Priorities is never good. We often think we have more time than we really do. No one knows what tomorrow brings or if we even have one. So, we think "I should do that" or " I will do it tomorrow".
Why Do We Keep Keepsakes?We all have memories, some of them good, some bad. Our keepsakes are most likely associated with the good memories. And they're sort of like Christmas. Every day Christmas would be no joy. It's the year long anticipation that makes it so special. And so it is with keepsakes.
Theories for a Frugal LifeLiving within my means has been ingrained in me my whole life, as is living a green life, meaning being nice to Mother Nature. I find when I share my theories with people, there are two schools of reactions. One is the person looking at me like I have three heads and webbed feet. This is sadly the usual reaction. The other rare reaction is a look of pure relief that there is a kindred soul out there.
Me In My ColorsI passed my childhood years in a simple home with honest, hard working and uncomplicated parents and two younger brothers. Ours was an immigrant family and we struggled daily to meet our essential needs. My small world consisted of Dad, Mom, my brothers, school, play, home cooked meals, church on Sunday, responsibilities consistent with my age and the security of a well ordered home. I was so very fortunate.
The Frugal Lady Is At It AgainI have found when a friend or neighbor helps me in some kind way, it's nice to pack up a care bag for two household items. They are often in need of them. I have had wonderful feedback from that. The bags I order free by playing a game, about 50 shopping bags in each.
Baking LessonsA hearth is timeless. In days past, of the likes of Little Women, warm flickering light from the stove used to brighten up evenings for families coming together over a meal. What would they talk about? Maybe the ships coming in from sea, slow telegraphs from a father far away, the newspaper picked up for a dime from the little boy at the market? After the dishes were put away, a child like Beth might play hymns on her old upright, several decades before the radio was ever invented.
Gratitude Not AttitudeGratitude, not attitude. Last week Lowes was giving away gift cards in denominations from $5 to $1500. As to be expected, most cards were $5, which is what I got. I saw some posts from people saying they "only" got $5. I felt it was $5 that I did not have before.
Buying Your First Car The Frugal WayIn my day, cars weren't as plentiful as they are today. To be sure, Ford, Hudson, Packard, and all the other makers could put a motor car in your possession the very day you were ready to buy one. Trouble was, not many people could afford to buy one.
Life As I Knew ItI was so young when I used to dream of having a huge house built for my mother. She sacrificed so much for me that I want to return something good, such as a good life. We need not reach to achieve it, for the older I get, the deeper my realizations are.
