How much do you think you save by being frugal?
By cutepenguin
@cutepenguin (6431)
Canada
September 21, 2008 12:46pm CST
You know how there are often articles about things like: save $5000 a year by doing these seven things?
The seven things are often things I don't do anyway. Like, it'll say to cut back on salon visits/manicures pedicures. Or to start bringing your lunch from home, which my husband and I already do.
We are frugal in a lot of little ways though. I try to reuse as much as possible, we plan our trips so as to use our car less, my husband bikes to work, and we buy healthy but inexpensive food. Still, since we never bought coffee or lunch everyday, does it count as being frugal or saving money? Because if so, I've saved thousands this year by not buying a BMW and not eating dinner in restaurants everyday.
Seriously, I think I save an extra $10 a week by reusing materials, buying generic brands, stretching our meals, and turning off lights or other devices as much as possible.
2 people like this
6 responses
@cjthedog64 (1552)
• United States
22 Sep 08
I consider myself to be pretty frugal. I don't know how much we've saved, but I am able to stay home with our kids, and we can still do some fun stuff and not feel like we're tightwads because we've saved some money to do it. We haven't put our savings in the bank, just used it to do the stuff we want to instead of splurging on basic stuff and then having to go into debt for the extras.
1 person likes this
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
22 Sep 08
This makes sense. We save money in some areas so that we can spend money on the things we want. (Of course, for us right now it's saving money so that we can pay down our debt as quickly as possible)
1 person likes this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
22 Sep 08
I agree that too often, we're given tactics that are of use only for those who blow money left and right, which is the majority of people any more. When I read about how someone saved XX dollars by buying generic instead of brand name, or someone's discovery that you can actually find good quality clothing second hand, I just have to shake my head and go on.
Much of what passes for frugal advice is simple common sense that people shouldn't have to even be told to do. Maybe it's because I've been frugal all my life and it's all old news now! It would be impossible to say how much I save by being frugal, but I live quite well on much less than most people earn.
1 person likes this
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
22 Sep 08
This is how I feel too. I especially find it funny when they calculate out that you will save X dollars by not having a lawn service or something. I don't think it's an overwhelmingly common thing for people who are pinching pennies to have excess services.
1 person likes this
@rosettaresearch (1285)
• United States
23 Sep 08
I love those articles too. Like bounce fewer checks to save fees. Now everyone bounces a check occassionaly, but if you are bouncing them every month, you got bigger problems than budgetary.
If I told you I had saved over $100 on groceries in the last month would you believe me? And I did it without going without anything, without eating those high in sodium rice/pasta roni meals or going solely generic. It's a matter of working your coupons right. Use a coupon to buy stuff when it is already on sale (something a dollar off already, then you have a coupon for $1 off, saves you $2 total). Stockpile, stockpile, stockpile. Buy stuff you KNOW you will need in the future, when it is on sale so you don't have to buy it when it is not on sale.
That is what saves money. Not cutting out salon visits.
@snowy22315 (182357)
• United States
21 Sep 08
I am generally frugal. The only thing athat I really spend money on is dining out. I really enjoy that. There are not too many other things that I spemd alot of money on.
I buy as little as possible really. I dont have the money to spend and alos for the most part I am the only one here so I dont need alot of things. It is counterproductive.
1 person likes this
@beaniecat (329)
• United States
28 Sep 08
I'm sure it counts that you don't do those things in the first place. You just started out more frugal than most. I stopped using the dry cycle on our dishwasher and let the dishes air dry. I actually noticed a difference in our electric bill. I want to run an experiment and unplug everything in the house to the point that the electric dial stops spinning - then turn on all the computers, VCRS etc., that are left on constantly in the house to show my husband and daughter just how much electricity LEAKS out by waste!
@thebeaddoodler (4262)
• Lubbock, Texas
23 Sep 08
Yeah! I have to laugh at these articles that talk about frugal living, save so many thousand dollars a year. Who are they talking to? Not me, cause If I saved that much money a year, I'd nearly double my income and that's not going to happen! 
Frugal living is a way of life for me and I sometimes wonder how people can make $40 or $50 thousand a year and have nothing! Especially in my area. In some places that wouldn't be much, but here it is.
Frugal living is a way of life for me and I sometimes wonder how people can make $40 or $50 thousand a year and have nothing! Especially in my area. In some places that wouldn't be much, but here it is.