For me being frugal is important to help those times when penny pinching is important. However, I think it is more of a lifestyle and can feel great even when there are more than pennies in your pocket.
With a tip of the hat to http://www.moneysavingmom.com/ for her list / inspiration for this post.
- Living on a budget to help keep track of spending and limit spending to stay within our means.
- Cutting down on eating out (we've only paid to eat out 5 times this year, those usually paired with a coupon or special deal.)
- Buying groceries with a sale + coupon deal to make them rock bottom prices and buying ahead.
- Cooking as much from scratch as I can.
- Shopping at garage sales and thrift stores (this is a #1 for me as I find amazing deals in peoples front yards!)
- Get books and entertainment at the library...even better the mobile library that comes to a shopping center nearby so there isn't driving involved!
- Stay at home. Fewer vacations, camping trips, "errand trips", etc. means spending less.
- Keep haircuts simple, colorless, and manageable.
- Reusing and figuring out alternative solutions to items we want to purchase.
- Stay healthy. Fewer germs, fewer health problems, fewer bills.
- Finding new ways to stay busy (board games, reading, gardening, cooking, projects, blogging).
- Sewing anything that is less expensive to sew than purchase (not everything is!).
- Gardening for fresh delicious produce. (also see #11).
- Making the most of my job to make sure I don't miss any opportunities to earn more money.
- Enjoy the simple life of having a friend over for breakfast instead of going out for coffee
- Not having kids...yet.
- Keeping the windows open on cool summer nights and buttoned up tight during the winter to mitigate those utilities.
- Realize our life doesn't have to look the same as other peoples.
- Have faith.
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