Do you find yourself having to become more thrifty?
By hezoid
@hezoid (2144)
June 15, 2008 4:51pm CST
It seems like these days more than ever the cost of living is going up and up, and of course as always wages are just simply not matching up to it! Money is stretching less and less further by the day, i've had to cut back on so many things and i wouldn't say i've ever been particularly lavish or frivolous with my money, i've always been careful with it as money has always been a bit tight but these days it seems i have to go without most things as the money i earn pays little more than the mortgage, bills & groceries etc. So i'm becoming very thrifty, making do with what i have, selling off stuff i don't need, going to the cheapest places to get food and only cooking cheaper meals or coking up batchesof food to freeze becuase it's cheaper. I used to chuckle at some of the ways people were saving money and think how funny the phrase 'frugal living' sounded, but now i've started following some of those ways and checking out how to live much more frugally. I'm guessing i'm not the only one?
2 people like this
10 responses
@Elixiress (3878)
•
15 Jun 08
I do to a certain degree. I would rather sell something that I am not using rather than throwing it away. I am also willing to buy things second hand off the internet, which was more unsure about doing a few years ago, however I do still prefer buying things brand new the shops. I also look around for the best price rather than just buying it in the first place I see it, because the first place is not always the cheapest place.
2 people like this
@Elixiress (3878)
•
17 Jun 08
Yeah you can get clothes quite cheaply. I tend to buy them in the sale or from places like Primark as I tend to get bored of clothes quite quickly and it is a waste of money spending a lot on a t-shirt or something.
2 people like this
@janiceancajas (227)
• Philippines
17 Jun 08
No one is living abundant these days. All suffers of high prices but salary remain the same and suffers shortage of basic commodities. Even business is not doing good these days. Frugal living is badly needed for all of us to survive in this crisis. Before, I bought things that the only reason is "i just like it" but today, it is not practical anymore. We only buy what is really needed and save for the future necessities.
@knight_rlc26 (362)
• Philippines
25 Jun 08
Nowadays, i used to practice that quality of mine because today's cost of living is to hi that you should be practical enough and budget you money wisely. it is not wrong to become thrifty i think... i am just saving money for other important things...
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
21 Jun 08
Yes, I am the same way too.
Ten years ago, when times got really tough for us,
I was only accustomed to the finest things and food
in life.
So, it was a real struggle to cut expenses.
Now it is second nature. I turn off all lights not
being used in rooms that are empty.
We use window air conditioners and not the central
air conditioner and that saves a great deal of money.
I use my crockpot to cook big meals that satisfy
both our stomachs and my desire to be frugal.
And we watch free movies online, instead of renting
movies or getting cable TV.
It works out for us.
1 person likes this
@twinrachel (215)
•
25 Jun 08
I do not have to be thrifty as luckily my husband and I are both earning. However, I am being more frugal as I am using all my spare money to pay my mortgage off early. I am finding that my grocery bills do seem to be increasing very rapidly and I am thinking carefully about what I am buying in order to try to save money.
1 person likes this
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
17 Jun 08
I find myself being very careful with what i spend money on, I've been making sure to take lunches rather than go buy a lunch or if i do purchase a lunch i make sure its items from a grocery store rather than a restaurant. I've been car pooling a bit with others and working extra hours. I'm less likely to buy new items these days unless its necessary or something I've been saving for.
1 person likes this
@academic2 (7000)
• Uganda
10 Jul 08
THese are hard economic times, am literary cutting down on nearly everthing, I dont even remember hwen I last ate beef! The price here has doubled-I keep sayng beef is unhealthy to people who want it but deep in me I no, I cant afford it now!
@highflyingxangel (9225)
• United States
12 Jul 08
I've definitely become more frugal. I don't really buy new things unless I really need them or feel like I should treat myself and that's pretty rare. I've taken to selling some books of mine on Amazon that are just sitting around the house. I mean, I'm not reading them, I don't want them so they're just taking up space. And if someone wants them and I can sell them, I'm benefiting in two ways. I used to love buying books but now when I buy, I tend to buy used because they're cheaper and still readable. I just try to cut all the corners I can.
@nancyrowina (3850)
•
15 Jul 08
I'm having to get as much out of food as possible to save money, making bubble and squeak out of left overs and such (bubble and squeak is just all you leftover vegetables mashed together and fried up in case you don't call it that in the US). I also learned a good trick on here for potatoes, if you have potatoes that are going off mash them and freeze them and you don't have to peel potatoes for weeks too. 
Another one I learned but haven't been using recently (I should do as my electricity bill is huge) Boil the kettle once in the morning and fill a thermos flask with the water to save you having to boil the kettle lots during the day.
Another one I learned but haven't been using recently (I should do as my electricity bill is huge) Boil the kettle once in the morning and fill a thermos flask with the water to save you having to boil the kettle lots during the day.
@ryzach (1544)
• United States
15 Jul 08
I have always been thrifty but even more so now especially with the high fuel costs. Now even saving (or even earning) pennies is important. I pick up coins on the ground, save up aluminum cans, mylot, surveys, clip coupons, buy EVERYTHING on sale, turn off lights, use less water, wash only full loads, walk more, pack my lunch etc. All these seem to add up and help to save. We buy only essentials and try to save which has been extremely hard lately. Yes I have become much more thrifty!
