I agree with a good majority of this list! Certainly fair and theme park food has cost my an arm and a leg when I could just as easily eat at home beforehand. Sometimes it's nice to treat myself to an amazing funnel cake on rare occaision, however. ;)
Although some of these seem like common snese, this post is a great reminder of how much more money I could be saving up for colelge loans instead of wasting them on lottery tickets.
Also, since I'm a colelge student working on campus, I regularly make stops to the vending machines and buy a snack and drink. Many people in my office also do the same and I imagine it all totals to a ridiculous amount of cash and change spent on snacks you could be bringing from home.
NLAC Care House Friends and Family Network are there to help. They pulled me back from the brink when I was homeless. Visit them on Facebook to read more testimonies.
No, Kasey, you won't necessarily get the job over the hs dropout. What counts is experience. And sometimes the person doing the hiring is a hs dropout who doesn't want to hire anyone he/she perceives as arrogant.
@me: If you are trying to make milk that you drink on its own (or otherwise use - as in on cereal), then mixing it with cold water is best. Rarely would you drink a glass of boiling hot milk....at least it's not my "cup 'o' tea".
But if you are making something that is a hot drink, it will dissolve in boiling water nicely.
It is warm water that is least effective in accomplishing either hot or cold milk drinks.
@Kevin - I think you hit the nail on the head with regards to frugal living in general: it is a matter of choice. Once you determine what is important to you, you can then engineer the rest of your finances (and life) to suit your needs and desires.
I lived in Hawaii for 6 months as part of my frugal travel lifestyle. When writing about it once, I came under fire for living somewhere so expensive; as if I was out of touch to the reality of finance for most people that I could live in Hawaii and suggest that I was living a frugal lifestyle. But the reality is that I lived in Hawaii for considerably less than most people can live - anywhere. It was a matter of making choices, and living by them every day.
I feel as if my college education eases any fears related to this. I know that I'll at least get the retail or restaurant job over a person who is a hs dropout.
I think a recession means that documented economic trends indicate higher job less, less financial security, and less sales. I think that it means to individuals that they need to actually examine their spending and saving habits instead of just cutting back one coffee a week and ignoring debt!!
How long will it take until forced frugality becomes a habit that can't be kicked even when it's no longer necessary? As bad as things are right now, I don't see that happening for a long time, if ever. It's a habit I want my family to embrace. One of my friends has already filed bankruptcy twice and it's not because of the economy, but because of her ridiculous spending habits and buying wants instead of needs, and I'm sure she's not the only one. At least she's inspired me to save more and buy less. Plus, my kindergartner is quite good at cutting coupons and it improves his fine motor skills.
"Forced to be frugal"- I think this hits hardest amongst my young married friends with babies or young children. As bad timing goes, many had babies but then the husband (usually the wife is SAHM) lost his job. It breaks my heart to see some of my friends setting aside each and every penny for their baby, but they are 100% willing to cutback on their own personal spending in order to provide for baby.
On the other hand, there are also lots of people who are going thru the motions of being frugal, since it is so in vogue right now. But I find it ironic that I see housewives with freshly coiffed perms, fake-bake tans, manicured nails, and Louis Vuitton purses choosing to hold up the line just to scream at a cashier for not honoring a 25 cent coupon for paper towels. Like those 25 cents are going to break her bank account?
If our finances open up we set aside for big splurges, like travel. But at home in the trenches, we stay the course. Saving, sale shopping, thrift stores, yard sales, gardening and canning are part of our normal rhythm. We had to be careful before the economy slump, and that hasn't changed. It is nice to encourage others in the frugal lifestyle without being considered oddballs.
Here in the Puget Sound we have Uwajimaya, Paldo World and H-Mart, among others. They are nice, newer supermarkets and the food and prices are great.
Yes, American food is more expensive at these stores. We eat mostly an Asian diet, and for that reason I think our grocery bills are a bit less expensive. Meat is not so much the focus of the meal, and it is usually extended with vegetables, noodles or rice, and not a main part of the meal. Great post!
A srory from my days back on the ambulance. There was an old wives tale about toothpaste curing burns. And from what I hear back in the old days toothpaste had a clay base and might have been slightly accurate.
But a few years ago a child was brought into an er with severe burn wounds covered head to toe in toothpaste. The family thought they were helping by resorting to this old wives tale but in actuality the hospital had to scrub of ever inch of toothpaste (painfully i might ad) before they could even start to treat the burns). Dont put toothpaste on burns. Or anything else you dont want scrubed off later.
Amen to that - everyone knows it's best to breastfeed. If you and you're doctor decide it's not in the cards buy a store brand baby formula. They all meet the same FDA regs for safety and will give your baby what she needs to thrive. I started using Babies R Us because it's half the price of Enfamil at 12 dollars a can. You can even buy it online at http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3531388. This is why there's no reason NOT to buy store brand baby formula!
looks are a major factor in SK. Even when my brother was a young child, my grandma would pinch his nose so he would have a prominent nose. Of course, he didn't really need it because we both have prominent noses although I didn't get my nose pinched...
I quit my full-time job in 2007. Since it was by choice, the frugality-requiring consequences also felt like a choice, and that made it loads easier. I stopped looking at my stocks as they were on the way down (since I wasn't going to sell), and I don't look at them now that they are on the way up, so I still feel poor, which helps me to stay in the frugal mindset. For example, I had to go on a family-related-business trip and stayed at a hostel -- it was really fun (and really cheap)!
And I apologize for all the typos! This is a very stiff keyboard and I'm terrible at using it!
I agree with a good majority of this list! Certainly fair and theme park food has cost my an arm and a leg when I could just as easily eat at home beforehand. Sometimes it's nice to treat myself to an amazing funnel cake on rare occaision, however. ;)
Although some of these seem like common snese, this post is a great reminder of how much more money I could be saving up for colelge loans instead of wasting them on lottery tickets.
Also, since I'm a colelge student working on campus, I regularly make stops to the vending machines and buy a snack and drink. Many people in my office also do the same and I imagine it all totals to a ridiculous amount of cash and change spent on snacks you could be bringing from home.
Great post and thank you!
NLAC Care House Friends and Family Network are there to help. They pulled me back from the brink when I was homeless. Visit them on Facebook to read more testimonies.
Marie Cosentino
Marie's Saving Site Administrator
No, Kasey, you won't necessarily get the job over the hs dropout. What counts is experience. And sometimes the person doing the hiring is a hs dropout who doesn't want to hire anyone he/she perceives as arrogant.
@me: If you are trying to make milk that you drink on its own (or otherwise use - as in on cereal), then mixing it with cold water is best. Rarely would you drink a glass of boiling hot milk....at least it's not my "cup 'o' tea".
But if you are making something that is a hot drink, it will dissolve in boiling water nicely.
It is warm water that is least effective in accomplishing either hot or cold milk drinks.
@Kevin - I think you hit the nail on the head with regards to frugal living in general: it is a matter of choice. Once you determine what is important to you, you can then engineer the rest of your finances (and life) to suit your needs and desires.
I lived in Hawaii for 6 months as part of my frugal travel lifestyle. When writing about it once, I came under fire for living somewhere so expensive; as if I was out of touch to the reality of finance for most people that I could live in Hawaii and suggest that I was living a frugal lifestyle. But the reality is that I lived in Hawaii for considerably less than most people can live - anywhere. It was a matter of making choices, and living by them every day.
Thank you, guest for clarifying that toothpaste is not a burn remedy.
I feel as if my college education eases any fears related to this. I know that I'll at least get the retail or restaurant job over a person who is a hs dropout.
In this lab you typically use pre-1982, because they contain more copper (95% CU to 5% ZN).
To turn it back from brass to a zinc coating anything with acetane in it will remove that layer. Try make up removers.
I think a recession means that documented economic trends indicate higher job less, less financial security, and less sales. I think that it means to individuals that they need to actually examine their spending and saving habits instead of just cutting back one coffee a week and ignoring debt!!
How long will it take until forced frugality becomes a habit that can't be kicked even when it's no longer necessary? As bad as things are right now, I don't see that happening for a long time, if ever. It's a habit I want my family to embrace. One of my friends has already filed bankruptcy twice and it's not because of the economy, but because of her ridiculous spending habits and buying wants instead of needs, and I'm sure she's not the only one. At least she's inspired me to save more and buy less. Plus, my kindergartner is quite good at cutting coupons and it improves his fine motor skills.
"Forced to be frugal"- I think this hits hardest amongst my young married friends with babies or young children. As bad timing goes, many had babies but then the husband (usually the wife is SAHM) lost his job. It breaks my heart to see some of my friends setting aside each and every penny for their baby, but they are 100% willing to cutback on their own personal spending in order to provide for baby.
On the other hand, there are also lots of people who are going thru the motions of being frugal, since it is so in vogue right now. But I find it ironic that I see housewives with freshly coiffed perms, fake-bake tans, manicured nails, and Louis Vuitton purses choosing to hold up the line just to scream at a cashier for not honoring a 25 cent coupon for paper towels. Like those 25 cents are going to break her bank account?
Great post!
I love point #8. Good idea, and so true!
I would add:
Meditate
Talk to a friend
Write in a journal
If our finances open up we set aside for big splurges, like travel. But at home in the trenches, we stay the course. Saving, sale shopping, thrift stores, yard sales, gardening and canning are part of our normal rhythm. We had to be careful before the economy slump, and that hasn't changed. It is nice to encourage others in the frugal lifestyle without being considered oddballs.
Here in the Puget Sound we have Uwajimaya, Paldo World and H-Mart, among others. They are nice, newer supermarkets and the food and prices are great.
Yes, American food is more expensive at these stores. We eat mostly an Asian diet, and for that reason I think our grocery bills are a bit less expensive. Meat is not so much the focus of the meal, and it is usually extended with vegetables, noodles or rice, and not a main part of the meal. Great post!
Let me simply say that forced frugality will be a way of life for most,for quite a while.
If any one thinks the economy is getting better because the stock market went up today, just wait untill tommorow.
The optimist will learn to be frugal now,and stay that way.
The Reason ? Lack of trust in the small ups, and Government
remedies. Example: dose any one trust gas prices to go down,
and stay down .
Buckle up friends, your in for a long haul of frugality, and you WILL learn.
John S
Toothpaste does not cure burns.
A srory from my days back on the ambulance. There was an old wives tale about toothpaste curing burns. And from what I hear back in the old days toothpaste had a clay base and might have been slightly accurate.
But a few years ago a child was brought into an er with severe burn wounds covered head to toe in toothpaste. The family thought they were helping by resorting to this old wives tale but in actuality the hospital had to scrub of ever inch of toothpaste (painfully i might ad) before they could even start to treat the burns). Dont put toothpaste on burns. Or anything else you dont want scrubed off later.
mai-vous traduire mon article (hope that was close enough)
Amen to that - everyone knows it's best to breastfeed. If you and you're doctor decide it's not in the cards buy a store brand baby formula. They all meet the same FDA regs for safety and will give your baby what she needs to thrive. I started using Babies R Us because it's half the price of Enfamil at 12 dollars a can. You can even buy it online at http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3531388. This is why there's no reason NOT to buy store brand baby formula!
I have to say, some of these suggestions are a little different. I might have to try some of them.
looks are a major factor in SK. Even when my brother was a young child, my grandma would pinch his nose so he would have a prominent nose. Of course, he didn't really need it because we both have prominent noses although I didn't get my nose pinched...
I quit my full-time job in 2007. Since it was by choice, the frugality-requiring consequences also felt like a choice, and that made it loads easier. I stopped looking at my stocks as they were on the way down (since I wasn't going to sell), and I don't look at them now that they are on the way up, so I still feel poor, which helps me to stay in the frugal mindset. For example, I had to go on a family-related-business trip and stayed at a hostel -- it was really fun (and really cheap)!
Hey Rich:
Great tip:
"Don't buy junk at the thrift store either as things just accumulate."
Thanks for stopping by!
Sharon
@ Ian,
Great story about the Monks!! You are observant, and it's impressive that you were able to pull out a lesson from that encounter.
--Thanks for your comments.
Sharon (Frugal Duchess)
@ noetic:
You are right when you say: "There are so many things that are free or next to nothing and yet are much more useful and enriching." Well put!
I appreciate your feedback about billable hours.
take care!