What have you done to be frugal?

[John Galt III]

1. Mortgage paid off.

2. Almost never use cc.

3. Still have 13 year old IBM NetVista pc, chugging along.

4. Own car repairs when possible.

5. Stock up (way up) on good beer when it's on sale.

6. Happy hour.

7. coupons for restaurants.

8. Do all my own landscaping.

 

[Jgot]

The precise things a frugal person does or does not do vary by person. BUT, IMHO, the common factor is that we each recognize that, **THIS DOLLAR** (in my hand), I can only spend one time. Then it is gone forever. There may be more (next payday, next retirement check, whatever), but THAT one is gone. Period. When you realize that, you kind of think, is [this opportunity] the one where I want to spend that dollar. Cause I only get one chance.

I think that at least subconsciously guides us frugal folk.

+1

 

[rbmrtn]

2. Almost never use cc.

I think it depends whether this is frugal or not. I use a CC for almost all routine expenses, paid in full each month and get 1.5% cash back for using it. That's better than CD rates. I have never carried balance on a CC though.

 

[travelover]

I.... I use a CC for almost all routine expenses, paid in full each month and get 1.5% cash back for using it. ......

I get 2% at Fidelity Nah,nah.

 

[fanmail]

The most important things we've done are maximizing retirement savings every year, spending less than we bring in, and we reduced debt to just a mortgage which we refi'd last year.

Next big thing to specify spending cuts was put together a spreadsheet detailing our monthly expenses, also use mint.com for honest budget tracking.

We cut some unneccessary expenses.
Reduced our insurance, cable, and any other fixed costs that we could.
Use cash back credit cards for most expenses.
Right now we're clearing out clutter and donating, selling, recycling or throwing away stuff we don't use anymore/ever.

Our last bastion of spending cuts that we can improve upon are food and discretionary spending. We sometimes overbuy at the grocery store and end up having to throw away some food that spoils. Also, we're not fat, but we don't miss any meals. Our restaurant spending is probably way too high.

 

[Arifriekinel]

I'm working on maxing out my savings while I can. I don't pay health insurance because I'm under 26, so I'm putting away all the money I would have paid.

Boyfriend and I do pay for internet, but because we work from home and own a business, it's tax deductible. We keep cable and pay $15 a month for Gamefly because we're both big gamers, and it's cheaper to pay $15 than buy a new game, or go out to find entertainment. We share an apartment with my older brother though, so cable and internet bill, which we bundle, is split in half to about $50 a month.

With this set up, we're only spending about $45 a month on entertainment. We never feel the need for a movie night or to go out, because we both have all we need here at home. Without television to fill work breaks during the day, going out to lunch can be tempting, but flipping to an interesting documentary or episode of Doctor Who definitely encourages us to head to the pantry instead

Have all of my bills, including CC set to auto pay the full bill each month, and we use them as much as possible. We weren't able to get direct cash back because we're just building our credit, but the rewards points are redeemable for cash, so just as well! Then we make sure to put away everything but a few hundred dollars after rent, and refuse to do anything above that.

 

[DeborahB]

We weren't able to get direct cash back because we're just building our credit, but the rewards points are redeemable for cash, so just as well! Then we make sure to put away everything but a few hundred dollars after rent, and refuse to do anything above that.

Great work at your age!

If you live near a Costco, the membership comes with a free American Express card and gives you cash back once a year - it might be an easy way to build your credit. You would also save on food (probably) since you are cooking at home all the time.

 

[Arifriekinel]

Great work at your age!

If you live near a Costco, the membership comes with a free American Express card and gives you cash back once a year - it might be an easy way to build your credit. You would also save on food (probably) since you are cooking at home all the time.

Thanks! I do live near one, I didn't know they offered a card! My mom was a member of Costco when I was younger because she was buying food for me, my siblings, and our cousins, she couldn't buy in less than bulk

That's something to consider! I have a bit of credit from paying off student loans, but I got those out of the way first thing, so they didn't have a lot of time to help, but it made it easier to get a CC

 

[pb4uski]

I get 2% at Fidelity Nah,nah.

+1 but Escape by Discover. I figure that I spend $29k a year and get $580 benefit a year, less the $65 annual fee.

 

[SoutheastSam]

great thread

came from farmer parents with dad in the military for many years. so I know how to reuse, recycle, repurpose everything to do with surviving on a farm situation. I apply it all thru my life.

frugal. you bet.

but I live great. we shop for the best price to fit what we require.

Use my CC card and make that money work for me. Just got a $100 rewards card in the mail last week after redeeming points. card paid off each month of course.

I am a hunter. deer, duck fill my freezer. Fisherman also and best fish fry around.

I raise a hog and put it in the freezer.

simple country person doing what it takes to save money at every turn but having a blast doing it.
and being frugal is getting me more and more toward that early retirement I am wanting now.

 

[citrine]

I married a man who can fix, build, and do anything! I do all the research for the good deal on the materials and he does it....I am the helper though
I can't get him to give up cable or try straight talk, but I have helped him realize the wonders of the thrift store, garage sales, coupons, buying in bulk, and curb shopping
We do need to work on our eating out....I just cannot get the hang of menu planning and once a month cooking! We are having a big garden this year, let's see how we do!

 

[hausfrau]

I married a man who can fix, build, and do anything! I do all the research for the good deal on the materials and he does it....I am the helper though

LOL- I did the same thing. No mechanic bills, no house maintenance bills...

We need to work on our food budget. DH is off grains and has upped his protein by a lot, so it really seems to have affected our budget. No more simple casseroles, soup and bread meals, and other kinds of stretchers.

 

[ziggy29]

LOL- I did the same thing. No mechanic bills, no house maintenance bills...

My parents did a wonderful job raising us, but if I have any *one* regret about my upbringing, it's that I didn't grow up around anyone who was handy. My dad was a lot of good and useful things, but "handyman" was never one of them. A lot of folks (historically, mostly boys) grew up helping Dad fix things, work under the hood, that sort of thing... I didn't. It's a skill I wish I had. I suppose I have time to learn now, but still...

 

[SoutheastSam]

skill sets are very important in saving money.

the more you know, the less you rely on a service that cost bucks

 

[citrine]

My parents did a wonderful job raising us, but if I have any *one* regret about my upbringing, it's that I didn't grow up around anyone who was handy. My dad was a lot of good and useful things, but "handyman" was never one of them. A lot of folks (historically, mostly boys) grew up helping Dad fix things, work under the hood, that sort of thing... I didn't. It's a skill I wish I had. I suppose I have time to learn now, but still...

You can learn ziggy....Pinterest, DIY blogs. I am making our own garden walkways with a few bags or cement and a "cottage walkway" mold from loews....the stone people wanted $2000 for stones and labor!

 

[W2R]

I answered this thread back on the first page, but yesterday it came to mind. I was talking to Frank, who innocently mentioned his subscription to a magazine. Suddenly I had an unexpected, huge knee-jerk negative emotional reaction. Why? Because for the past 50+ years, I have not subscribed to a single magazine or newspaper because I felt they cost more than I could afford.

Yes, gang, although I subscribed to professional journals because I had to, the last magazine I subscribed to was "Seventeen Magazine" back in the early 1960's.

Now that I have the time and money to enjoy such subscriptions, I looked into them again. And fate being as it is, we have no more daily (paper) newspaper in New Orleans. Most magazines are ridiculously expensive for what you get, IMO, and not a good value. So, I still do not subscribe to anything.

Another policy I have is to never spend even one cent to access any online websites. That has always been a matter of pride for me. My thinking on that has been that everything is online and available for free somewhere, if I just look hard enough. But after years of making this my policy, maybe it is time to loosen up those pursestrings.

 

[travelover]

.........I raise a hog and put it in the freezer............

Doesn't it get awfully cold...and lonely?

 

[ziggy29]

Another policy I have is to never spend even one cent to access any online websites. That has always been a matter of pride for me. My thinking on that has been that everything is online and available for free somewhere, if I just look hard enough. But after years of making this my policy, maybe it is time to loosen up those pursestrings.

I think in the early days of the dotcom boom, most web-based businesses thought they could create a business model where they could offer all the content free, and make up for it in advertising revenues. But as it turned out, for the first few years after the bust it turned out only a few sites could really pull this off. Most of them didn't add enough value, or contribute things that couldn't be obtained elsewhere, and went under. That became even more true after applications like Ad-Block and pop up blockers became more prevalent; they are the DVRs of the online content world in that they enable the consumer to bypass the advertising that's paying the costs of providing the "free" content.

 

[W2R]

That became even more true after applications like Ad-Block and pop up blockers became more prevalent; they are the DVRs of the online content world in that they enable the consumer to bypass the advertising that's paying the costs of providing the "free" content.

On the topic of DVR's, I got my first one about a month ago from Cox Cable and thought I had "hit the big time" finally. But as much as I loathe ads, I find that I hardly use it. I forget that I even have it. The political comedy show that I love, that is on at 2 AM only and was keeping me up too late every night, doesn't seem nearly as funny when I watch it at 7 PM. And American Idol? I want to watch it when it is on, instead of waiting until later when everyone knows who was eliminated.

Hmmm. Guess I am just too set in my ways. Anyway, I am seriously thinking of asking Cox if they would just take their DVR back.

 

[rodi]

I'm working on maxing out my savings while I can. I don't pay health insurance because I'm under 26, so I'm putting away all the money I would have paid.

You should thank your parents frequently for footing your health insurance bill. The law changed to *allow* them to carry you on their insurance... but didn't obligate them. They are being very generous and you should thank them often.

Many young adults are not so fortunate.

 

[SoutheastSam]

Doesn't it get awfully cold...and lonely?

not after I am done with him.

seriously delish meat

 

[hausfrau]

My parents did a wonderful job raising us, but if I have any *one* regret about my upbringing, it's that I didn't grow up around anyone who was handy. My dad was a lot of good and useful things, but "handyman" was never one of them. A lot of folks (historically, mostly boys) grew up helping Dad fix things, work under the hood, that sort of thing... I didn't. It's a skill I wish I had. I suppose I have time to learn now, but still...

I told my DH to make sure he passes on his skills to our DD. He always says, 'Don't worry, she'll be the one fixing her boyfriend's car."

 

[kcowan]

Guess I am just too set in my ways. Anyway, I am seriously thinking of asking Cox if they would just take their DVR back.

We DVR everything except the national news. We only need to watch the news a couple of times a week. But they never announce the results of any shows so we are OK. One hour show in 45 minutes. Skip over slow spots for even greater productivity. Never even record an old show shown in prime time. I value TV again! Just not live broadcast.

 

[ziggy29]

We DVR everything except the national news. We only need to watch the news a couple of times a week.

Other than news and sports, we almost never watch "live" TV any more. It's nice to watch a one-hour show in 42 minutes. And if we want to watch a one-hour drama "live" that starts at 8:00, we'll usually start recording it when it begins, join it at 8:15 and fast-forward through the commercials. We'll still be done watching at 9:00, maybe 9:02...

 

[W2R]

Other than news and sports, we almost never watch "live" TV any more. It's nice to watch a one-hour show in 42 minutes. And if we want to watch a one-hour drama "live" that starts at 8:00, we'll usually start recording it when it begins, join it at 8:15 and fast-forward through the commercials. We'll still be done watching at 9:00, maybe 9:02...

Oh! It never occurred to me that I could even do that. Maybe I'll try that tonight, and see how that goes. That sounds like a good way for me to handle American Idol, or even national news shows.