is frugal living/saving money a matter of luck?

I am a clearance freak! During the winter months I spend a lot of time at the mall as there is nothing else to do and we are lucky enough to have a great play area in our mall for my daughter. I have found that clearance is a hit or miss. Because I shop so often I happen to find some thing very often. JcPenny has really good clearance. I seem to find every thing for dollars, same with Sears. I have found that going to deparment stores isn't so bad if you are disiplined enough to only look at clearance racks. I have found stuff there cheaper then at a thrift store. In fact I recently found curtains originally 45 bucks for 2.99. They are heavy and more for winter then spring summer but what they hey for that price I'll save them for winter time. I was at JCpenny's last week and found 6 shirts for 15 bucks! Plus I had a 5 dollars off 10 or more coupon so I spent like 11 dollars on 6 shirts for me - the mom who never gets stuff! (as I'm sure you understand) Anyway yeah I think finding that bargain is a luck thing. I know a few people that can never find clearance as good as me and they try. On our honeymoon which was a place we would have never picked because it was so expensive but it was bought for us. We were looking through the shops and I came across a hutch with all kinds of different things the sales lady came over and said every thing on there is 50% off! My husband looked at me and said only you could find clearance on Captiva!

I think you can plan to save money but sometimes when you need something and just end up at the right place at the right time, or open a sales paper and find a great sale that you just can't pass up, that's definitely luck. I love when things work out like that too. It doesn't happen all the time but it's definitely great when it does.

It can be luck when you just happen to go to the thrift store and there happens to be something that you want on sale or when you happen to go to the grocers and they just happen to have the stuff that you want at half price off or you drop in at the Mall, you have money with you, and it just happens that something is on sale, that you really needed but could not afford until then. That is the luck part. Now the savings part is what you always did, but you had no idea that on the day you decided to go to the thrift store that the flip flops were on sale, so that was a matter of luck. If there were regular price, it would have been due to your careful planning.

I think that shopping at thrift stores is a logical reaction to the price increases. It is a matter of finding the right bargains and making sure that you only purchase what you need.

Hi Sweet Sometimes it is luck but it is skill also You have to pay attention and grab a bargain when it pops up and keep in mind those places where you find them. xxx

i think its partly a matter of luck and partly a matter of looking for sales and knowing what is a good sale price or a bad one. Freecycle however the right thing on there being given away is so a matter of luck and patience.

i believe so... i don't find good bargains everytime i go shopping... only sometimes... and it is very rare... so i believe that frugal living and saving money when going out shopping is also a matter of luck... i am so happy whenever i find good bargain and i always try to look for good bargain whenever i go out shopping... i can say that i am a pretty good bargain hunter... take care and have a nice day...

it is sometimes the case of luck. you never know when you are going to get how much discount. but it matters sometimes like this.still it need our own effort as well.we should not buy things we do not need.

I think finding great bargains is definatly a matter of luck.I check our local thrift shop everytime I go out, and 've found some really great stuff.

Sometimes it is - when you just happen upon something that you need at a lowered price. I think a lot has to do with actively looking for a better deal on what you need - reading the papers and checking the weekly circulars. Often it is necessary to frequently check the thrift stores in order to find what you're actually needing, and you may have to go to a couple different grocery stores to get what you're needing on sale. You do have to beware, however, of buying things just because they're on special or a good deal - it's not a good deal if you don't really need it and spend money that you don't need to spend. I have also found that often, something I could really use is on sale, but I don't have the money to buy it at that point in time. Grrrrrrrr!

Yes it is as you can always come across a bargain or a cheap/free supple of an essential item, such as toiletries!

Hi cher, I don't think it's a matter of luck. Sometimes maybe, but frugal living or saving money is a matter of discipline and mind set. From the instances that you have stated, it seems its a matter of luck. But I guess it's not. It's because you are determined to just live within your means and live frugal that you took notice of the half price sale. While most spendthrift do not notice those opportunities to save from the best offers. Have a great day!

When shopping at a thrift store I definately think it is a matter of luck finding what you want and getting a good deal. The local thrift store I shop at has 1/2 price sales on the first Friday and Saturday of each month. I usually try to go in a couple of days early to scope it out and just hope (luck be with me) that the item is still there Friday morning for the sale. As far as shopping for sales at my favorite stores I think it is a combination of timing and some luck. For some of my grocery shopping I go to a local discount market where you never know what they are going to have in stock so it is always kind of fun and exciting to see what they have.

i have been doing this for 40 yrs. when my hubby was alive, he used to say , you know you dont have to buy second hand any more. but still i was so used to saving money i couldnt resist thift stores and yard sales. i used to tell him , you can take the girl out of poverty, but you cant take the poverty out of the girl!

Sometimes it probably is, but I do think for the most part it is a matter of looking out for bargains and thinking before spending. You have to notice the bargains and the for sales signs. I know many that never do. having to save as much as possible for a while taught me always to notice these things. We have lots more spending-money now

Sure, it's a matter of luck, sometimes. You can increase your odds by knowing when to shop for clearance sales. You can buy some things for summer now because everything is on clearance, then wait until the beginning of fall to stock up on fall items. You can also search online and look in the paper for sales. But often, such as in the thrift store, it is a matter of luck. Not only finding extra discounts, but finding nice things that fit. I love to shop a couple of local consignment shops for clothes for my son. Sometimes I find great things, other times nothing. It's the luck of the draw in those cases.

Sure it is. You can be frugal and watch for sales, shop the thrift stores, don't buy unnecessarily, but there is always the chance that you'll just happen on a wonderful bargain without even trying. In my case this happened just yesterday. I just started a discussion in this area about my new toy. That was definitely luck!

Eevry pennny couns and saving cash is work and not luck. Keep a jar for your spare change. It adds up quick. also, clip coupons for the store..people can do real well wiht them. Every spare dollar you find, put it away and don't touch it. Every time you get $5 put it into a bank account and have one account you refuse to touch, no matter what! The economy right now makes it hard? But if you work at it, it can still be done! If you have not done it yet..CUT UP all credit cards! EVERY LAST ONE you have. Why pay back and extra 20 cents or so on/for every dollar you spend? Only use cash and stay in budget. It is not easy, but it has to be learned. You may have to cut a few things, but in the long run it does also save!

Yes, I think so sometimes. I think my biggest problem is that I see something on sale and I dont pick it up because I am trying to save to much money, but I end up buying it later when I have more money at the full price. I should have just bought it on sale even when I may have not had the extra money because it would have saved me in the long run.