It is easy to live thrifty

@kevinll (967)
China
July 24, 2010 1:41am CST
In times of economic downturn, many people start to look for ways to reduce their household budget and save extra cash. Living a thrifty lifestyle does not have to mean doing without. Making small changes will allow you to save money and still enjoy your favorite treats and activities. Being frugal can help you save for retirement, pay off your credit cards faster or even just save money for a dream vacation. To live in a thrifty way, you need to pay attention to your day-to-day expenses. Such as Eat at home most nights, Use coupons when you do your regular grocery shopping etc. What's your idea?
1 person likes this
10 responses
@PDBME2 (1014)
• United States
24 Jul 10
I really used to think that we lived frugal but lately I think we are trying even more to do so. We are trying to buy a house so we got our credit cards down but we need to put money in the bank for a down. I have to admit that we are not suffering from our cutbacks. I called the cable to minimize our services, went to the basics with our phone, I even cut down on our car insurance. I've been paying everything cash. These past few weeks we've been having yard sales to come up with some money, you'd be surprised at all the things you could live without and all the junk you accumulate if you are not careful.
1 person likes this
• Jamaica
25 Jul 10
It is not easy there are things that you can do to cut back on cost.Eat at home most nights. When you do go out, look for available deals and discounts. If you are a frequent restaurant diner, consider purchasing an Entertainment Book for local restaurants. These collections of coupons typically cost around $30, but provide 2-for-1 deals at local restaurants and places of interest. Also bundle your bills, like cable,telephone and internet to get a better deal. Cut back on your lights and water just by using less, those are just a few things that you can do to make it easier to cut back.
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
25 Jul 10
we shop at thrift stores a lot of the time and look for sales. i saw a backpack on sale at a store several weeks ago, decided not to buy it and saw the same one in another store for even a cheaper price than the sale price! we also visit the library and are careful what we eat. we use coupons sometimes or buy the store brand which is often cheaper than the brand name even with the cents off coupon.
@lacieice (2060)
• United States
24 Jul 10
We,ve cut back a lot, and we are still trying to cut back more. Every little thing helps, even if it only saves a few pennies, cause pennies add up to dollars. We take short showers...no baths...they use more water. Make sure lights are turned off. Most of the time, we only have one light burning in the evenings. Use leftovers...don't throw them away. Only buy clothing when it's needed, not cause its pretty or you just want it. Learn to stretch it out...make it last...make it do.
• Brazil
24 Jul 10
i think it's a very wise way to live. Yesterday i was watching a show about home economics and a professor said a very interesting thing about spending.She said theat when you are out and spot something that you love you should ask yourself three easy questions. (my question mark ins't working so just pretend there is one after every question!) 1,Do i need it yes no 2,Can i afford it yes no 3,Do I need it at this exact moment yes no if you said no at any of these question then just keep walking...
@gajamor (35)
• Norway
24 Jul 10
I heard there is a new trend where some people try to live without spending any money at all. They dig through other people's garbage, get discarded clothes and furniture from friends and family, walk or bicycle instead of driving, etc. I wouldn't go that far, but there is a lot of things you can get for free if you know where to look. Even if you live in the middle of a city, it is normally possible to grow your own herbs and salad in the window sill. If you have a garden, you could grow a lot more. I live in a place with about 3 days of summer every year, but peas and potatoes are thriving in my garden. A fishing rod is cheap, you could even make one from some string and a stick. If you have access to the sea, a lake or a river, you can provide healthy dinner for your family several times a week. There are berries and mushrooms in the forest, and a lot of other healthy and free alternatives, if you just know where to look. When I grew up, we where on a tight budget. I didn't notice it, even though I got tired of eating fish and potatoes five days a week and porridge every saturday. Meat was only available on sundays. I just thought my parents were living healthy, I didn't know they were trying to save money.
@knicnax (2233)
• Philippines
24 Jul 10
Drinking instant coffee rather than buying it from a coffee shop. Having packed lunch, not buying stuff that I can do without. Bargain hunting for stuff that I need or want (as a treat for myself). Sadly, we don't have much coupons here in my country. Coupons are usually for luxury stuff like a discount from a restaurant or something, which if you do use the coupon, will just make you spend instead of saving.
@tinym8 (420)
• United States
24 Jul 10
Hi Kevin, We have had to live thrifty for the past couple of years or more. We have cut down on our electric, gas, water as much as possible by not using them as much. We have put on the minimum cable just so we can have our internet connection. We have gone to the lowest possible car insurance and phone. When grocery shopping we use as many coupons as we can and buy as many things at the $1 store as we can. We just eat chicken, fish and eggs for "meats". We don't go out to restaurants or to movies. The library is mostly the source of our reading material. Just being thoughtful about what you do around the house, how often you do things, etc. helps on saving $.
@puccagirl (7294)
• Israel
24 Jul 10
I think it is not always easy being thrifty, it requires a bit more thought than just spending recklessly, and you also need to be a bit smarter. But it is definitely possible, and once you get used to it, you can do it almost automatically1
@lissarah (14)
• United States
24 Jul 10
I try to be as thrifty as possible. I use a ton of coupons when I shop, and only get what's on sale. Last week I was able to cut a 60 dollar food bill down to 22 dollars at the register. I also make a lot of my own stuff. I make my own laundry detergent,facial cleaner,candy,soap,body lotion. (ect.) buying the items to make these items is not only cheap, but you get a lot for your money! I also try to only shop the clearance racks when buying clothes. Many people will not do this because they think that all the stuff of the clearance rack is out of date. This simply isn't true. I have scored a lot of cute and fashionable outfits for under 15 dollars!!!