The Path To Frugality & Beyond

First, you buy stuff and spend money. You do not care how much oatmeal costs, you just buy the kind you want. There are no sacrifices. Choice dictates purchases.

Then, you start to care about the price but still only buy what you want. You start using coupons and look for discounts/sales on your favorite oatmeal. You sacrifice your time. You still buy your favorite kind and save some money in the process. Choice still dictates purchases.

Then, you learn that the generic oatmeal is even cheaper than the brand-name even after coupons. Price is beginning to dictate your purchases. You sacrifice some quality/preference to save money.

Then, you learn how to make your own oatmeal! This is much cheaper than even the generic stuff and you can make it just how you like it. Choice & price dictates the purchase of ingredients. You sacrifice some convenience, as you now have to plan ahead to have time to make it. This is frugality.

However, you do not stop there. You begin creating everything from scratch, re-using everything possible. Choice dictates what little purchases you make. You sacrifice time and money. Re-using items does not always save money but does reduce your dependence on store-bought goods.

Frugality Is A Balance

Frugality is the perfect balance of saving money and decreasing consumerism in your life. Going beyond this leads to a life of extreme anti-consumerism that no longer revolves around saving money. Being frugal allows for choice and money savings with the least amount of inconvenience.

Beyond Frugality

One example of crossing the frugality line is walking instead of driving. It would cost me $20 more a day to walk the four miles to the train station than drive. This includes the maintenance, gas and car insurance I pay on my car. The main factor is time. Spending two extra hours walking severely cuts into my already limited free time. While it is eco-friendly, it certainly is not frugal.

The best example of going beyond frugality is using Family Cloth (AKA Re-Usable Toilet Paper) Yes, people do this. The benefits are less items to buy; less trash we are producing. The disadvantages are the extra time and money it costs. Re-using toilet paper hardly saves money (when factoring in time and washing).

Living a lifestyle of fringe anti-consumerism is an intriguing one as the inconveniences are many. However, choices such as these have more to do with living a minimalist (and/or ecologically sound) lifestyle than saving money.

Do you partake in any minimalist habits even though they do not save you money?

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Every weekend, I will detail my activities and expenses to provide an example of how to implement a frugal mindset while still having a fun and active life.

Friday

I’m just going to warn you now, this was the most non-frugal weekend ever! Fortunately, all of the extra spending was budgeted. Friday night started out cheap. We stayed in, ordered Thai food ($7) and watched Shutter Island.

Friday Total Cost:$7

Saturday

I knew that Saturday would be an expensive day. I spent the morning getting highlights ($115) then stocked up on a prescription ($80). I came home in time to watch the World Cup game then headed out again to eat yummy Mexican for dinner ($6). After dinner, I played poker at a friend’s house and lost a buck.

Saturday Total Cost:$201

Sunday

I have been “window shopping” online for a dress to wear to two upcoming weddings for the past month but am wary to make such a purchase online without being able to try it on. It is getting close enough to the July wedding that I might not have enough time to return a wrong size, so I decided to take a quick stop at the mall and just see if anything caught my eye. After a disappointing run through several stores, I tried on two dresses at Bloomingdales. With the help of Twitter fashion gurus, I picked a Lipsy dress ($295…eeeek). I have never spent that much on clothing before but I budgeted the dress expense into this month, I do not have any special occasion clothes, and I know I will wear it twice at the very least. However, I am keeping the receipt and staying on the look out. If I fall in love with something cheaper, I will return it. It is times like these that I am glad New Jersey does not have sales tax on clothing!

Sunday Total Cost: $295

Total Weekend Cost: $496 (ugh!)

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Every weekend, I will detail my activities and expenses to provide an example of how to implement a frugal mindset while still having a fun and active life.

Friday

A group of friends and I went out to dinner to treat a friend for his birthday. The six of us split the bill for $17/each; that way everyone was paying a bit of the birthday boy’s meal as well. It was far more than I normally spend on eating out, but was a special occasion.

After dinner, we went back to my house and just hung out for the rest of the night. I did not go out and buy any special food; I was already prepared to make cookies!

Friday Total Cost:$17

Saturday

I spent Saturday playing the Mod Nation Racers demo which is fabulous! I also bought some supplies and plants for my first-ever vegetable container garden (wish me luck!).

For dinner, we went to a local hotdog shack for 3 with everything and a thick shake, that was all $6.

After dinner, we all went over to a friend’s house to play a casual game of poker. It was a $5 buy-in. I was just playing for fun and did not consider the five dollars to be a big loss. However, in the end, I broke even! (Total luck, I have no poker skills whatsoever).

Saturday Total Cost:$63

Sunday

Sunday was a cloudy day so I decided to be productive and went for a run, planted my vegetables and did some laundry. I watched a Netflix Instant Movie and just hung out the rest of the day. Since I was social both Friday and Saturday, it was nice to just have a day to lounge around.

Sunday Total Cost: $0

Total Weekend Cost: $80

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Free samples are a great example of how frugality is more about being resourceful than it is about being cheap.

Cheap people will use free samples solely because they are free. They have no intention of ever buying the product and simply think of the item as a free meal, free lipstick, free soap, etc.

Frugal consumers, on the other hand, will focus more on the fact that it is a sample. Samples allow you to try a product with no investment. If you like the sample, then spending money on it will be a smart purchase. If you do not, then no harm done. You did not waste your money.

Trying New Foods

The sample can be something petty like a new ice cream flavor. Step outside your boundaries and ask your local ice cream parlor to try a small sample spoonful of a new flavor. This is how I grew to love gelato.

Even Chipotle will give you a sample of their different seasoned toppings. This way you can try the food without risk.

Trying New Make-Up/Beauty Products

One of the most financially savvy examples of free samples is with make-up/beauty products. Sephora is great with offering free samples with your online purchase. In the stores, you can ask for a sample of any of their perfumes. Used wisely, this sample will definitely last you a few weeks. What a great way to see just how that scent reacts to your skin without spending $40.

Sephora also offers samples in the form of actually trying out the make-up right there in the store. Just find a color you want to try but might be a little afraid to. Ask one of the staff if they can apply it on you. Be sure to take advantage and ask questions about matching, weight, and application.

It is especially important to use free samples for expensive items. Lush products have a hefty price tag but the cashiers are more than willing to give you a free sample of everything there. Definitely take advantage of this. From experience, I have learned to always request a sample before trying a new product.

Trying New Medications

You can also receive samples of prescription medication. This is especially useful if you are sensitive to various prescriptions. If you are prescribed a new medication or want to change from one that is not working, ask your doctor if she has any samples available so you can see how your body reacts to the new medication without spending your money on the full prescription. This will save you money, time and frustration.

Risk-Free, Guilt-Free Spending

I’m happy to hear some twitter favs use free samples wisely, as well. @eemusings takes advantage of the free samples at Lush and The Body Shop and @pintucked likes the samples offered by Sephora.

Next time you see a product you want to purchase but are not sure you will like it, ask for a sample Most places are more than willing to take a little sacrifice in hopes you will make another purchase This way you are spending your money on products that work for you and you are making a smart, informed decision.

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Every weekend, I will detail my activities and expenses to provide an example of how to implement a frugal mindset while still having a fun and active life.

Friday

I started the night with some yummy home-made mac n cheese. Then some friends called so I met them at Chipotle (but didn’t eat anything) and ended up going out to a bar after. One beer was bought for me and I did not drink anything else. It was a nice low key night with friends.

Friday Total Cost:$0

Saturday

I spent Saturday at the New York Auto Show. My boyfriend covered the Ferry tickets and I paid for admission ($28 for both). We spent the next three hours walking around looking at all the neat cars, while I asked a million questions about engines. It was a great time! We ate a hotdog and shared a drink on the way out. Once home, we made a quick marinara sauce (since we had already spent enough money for the day) and watched a movie on Instant Watch.

Saturday Total Cost:$28

Sunday

Sunday was a gorgeous day! I made pancakes for breakfast, spent the rest of the morning lounging around, then went for a run in the afternoon. I had leftover pasta for dinner and watched another Instant Watch movie.

Sunday Total Cost: $0

Total Weekend Cost: $28

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Every weekend, I will detail my activities and expenses to provide an example of how to implement a frugal mindset while still having a fun and active life.

Friday

I had Friday off and I splurged! I treated myself to $40 worth of cake supplies at Candyland Crafts with the thought to attempt making a cake for an Easter dinner on Sunday. After my shopping spree, I went for an evening run (which was wonderful) then spent the rest of the night playing Heavy Rain on the PS3 that my friend is letting me borrow over the weekend. I had a get together planned for Saturday so I did not mind having Friday just being a loungy evening.

Friday Total Cost:$42 (excluding the groceries)

Saturday

Saturday was a gorgeous day! I spent the morning running on the Columbia Trail. Then I cleaned the house because I planned on having people over. In the evening, I had some friends over to watch the sad sad sad MSU game. It was still a fun time. We played some games, ate some pizza and I made soft baked pretzels. I footed the bill for the pizza. It was only two pizza’s and not everyone was eating so it was just easier than collecting money. I had already planned on that ahead of time so it was not an issue. I have learned from experience, that if you do intend to collect money from everyone for a pick-up meal, get the money ahead of time.

Saturday Total Cost:$29.85

Sunday

Sunday was Easter! I spent the morning trying to make a cake. I am a terrible cake maker. This attempt was supposed to be a layer cake, but one layer fell apart so I turned it into a single-layer cake. I still managed to decorate it and it, somehow, turned out quite cute! I took it to a friend’s family’s Easter dinner where it was a hit. I had a great time with my friend and her family and ate a ton of food! Since that took up the whole day, I didn’t spend a dime.

Sunday Total Cost: $0

Total Weekend Cost: $71.85 (aye carumba!)

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As I have said time and time again, being frugal means being resourceful. There are many resources we can tap into to save some money while still living fulfilling lives. Families and friends are an excellent resource to use (but not take advantage of). Before you head out and run to the store as soon as you think you may need something, why not see if a friend has the item first. Know a family member who has an item that he no longer uses but keeps around, why not see if you could borrow for it for a short time? It will help them clear up some space and give you a new toy. Need to free yourself from distractions, try lending out your toys to friends so you can get your work done.

There are many different reasons to borrow from or lend an item to a friend, family member or neighbor. Keep these in mind before making a purchase!

New To You

My boyfriend upgraded to a PlayStation 3 a year ago which means I get to borrow his PlayStation 2. Since I never owned a PlayStation 2 before, every single game is new to me. I know that they are not wide screen and do not have fancy graphics, but the games are still enjoyable. I have been playing Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy X, and Dance Dance Revolution all for free!

I Don’t Need It…. Right Now

I had a cat a few years ago who I spoiled like you would not believe. Part of this spoiling was to buy him a 77″ tall cat tree. After my cat passed away, I no longer had a use for the cat tree but I did want to keep it for when I got another cat. Unfortunately, the townhouse I currently live in does not allow pets so I know it will be some time before I have another one. One afternoon, my friends mentioned that they wanted to buy a cat tree for their kitty but was not sure if she would like it. Since I do not have a use for it at the moment, I let them borrow it to try it out. Fortunately, their cat loves it! In fact, they already know that when I take it back, their cat will demand her own!

I Need It… But Only For a Day

There are many times where you need an item just for one day or one project. Borrowing tools is a great way to save money. Now keep in mind, this is where it is important to have quality resources. Many people are wary of lending out expensive items because they fear the item being damaged or never returned. Show that you can be trusted by returning the borrowed items on time and in the same condition you received them. This friend is doing you a favor, be respectful.

Loaning To Help Yourself

There are situations where you may loan someone an item because it helps you. For example, my friend Matt asked me if he could leave his PlayStation 3 with me the week before a paper due. He knows that it is just too hard for him to concentrate on school work when he has the PS3 around to distract him. So, to help himself out, he loans me the gaming console whenever he has an important assignment to do. Of course, I am such a good friend that I do not mind taking it off his hands!

Be Respectful

As I mentioned above, always be respectful when borrowing an item. A friend is helping you save money by loaning you an item instead of having you make the purchase yourself. Remember, if someone is loaning an item to you, expect to return the favor someday. This is why it is important to have quality people in our lives.

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Coupons are one of the most ingenious marketing techniques ever created. They use the same principle new businesses will use to attract customers; Give customers a deal so they are willing to take a risk.

Marketing companies know how loyal we are to our favorite foods, brands and toilet cleaning products. They know that we will not switch just for anyone. However, with the lure of savings, we will try anything!

Coupons Do Not Endorse a Healthy Lifestyle

When I used to clip out coupons, I tried all kinds of new processed foods and cleaning products. Unfortunately for the marketing companies, I no longer purchase processed foods and commercial cleaning products. Most of the items I buy at the grocery store are rarely featured in coupons. When was the last time you saw a coupon for celery? Companies do not care about your health or savings. They know that your $0.50 savings is nothing compared to the mark-up they just profited on your purchase.

Let me give you an example of the plethora of unhealthy food that coupons are used to endorse. I simply typed “coupons” into google and went to the first site that allows you to print coupons. Let’s see what we have:

• Save 40¢ when you buy any flavor Box or Pouch Betty Crocker® Potatoes – Can these legally be called potatoes? Take a look at the ingredients and tell me you want to eat that.
• Save 50¢ when you buy one any flavor Betty Crocker® Warm Delights® Bowls OR Betty Crocker® Warm Delights® Minis Bowls – Is saving $0.50 really worth ingesting HFCS?
• Save $1.00 on any one Jose Ole® product (16 oz or larger) – Might I remind you that 3 Jose Ole Taquitos has 440mg of sodium?
• Save 50¢ when you buy any variety 19 OZ. – 24 OZ. ONLY Green Giant® Frozen Bagged Vegetables – Finally! Some vegetables!

We all know it is much cheaper to make your own homemade baked goods and dishes than buying lower quality, processed convenient foods. Coupons do not make up this difference. It is still cheaper to make your own yummy brownie bowl (without the corn syrup).

Coupons Make Us Buy More Food

There is no doubt about it. The words “savings” and “deal” trick our brains into thinking we need the item. How many times have you purchased an item you normally would not have because you had a coupon?

Now, one argument for coupons is, “they are an effective way for people to purchase new products without taking a huge risk.” Unfortunately, spending $3.50 instead of $4.00 on poor-tasting cereal, is not a savings at all.

You might be thinking right now, “I only use coupons on items I already buy.” If that is the case, then awesome. And if you have the time to play the grocery game, where you match up coupons (of items you would normally buy) with store sales for huge savings, that is awesome as well! But as someone who does not have the time or motivation to put into coupons, the savings on the few items I would use coupons for is not worth it to me.

Don’t Let Coupons Control Your Eating Habits

Next time you are looking through coupons, stop and notice just how many are for frozen, pre-packaged, or sugar-laden foods. Do not let the savings tempt you to continue purchasing this junk. It is cheaper (now and down the road) to purchase healthy alternatives or make your own.

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Every weekend, I will detail my activities and expenses to provide an example of how to implement a frugal mindset while still having a fun and active life.

Friday

Friday was another crazy day on the job front so I let loose on my budget a little and celebrated throughout the weekend. Friday evening, however, I just wanted to relax. I played some more Kingdom Hearts, watched the Olympic opening ceremony and had a relaxing night at home.

Friday Total Cost:$0

Saturday

I already had plans on Saturday night to go out to dinner to celebrate a friend’s birthday. I bought a six pack of Yeungling ($5.99) to bring to the restaurant (it was BYOB) and planned to use one bottle to make beer bread. Once at the liquor store, I got a little greedy and felt I deserved a six pack of Smithwick’s ($6.99) as well since the job hunt is going so well. I probably could have done without it, especially since I’ve only had one bottle but I know it will definitely get used up!

Dinner was great. We went to a cheap local place where my humongous burrito was only $4.50. I took 1/4 of it home to eat for lunch the next day. After dinner, I went to a bar with some friends. Again, I splurged and spent $4.50 on a beer just to be social. This doesn’t cause me to be over budget at all but I can’t help but know that it was a silly and unnecessary purchase. The evening overall was fun and I had a great time hanging out with friends.

Saturday Total Cost:$24

Sunday

On Sunday, I did chores around the house and went for a good run. I spent the evening watching the Olympics (what a great money-saver!).

Sunday Total Cost: $0

Total Weekend Cost: $24.00

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Every weekend, I will detail my activities and expenses to provide an example of how to implement a frugal mindset while still having a fun and active life.

Friday

Friday was great day. I scored two job interviews and was given a KitchenAid mixer as a gift from my boyfriend! To celebrate, we went out to a local bar with some friends in the evening. One drink was bought for me but really the evening was just spent socializing. After the bar, we walked across the street to a pizza place where some people ordered food but I declined the cheap grease and made myself a snack at home.

Friday Total Cost:$0

Saturday

We were invited to a friend’s house for dinner Saturday night. The spinach pie she made was fantastic and I brought some home-made chocolate chip cookies for dessert. We went out to another local bar by their house after dinner. I didn’t spend any money there and had a great time chatting with my friend.

Saturday Total Cost:$0

Sunday

Sunday was spent lounging around the house until the Super Bowl. I was invited to another friend’s house for a small Super Bowl party so that is where I spent the evening and had my dinner (mmmmm chicken wings!). I brought a cheesecake that I had made earlier in the day and had a fun time.

Sunday Total Cost: $0

Total Weekend Cost: $0!

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