Frugal Living For The Not-So-Frugal
I’ve had a lot of questions lately pop into my inbox from new readers that found this site searching for frugality topics out of necessity, not necessarily desire. With the economic climate in the US such as it is, sometimes people are making the choice to be frugal as self preservation, not as a desired lifestyle choice.
And I can completely relate to that. Although I enjoy trying to be frugal with what I have and find ways to cut or eliminate expenses, it wasn’t always this way. I never had super-extravagant tastes, but I did like to spend money on myself, and not always for things I needed. Becoming a more frugal person has been a very eye-opening experience, and has taught me a lot about myself, but hasn’t always been easy.
The problem with any radical changes is that they tend not to last. If a person tries to go from spending money freely and without any forethought, directly to spending only on a strict and controlled budget, that is a recipe for disaster. You might stop spending money for a few days, or a week, but sooner rather than later you “slip”, and once you slip it is easier and easier to go back to your old habits.
Small steps are the key. Here are some ideas for a few small steps to take to ease into a world of frugality - which to me is not about spending as little as possible, but instead about being self-aware about the choices we make with our finances and the effect they have over both the long and short term.
Date night can be a walk in the park. Literally.
If you have kids, which I do, having a date night with your spouse doesn’t have to be an extravagant affair. My spouse and I recently went on our first date night in quite a while, and honestly, it was fun just to hang out and not have kids pulling us in 16 directions. Plan your date night with an eye to the atmosphere and not just something expensive. A picnic in the park can be as fun (or more) than a fancy dinner out. The second-run movie theater can be a great alternative to the newest releases. And if you do have kids, trading babysitting with a friend can keep you from breaking the bank on child care.
Cutting coupons doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
Coupons are a great way to lower your grocery (or other) bills. But you don’t have to spend hours and hours finding the best deals. ease into using coupons. Start with just scanning the Sunday coupon offerings and picking out things you were already going to buy anyway. As you become more comfortable with the process, you can branch out.
Spotting the right sale is like a beat the bank game show.
I scan circulars for sport, I admit it. I like to try and beat the advertising at its own game. It is all a matter of mindset. If you think something is drudgery - it will be. Inject a little fun. Have a contest with yourself to get the best deal (or a better deal than last time). You might like it!
What has to go first - what needs to go next - what’s left is negotiable.
Changing everything today may not be possible. Take a realistic look at your finances. How much needs to be cut back? Prioritize. If you need to eliminate $150 from your monthly budget, start by cutting $150 of your spending, not $500. Work your way up bit by bit instead of all at once, and the road will be easier to stick to for the long term.
Looking at the world through a frugal lens does take some work, but ultimately can be very rewarding. Looking at frugality as a task to be enjoyed, and ultimately as taking control over your financial life, can provide needed encouragement to keep on the path to a better financial future even when that road seems steep.
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June 4th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Great post. To add on to the date night in the park, I think it’s important to realize that it’s about the people you’re with, not how much money you spend. Sometimes the most fun things to do with a date (or spouse) or friends is cheaper than you’d think.
One of the best feelings is looking down at a receipt and seeing how much money you’ve saved. I knew that when I was hooked on finding deals!
June 4th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
I think you’ve hit on one of the major reasons people don’t make a lasting financial change for the good is that frugal living is the basis for paying off debt, finding extra money to save, and building up a reserve. Easing into it like you’ve described will make the transition much easier, instead of trying to “quit cold turkey.”
June 5th, 2009 at 6:48 am
Nice post! You are touching on a trend I refer to quite a bit– the newly, fashionably frugal.
It will fade when the economy gets going again, but maybe a few converts can be had.
Frankly, when you think about it, the economy needs people who are foolish with their money . . . it just won’t be me.
June 5th, 2009 at 8:59 am
My manta is Living Large on Little. I live on a very limited budget and probably am one of the biggest frugalistas ever. But, it really doesn’t show in my lifestyle. I may not be rich in money, but there are many riches in life that cannot be bought.
Thanks for your post.
June 5th, 2009 at 8:59 am
I’d also like to mention libraries… I’ve got quite a few book-collector friends who made regular trips to the bookstore and always bought something. Now their books have taken over their homes, they have no savings and they feel guilty because because many of those books haven’t been read. Librairies are a fantastic solution since most books you’ll only read once and this way you can test drive them first. If you read a book you really love, then you can buy it and give it a special place on your shelf. A lot of librairies also offer CDs and DVDs - and what a great place to find frugal recipes and money-saving DIY books! If you think your library is too small to have what you’re looking for, don’t forget that smaller libraries often have agreements with a network of other libraries and one of them may have what you’re searching for.
June 5th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Good point, Melissa! I recently was looking at a specific cookbook on Amazon, almost pulled the trigger, then decided to check and see if our county library system had it. Using their online catalog I was able to find and request a copy be sent to the library closest to me. After perusing it, I have decided it’s NOT worth buying! Phew.
The challenge to becoming frugal is being able to think outside our nice comfortable little box. Good news is that, as a nation, we seem to all be getting more frugal, using our credit cards less, etc. Take that, CC companies!
June 7th, 2009 at 2:29 am
The only thing is, if you have a big enough financial disaster, you may not have the luxury of easing into frugality.
We have a couple of very thought-provoking commercials on TV here. One shows a guy in his house turning on a light in his living room. When he clicks the switch, the lamp lights up but his house disappears and he’s outside. He turns the light off and his house reappears around him. The other shows a woman using a can opener on a can of food. When she starts to open the can the roof of her house is ripped off. When she closes the can, her house is whole.
The point of the commercials is that people who live in poverty must often make choices about which critical needs to fulfill, shelter vs. food or shelter vs. basic utilities such as heat and light.
If you lost your job, are facing foreclosure and have previously maxed out your credit cards then going cold turkey may well be your only option.
If you go to Starbucks you may not be able to buy diapers for your baby. If you don’t cut off cable and either the landline or cell you may not be able to pay your electric bill. If you don’t fill the car with gas on payday you may be walking to work next week.
June 8th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
I agree with Melissa and Jay on the value of libraries. Not only can you get great books and DVDs but many libraries also have free passes to local attractions.
The Chicago library branches offer free passes to attractions such as the Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum, Lincoln Park Zoo, and other popular destinations.
You simply need a library card to check out the passes.
Check with your local library. They may have a similar program.