Posts Tagged ‘Frugal’
What is frugality? The dictionary definition of frugal: "Practicing or marked by economy, as in the expenditure of money or the use of material resources." People think of it as simply being "cheap," in the fashion of Ebeneezer Scrooge. I see it as the practice of getting the most for one's money, without giving up anything important.
It may surprise people to know that I buy the cheapest t-shirts and yet pay to have someone mow the lawn. But the shirt does the same job as the expensive ones, and my time is worth more to me than what I pay for mowing. That's getting the most for my money, and I sacrifice nothing for this kind of frugality. Of course, I get a good deal on the lawn work too. Here are three ways to spend less and still get what you want.
1. Look For Free Things
I once got free dental x-rays from the dental hygienist program at a local college. Other dental schools will x-ray your mouth for free or at a reduced charge, if you have the patience to sit there while the instructor coaches the student through the process. You then get your x-rays to take to the dentist, saving you the cost of that part of the visit anyhow.
One of the prettiest campgrounds my wife and I have stayed at was Williams Landing, on Lake Talquin in Florida – and it was free for up to ten days. There are free campgrounds scattered across the country. Woodall's campground directory lists most of the campgrounds in the country, including ones which don't charge.
I got my tires rotated for free a couple years ago. I don't recall the name of the chain of tire shops, but this is their normal policy. It is amazing how many things you can get for free if you keep your eyes open.
2. Take Advantage Of Promotions
We regularly use coupons for restaurants in our small town. Several of them have "Buy a meal, get the second one for half off" deals in the paper every week. We eat at these places anyhow, so it is a true savings when we use a coupon to save $5.
Speaking of coupons, if any of the stores in your area double them, here is how you take advantage of it: Suppose you have a 50-cent coupon for dish detergent. If the store is doubling it, you'll get a dollar off. Now, if you buy the 38-ounce size at $2.19, it will cost $1.19, or 3.1 cents per ounce. But if you buy the 18-ounce size at $1.19, it will cost you 19 cents, or a bit over a penny per ounce – a third of the cost. Buy small sizes when coupons are doubled.
Look for any other promotions you can take advantage of. If your favorite shampoo goes on sale, buy enough for the next six months. Stocking up on non-perishables during sales can cut the cost of your household supplies dramatically.
3. Find Alternatives
Often there are cheaper options that can replace what you think you need. Certainly this is true in the case of generic prescription drugs and store-brand foods. But even in area where you think you have no alternatives, look again. Let's use car insurance as an example.
You might have found the cheapest company to buy your insurance from, and so you think that is the best you can do. However, the various companies are not the only alternatives you have. You could still lower the premiums by raising the deductible, for example. After all, if you really can't afford the first $500 of an accident, maybe you should rearrange your financial life rather than pay for expensive ways to avoid the responsibility of setting aside a bit of money. If you pay cash for an older car, you can also decline collision coverage.
Frugality can mean being an opportunist too. This is especially true when looking for alternatives. For example, it almost certainly isn't true that only one specific place will suit you for a vacation, so why not look at the offers and plane fares for several destinations you would enjoy? Then pick the cheapest one. You may spend half as much, have twice the fun (who knows?) and have money left over for other important goals.
Again, frugality isn't about self-sacrifice and miserable "cheapness." It is about spending less, and when you do that, you can have even more of what you truly need and want. Every piece of used furniture we buy, which looks the same as a new piece but costs half as much, means we get the same comfort at home and money left over for another day of travel (you pick what's important to you).
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Below is the link to full story about a mom who shares her frugal family feeding tips. They are pretty good tips to follow if you need to save money feeding your family, like we all do.
Here are some highlights from the article:
- Cook more meals at home. Cooking a simple meal isn’t that hard — you’ll eat healthier and spend way less cash.
- Use the ads to your advantage. Careful stocking up on sale items and loss-leaders will really cut your grocery bill. Incorporate as many sale items into your weekly menu as possible.
- Take time to plan. It only takes a few minutes to plan a week’s worth of dinner meals. Having a simple menu planned will minimize visits to the drive-thru lane, reduce trips to the grocery store, and save you a ton of time and money.
- Avoid impulse buys. If you’re not using a shopping list you’re likely to pick up more items on impulse. Research shows that impulse buys count for almost 60 percent of the average shopper’s purchases.
- Stay out of the store. The less often you go to the store, the more money you’ll save.
‘Cheapest’ mom shares tips for frugal family-feeding How do you put food on the table for a family with five kids and still manage to save any money? Annette Economides of "America's Cheapest Family" shares her secrets. Home – Homemaking – Frugality – Family – Parenting Read more on MSNBC
Frugal is thrifty in summary. Frugal is summarized as values with traditional backings over belief and lifestyle. Often those who practice frugal restrain themselves and use resources for buying economical services and goods sparingly. The purpose is to make their purchases good last. It seems to fulfill their goals.
Using the cash economical system frugality places emphasis on economy since the money is employed to meet personal long-term goals, communal needs and familial.
In short, frugal is penny-pinchers that use thrifty tactics to save energy, money and the economy. Few of the chief tactics of frugal involve waste reduction. This process changes the common cost expenses or habits. A frugal will suppress spending for the purpose of achieving gratification instantly through means of self-restraining fiscal while striving toward efficiency.
A frugal avoids traps. These people defy expensive items that the common norm society focuses on. A frugal embraces free items, or gratis choices rather than focusing on materials.
Frugal does not have a problem bartering. The barter system is a process that involves many challenges, such as negotiation, bargaining, swapping, trading, exchanging and so on.
In summary, frugal that barters will swap one good in exchange for another item in which the party needs. Therefore, this person only focuses on necessities rather than material, which is a healthy quality.
A frugal will stay informed. These people seek information of current affairs, local situations, including product, service and market changes.
A frugal is a self-sufficient person that prefers to live the simple life. Often these people associate concepts of their frugality as philosophic. This often backs a deeply worried emotion or lack of trust. These people often gain professional knowledge that guides them to understand the commercial realm or the cultures in the corporate world. These people claims to understand economic changes, spiritual interests and materials best.
Various spiritual societies contemplate over the frugality of its virtue or else religious discipline. You can note examples of these people by understanding the Puritans or the RSF -”Religion Society of Friends.”
Common theories back these ideas, which include saving money to make cash more ready for other individuals. Environmentalists often follow the frugal structure in that these people places their virtues on bringing humanity closer. The purpose is to guide humanity back to its roots. This includes the forming into a group to bring things and people together.
It also includes needing and carrying of little and discovering the purpose of nature intentions rather than manmade religions. In short, frugal forms a pattern that attracts followers, supporters, or an audience by accumulating traditions and beliefs that fit the frugality profile.
Here is a very interesting article on how you can apply the fugal lifestyle to your garden. If you have been to a plant store or even your local home depot or hardware store you know how painfully expensive it can be to keep up with your garden, flower beds or just maintaining your lawn areas.
This article is bang on with its comment on how much we spend and waste in trying to be more green. It details how one gardener used frugal living to build and keep her garden.
"Tamara Mitchell doesn't think it has to be that way.Many of the plants in her West Akron yard were end-of-season markdowns or freebies that either sprouted from seeds deposited by birds or were propagated from other plants. The trellises she constructed to support her pole beans and cucumbers were fashioned from the posts of an old chain-link fence and inexpensive wire mesh for reinforcing concrete. The path leading to an outdoor faucet was made from pieces of slate salvaged from a friend's foyer."
"That kind of frugality has been overshadowed by the big business of gardening, which beckons us to spend on specialized containers, trendy tools and the instant gratification of good-size plants. And now that organic gardening has become mainstream, a product's environmental friendliness is being used as a marketing tool, said Maureen Gilmer, a champion of thrifty gardening who lives in Palm Springs, Calif."
Frugal garden reaps savings
Read more on Akron Beacon Journal
Here are 55 frugal grocery shopping ideas to help reduce your grocery bills. Most of us have to grocery shop, but you don't need to spend a lot of money to feed yourself.
55 Frugal Grocery Shopping Ideas
1. Buy bulk quantities of non-perishables.
2. Get the big sale items that are advertised in fliers. You might have to do some extra driving, but if you can buy large quantities of the big sale items, it's worth the trip.
3. If you have a local food co-op available, check out what they have to offer.
4. Use fliers to compare prices before you go shopping
5. Buy more milk and freeze it. It will save trips to the store. Empty a bit out before you freeze it if you buy your milk in jugs.
6. To prevent unneeded grocery purchases, plan your meals before you go shopping and buy only what you need.
7. Get your meat from the “reduced” section and use it right away, or freeze it.
8. Go vegetarian. Or at least consider cutting back on meat. Meat is one of the most expensive grocery items in the store.
9. Check out your local farmer's market. They often offer great prices for fresh, local produce.
10. Grow your own food. Growing your own vegetable garden is a fun project and can save you quite a bit of money.
11. Buy a month of groceries at a time. You can do this by planning your meals one month at a time. This will save trips to the store.
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