One of the most direct ways to change your life? You need to change your attitude.
No one else is responsible for what happens to you but you, so you can either complain about the things you don’t like in your life or you can set about changing them. Not surprisingly, this directly relates to the state of your finances.
If you’re tired of living paycheck to paycheck, having your phone regularly cut off, or making excuses to skip dinners with your friends, then you can use these seven habits to take control of your money situation and live a happier and more frugal lifestyle.
Habit One: Be Proactive
The first habit to develop is to take responsibility; if you fail, you have no one to blame but yourself. Regardless of how you were raised or how you were treated at school, you can choose your behavior now. Being proactive means understanding that YOU are in control of your day-to-day interactions, and thereby, the direction your life takes. This is in stark comparison to a reactive person, who is often affected by their environment and will find external sources to blame for their behavior. For example, if the weather is good, they’re in a good mood, but if the weather is bad, it affects them and they blame the weather for their bad mood.
[Here are 6 action steps to take when you feel financially vulnerable.]
What most people forget is that though you can’t control the stimulus, you can control your response. One of your most important choices is your words; the language you use is an effective indication of how you see yourself. If you use proactive language, such as “I can” or “I will,” you’re starting with a more positive attitude than someone who uses language like “I can’t” or “I have to” or “If only.”
How to be proactive for effective frugality:
- Take the first step. You cannot take control of your finances until you make the commitment to do so; the more you ignore the situation, the worse it will get. Instead, take a long hard look at your finances — your budget, debts, income, and expenses, and try to understand where your money is going and where you can budget better. (To help you out, here are 25 ways to pay off your debt more easily.)
- Tell people. Using proactive language to vocalize your hope of being more financially responsible not only helps you crystallize your goal, but it can also help you avoid the peer pressure that makes budgeting and frugality hard. If you explain to your friends and family that you’re trying to live a more frugal lifestyle, they’ll be less likely to pressure you into one more round of drinks or another dinner out.
- Listen. Listen to yourself and to the reasons you give each time you make a purchase outside of your budget or decide not to put spare money into your savings account. Taking the time to stop and listen to the reasons you give yourself for spending more than you earn will give you the opportunity to hear just how shallow many of those reasons are. This can stop you from making purchases that impede your goal of effective frugality.
Habit Two: Begin with the End in Mind
Those who are effective in achieving their goals are able to envisage their desired end result in spite of the obstacles. Effective people adhere to this habit based on the principle that all things are created twice; there is first the mental creation, then the physical creation. The physical creation follows the mental creation the same way that a building follows its blueprints.
If you don’t visualize what you want, then you’re at risk of other people and external circumstances influencing your life — because you’re not influencing it yourself. Instead, begin every day and every task with a clear vision of where you want to go and how you’re going to get there. Make that vision a reality with your proactive skills from habit one.
How to visualize effective frugality:
- Define your goal. There are many ways to live a frugal lifestyle, and you need to decide how frugal you want to be. Do you want to be debt free, build a savings account of a certain value, or live on one income in a two-income household?
- Decide how you’re going to get there. This will again draw on your budget, but you need to be aware of the obstacles that are standing in your way. These may be literal obstacles, such as credit card debts, or they may be obstacles you’ve identified in your behavior. An example of a behavioral obstacle would be spending $10 every day on junk food on your way home from work, because you’re starving. Instead, you could be packing an inexpensive granola bar to keep you going until dinner. Or, do you find that when you go shopping with your sister, she always helps you justify a frivolous purchase, when you could leave your credit card at home?
MoneyNing Tip: Make sure your goals are SMART!
Habit Three: Put First Things First
Knowing WHY you’re doing something is an incredible motivator in helping you transform a mental creation into an actual physical creation of your goal. Ask yourself what the things are that you find most valuable and worthy to you. When you put these things first, you’ll be organizing and managing your time around your personal priorities to make them a reality.
For many people, it’s hard to say no, but this is exactly the skill you have to learn to keep your goals as your first priority. While we are constantly told we can have it all, in reality, having it all is really about prioritizing what is most important to YOU to have, and then focusing on that.
How to put effective frugality first:
- Recognize the effects of your finances. You may not dedicate as much time as you should to managing your finances and practicing frugal principles because you feel there’s always something more important to be doing — whether it’s work, taking the kids to soccer practice, or getting ready for dinner with the girls. If your finances aren’t under control, however, and you’re regularly spending more than you earn, then they’re having a negative impact on every other aspect of your life, from your work to your family and friends. You need to recognize that being frugal is your first priority.
- Just say no. It’s easy to spend more than your budgeted amount each month when you’re worried about missing out on a dinner with friends, feel as though you have to cater a birthday party for your son and 50 of his closest friends, or don’t want to wear the same suit to a work conference two years in a row. If you recognize that you don’t have to take on everything and that it’s okay to say no, then you’ll find you’re more in control of your spending and your budget.
Habit Four: Think Win-Win
Most of us are taught to base our self-worth on comparisons to others and competition against our peers. We think we can only succeed if someone else has failed. We’re also taught that there’s only so much pie to go around, so if you get a big piece, then someone else is missing out. When you think like this, you’re going to feel like nothing is ever fair. As a result, many of us retaliate and take the pie before someone else can take it from us.
Thinking in a win-win mindset allows you to see mutual benefits from all of your interactions. By doing this, you’ll see that the pie tastes even better when it’s shared. If you can approach conflicts and problems with a win-win attitude, you’ll be able to express your ideas and feelings with courage, while still maintaining consideration for the feelings and ideas of others. When you have an abundance mentality, you’re able to see that there is enough for everyone, and that by balancing your confidence with empathy, you can achieve your goals while helping others achieve theirs.
How to create frugal win-win situations:
- Recognize that you don’t always know the full story. As you aim to implement frugal principles and stick to a budget, you may often find yourself thinking “it’s not fair.” It’s not fair that they get to go out to dinner. It’s not fair that they get a new car. It’s not fair that they get to go on vacation, and I don’t. Take the time to realize, however, that you’re only seeing a small part of the finances of your friends and family who seem to “have it all.” And though it’s hard to watch your best friend take a dream European holiday, or your brother buy the car you covet, you’ll get there, too — if you manage your finances frugally. And the best part? There will still be plenty of holiday destinations and fast cars when that time rolls around.
- Understand the difference between possessions and net worth. While your friends and family may seem to have a fuller lifestyle because their house is bigger or their car is newer, you need to consider that it could just be a facade covering their mountains of debt. True wealth is not measured in possessions, but in assets. When the value of your assets is greater than the amount you owe on mortgages, car loans, and credit card debts, then you have a strong net worth and are truly wealthy. By trying to live a more effectively frugal lifestyle, you’ll be able to achieve true wealth, rather than just a life full of stuff.
MoneyNing Tip: When building wealth, remember to look at the big picture, too.
Habit Five: Communication
At its base, communication is the desire to be heard and understood. Most people will listen with the intention to reply to what you’re saying, rather than to understand what you’ve said. To effectively communicate, you need to first understand. If you communicate with the sole intention of being understood, you may ignore what others are saying and miss their meaning entirely. Don’t just wait for your turn to talk; pay attention to what people are trying to tell you.
How listening can help you be effectively frugal:
- You are not the only person in your life. Chances are you’re married or in a relationship, have friends or children, or all of the above. As a result, you’re not the only person being affected by your decision to live a more frugal lifestyle. To be effective in your goal of frugality, you need to be able to listen to and understand the goals and behaviors of the other people in your life, too. Consider how effective your frugality would be if you were taking packed lunches to work and avoiding the afternoon coffee run, while your partner was going on shopping sprees during their lunch break. Instead of living a more frugal lifestyle, you’d really be saving on one end and spending on the other.
- Understand the goals and needs of others. While it’s important to explain your desire to live more frugally, it’s also important that you understand the goals and needs of those around you. This way, you can find a way to be more frugal without them having to give up all of the things that are most important to them. You can’t know what those things are unless you listen.
Habit Six: Synergize
Interactions and teamwork are some of the most important ways you can learn new skills and more effective behaviors. Synergizing is the habit of creative cooperation — working as a team to find new solutions to existing problems. Synergy is not something that just happens. It’s a process where you bring all of your personal experience and expertise to the table, enabling more effective results than those you would have been able to achieve individually. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
When you have genuine interactions with people, you’re able to gain new insights and see new approaches to your problems — ones you might not have thought of before.
How to synergize for effective frugality:
- Look for new ways. In a society that excels at consumerism, you’ve probably already realized that you need to find new ways of doing just about everything to be frugal. It’s easy to buy your lunch every day, but it’s more frugal to pack it. It’s easy to drive to work, but it’s more frugal to take the train. It’s easy to buy a new cocktail dress, but it’s more frugal to make one.
- Surround yourself with other frugal people. To be successful in your quest for frugality, surround yourself with like-minded people. Find people who are where you want to be by joining online frugal-living forums, striking up a friendship with a fellow coupon-cutter, or starting a sewing club. When you’re around people with the same goals as you, you’ll be able to share ideas and learn from each other.
MoneyNing Tip: Learn to embrace the positive influence of saving money.
Habit Seven: Sharpen the Saw
You’re the greatest asset you have on your journey to achieving the lifestyle you want, so you need to look after yourself physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Taking the time to renew yourself in these areas of your life will give you strength to maintain the previous six habits, which are essential for your success.
How to frugally renew yourself:
- Physically. By eating better, you’ll feel better. Take it another step further and start your own vegetable patch, which will save you money at the supermarket and be healthier for you. Exercising keeps you fit and healthy, and it doesn’t cost you anything to go for a walk, ride a bike, or skip rope in the backyard. To rest your body, you don’t need to go to a day spa; you can simply relax in the tub at home.
- Emotionally. Interacting socially with others allows you to make meaningful connections, and it makes you feel good. This can be achieved by chatting with the woman at the coffee shop or by calling your mom once a week.
- Mentally. Exercising and expanding your mind through learning, reading, writing, and teaching can be done frugally. Visit your local library, or volunteer at a school or retirement home to teach others a skill you may be taking for granted.
- Spiritually. Spend time close to nature and expand your spiritual self through meditation, music, art, or prayer. Take a quiet moment to center yourself and empty your mind before going to bed. Or, go for a hike and be grateful for the beauty of nature surrounding you.
Frugality doesn’t mean having to give up all the luxuries and things which make you happy. Don’t get burned out by developing habits one through six without taking the time to renew yourself. Frugality is something you want to develop and maintain for the long-term. Follow these seven habits, and you’ll be on your way to becoming a highly frugal person.
Do you consider yourself a highly frugal person? How did you get there?
This post was originally written by Alban, and a parody of the amazing book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. He’s a personal finance writer for Finder.com.au.
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Interesting article, but was there a tax on commas or something? It’s been a while since I’ve seen so many run-on sentences.
Seriously, though, lots of very good tips and info–although I will take serious exception to the suggestion that making a cocktail dress is cheaper than buying one. Even without taking the time involved into account, good fabric for a nice dress, patterns, zippers, ribbons, buttons, etc., etc. can run into serious money. Probably much better, if this is an area to scrimp, to do so by shopping outlet stores, consignment shops, or even resale like Goodwill. Dressy dresses can be had there for a song.
Get the kids involved in the frugal life style.
First, give them a very specific budget for clothing and other non-allowance activities–and keep track of where they are.
Second, when on vacation, give them a budget before you leave for souvenirs and discretionary items. Let them know before they make a purchase how much will be left in their budget. Be firm. My kids nearly always ended up with budget money left over.
Third–get them involved in coupon clipping. If they found a coupon I could use, they got 50% of the savings. As they got older, they had to find the item in the grocery store and bring it to me.
Excellent ideas here, especially kids helping with coupon clipping and getting 50% of the savings.
Go to work, then stay home. done
I am a huge believer and follower of budgeting or as I like to call it profit saving. It all starts with the little things like: cutting back on the unnecessary things; planning effectively in all aspects of your life…from grocery and meal planning all the way to investments and wills; reusing and fixing instead of throwing out and buying; etc. leads to bigger pay offs in the end. Start the habit and success follows.
Joining a CSA (community supported agriculture) is a great way to save money on produce. I get a ton of organic produce each week for about $12. a week. It runs from June to November.
Saving money on your budget for food is a good place to start. After all, half the world lives on less than two dollars a day. I challeged readers on my blog to eat on less than two dollars a day for sixty consecutive days and showed them what I learned from the experiment. It turns out that the exercise forces you to eat more healthy, less snack, fast foods and over prepared foods.
Another habit they have is being very annoying
After reading this, it made me more enthused to live this kind of lifestyle. I was so encouraged. Thanks for sharing.
It is NOT impossible to pay off your mortgage, put your kid in private school and take vacations every year. It is simple people! Stop running up your credit cards and buying flat screen TV’s, over priced cars, designer label clothes/shoes, crap your kids don’t need and houses that you can’t afford.!!!!
Too many of you live this way and have the nerve to think that other people refuse to live extravagant lifestyles and still be happy!
I was once in the dark like many of you, until I stopped. I paid off debt, stopped using credit cards and paid of my car in only 2 years. I am now working on paying off student loan debt with a goal of 3 years.It can be done! Maybe one day the little light bulb will go off in your head and you will realize that 50% of the crap you have you don’t even need!
I don’t have any of those things. I don’t have cable, I have a ten-year old Saturn, and I have 40K in student loans. I’m still in school, work and make about $12. hour. How do you fix that?
Go to your local church and tithe, it will come back to you ten fold and fix your 40k loan. Start talking to God, he wants to hear from you, then he will help you if you truly believe. After that you will soon be making more than $12 an hour, give it time though.
Just like the book … this article goes over like a lead balloon. The condescending, almost preaching tone is a turn off. I would imagine this is a huge turn off to people how are seeking help with finances. The concept of the book sucked, even back in 1989. The concept being applied to finances in 2011 does more than just suck. It is stupid. Please keep the Guest Contributor from posting anything here. Guest Contributor should create his/her own blog. Then, s/he would truly understand how many people really want to read this kind of drivel.
Lead balloon? I thought that expression referred to failures or disappointments. So then I guess 15 million failures bought the book. The majority of the comments on this thread encourages others to be frugal and the tips people shared from personal experience I found encouraging. If that does not encourage you, fine, you have the right to your opinion, but grant those of us that have a “the-glass-is-half-full” view on life to continue to do so.
To the Christians that believe that tithing or giving to the church will miraculously solve all financial problems – wake up. Faith in God as your provider does not mean that your giving becomes a genie that you rub to just balance your check book. The so-called “90” % should still be managed well. If we are irresponsible with money – no matter how much we give – we will bear the consequences of our actions. Giving with the right attitude gives perspective about the appriopriate place of money and belongings, and I do not feel compelled to buy the latest brands and gadgets. Setting a monthly budget, and religiously sticking to it is the only way to be accountable. Like Murphy’s law – if something can go wrong it will – one has to close all the possible gaps when we are broke before the end of the month. I do not have a lot of credit card debt, but as a sign of my commitment, I cut it up recently to ensure that I cannot be driven by emotion and run to the shops. I am also distinguishing between what I want and what I need. My wife in fact needs a new car, but we want a Toyota. I have driven a Hyundai for years and am rather satisfied with it, so we will sacrifice our “want”for a Toyota and happily buy a Hyundai, knowing that we will live within our means. And of course we will not buy a new car. Waiting for that “lady driver” that is selling a 2-3 year old car with low mileage is our goal. Unfortunately it is not just one or two ideas that makes the difference. One has to be blunt with cost cutting. Itsnt it strange that at work we can save millions for our employers in cost savings, but at home we dont follow the same logic?????
What happened to the days when kids worn hand-me-downs or pants with patches and when eating out when reserved for special occasions? Being “poor” is a such a bad thing in our society that people would rather be bankrupt than deprive themselves (or their kids, etc.) of things that they think they need, but really don’t. Is it really necessary to buy Christmas presents for adults? Can’t we just give modest gifts to the kids and then share some of our extra resources with people who don’t even have what they really need?
We work too much so that we can afford to eat, drink, and spend too much. Then to get fat, develop diabetes, cirrhosis of the liver, and declare bankruptcy at least once before we retire and are forced to live off a Social Security check that is way below what we are used to spending because we didn’t save for retirement. So, then we become depressed and try to remember a time when we could buy what we wanted, but we can’t because we now have a fading memory and can’t remember those days much. Of course, we don’t want to think about dying-ever. Afterall, we really didn’t think that would happen to us. But, guess what? It did. Our spouses and children scramble to find the money to bury us because we did’t buy life insurance-too depressing. The children are overwhelmed with it all that they start to eat, drink, and spend too much. So, then…
The cycle never ends. This happens every day. I have seen this many, many times.
If everyone would just put their lives in the LORDS hands then you would not have to worry about any of these frugal life styles. Just tithe 10% to your church and everything will work itself out. JUST BELIEVE IN HIM
That article wasn’t about frugality. It was about being in control of yourself.
“The first habits of highly effective people is to take responsibility for your life, there is no one else to blame but yourself.”
This is TWO sentences. And habit should be singular. Good start!
Call yourself a writer??
Rating Obama on the 7-Habits of Highly Frugal People
1. Be Proactive
Obama is reactive not proactive. A reactive person is often affected by their environment and will find external sources to blame for their behavior. The only times Obama is proactive is when he is screwing the American people (e.g. Obamacare).
2. Begin with the End in Mind
Planning for the future is not in Obama’s playbook. He does only the things that will re-elect him, not what is good for our country in the long term. For example, Obama’s Win the Future (WTF). It is WTF to the rest of us.
3. Put First Things First
Obama puts his personal life first; the life of our country a distant second. He is just a boy who can’t say no. Can’t say no to his liberal base; can’t say no to unions; and can’t say no to our enemies.
4. Think Win-Win
With Obama it is his way or the highway. Tells others to compromise but doesn’t compromise himself. He tries hard, it seems, to divide this country – Rep vs. Dem; Blacks vs. Whites; Unions vs. Scabs; and Capitalists vs. Socialists.
5. Communication
Obama communicates with the sole intention of being understood. Thus he misses and often ignores what others are saying and thereby misses their meaning entirely.
6. Synergize
To synergize is the habit of creative cooperation. Obama has talked about cooperation but never walks the talk.
7. Sharpen the Saw
To sharpen the saw you need to look after yourself. Obama spends more time on vacation, or on expensive gambits at taxpayer expense, than he spends in the WH. In fact we could set up a time-share arrangement for the WH and off-set part of his exorbitant expenses.
“quart low”? try a few gallons low…
One could go point by point and show examples of how wrong you are but it really isn’t about the facts for you is it? We get it, you didn’t vote for Obama but do you think you are fooling anyone with you fantasy rants?
Take it down a notch bro, this is a personal finance blog. There are plenty right wingnut sites that would be more appropriate to list your fantasies.
What is an expensive gambit? I have never come across one, but I recognize someone with an ax to grind and for you to suddenly present on a page on personal financing tips, all your mean-spirited, unsubstantiated rantings about Obama – what is wrong with you? Go help out in a soup kitchen or something, or take your old books to the hospital and read to the sick. And list the philanthropic deeds you have done. More time on vacation or on expensive gambits than time in the WH? please give us the figures so we can believe the worst as well.
How to lose weight? You eat less and do more. That is it. How to be frugal? You spend less and earn more. That is it. However, with both weight and money it is not easy for most people to suddenly exercise 10,000 calories off per day or make an additional $10,000 per month. The quickest way to weight and financial independence is to cut down. Actually they go hand in glove because people tend to blow a lot of money on fast food and other fattening stuff. Be a penny pincher. Be a skin flint. You earned it. You keep it.
Great ideas & principles. (Though it seems the writer is aiming to save money by keeping plenty of vowels, and buying too few punctuation marks. 😉
I agree with you totally. I used to save 30% of my income in my 401-K prior to 9/11 incident here in New York City. I realized then that life is not guaranteed to anyone and since then dropped to 15% savings in my 401-K in addition to some stocks. Of course, with the market in the condition it is currently, I have seen my savings tank, but I do not need that money now.
I decided since then to enjoy life while I am still healthy and strong and that is exactly what I am doing at this juncture. Yes, I am still saving, but not doing extreme sacrifices. I eat out, dress well, travel and help my family a bit when in need of a financial rescue. No, I am not wealthy, but I have a decent job, thank God.
We used to be extremely frugal. Drove the same little Chevy for nine years, shared an apartment with a friend before I was married, bought a very inexpensive starter home, bought used clothing for kids, shopped at Aldi (still do) put kids in public schools, etc. Now that my husband and I are in our mid-40’s we have made a conscious decision not live quite so frugally for several reasons. The first reason for this has been the decline in the stock market and real estate. A lot of our money that has been painstakingly saved has basically gone down the toilet due to the bad economy. The stock market could tank even further, no one knows. But the most significant reason for us is that we know several individuals who have passed away or became disabled due to accidents or health matters in their late 40’s/early 50’s and never got to enjoy a nice retirement. My husband and I realized that we were putting off enjoyment until our retirement years, which for some people never come. Now we are still savers of course, and I don’t care much about material posessions like clothing and cars, but I have put more emphasis on fun and quality of life. If we are enjoying ourselves now, then we won’t mind working a few more years until retirement. Therefore, we save less percentage-wise than we used to. We are still saving 10% for retirement but are taking some of the extra cash and doing things like skiing, golf excursious and generally going on nicer vacations while we are still relatively young and full of energy. Also, we decorated the master bedroom in our house (something we have never spent money on) with new furniture and a big-screen TV and we are *really* enjoying it. I took money out of our stock account in April to do this (which just happened to be at the top of the market for 2011 so far!). This year we are also taking our entire family (there are five of us) to the Carribbean. It is still a fairly frugal vacation since we are using hotel points for the hotel, got the airfare on a super-discount, and are staying at a hotel with a full kitchen in the room so we can cook most of our own food. But still, it is a trip to the Carribbean, not camping or visiting relatives, which was the old standby. I really do not want to discourage anyone from saving as much as possible, but I guess what I am saying is, don’t forget to enjoy your life in the meantime! You never know when it is going to end!
I kind of did the same thing as you, only later in life. I didn’t loosen the old purse strings much at all while working, but after retirement, when I saw that I had extra money after I paid my normal bills, I began to buy some of the things I had wanted for a long time. I bought a leather sofa, big screen T.V. newer car, etc. I still practice all my frugal ways, but am just treating myself more to the more left over at the end of the month. I still do help out my adult daughter though. She has a child with a serious illness, as do I.
An article on frugality (living within your means and not burdening others with your wasteful actions) requires thoughtful commentary, not babble or trite cliches like win-win. Stupid piece that provides no insight to living within your means and being responsible for your actions.
All these tips on saving daily sounds fantastic, but one must have a long term goal….i.e. if you save $ 100 for 12 months, what are you going to do with the $ 1200 at the end of the year? It is that goal which makes it easy to save. It obviously helps to have a sensible goal…..the further into the future, the better. Yes, it is not easy to get excited about saving $ 100 a month for a qualification your child will need in 15 years time, but having that discipline will ensure a bright future for the next generation. I love deferred gratification. Say no now, and enjoy later. Quite the opposite to the consumerism we are bombarded with in the media – enjoy now, pay later. No wonder so many people are in debt, because they are just not able to say no.
I only wish I could sew as well as my mom did. Making a cocktail dress; I once had an occasion for which I could not afford a new gown. We had recently moved into our first home at age 25. I had gold curtains left from a rental house which were only a year old, so I did like Scarlett in “Gone With The Wind,” purchased a Vogue pattern, made my gown, and added white maribou feathers around the hem. It was one of a kind, and very nice looking. When my daughter was growing up, I made formals for her, purchased dresses on sale, then would often re-design the dresses for her to wear again. I would change the neckline, remove the sleeves, change the waist ribbon, and such so that it did not even favor the origional dress. Goodwill often has great buys, and many are brand new, donated by stores. They also have lots of expensive labels, and on bargain days, the prices are half off.
We paid off our first house before age 50, relocated, rented until the house sold, then purchased our own building materials, fixtures and such, saving thousands of dollars, and the house was paid for when we moved in. I would go to the house each day after the workmen left, pick up strayed nails that were still good, did away with the bent nails, grouped the left over pieces of lumber according to size, swept the saw dust away, helping having it ready for the carpenters the next day. We did not have enough scrap to build a play house for the grandchildren left over. I try to never pay list price for anything. We went to a builder’s fair, checked out the whirlpool corner bath tubs, and went to the near-by factory to purchase, which we did not know was located near-by until we went to the fair. We purchased some items at Southeastern Salvage (which had more building materials and less gift items and far Eastern made furniture in 1990), purchased a lovely shell shaped sink for the powder room, with a mis-matched support column, for $29, now, how many people are going to stand on their heads to see if they meet up perfectly! I presently have a new dryer that I purchased at a great savings because it has a dent someplace that is not seen. Stratch and dent buys on appliances are great deals.
We used to purchase our cars by special order with all the bells and whistles we wanted, but in the 1980’s, when they got so expensive, we decided we would buy one or two year old cars. This has worked out great. The first was a Lincouln Contiental, formally owned by the child of the dealer. Another was a year old Chysler LeBaron which was used by the service dept. mgr. for the previous year, and it was loaded with extra’s. It later became my granddaughter’s first car. We pay cash for our cars, ofter keeping a separate bank account for our car or vehicle account. We have been the sole owner of three airplanes, until health issues forced us out of private flying. We put less miles on our cars, considered the ‘plane one of our vehicles, were able to go places on the weekends that we could not do otherwise plus was a member of airplane clubs that did special activities together.
Neither of us have ever made the salaries that our college degrees should have helped us make, but we have lived only in the South, which is less expensive than in the Nawth or in large cities, and with lower salaries.
We both retired before age 66, and eat out most of our meals. Eating lunch at the local hospital is less than $10.00, for the two of us, so we check their menu for the day and frequently eat there. We are in a town of less than 3,000, but it has doctor’s, two super markets, ten places to eat at reasonable costs, several of the Dollar General, Family Dollar and such stores for daily purchases, and they ofter have a note on their receipts that one gets $5 off a purchase of $25 or more on certain days, that is a 20% savings. In Mississippi and Alabama, we have “Dirt Cheap,” “Hudson’s” and “Treasure Chest” stores, all owned by the same person, which sell new formals for around $15 at times, salvage or discontinued merchandise, end of season items from Kohl’s, Belk’s, Wal-Mart, Target and other stores at much below the regular store costs, some items are 90% off list price or even higher discounts. We also have Beal’s and Burke’s outlets in numerous small towns, which have stores under several names and sell the odd’s and end’s at great discounts.
We are planning a cruise in January out of New Orleans, as we do not have to fly to get to the departure point, thus saving the costs of air fare and the inconvience of having to play “feelie meely,” we can drive to New Orleans in the morning and drive home after the cruise without paying for a motel room, thus, very reasonable cruise costs.
I have been accused of trying to get a quarter out of every nickle, and have fun trying to do so. Of course, I keep my eye out for items for future gifts or use. I recently purchased my husband a Cutter and Buck golf shirt for $3, (not $50 or $60, the next time I was in the store, they were $2, and finally, $1, so I purchased a grey golf style shirt each day, who cares it he has three of these expensive shirts all in the same color. I do not get as up-set if the cats pull threads in them or if he gets grease on them working with our stable of vehicles, which is his hobby.
Loved reading this! I do some of the thrifty things you do also. I scrimp on a lot of small things so that if there is something I really want (at regular price) I feel O.K. about buying it. Way to go.
PJ: Banksters robbed the country blind. Are you actually blaming innocent people who lost their jobs as a result? I see long lines of people desperately seeking employment, and being foreclosed on and losing everything they own. Meanwhile, corporations are sitting on trillions of dollars. Demand drives the economy. And demand is driven by the middle class. Tax breaks for the wealthy are useless, and harmful. Unemployment is now increasing because government jobs are being eliminated. The more that happens, so too will private sector jobs be eliminated. I do not blame the middle class or poor. They are working mightily to gain employment, when there are previous few opportunities. And people attack them for reasons I can’t ascertain. The wealthy elite have waged class warfare on us, and people blame teachers, nurses, firefighters, policeman because they make a livable wage (until they don’t). I thought Americans were smarter than that. It breaks my heart to realize my confidence was misplaced.
It is amazing how world markets crash when America has 9.1% unemployment…..yes, maybe that is a high for America, but some countries have more than 30% unemployment and life goes on. Some years you have work. Some years you dont. And most people in the world do not have a wealthy government to provide social sercurity. My financial well-being depends on no one else but myself. I consider that to be a liberating concept, and it motivates me to be responsible with the little I have. My grandmother used to refer to people that complain while they still have a lot to be thankful for as “complaining about humger while carring a bread under his arm”. Sometimes being content with little is as important as trying to make the best with what you’ve got.
PJ: Working people financed social security. My grandmothers lived long lives without poverty because of it, and I am guessing the same was true for yours. At the moment, the banksters are frothing at the bit to steal every bit that WE contributed to it. I will be able to survive even if the banksters steal the amount that I contributed to SS. But it wasn’t a wealthy government that provided SS. It was US.
Vicki: The population of the US is 300million and growing.
Relying on SS is no longer feasible.
Every person themselves need to save for their retirement.
SS would be flush forever if we increase the income cap on which SS is paid. SS is supplemental for the middle class, who HAVE saved for their retirement. And we paid considerable amounts for SS disability and old age INSURANCE. The middle class would be much less reliant on SS, except that the banksters STOLE from our IRAs, pensions, and house equities. Since 1983, baby boomers built the current SS trust fund. We were the first generation to not only pay SS for our parents and grandparents, but for ourselves as well. The banksters are chomping at the bit to steal that from us too. And they will, with your help. Please, educate yourself about what is going down, and don’t be their tool.
Moreover, SS keeps the working poor and disabled from abject poverty. By and large, the elderly were absolutely poverty stricken before SS . . . unless you were born into wealth, and most of the population was not. There is no need for people to grovel in bread lines. Not then, and not now. The U.S.A. is better than that. Much better. I hope the same can be said about you. But you will need to step up to the plate and prove it. Your response to me indicates that you don’t grasp the reality of the situation at hand. Nonetheless, I wish you well, and hope you will open your mind and heart to deal with the challenges we face in a manner that does not further harm the middle class and poor.
Unfortunately, the middle class and poor in most of the world will continue to struggle, and God forbid, it is probably Americas future too. I do not wish hardship on anyone, but I will not stick my head in the ground and hope for better days. America has a working population of 153 million people, of which 14 million is unemployed, about 8 million receive financial assistance (not pensioners) and about another 8 million are part-timers (not full time employed). So this can only go one of two ways – the economy will grow, and the part-timers will receive full-time employment, or the economy will shrink, and the part-timers will become part of the growing group of people sitting at home and receiving money for doing nothing. And it is this culture of getting without giving that is so destructive. The optimists will say that the “American spirit” which survived previous hardships will prevail. I sincerely hope so, because if the number of Americans earning more are not growing faster than the number that is earning less, there are dark days ahead. And when America suffers, the rest of the world suffers with it. Some of the biggest companies today were started by entrepreneurial Americans seeing the glass half full, believing that they can make a success despite what the economists say about the economy. We need a few million of those Americans to jump in and save the economy, or the economists will be right (well, and if they will be, they will be out of a job too!)
With this economy a lot of us with families are learning to better budget for tomorrow. We all now have to worry about job security. A penny saved is still a penny earned.
Wanna learn how to be frugal and get out of debt? Go to Dave Ramsey’s website . He has a great budgeting tool called Gazelle. Learn the 7 baby steps and get on your way to financial peace. It’s working for us, but we have a ways to go, and we have learned alot about our past. It’s wonderful not having any credit card debt.
Steph
My dear mother passed away two weeks ago at 84. In addition to being a great mom, she was an extraordinary money manager; she could account for every penny the family had since she was married in 1947. Even though my parents had a modest income, we always had a one-week summer vacation and also attended church camp.
Perhaps the most interesting, frugality anecdote was her coupon clipping. This habit evolved into a coupon club, in which many tight friendships were formed with people sometimes several states away. Mom put every penny saved with coupons or rebates into a CD bank account. She only used money to give birthday and Christmas gifts – – $50 to each son/daughter, grandchild, and great grandchild. She told my sister about the account before she passed, which turned out to have a balance of $XY,000! I was impressed …
Very nice story indeed. What a smart woman your mom was. I know you know that.
I just wanted to say, I love this site. I wish it was a dating site. Everyone seems to have a common interest here.
Just as an aside: If you practice being frugal and find that you have more than enough (I think you could describe this as plenty), I hope people will choose to use some of that extra to help folks who are very much in need right now. I don’t mean taking food off your table; just try to be generous. Almost everyone knows someone who is in
financial need right now. It doesn’t have to be a stranger. A little help goes a long way for those in need. I prefer to give directly rather than to charities. Some charities take so much for themselves. Just sayin folks. 🙂
Is there any way to get a copy of this for my students? I teach at Edgewater High School and this is something I’d love to use in my Intensive Reading classes.
Hey All : not everyone can be a grammar-fanatic. If you don’t wish to read the comments…don’t torture yourselves with the pettiness of the grammar-sleuth. Everyone can express an opinion and all opinions are valued.
If this person wants to be a professional writer, he needs to learn some grammar rules. In particular, look up “comma splice.” In addition, this article consists of just some hashed over ideas we’ve all read a thousand times. I prefer to read someone who has something new to say.
Nice going, Terry. Your post reminded me of a friend of mine. She’s got grandchildren spaced four years apart. When the oldest one started high school, my friend started collecting change. When the granddaughter graduated from high school, she got the HUGE change collection (or it’s monetary value in the form of folding cash). The coins added up to much more money than the grandmother would have spent on a graduation gift. And the graduate just loved it!
Needless to say, when the next grandchild started high school the next year, the change collection got started again. That granddaughter’s just graduated and loves the money her grandmother gave her for a graduation gift.
Collecting change for graduation gifts has now become a much-loved family tradition!
My wife and I decided two years ago to enter into an experiment saving all of our spare change. First off, I realize that the amount of spare change that is generated is related to the amount that you spend on goods but, we became astonished at the amount that we had accumulated in coins at the end of each year.
At the end of 2009, we had saved $251 in change. 2010 came to $205.00. This year my wife decided to also start trying to save a few $1.00 bills here and there. From Jan-April of this year, she had saved up to $126 extra dollars. It certainly drove home to us how much even the small stuff counts.
So many of your comments are getting off-track. This site is about ideas and experiences re frugality and thrift. My philosophy has always been “don’t say anything behind someone’s back (or while being anonymous via the internet) that you wouldn’t say to their face. Cowards hide. Ask yourself before you post a belittling criticism if you would say the same thing to the person to their face. Stop hiding behind your internet anonymity.
“Frugal” = nothing goes to waste. It really has nothing to do with saving money or spending less. It has everything with not being wasteful. Don’t confuse frugal with thrifty.
I totally agree Doug.
The hateful, scornful comments ridiculing those who practice frugality remind me of the Democrat-Republican conflict over raising the debt ceiling.
Profligate grasshoppers would have to grow up or die if they did not have access to the wealth & stabilizing influence of the ants.
Thank you for being our conscious and our moral compass. Without you stepping forward and piloting all our rudderless ships in the right direction, the direction of your sole opinion, we’d all be lost in the bright light of individuality and original thought. It’s so comforting to know we have you to think for us, make decisions for us and decide for us what is politically correct if not just plain best thinking. Thank goodness for people like you who have the corner on correct thinking. We are so blessed you have decided to run out minds and direct our lives down the correct path to redemption.
It’s a true shame that a lot of egomaniacs with nothing to add, have to bicker and moan their way through this interesting subject. I don’t care who’s right and who’s wrong, what grammar they use and so on and so forth. That’s just petty and detracts from what the message is. If you feel so strongly about such matters, rewrite and repost what offends you, instead of giving penny lectures which just prove you’re full of yourself and rather important. Perhaps, and only, here online. Yes, I’m sniping at all of you, because I am quite sure that there’s something that you don’t do 100% correctly according to what the established norms and even, official rules are. Do everyone a favour and shut up. Contribute or just leave.
Leaving on a positive note. Thank you to everyone who cared to share their thoughts and stories. Good on and good for you. You taught me something and I appreciate that.
We stopped eating out for health reasons. I just couldn’t lose weight going out to eat. Now I am losing weight and saving money. It is amazing how much we spent eating out when we should have been eating at home. But better late than never. Now eating out is special.
I think the single most money-saving practice people need to eliminate is eating out. If you don’t need the money you save, do something nice for someone who needs it.
I am 72 and live on govt pension of $700/month, plus $1050 Social Security check per month. I am known to be very frugal, except when it comes to giving gifts; then I like to think I am generous. My home is very modest (worth about $60,000 in this economy), and I have 8 years to pay on it. My car is a 2006 Toyota, bought new just after I retired. I had worked overtime for 2 years and paid 75% cash for the car; I refinanced the balance, and paid it off after 2 1/2 years. I have one credit card, which I usually charge about $200/month on, and pay it off EVERY month. My adult daughter is working, and makes about $80,000/year. She has 2 teenage daughters of her own. Every month she has trouble keeping her head above water financially. Her home is worth $300,000, and has been refinanced 3 times. On her behalf, she is also divorced for 8 years. Every month, I send her all the money ($500 usually) that I have left after all my bills are paid. I do not scrimp but I am VERY frugal (which is why I am reading all these posts – to try to get new ideas). When working, I managed to put away about $90,000 in a retirement account. I have drawn out of it several times to help my daughter out. My daughter and granddaughters are not frugal; I am. I am very happy to help them out, but it is so ironic. Myself, with a fixed income, and not much in the way of assets, am able to help my daughter, whose income is about 3 times mine. FRUGALITY GIVES YOU PEACE OF MIND, AND ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP OTHERS. Many people kind of laugh and joke about my frugality. Let them. It doesn’t bother me one bit. Also, shame on the teachers who were not able to teach most of you good grammar, spelling, and punctuation. I blame them. Hope everyone is staying cool. 🙂
Hi Mary,
If I can be as cool as you one day, I’d have achieved something great. Your attitude and approach is excellent. It’s ladies and gents like you that make the world tick along.
Thank you for your share.
Lyndon
Mary Carpenter,
Your frugality is admiral, and your generosity is also. You live within your means, and pay your bills on time. You have planned for your retirement and that is what we all must do. It is that simple, and the article needed to simplify all that in Just a few words but did not.
However. I take some exception to your comments where you blame teachers for all the problems of English grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Not all kids learn at the same rate, not all kids come from a family that even speak English at home. Learning English can be very difficult if it was not the first language.
Most kids like that, are not proficient in English when they are passed on in the grades. The “No kids left behind” program is a joke, and needs to be trashed. These kids usually end up with a “Street English” which allows them to survive out there. So please do not take the easy road here and blame teachers with all the problems the schools are having.
Think before you blame someone. Thank you.
Actually Bill, I come from a long line of teachers: father, sister, aunts, uncles, cousins. I just have read too many blogs from teachers that are so poorly written that it concerns me. Glad my children are decades out of school. I think the quality of teachers in general has come down in the past 30 years. Not to mean that all, or most, teachers use poor grammar, but far too many do.
Don’t be too proud to shop at second hand stores. Often there are brand now items there for a fraction of the cost.
We have been saving for many years. Some examples:
1. We ignore all advertising.
2. When we shop for food, we ignore items on the end caps.
3. When we eat out, we share one dish, and do not order desserts and beverages.
4. We bank about 1/3 of our income.
5. We avoid yearly vacations and visit local parks instead.
6. We avoid going to the movies. We wait for the film to become available on DVD and borrow for free at the local library.
7. When our children were growing up, we would exchange clothing with relatives and neighbors. Baby cribs were borrowed and given later to other families.
8. We cut our own grass while most neighbors use landscape services.
9. If we want to buy a book, we get them for less than a dollar at the library used book section. Some books are available for free.
10. Quality clothing is available at local thrift shop.
11. We donate surplus clothing, and household items to local thrift shop which sells them and donates proceeds to a worthy charity..This helps other people save money.
12. In the summer, we use air conditioner in very hot weather and set its thermostat at 77 degrees. In winter, we set thermostat at 65 degrees and wear sweaters.
13. We keep our cell phone only for traveling. We do not pay a monthly fee. Once a year, we have to add a minimum of $10. to maintain service.
14. We use a land line phone because it works when power is lost in our area. For long distance calls, we use zaptel for 1-1/2 cents per minute. Sometimes, we come across certain services where we can make free phone calls.
That is all I can think of at this time. .
Your #8 reminded me of an incident with my next door neighbor when I lived in Arkansas. I’d always mowed my own lawn and continued to do so when we moved from MN to AR. However, my next door neighbor in AR kindly advised me that “nice white women don’t mow their own lawn”. WOW! What a shocker that was! I kindly responded that I have always done my own yard work, enjoyed doing it, and will continue to do so. I pointed out to her my trim figure, telling her that the exercise in doing my own yard work made that possible. I could tell, though, that she wasn’t pleased with this “nice white woman”. lol
What really bugs me the most is those who feel the need to pick on other people’s grammer and spelling – which has nothing to do with this blog. Get over yourself.
Professional writers, as professionals in all areas, should be expected to be competent at their work. Writers with poor writing skills are incompetent and articles on the internet or any other publication should give the job to somebody who can actually do it. This writer doesn’t even have the writing ability anybody coming out of high school should have.
Do you think it’s okay in other areas of life when people don’t know how to do their jobs?
Besides, writing poorly makes you look like you don’t know what you’re talking about. After reading the article, it really doesn’t have anything to offer. It’s just a restatement of cliches we’ve all seen time and time again.
Rebecca,
You are probably right here, it would have been much better if the writer had someone with good writing skills to do this article. I think this person may not have had English as a first language, and those people have a tough time learning our language.
But, to be mean about it like some other folks were, and not give some credit to the article is not right either. I must say that a lot of kids coming out of high school today have low grades with English, but it was not easy to learn being from another country and English not spoken at home. “Street language” English is the best they can do in some cases. So let’s no be so quick to judge others when we do not know all the facts.
I agree that the article was too long and the ideas were not new. But let’s give it an “B” for effort.
Essay could have saved on words. Too long, and I really didn’t take anything from it, other than a renewed hatred for the word synergize.
Frugal tip:
Borrow books from the library and you can read books like this one for FREE>
I made a pledge to live for one month on a food stamp budget for food. Talk about frugal.
In the past it was nothing for me to spend 100 a week food shopping. It now must be less than 28.00. With that I have come up with a few good dishes I am happy to eat on any budget. To follow http://www.fusiononthefly.com
This article was more on trying to change the hardest thing… your behavior.
If you want hints on being frugal try “The Complete Tightwad Gazette” by Amy Dacyczyn. It’s available used in paperback form on Amazon for $6.89. It’s a collection of her 3 previous tightwad books. They were written based on the newsletter she had for many years.
Another book on how to hints is “How to live well on practically nothing” by Edward H. Romney.
All how to books can become dated in specifics. If you look for ideas or general principles they can give you a good core to start with.
Romney has a point in his book about how people choose to live their lives.
People who try to get away with certain illegal behaviour eventually get caught.
When your income is minimal, the penalties can be enough to start you on a financial downward spiral.
One of the previous posters commented about life happening.
Life does happen, and sometime you do stupid on top of stupid.
When you have limited income stupid on top of stupid can be devastating.
Speeding tickets just don’t happen, in my experience they happen when you’re trying to drive just enough over the limit to not get stopped. The speed limit drops, you’re inattentive to the road signs and bang, you get stopped because you’re now way over the limit.
The change wouldn’t have put you over the limit by enough to get your stopped if you had been driving over the limit to begin with. The speeding ticket didn’t just happen, it happened as an unexpected and entirely predictable consequence of your behaviour interacting with a change in the environment.
Stupid: yes
Lets shoot for stupid on top of stupid.
Perhaps y0u delayed getting your car inspected and renewing the state vehicle registration because you didn’t have insurance. The speeding ticket has now turned into four tickets and your car will be impounded. All because you have a driving need to try get away with violating the law. Now you think the system is out to get you and conspires to keep the little guy down.. Sometimes, this is what happens when you act stupid on top of stupid. When you grow up and start behaving responsibly this stuff won’t happen.
I’ve met these people and they’re not doing well in life.
Teaching self-restraint to Americans is like showing a dog a card trick.
The replies in this thread are funny and mostly sad. Life is 20% what happens to you and 80% how you respond. Be wise not only with your money but also your time. we are alive for such a brief time, do not waste it worshipping money or being controlled by it. Learn control in all that you do. Everything has it’s place.
Why don’t we just run around naked and eating berries with a Webster’s book of grammar under our arm, then everybody will be happy.
We could, but if the berries don’t agree with us we will have to rip out some of those pages and attend to R S with them.
Goodness. I live in Alaska. Yes, it is expensive, but I don’t have to deal with major malls, traffic, and a massive amount of people who are rude. I have a garden and freezer (yes, it gets to 80+ degrees in the summer) and my home is well insulated so it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to heat in the winter months. I have friends who give me fish and wildgame, so my freezer is full. I help pack the meat, so the job is shared between all recipients.
I enjoy the out doors in the summer when we get out and actually enjoy our outdoor living room; I enjoy our winters when family and friends get together to enjoy cards, movies, dance, and games; my house or theirs, it doesn’t matter.
My husband left me with nothing when he died. I was the money saver and therefore was able to survive without going bankrupt when he died. He was the person who cooked from scratch and saved his money by buying 30 sale chickens at a time, as well as everything else for the pantry – on sale.
I’ve paid off my car, lowering my insurance, but I do own a motorcycle that gets 45 miles to the gallon. I ride it to work almost daily in the summer months, but it is also a source of enjoyment to me.
I go to the Literacy Council for books that cost $2 each – but also supports a worthy cause. I then take them back for someone else to enjoy. We have transfer stations (garbage collection areas) where you can drop off your “good” items and other people pick them up for use, or we have our “Value Veellauge” thrift store, or our resource centers and rescue missions where clothing is dropped off for others or purchased for self. I purchase my Christmas items during the year when most items are 1/2 off. I reuse my Christmas wrap – who doesn’t?
I make my own tea in the morning, I clean my own house, I mow my own yard and shovel the snow myself. I don’t buy coffee at the coffee shops, thereby saving myself $4+ per day or over $1000 per year. Nice vacation money.
I’m a middle of the road person – I save, but I spend moderately. Isn’t that what life is all about? Spend according to your means, not over. Save according to what you can, but don’t miss out on life. Life will pass you by and what have you done, except worry?
I have savings. Not enough, but I will survive, because I will.
Now, criticize me for my grammar – as though that is what this is about.
I wish they had a edit, I never knew I could misspell so many words
I frugal…..I live in a 18′ Travel Trailer on a 55+ campground, my rent is paid by the year (it’s cheaper) around $275.00 per month. I have an 8X10 storage shed for my clothes and anotehr 8X10 that I rent for $50. a month for seasonal things to store., like winter/summer clothes. We are saving for a 36′ 5th wheel with opposing slide outs, it a Teton Homme, so if you you think they are junk, look them up. They have all the amentities of a home and I’m not tied down to one place. I have a good job, but can transfer to anyplace where they have an opening and promotion. we have a freezer in the shed and stocked up on food inside the trailer. It’s tight but, in 18 months we’ll buy a Teton (used) cash and 3K a year for rent is nothing. We also pay for propane gas and electric, but water and sewer are free. the campground has a pool, library, game room (for adults) with a 55″ TV, sauna, banquet room for social events, swimming pool tennis courts, laundry facility and a propane company that comes around every Tuesday to fill a tank (100 gal) that they give you to use as long as you use their gas. Frugal, you bet, I’ve lived the BIG life and that got me nowhere but spinning my wheels just to keep up. Now life is good, money in the bank, vacations and emergencies are taken care of.
I bought a couple of beautiful party dresses at Sears last year for my teen. They were on sale and cost me $9 apiece. They were originally priced at over $50 each. I searched all the thrift stores in the area looking for dresses but never found anything suitable.
Maybe the way people get to be frugal is by moving their assholes around to the front? Think about it.
Here’s a couple of other “habits” of highly frugal people (based on my personal experience). (1) they are cheap tippers – “why should I pay them, that’s the restaurant’s job”, they mooch everything they can – “I forgot my wallet, can you pick up this one?” or the always welcome “can we take your car, mine’s low on gas?”(3) they seem to live by “it’s better to recieve than give” motto (4) they borrow but never reciprocate “can I use your snowblower/lawnmover/jumper cables/shovel/hammer, I’ll bring it right back” Grrr. they are cheap!
these are not true in every case im a good tipper and always like to take my vehicle. one thing that i do and recommend is try to fix everything yourself within reason. help your friends, family and neighbors. I have hobbies that dont cost a lot of money. budget your money every month know where you are spending your money. You will find most of the stuff you have you dont need. We sold are home in ca and now we live back in my home town and instead of purchasing an expensive home and having a mortgage we paid cash for a fixer-upper at 33 I had no mortgage. We save money when we can and live cheap when we have to. I got a good paying job and saved a good percentage of the money. the job didnt last two years many people thought it the job would last for years and they baught expective toys. be cautious have a plan
Frugal people can really be mean spirited!!
And, they don’t even have to be frugal.
“Chances are you are married, in a relationship, have children or all of the above.” Actually, “As of 2000, the most common household type in the U.S. is a person living alone.” — Hobbs, Frank. 2005. “Examining American Household Composition: 1990 and 2000.” U.S. Census Bureau.
What the hell is an “op shop”?
“Op shop” is a term used in New Zealand and elsewhere for a thrift store.
Dave Ramsey – “Live like no one else so someday, you can live like no one else.” Great article – some good comments, but a lot of drivel.
Positive & Proactive PEOPLE Always WIN – Told Ya.
One of my tricks I use for saving, is that I set up a couple different savings / checking accounts. My paycheck gets depsoited into 1 and from there I have automatic weekly payments set to go to 4 other accounts (these are what I have set as a priority in my life right now). 1 is my weekly entertainment (dining, movies, plays, etc), 1 for travel/vacation, 1 for emergency funds (if I were to lose my job or my car broke down, etc), and 1 for housing. I do not touch the money in the various accounts unless it is for the purpose that account is set up for. All other expenditures come out of my initial account.
Good article. I discovered the importance of frugality when I lost my job. it is EXTREMELY important to have a goal….an articulable reason…to not spend money, but pay yourself first. I found that this goal…must be CLEARLY defined…and sharpened. Stay vigilant. I”ll share my goal. It is not a monetary amount…or a set idea. MY GOAL… TO refuse to allow ANY money I make end up in the hands of bankers, Realtors, salesmen….who make their money by talking, and backroom dealing. It’s easy. Even if I want something….I analyze WHO will end up with MY money? If its an individual or small retail store. fine. If I learn they are paying a mortgage or bank interest….I won’t make the purchase. My money will only be going to the Vampire Squid called a bank. I have saved a HUGE amount of money….and most of it is in gold bullion. Its interesting how my gold coins have been getting MORE valuable just sitting there doing nothing. The value of the dollar is being attacked by the banks and the Fed. So even the most frugal person LOSES…because they are saving FRN…federal reserve notes….which are losing value EVERY DAY. Gold is valuable in every country.
Wow. That is the strangest response. Gold bullion as a way to be frugal? One’s got nothing to do with the other.
And by the way, those of us who aren’t as fortunate as you clearly are, need mortgages as a way to purchase a home. I hardly consider a loan on a house a horrible way to spend money. Granted, it’s not a fun way to spend money. But it’s often a completely necessary expenditure.
I agree, a loan on a house is NOT a horrible way to spend money EXCEPT if you are buying more house than you can afford or need! Every child does NOT need a room of their own. Nor does a family need a “kids bathroom” and a “parents bathroom”. Examine how much house your buying and IF you really NEED that much house, or just WANT it because that’s what everyone else is buying.
I don’t feel sorry for the folks living in McMansions, losing their jobs, and not having $$$ for their house payment. They were “house poor” before they lot the jobs. I think the best thing that could happen to them is being forced to sell their home and buying a smaller one — one that fits their NEEDS — not their WANTS.
If you can’t afford a house, there’s always renting. Use your $$$ for what you can afford and NEED!
Napoleon Hill wants his concepts back.
I inherited the home my siblings and I grew up in when my father passed away. There was a lot of maintenance that had to be done that he never felt was ‘necessary’. He saved enough so he would not have to work once he retired. I sold my condo after my mother passed away and moved in with my father as he did not want to spend nights alone. I worked and took care of him for 4 years. Now, with the taxes and utilities and grounds upkeep, I am spending less for my split level 1020 sqft home than I did for my 500 sqft condo. I am grateful that I do not have a mortgage payment. My car is paid off. My banker mentioned that I was in an enviable position.
I wear a ‘uniform’ for work. The shirts are from my employer – pants I buy at Walmart of Fred Meyer. We get 50% off once a year for our work shoes. My biggest work allocation in for Gas. I do not get paid for mileage so I make my errends on my day of work. When I am ‘off’ I do not drive anywhere and stay home and do my housework.
My credit card is paid off every month by an automatic draw by my credit union. I have a land line and a cell phone. I am considering going without a cell phone and getting a Tracphone. I keep a land line and have DSL but am considering getting rid of all the technology services because I am tired of paying for air time.
I have yard tools in my basement but I don’t own a lawnmower. I pay someone to mow my lawn – and aerate my lawn and spray my trees. Then are the pros and my time is worth their doing it by contract every year.
I have so much, there is enough, and I choose to use these funds for those items I wish. I cook from scratch….and I will sew my own cocktail dress if I want one. I own a few sewing machines and a bit of fabric. It is a skill not a hobby. It is all about choices you make.
I was unemployed for 1 month a few months ago and I was called back to my job. The only bad habit I have is that I stock up on canned goods and frozen items since I inherited my mom’s depression shopping habit. We were a family of 2 adults and eventually 9 children. I know that I will always have food. When my siblings need anything they know that they can come to me. I am fortunate that most of my siblings feel the same way. We will always support each other.
Someone posted earlier about habits being harder to break once a person became older/senior. That is true. I look at co-workers inheriting their family money and cashing it all in and still spending on manicures/purses/cars/vacations/children’s education and then looking at me ‘funny’ when I say I can’t afford that because I have a fence to rebuild or painting to be done.
I am fortunate to be living in a house too big for one person – one that I can afford to live in on my salary without having roommates. I plan far enough ahead to open a Roth retirement CD with my income so I know I can at least eat for a year and pay for my utilites and taxes. I guess that is basic budgeting.
Have you thought about renting out part of the house to get even more income? If you don’t need the money for living expenses, you could always invest it. A friend of mine once rented from a lady who did that, and it worked out well all around. She had extra income, and my friend and the other person who rented from her had very nice living quarters with an excellent yard to enjoy in the evenings. They even helped her out with small things around the house and did little errands for her occasionally. Of course, you would need to be very careful to check out potential renters thoroughly.
@M,
I just wanted to add one more thought today, something that really struck me last evening.
It’s wonderful how you and your siblings care for each other; sadly, that seems to be a rare occurrence in today’s society, and it’s something that I hope my children will maintain as they grow up. If more people helped to share each other’s burdens in such a way, maybe frugality wouldn’t be such a difficult thing to achieve for many people. It was really heartwarming to hear about your family.
I cash in my spare change every year, then split it between my children when we go on vacation. It gives them some spending money to buy souvenirs or gifts for friends.
Actually I do have to say, it costs money for a bike ride. New bikes (even cheap ones) go for around $100 these days, and a poor family may not be able to afford one. A very poor family may not even be able to afford a used bike. It does also cost money to buy the rope to skip if you don’t already have one, although I’m fairly sure ropes cost less than a bike.
But yes, walking is free.
A few ideas. See all the stuff in stores and advertisements as what you don’t need. Invite a person living on welfare or social security for a week and see what they buy and how they mange on $500 or $900. Do the same if you can and you will be rich.
Get rid of all the holidays that oblige you to buy presents and give your loved ones a hug instead. Celebrate Xmas and Hanukkah and Easter as a day of good will and volunteering to help others and don’t spend you money stuffing your shelves , drawers and basements and stomachs with garbage you don’t need. Buy absolutely no processed food or toys of plastic and vinyl. Pretend you don’t need the garbage on sale .
This list of comments is quite strange. I started reading it to get ideas about saving money. Half the list is about attacking other posters. I’m assuming the attackers are resentful of those who are actually successful at saving. Of course some of the ideas won’t apply to everyone, but there are good ideas here. It would be nice if everyone had great grammar and spelling but you usually get what you pay for and you’re paying nothing for this, so be happy there are actually good ideas for free. The world won’t end if you actually have to read something more slowly. If that’s an issue, don’t read it.
Totally concur! Tearing each other down helps no one.
I also agree 1000% I have read more grammar Cops in these comments, it is hard to believe.
Such a very long list of responses there. I tried to do this for a long time (I mean being frugal) but I had difficulty making ends meet as the tendency is to constrain yourself on a limited budget. And this attitude also precluded giving to people. The solution I believe is giving or helping others financially. By doing so, your tendency is to find ways to earn more to be able to do it. Since then, I never run out of money and I am able to give more than usual. And I have no complaint about not being able to make ends meet anymore.
No, spikeygrrl, you are not cool now. I doubt you ever were or will be.
OK, let me rephrase:
Are YOU now cool with me, or anyone else, stating an opinion which differs from yours?
And please do remember, YOU brought this on by bitching about the commute costs for getting from your location (rural) to where the bargains are (urban). NOBODY, including Her Highness Lovestosew, can have their rural cake 24/7 and eat an urban cake 24/7, too. Love where you are, or at least accept its own set of problems, elsewise please STFU. No, I am still not angry with you, I just pity you for not having the strength of your own convictions — or, if you indeed do, for not letting it show here.
How could I be “uneducated” about something I have already had — small-town life — or “jealous” over it; I certainly would not have it again for all the tea in China. YOU were the one bitching about how your location makes so many things unavailable/inconventient/expensive. I simply suggested, as antidote, what all of us need from time to time: a brief but complete break with WHATEVER milieu we’ve become mired in, to remind us that 1) There really is a “rest of the world,” and 2) when one stays in one place too long, one’s HEAD tends to remain there even after one’s body has moved on, thereby really limiting the solutions one even comes up with, let alone implements.
And methinks that you labeling me “angry” is sheer projection. Yes, I call ’em like I see ’em, but really, I’m the most anger-free person you’d ever be likely to meet outside professional religious; I learned it in 12-Step; all my friends and associates remark on it. I’ve honestly tried to work up a case of anger over legitimate hurts, but I can’t make it stick for more than five minutes. So sue me.
Take a few deep breaths of that clean country air for me, Lovestosew, and I’ll take a few deep breaths of San Diego ocean air for you, ok? Are we cool now?
You can be frugal all you want but when life happens you can lose it all. For example: having quadruplets, speeding tickets, arrests, divorces resulting in child support and losing your house, paying for college which did not lead to a degree, house that lost value, etc. Just forget about it.
Ouch. Spikeygrrl, be careful before you hurt yourself, honey.
You read way too much into too little information. I grew up in this little hick town you’re attacking. Then I spent 35 years living in some of the most vibrant, exciting cities throughout the great, big, beautiful United States of America. When I got tired of cities and thought of where I’d like to live in slow, quiet, country tranquility, I chose my home town. I’m not suffering. I do, however, understand the pros and cons of both city life and country life. At this stage in my blessed life, I’m deliberately choosing hickville and loving every minute of it. My problem with one-dimensional, angry commenters such as yourself is that you don’t have enough exposure to another way of living and therefore you judge it wrong. It’s not wrong. It’s just different. I’m happy. You sound jealous. You’re certainly uneducated on the subject matter. And, yes, I do love to sew.
This is by far the meanest group of people I have ever encountered. People attack people for their stories of how they’ve made ends meet. People attack grammar. Half of these people sound superior, but are probably full of stories about stupid mistakes they have made.
Thanks Jenna… I was feeling the same thing.
A middle-aged doctor friend of mine recently asked me what I drive…when he heard “Ford Focus” he laughed and said, “Oh, I’m sorry.”. I said, “Don’t be…I paid cash for it five years ago and never regretted it.” It turns out, he leases his fancy car and pays interest-only on his huge house. “I’ll never be able to retire”, he said sadly…I didn’t tell him my $300,000 “nice” condo is completely paid off too. How much STUFF does anyone need?
I think if I were to stop completely and never purchase any clothing-I am fine for rest of my life- in my 30s. I think many others would be fine. It takes alot to get clothing to be worn out looking. What is that statistic- people wear 20% of their clothes. I think it is true. I will try this test for next couple years and all the $$ saved, I can use elsewhere. I am sure I could save in the hundreds.
You are SO right…when I was a kid I owned ONE sweater and ONE skirt (I wore a uniform to Catholic school) and swore (a la Scarlet O’Hara) that I would have ALL the clothes I wanted when I grew up. Well, I more than did that, but, like you, I recently decided to go at least a year without buying more things. I’ve enjoyed the heck out of going through my clothes and alterring old jeans to shorts, changing buttons on jackets, etc. It actually has been fun.
It’s a disgrace that people nowadays have such a tough time making ends meet. How come wages haven’t risen in line with property prices?
No amount of “frugality” can make up for the fact that things are much harder for young people than they were a generation ago.
Simple question: how come a married couple, both highly educated, both working full time cannot afford to buy the same house that their parents could afford on a single income?
Welcome to pure capitalism.
Take a look at what the young people today think are “necessities”. There lies your answer. I was 54 years old before I had my 1st beauty shop manicure. I have only had 4 done in the last 7 years. Cell phone? I was 43. DVD player? I got my 1st one last year at the age of 60. Movies for it? 10. And I paid $5 for each one of them from the old movies discount bin at Walmart. Kids now think they have to have Wii, video games, designer clothes & shoes, fancy cars, etc. I drive a 1998 S-10 that I bought used in 2001. Yearly vacation? LOL. Nightly cocktails in a fancy club? LOL. Need I go on?
Republicanization of anything you can think of, and suppression of anything that helped others. That is how. Our children are doomed.
While I know what we’re supposed to do, how do we grandparents say no to our grandchildren? They are very sweet, very persuasive, and very persisitent when they want something. That is what has bothered me since they were born. It seems they or our grown kids have a financial need that just can’t be solved unless we give them money. We’re in our 70’s and can’t find a way to save because of this.
We have a family friend who is in very much the same situation as you. My own children are still pretty young, so I can’t speak from firsthand experience, but looking at our friend’s situation as an outside observer, it has always seemed that they just needed to say “no.” Let your grown kids take on their own responsibilities, *because* they are grown and they are no longer kids. Let them succeed or fail on their own merit. You raised your kids, now let them raise *theirs.* Our friend’s husband, literally on his deathbed, was still worrying about what was to become of his family because he and his wife never forced the issue of adult responsibilities with their grown children.
Your childrens’ financial need will never be solved as long as you allow them to keep coming up with needs. And, there will always be something they “need” as long as they can count on a bottomless pocket. I think you answered your own question at the beginning of your comment – you know what you’re supposed to do. Now, just do it. It may cause some temporary unhappiness in everyone’s lives for a little while, but think about it; if *you* had to go begging for handouts from your parents all the time, would you be truly happy? Would you have self-respect? By not allowing your children to face challenges on their own, you are actually robbing them of genuine happiness, self-respect, and integrity.
Also, if you think they really appreciate all you’ve done for them, you are probably kidding yourself. No one respects a doormat, and from what you’ve described, it sounds like that’s what you’ve allowed yourself to be for many years. Again, I’m not speaking from direct experience and don’t know all of the details of your situation, but it doesn’t seem like anyone really wins in the way you’ve set up the relationship with your adults (remember – they’re not children anymore).
I made a concentrated effort very early in life not to depend on my parents for anything, and am vastly happier for it than I would have been had I taken an easier route. Millions of people the world over have done the same thing, and are often better people for it. They didn’t collapse, the world didn’t come to a screeching halt, and no one called their parents to task for letting them grow up. I really am trying not to sound harsh or flippant, because cutting them off financially may be the best thing you could ever do for them. Just make it clear that you don’t love them any less, and want to interact with them just as you always have. If they act like love and attention must come with a check attached, that is their problem, and most likely even if that is their initial reaction, they will change their minds as their new responsibilities force them to grow up mentally and emotionally as well.
I wish you all the best, and hope that things turn out genuinely well for everyone involved.
My idea of being frugal is basically taking care of necessities first, saving each week and not chasing technology. It is not how much money you make, but what you do with it that counts. And definitely live below your means…
I work with some people who spend most of their money on eating…they never pack a lunch, they have breakfast, lunch, Main meals out plus coffee breaks. It’s just their lifestyle and they have no intention of changing. A regular Coffee and donut costs more than $2. plus lunch can be a rip off. Bring in a lunch and fruit. It’s amazing how much be saved by just using common snese.
This is a terribly written article. Why should we trust the advice of someone who can’t write a decent sentence?
First off, learn to distinguish between those things you can influence (mostly, the way you live and spend money) and the things you cannot influence (constitutional amendment to balance the budget, the price of utilities in America, the length of government documents, etc.)
Then, work on your own spending habits. You can recalibrate your “necessities,”
clothing — a great deal of cheap thrift store clothing is available — buy used; solid, used, economy cars; figure out which foods you like and buy them whenever you see them on sale. Go easy on gifts — few adults expect costly Christmas gifts, for example. If they do, cut them from your list. Many parents consider it their duty to buy their children toys they ask for. You can substitute. What most children really want is TIME, and the love and attention that go with it.
Finally, go over the list above and pick out the comments with useful
suggestions. Ignore the ones that complain about the government. They offer zero help and only serve to divert your attention from what counts.
Do we really need 7 habits? Wouldn’t 2 or 3 be enough?
Habit n8 of highly frugal people: Brag about it .
It’s funny, until I was about 40, when I thought about money I always thought of something my grandfather said “The true value of money is how happy you can ask people with it.” After paying off large debts due to a failed business, it dawned on me how wrong he was. If it wasn’t for my tight-wad grandmother he and his family would have been destitute and homeless during the depression and long after. He was a gambler who once mortgaged the home she had fought to save as the sole bread winner. To avoid divorce, he agreed to play by her rules; took a job she secured for him and limited his gambling funds to money he got working a second job. He never had a clue about money.
Luckily I learned a lot from my grandmother. I’ve never needed to show off and find joy in simple things. Although I live a very frugal life I love to travel and do it often. I have been to most continents; safaris in Africa, on the Nile, to the Taj Mahal, as well as to most countries an Europe and Central America. I feel like my husband and I have a full life yet we have 10 & 12 year old cars, 3 CRT TV’s bought used many years ago, prepaid cell phones, cut each others hair and color it ourselves, rarely by clothes, eat take-out or buffets once a week, spend only $300/month on food & household supplies, bring brown bag lunch and thermos of coffee to work. However, we make a combined $115,000/yr, have a house that is almost paid for, no other debt and well funded retirement and brokerage accounts, which will enable him to retire next year and me within 5.
To Marcus – For you to say “People who think life is all about ‘choice’ are the people who never have to make any” I pity you because it is a statement that could obviously only come from a person who has made the wrong choices.
My sister was killed by a drunk driver 3 months ago. It is so sad that each time I have searched for a reason I can’t help but recall the misery she faced each day due to financial difficulties and the inability to handle money. It haunted her constantly. She was the most genuine loving person I will ever know, but in some ways I wonder if her death didn’t save her from the continued torment with no end visible for her despite efforts to help her. To anyone contemplating frugal ways, please know that there is a way out and you can find happiness without a lot of money. Just give it a chance.
I feel quite rich and my monetary worth is less than 7 figures (although well over 6 figures). Perhaps I feel rich because I lived in Fiji for a couple of years, and have lived in Mexico now for 3 years. My neighbors in both places are living on far less than you and me. Overall, they tend to be far richer on the happiness scale than Americans who are “worth” more than they could ever imagine.
Before you reply that I am angry and poor, I am not poor, in fact I am worth well over 7 figures, but funny thing is, I don’t feel rich. I do feel that I need to be just a frugal which is how I gained my wealth. I grew up extremely poor.
Utter dribble, it is almost like telling a depressed person to just “be happy”. There are so many variables to why people spend, summing them up in 7 steps is a great way to make poor people poorer. Instead of spending money on a worthless book, buy yourself 15 lottery tickets. At least you have a small shot.
Instead of spending money on a worthless book, check it out at your library. Better yet, check out a worthwhile book.
From Dickens’ NICHOLAS NICKLEBY: Income: 20 pounds, expenses: 19 pounds, result: happiness. Income: 20 pounds, expenses: 21 pounds, result: misery.
Yes but it was in shillings; This was in Dickens’s time. They never had pounds; (££££.) So – income 20 shillings, expenses 19s 6d, result happiness: income 20 shillings, expenses 20s 6d, result misery; i.e. even sixpence less than your income results in misery. That extra sixpence is to be banked!
There is a great deal of narrow mindedness, tunnel vision, anger, bitterness and lack of responsibility being voiced here. Yes, poverty is everyone’s problem, but sadly many don’t see it as their problem. You can’t force them to change; you can only control yourself. Those are irresponsible, self-centered people who will probably never change their point of view. Do you want to be like them? Yes, we’re bombarded with advertisements and immense pressure to buy, but we can resist that. It’s hard, I know, but it can be done; you don’t need everything advertisements tell you that you need. You have to set your own priorities; only you have the responsibility of your bills – not the advertisers, not your friends, family and co-workers. Likewise, with intelligent decisions, you enjoy the freedom and lack of stress that comes with the lack of bills. You make that choice. E.g., Which car you buy: the trendy one, or the one that costs less and gets better gas mileage; driving all of those little trips that are within walking distance, or wasting the gas to drive those short distances; consolidating errands.
Tips such as packing lunch for work and cooking at home can save tons of money. Friends have jeers at me for not eating out or seeing over-priced movies, but what am I really missing in that? I eat better at home, everyone drooled over the scent of my lunches at work, and I saved a lot of money and knew I didn’t have to worry when I got laid off. Also, I’ve never carried a balance on a credit card; I only put on the card what I would get from the ATM – plus I get travel miles for it.
Have a backbone, you don’t have to fall prey to every advertisement. Shop around for loans if you need one, and Marcus, you’re wrong about the deals for buying a call in cash. My nephew did it last fall and got $3K knocked off the price, bought a sensible car with 40MPH. I’ve also found that the shopping around for better deals leads to good knowledge, and it’s a good conversation point. I know someone who renovated her kitchen and by shopping around got the kitchen she wanted for half the price, and in her kindness shared her information with me. So now I’m saving on renovations at a time when I really need the savings.
You can’t always get a different job, especially in this economy, but there are times when you can. I agree that our society is messed up in healthcare and various priorities, but your whining sounds like you’re a part of the problem, not the solution. This forum is intended for solutions, not just a sound board for whining people who want to take down others. It’s a weak person who can only build up him/herself by tearing down others. You should reread Habit 4 and think about it.
And this 500 word rant qualifies as anything other than whining how?
It qualifies as other than whining because he gives good money saving tips and good advice. You seem especially touchy when someone doesn’t agree with you. No one can learn anything new with a closed mind.
Thank you! Finally someone saying the truth! STOP buying stuff and start saving…its hard to feel sorry anyone that spends money on needless things.
The key to living within your means is to align your expenses to be less than your income (for instance, never buy a car you can’t pay cash for) and set your savings on autopilot so you’re not tempted to spend it.
Really? Wow, thanks for that nugget Anon.
BTW, buying a car with cash is idiotic (except maybe for a $500 junker) — Car loans are the cheapest money you can get and the days when you can spin some kind of deal by buying with cash are long gone.
U r dum
Marcus,
You must be having a bad day. Have you purchased a new car with cash recently? I doubt that you have. Cash is better than credit in almost every case. I did the one payment plan on my new car and took the factory cash back instead of the low financing. Do you think it is better for the bank to have your car title?
I can tell that you have a very low net worth as well. You give broke advice. How much have you made as a “financial adviser”?
You probably subscribe to the philosophy that you have to spend more money to get out of debt.
Kevin, I agree. It is all about choices. I didn’t have benefits at a job I worked at, so I worked very, very hard to find another job that has great benefits. Now, I find that my son needs braces and surgery and things that are beyond my financial ability, so I have started my own design company and am steadily building clients and gaining more projects. We only use cash to buy things. If we don’t have the cash, we don’t buy. But there are a lot of people who want to blame others for their situations. Sad that they weren’t reared better while growing up.
Right…so, you’ve got a great new job with benefits (after much very, very hard work of course) but they still don’t cover your ailing child — Solution: basically, get a second job. Perfect example of a society with its priorities in order.
But, I do agree with you about some peoples children — if they were “reared better” they might spend more time saving money and buying Google stock and less making judgemental comments on websites….
Oh, you must mean judgmental statements like, “People who think life is all about “choice” are the people who never have to make any.” or “U r dum.”
I’m skeptical of anyone who uses the word synergize.
Wow – Alison may need to go back and revisit Habit 1. You make choices – if you don’t want to be underpaid, find another job, unless you think every company is evil and underpays all employees (I’m happy with my compensation… If I were not, I would seek employment elsewhere). You choose to take loans that are outside of your means – you can say no to the advertisements, it’s been done before.
Poverty is a problem, one that deserves our attention, but personal responsibility is a main key to solving that problem. We can only help those that want to help themselves.
People who think life is all about “choice” are the people who never have to make any.
People who don’t think life is all about “choice” will never take responsibility for the choices they have made.
Well said, Brian. Couldn’t agree more.
Utter rubbish. And it begins with the usual capitalist premise – if you are in financial trouble it is YOUR responsibility – not the responsibility of the people who underpay you, or who charge you inflated prices for your home, food and fuel, and who then spend hours bombarding you with advertisting to persuade you to take a loan out.
Until capitalists realise that poverty is EVERYONE’S problem, the world will continue to go to hell. I despise the attitude that spawns this type of ‘advice’.
You are right – it couldn’t be my fault that I’m broke – I’m merely a victim of advertising and sales poeple who are smarter than me.. I cannot be held responsible for my decions where my money goes. My financial situation must be someone else’s fault. Alison – it might even be your fault. Thanks for taking the blame.
I’ll say it again … People who think life is all about “choice” are the people who never have to make any.
I believe life is all about “choice” and believe me, I’ve had to make choices every day. And I dare say that YOU and everyone else who gets out of bed is making choices — heck — just getting out of bed — is a choice!
Is it like the millionaire who found a debit card (that belong to a youngster) and bought himself a burger? Is that frugal?
No, that’s thievery.
This was a 5 minute read I won’t get back.
A truly frugal person would stop at the first line and spend their time elsewhere.
I think this article was amazing and I think all you haters are probably broke.
Hater? Maybe. Broke? Definitely. But your either the author of the piece or a moron if you thought it offered any kind of useful advice.
Gaaaacck. Steven Covey drivel. I’d hoped we’d heard the last from that bald headed “guru”. The thing he does best – sell his simplistic pop psychology.
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