Frugal living
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What is frugal living?
Frugality is a topic which has gotten a bad name over the years. Many people equate it with being cheap, living a boring life, or being overly concerned with how much things cost. While monitoring the prices of things can be a key aspect of frugal living, focusing solely on it is certainly not what frugality is all about.
Frugality is about doing more with less, using what you have, appreciating the things around you, and living a simpler life. Rather than worrying about money more, it's about thinking about money less and life more. It's about saving the world, reducing your environmental impact, and being more able to help people. Frugal living isn't about living less, it's about living better with less.
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My Money and My Life frugal blog
Check out the latest frugal articles on my blog "My Money and My Life"
Why Frugal Living?
For me, the biggest reason to embark on a more frugal life is that it gives you more choices on what you want to do with your life and time. When you live more frugally, you need less money and less "stuff," so you don't have to work as much to achieve the lifestyle you want. Having less stuff itelf frees up more of your time because you spend less time cleaning and maintaining things you don't really want or need anyway. It allows you to focus on the things, people, and activities that are truly important to you and, in my opinion, to lead a more rewarding and fulfilling life.
Another compelling reason to be frugal is environmental stewardship. Even if you have plenty of something, being wasteful is terrible for the environment. It can deplete our already scarce resources, from land to water to fuel, and therefore hurt us in the long run. Being more frugal and more careful and efficient with what we have is an investment in the planet and the future.
Another compelling reason to be frugal is environmental stewardship. Even if you have plenty of something, being wasteful is terrible for the environment. It can deplete our already scarce resources, from land to water to fuel, and therefore hurt us in the long run. Being more frugal and more careful and efficient with what we have is an investment in the planet and the future.
Frugal Holiday Shopping tips
- Set a budget and make a list. Careful planning is the first and most important way to shop frugally and avoid going into debt over the holidays.
- Check deal sites and compare prices. Once you know what you want to buy, be sure to get the best possible deal by watching deal sites and forums. This only saves you money, though, if you know the normal price and how much you are willing to spend.
- Check out deal a day sites. Sites like Mamapedia, Groupon, Eversave, and Woot can have fantastic deals that will help stretch your budget even more.
- Use cashback sites for all your online shopping. There's no reason not to collect some extra money while doing your shopping.
Frugal Healthcare
There are lots of ways to make healthcare more frugal and affordable.
1. Exercise good self care. Get plenty of sleep, drink lots of water, exercise, meditate, reduce stress. These things are very frugal, free even, and pay off dividends.
2. If possible, maintain some kind of health insurance, at least high deductible major medical. Medical expenses are the number one cause of bankruptcies.
3. Research your prescriptions. Ask for samples, see if you can get generics, or if not search for coupons or rebates.
4. If you have a quick question, try asking your doctor over the phone instead of making an appointment.
5. Ask questions. Make sure you understand all your problems and treatments.
1. Exercise good self care. Get plenty of sleep, drink lots of water, exercise, meditate, reduce stress. These things are very frugal, free even, and pay off dividends.
2. If possible, maintain some kind of health insurance, at least high deductible major medical. Medical expenses are the number one cause of bankruptcies.
3. Research your prescriptions. Ask for samples, see if you can get generics, or if not search for coupons or rebates.
4. If you have a quick question, try asking your doctor over the phone instead of making an appointment.
5. Ask questions. Make sure you understand all your problems and treatments.
Great books on frugality
Frugal Energy Use
Here are some quick tips for using energy more frugally to save you money and the environment:
1. Use compact fluorescent lights. They will pay for themselves in energy savings and longevity.
2. Turn up your thermostat in the summer and turn it down in the winter. Dress seasonally and use fans to help minimize discomfort.
3. Unplug appliances when not in use, or keep them on powerstrips, to decrease the phantom load (a fancy word for energy it uses when it's not even doing anything).
4. Turn up your refrigerator a degree or two.
5. Line dry your heaviest clothes. Run clothes in the washer through an extra spin cycle to reduce their drying time. Make sure your dryer is well-maintained and clear of lint.
1. Use compact fluorescent lights. They will pay for themselves in energy savings and longevity.
2. Turn up your thermostat in the summer and turn it down in the winter. Dress seasonally and use fans to help minimize discomfort.
3. Unplug appliances when not in use, or keep them on powerstrips, to decrease the phantom load (a fancy word for energy it uses when it's not even doing anything).
4. Turn up your refrigerator a degree or two.
5. Line dry your heaviest clothes. Run clothes in the washer through an extra spin cycle to reduce their drying time. Make sure your dryer is well-maintained and clear of lint.
Energy saving supplies
Frugal Food
Some tips for making your eats less costly
1. Whole, homemade food is less expensive than convenience food which is in turn less expensive than eating out. Don't jump whole hog to the cheapest possible version of everything. Find your eliquibrium point. If having a frozen lasagna in your freezer keeps you from getting fast food, you've saved your money and your health.
2. Learn a few new frugal recipes. Try to incorporate at least one less expensive menu item a week, whether it's a soup, pasta, or breakfast for dinner. This will reduce your weekly budget and give you a good stock of emergency recipes you can resort to if you are really strapped for cash.
3. Eat less meat. Meat is often the most expensive item in our budgets. Try to use it as an ingredient rather than the focus of your meals, and try to include at least a few meals that don't require meat.
4. Drink water. There's no need to spend money on soda at restaurants or at home, it has no redeeming nutritional value. If you must drink soda, buy it by the case and not from vending machines.
5. Combine coupons with sales. By doing this you can often do better than you would by buying generics and can sometimes even try new food for free.
2. Learn a few new frugal recipes. Try to incorporate at least one less expensive menu item a week, whether it's a soup, pasta, or breakfast for dinner. This will reduce your weekly budget and give you a good stock of emergency recipes you can resort to if you are really strapped for cash.
3. Eat less meat. Meat is often the most expensive item in our budgets. Try to use it as an ingredient rather than the focus of your meals, and try to include at least a few meals that don't require meat.
4. Drink water. There's no need to spend money on soda at restaurants or at home, it has no redeeming nutritional value. If you must drink soda, buy it by the case and not from vending machines.
5. Combine coupons with sales. By doing this you can often do better than you would by buying generics and can sometimes even try new food for free.
Frugal Cookbooks
Frugal travel
Ways to see the world without spending a ton of money
1. Look for specials. Subscribe to feeds from the airline aggregators and book whenever the prices go down.
2. Accumulate points. Make sure you are signed up for airline and hotel points from any of the major companies you regularly book with.
3. Eat locally. Ask a local for a recommendation of a restaurant that is a little bit off the tourist track.
4. Use coupons. Purchase an Entertainment book for your destination before you travel.
2. Accumulate points. Make sure you are signed up for airline and hotel points from any of the major companies you regularly book with.
3. Eat locally. Ask a local for a recommendation of a restaurant that is a little bit off the tourist track.
4. Use coupons. Purchase an Entertainment book for your destination before you travel.
Great Frugal Resources
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Frugal Summer Fun
Looking for some great frugal things to do this summer? As the days get longer (and hotter), it's easy to get tired of the same few frugal activities, so here are a few to add to your repertoire.
- Go to the park. If you do this already, seek out a different park. Children and adults will both find the change refreshing as they check out all the new things to do.
- For some air conditioned relief, look for summer kids' movies programs in your area. Our local movie theaters have a series of older kids movies playing every week. The price is $1 each or $2 for the whole summer season.
- Look for events at your local library. They may have story times for kids and book groups or writers groups for adults.
- Go site-seeing in your own town. Use the Free Atractions list to scout out new territories.
Frugal Weddings
We're smack in the middle of wedding season, and I thought I'd offer some tips for a more frugal wedding.
1. Scale back on stationery. Do you really need a program? If you're not inviting that many people you probably don't need save the date cards either. And while a traditional invitation, with tissue paper and about 4 envelopes, is absolutely lovely, consider going with something simpler if you need to save money. You could even print your own with pictures of you and your beloved.
2. Simplify your cake. If you don't want to go as far as to serve homemade cupcakes, at least get a small traditional tiered wedding cake for cutting. Have sheetcakes made in the same flavor to serve your guests.
3. Cut back on liquor. If you are thinking about an open bar, but it's too expensive, consider just serving beer and wine. You can do this much more cheaply. You could even ask good friends or family members to bring their own favorite bottles of wine, making it even more personal.
4. Consider alternate days. Most venues will give you a discount if you get married on a Sunday or a Friday night, since they have a harder time filling those days.
1. Scale back on stationery. Do you really need a program? If you're not inviting that many people you probably don't need save the date cards either. And while a traditional invitation, with tissue paper and about 4 envelopes, is absolutely lovely, consider going with something simpler if you need to save money. You could even print your own with pictures of you and your beloved.
2. Simplify your cake. If you don't want to go as far as to serve homemade cupcakes, at least get a small traditional tiered wedding cake for cutting. Have sheetcakes made in the same flavor to serve your guests.
3. Cut back on liquor. If you are thinking about an open bar, but it's too expensive, consider just serving beer and wine. You can do this much more cheaply. You could even ask good friends or family members to bring their own favorite bottles of wine, making it even more personal.
4. Consider alternate days. Most venues will give you a discount if you get married on a Sunday or a Friday night, since they have a harder time filling those days.
Frugal Conversation
Got a frugal comment? Leave it please!
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seeker2011
Sep 27, 2011 @ 5:51 am | delete
- He who is frugal has money in the bank and a happier life. Good lense.
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PattieBlake
Aug 23, 2011 @ 3:41 pm | delete
- Great lens and tips. Eating out doesn't have to be taboo in a frugal lifestyle. Free meal birthday coupons are available for signing up for many loyalty programs. Kids eat free offers, weekly dining specials or just going out for a desert are great ways to eat out and not spend too much. There are many ways to live a frugal lifestyle without doing without. http://frugalpatti.com Thanks for your tips!
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akozlowski
Jun 30, 2011 @ 7:46 am | delete
- Impressive lens you have here. These are massive information about frugal living. Indeed a very good resource. This lens is indeed valuable for individuals who chose to enjoy a compact living. Thanks a bunch!
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marsha32 Dec 19, 2010 @ 10:18 pm | delete
- lots of great advice
Blessed by a Squid Angel
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gbartlett
May 6, 2010 @ 1:05 pm | delete
- one more tip for a frugal wedding... don't tell anyone your cake is a wedding cake... pick out a design you like and then call it a birthday cake or special occasion cake... the word wedding just increases the price for no reason.
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I am a wife, a teacher, a writer, and a friend. I'm always looking for ways to improve the world around me and to live a simpler and more fulfilling... more »
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