When Are You Being Too Frugal?The definition of frugal is "Prudence in Avoiding Waste". We all should be wise and thrifty, and reuse or recycle where possible, but here are some indicators when you just might be going too far to be frugal and are simply being cheap or possibly hoarding:
Learning FrugalityI have always been a pretty frugal person, but I'm finding later in life that I don't need as much as I once thought I did. When you are young, you are led to believe that those pretty new shiny objects you see on TV or someone is wearing is something you just can't live without.
Don't Take Free Items Beyond What You NeedPlease don't take free items just because you are too cheap. As a result, items that had been free we now have to pay for. Here are just a few examples.
Be Grateful For What You HaveNo one wants to struggle, to say no to themselves and their children, to feel as if they're going backwards rather than forwards. But the easiest way to get out of the slump of despair is to think of everything you do have - and most of us still have a lot.
My Frugal Life: A Winter MiracleI wanted to share with you all what our "stay at home married ladies" group at church did several years ago at Christmas. We were a Wednesday night group of about 15 women who met weekly for Bible Study and grew rather close.
"Swap Not Shop" Event for ChristmasSwapping is better than Shopping! Instead of trying to work out how much you can get away with spending this Christmas, why not get friends, neighbors, and family organized and hold a pre-Christmas "Swap not Shop" event.
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 BathroomHere are some of my favorite money-savers for the bath: I keep a spray bottle of homemade cleaner in the tub; I use vinegar, a little dish soap, and, perhaps some "this and that".
Living With LessI quit my job 13 months ago and started traveling with my husband. We are living on about $30,000 less a year, and are loving it! We own a 3,000 sq foot home, but have reduced my needs to what will fit into Rubbermaid bins and the back of the truck.
Milk Crate for Cutting PVC PipeRecently, I needed some white plastic shelves put back together in a closet. However, I had a gap that didn't reach the top, but the full height of the shelf was too high.
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.
Spare Change Adds UpI have been saving my husband's and my spare change for years. This year I decided to document every "cash-in", to see exactly how much change that we DID wind up with at the end of the year.
Make Sure Ebay is Actually Making You MoneyJust a word of advice: I see a lot of articles and feedback on many thrifty websites suggesting that a great way to make extra money is to sell on Ebay. PLEASE PLEASE be careful that you are actually MAKING money in the long run!
Employ Thrifty IngenuityThinking about it, it seems to me that the greatest thrifty tip is employing ingenuity! If you have a household problem, look at the conventional way of tackling it (which probably costs lots of money), and then try to turn it around to a more frugal option.
