I love taking lunch to work because one; you save money instead of eating out and two, you know what you put in your food. I definitely agree about debunking the second myth. There's a whole world of difference between being frugal and being cheap. Being Frugal is being practical and smart with your money while being cheap is an annoying personality flaw. Being frugal is having a great sense of priorities. Saving money for important stuff like bills and mortgages is better than splurging on a Vegas weekend.
I've caught myself picking things up that I don't really need just because they're on sale. It seems so good because it's marked down, but even if it's cheaper than normal, it's pointless if you don't really need it.
This article was an enormous help to me! I work from home and find myself falling into many of these traps all the time! I plan on putting some of these tips to good work tomorrow at work! Can't wait to be more productive!
Meeting people. Whether it be online (social media) or in person, this is the most important thing in my opinion. Have meaningful conversations with people and you will find job opportunities.
We always use our AAA discount on hotel rooms and always eat the continental breakfast, if they provide one. We don't travel very much. I get homesick after being gone from home for about 3 days, so I guess that saves us money, too!
Thanks for the reply. That's a very good point and one I hadn't thought of. My wife and I scheduled to meet our financial planner in the next week. I'll ask about that.
As a side note, I was at a political rally here in Michigan this past week. I struck up a conversation with a man that was 74 years old. He said his biggest mistake was not getting whole life. At his age now, he can't get anything and with the market crash he couldn't sustain the lifestyle he had built up as he was living off his investments. Which are mostly now gone.
Perhaps whole life should be seen as just a part of a well balanced portfolio.
I definitely agree with your comment about going crazy about sales. I believe it is a HUGE mistake people make in the name of couponing or a good sale. They believe they will use that certain product later, even if they really don't need it. I definitely don't believe that it's frugal to spend on something just because there is a sale. People should make sure that they can use whatever it is before they use that coupon or go to that sale.
I love that you mention frugal living being the opposite of sacrificing. When people find out that we buy clothing at thrift stores or pack our lunch every day, they actually feel sorry for us! They THINK that we do those things because we can't afford the "good stuff". The truth is we actually prefer to be frugal/cheap/thrifty. I get far more satisfaction out of a great garage sale steal than I would shopping in the mall any day.
This site rocks ! = P i don't travel very often... usually just twice/year but i'm always up how to save money !
Thanks for sharing your experience indeed. Btw let me know if you or your buddies want to visit Selinunte, the ancient Greek archaeological site on the south coast of Sicily. I own a two floors house in Partanna which i could rent for very little cash.
Your # 6 myth is especially right on. Unfortunately there are a lot of "incentive solution providers" whose main objective is to get you to purchase their merchandise, gift cards etc. They don't focus enough on the process i.e. clearly communicating goals and expectations, consistent positive reinforcement etc.
My last trip, my travel agent got me a good deal on hotel and airfare. What saved us a bunch of money was bringing empty reusable water bottles. The two of us can easily drink 12 or more bottles out in the sun. The hotel had an outdoor water cooler that we refilled from.
I use miles and points to travel cheaply. I recently redeemed points for $804 in airline tickets and $508 in hotel rooms. My wife and I are going to have a luxury vacation at an affordable price--our first nice vacation since our honeymoon almost 4 years ago. I am already blogging about my experiences and I would love to write a guest post. Love the site, by the way! I've just found it.
I try to travel to places where I know someone who will let me stay with them for free.
If I don't know anyone where I am going, I make sure to plan my time around the free things the destination has to offer, such as museums, parks, hiking, and simply exploring the area.
I stay away from shopping centers. Photos and the rocks on the ground are souvenirs enough for me!
I agree with all the points you included about landscaping for energy conservation. Some ways are definitely more conservative than others. I would like to add that using installing a Rain Sensor to your sprinkler system will help you save money because rain sensors know to delay your sprinkler system so that you are not wasting water when it's going to rain or snow or freeze over.
But other than that, I would have nothing else to add. Great read.
I subscribe to the travel deal sites I trust, and I get deals emailed right to my inbox. I then plan my trip way in advance when there's a sale. The web is a wonderful thing, and if you use it right, you can save tons of money!
At CreditSense we help people with their credit recovery. There's a problem with your #1 pick. People who are forced to get a secured card are typically in a credit rebuilding mode. They go secured because they need a card to report positively on their credit. The Orchard card, although they typically report to all three bureaus, have a natural cap on the positive they contribute to a person's credit score. Readers are far better off if they go with a major bank secured card like your #2-#5 picks.
One of the easiest things I do when traveling on the cheap is getting taxi transportation outside of the airport grounds. This is easier in some airports than others. Historically, I have found that taxi companies who lease the right to service the airport charge high rates just because they can and because they have a lot of overhead. By walking off the grounds you can often find taxis that are willing to charge you considerably less. I have saved at least half. This is especially helpful in Mexico and other Central/South American countries where you get bombarded by transportation providers as soon as you get out of customs.
There is a great Vegan brand named Right Foods which has a line of ready-to-eat soups and Asian Entrees, all around 200 calories. It's a pretty fast microwavable lunch.
I love taking lunch to work because one; you save money instead of eating out and two, you know what you put in your food. I definitely agree about debunking the second myth. There's a whole world of difference between being frugal and being cheap. Being Frugal is being practical and smart with your money while being cheap is an annoying personality flaw. Being frugal is having a great sense of priorities. Saving money for important stuff like bills and mortgages is better than splurging on a Vegas weekend.
I've caught myself picking things up that I don't really need just because they're on sale. It seems so good because it's marked down, but even if it's cheaper than normal, it's pointless if you don't really need it.
This article was an enormous help to me! I work from home and find myself falling into many of these traps all the time! I plan on putting some of these tips to good work tomorrow at work! Can't wait to be more productive!
Meeting people. Whether it be online (social media) or in person, this is the most important thing in my opinion. Have meaningful conversations with people and you will find job opportunities.
Investopedia is my personal favorite. The information on there truly is invaluable.
We always use our AAA discount on hotel rooms and always eat the continental breakfast, if they provide one. We don't travel very much. I get homesick after being gone from home for about 3 days, so I guess that saves us money, too!
Thanks for the reply. That's a very good point and one I hadn't thought of. My wife and I scheduled to meet our financial planner in the next week. I'll ask about that.
As a side note, I was at a political rally here in Michigan this past week. I struck up a conversation with a man that was 74 years old. He said his biggest mistake was not getting whole life. At his age now, he can't get anything and with the market crash he couldn't sustain the lifestyle he had built up as he was living off his investments. Which are mostly now gone.
Perhaps whole life should be seen as just a part of a well balanced portfolio.
I definitely agree with your comment about going crazy about sales. I believe it is a HUGE mistake people make in the name of couponing or a good sale. They believe they will use that certain product later, even if they really don't need it. I definitely don't believe that it's frugal to spend on something just because there is a sale. People should make sure that they can use whatever it is before they use that coupon or go to that sale.
I love that you mention frugal living being the opposite of sacrificing. When people find out that we buy clothing at thrift stores or pack our lunch every day, they actually feel sorry for us! They THINK that we do those things because we can't afford the "good stuff". The truth is we actually prefer to be frugal/cheap/thrifty. I get far more satisfaction out of a great garage sale steal than I would shopping in the mall any day.
This site rocks ! = P i don't travel very often... usually just twice/year but i'm always up how to save money !
Thanks for sharing your experience indeed. Btw let me know if you or your buddies want to visit Selinunte, the ancient Greek archaeological site on the south coast of Sicily. I own a two floors house in Partanna which i could rent for very little cash.
I carpool- everyone chips in on gas.
I responded on Twitter. Sorry, I'm having a hard time copying the link on a tablet, but it's from @1bets1. (does that count? lol )
I like you on Facebook.
Your # 6 myth is especially right on. Unfortunately there are a lot of "incentive solution providers" whose main objective is to get you to purchase their merchandise, gift cards etc. They don't focus enough on the process i.e. clearly communicating goals and expectations, consistent positive reinforcement etc.
My last trip, my travel agent got me a good deal on hotel and airfare. What saved us a bunch of money was bringing empty reusable water bottles. The two of us can easily drink 12 or more bottles out in the sun. The hotel had an outdoor water cooler that we refilled from.
I use miles and points to travel cheaply. I recently redeemed points for $804 in airline tickets and $508 in hotel rooms. My wife and I are going to have a luxury vacation at an affordable price--our first nice vacation since our honeymoon almost 4 years ago. I am already blogging about my experiences and I would love to write a guest post. Love the site, by the way! I've just found it.
I try to travel to places where I know someone who will let me stay with them for free.
If I don't know anyone where I am going, I make sure to plan my time around the free things the destination has to offer, such as museums, parks, hiking, and simply exploring the area.
I stay away from shopping centers. Photos and the rocks on the ground are souvenirs enough for me!
I agree with all the points you included about landscaping for energy conservation. Some ways are definitely more conservative than others. I would like to add that using installing a Rain Sensor to your sprinkler system will help you save money because rain sensors know to delay your sprinkler system so that you are not wasting water when it's going to rain or snow or freeze over.
But other than that, I would have nothing else to add. Great read.
https://twitter.com/#!/missluckybreaks/status/172445880014733313
Liked you on Facebook!
I subscribe to the travel deal sites I trust, and I get deals emailed right to my inbox. I then plan my trip way in advance when there's a sale. The web is a wonderful thing, and if you use it right, you can save tons of money!
Drive to Buffalo and fly from there - Cost of flying out of Toronto is astronomical, and far worse than the cost of gas to drive to Buffalo.
At CreditSense we help people with their credit recovery. There's a problem with your #1 pick. People who are forced to get a secured card are typically in a credit rebuilding mode. They go secured because they need a card to report positively on their credit. The Orchard card, although they typically report to all three bureaus, have a natural cap on the positive they contribute to a person's credit score. Readers are far better off if they go with a major bank secured card like your #2-#5 picks.
One of the easiest things I do when traveling on the cheap is getting taxi transportation outside of the airport grounds. This is easier in some airports than others. Historically, I have found that taxi companies who lease the right to service the airport charge high rates just because they can and because they have a lot of overhead. By walking off the grounds you can often find taxis that are willing to charge you considerably less. I have saved at least half. This is especially helpful in Mexico and other Central/South American countries where you get bombarded by transportation providers as soon as you get out of customs.
There is a great Vegan brand named Right Foods which has a line of ready-to-eat soups and Asian Entrees, all around 200 calories. It's a pretty fast microwavable lunch.