Frugal living how do you do it?

My single best frugal tip is to never buy things on impulse unless its a complete one off at a charity shop for pennies for example. Even then I normally walk away and come back the next day when I have slept on the idea. If its still there, and I still want it, then thats ok, but if it has gone then I clearly want meant to have it.

Most of our frugality comes from jsut not having any money. We can't spend money on anything. So we've been getting better and better at stretching our food and creatively getting around by things.

One way that I've been able to be more frugal and save money is to drive my 10 year old mini van. I take the chance that it will need a repair, but it's way cheaper then making payments!! I see some of my friends struggling with very high car payments, and I don't want to do that. I will have to get another vehicle in the near future though, this one does have 121,000 miles on it...lol When I do, it will be a used one and not a brand new one, those are too expensive. I want to retire some day after all!!! :)

We used to live well and have extra cash. Then we had kids and decided it was best to go to one income. After we burnt up our savings we realized things had to change. I think I have tried everything once. My best tip it to just pay attention. It is amazing how $.50 can add up really fast. We think about every penny that is going out and cut where we can. Be thankful for what you what you have and it will help you to not want more. I search web sites when I need more motivation. Now it is just a way of life. I dont feel like I am missing out on anything at all.

It takes alot of work and dicipline. I use resale shops like good will I always hit them for kids clothes. If you dig you can find great brand names that are hardly used. I reuse every thing I can from zip lock bags (not the meat and cheese ones) to coffee grounds. I know it sounds too cheap but i love my coffee and it can run up a bill. I add a scoop to the first pots used grounds and run another pot through. boy i could go on all night. I think it is almost a passion for me!

I enjoy being as frugal as possible. Somethings that I do include - 1. Always using the bones of chicken to make broth. I save them up in a bag in the freezer until I have a pot full. 2. Save peelings and ends from veggies to make broth. Again I keep a container going in the freezer. 3. Keep milk bags for freezing. Here in Southern Ontario Canada our milk is sold in a large 4litre bag which contains 3 small clear bags of milk. I keep the clear bags for freezing and use the larger bags for crocheting up into grocery bags. 4. Cook from scratch. I make my own whole wheat bread (with a breadmaker), my own yogurt and generally stay away from packaged food. It's usually cheaper and I know what's in it. 5. Keep a price book. Whatever purchases I make I log into my price book. For me that's an excel spreadsheet but you can put it into any kind of notebook. This allows you to keep track of pricing so you know a bargain when you see one and also you can get an idea of when items go on sale regularly and stock up with enough until the next sale. Just keeping the book makes you much more aware of prices. 6. Use the library. Whether for books or other items your local library is a wealth of FREE resources. 7. Cook more than you need. Whenever you have leftovers freeze them in small containers for quick meals when you're rushed or take out lunches as needed. I hope this hints may be helpful to you and others.

This is a new interest, Frugal Living and boy am I ever there. I think I can write a book on how to live frugal. I live by myself, in my own home and do it on less than $25.00 per day. Now that sounds like a lot of money, but here is my budget, mortgage 306, strata payments 154, phone, INTERNET TV 120.oo utilities 45 food 100 credit cards 75. You will notice I do not have a car, or budget for cloths vacations,spending money, the only thing I can adjust is my food money, or use my credit cards and they are for emergency use only, like if my freezer or washer goes. etc. As for saving money No I do not as I can not. But you will notice I also have INTERNET and cable TV. I worked for most of my life I started babysitting when I was 9 and it was only because I have vascular dementia that I can not now, so I look at this way I have earned these small entertainment things in my life. I do not smoke, drink, go to bingo I stay at home with my computer and watch TV. that is my life and I am loving it. But I do know where all the best buys are in town, When I do have to spend money it is after much consideration and thought, It works for me.

I've just taken to the idea of frugal living. My biggest saver so far is taking lunch with me to work! I had no idea how much extra I spent by buying lunch every day until I put $20 in a jar at work one day, and left my wallet at home. It took me 3 days to be left with nothing in the jar. As I live by myself, I now cook up a storm on the weekend. I divide each dish into several meals, popping them in Glad containers and leaving them in the fridge or freezer. This sorts out my lunches and my dinners. I only buy enough for me to cook that week, and so I don't tend to waste anything at all. I figure this saves me about $30 per week, or $1500 a year in lunches. NOT throwing out food that has gone off, well, I have yet to figure out the value of that, but it's definitely significant!

Well, I definitely don't live frugally. I enjoy shopping and buying and doing nice things for myself. To be able to do this, however, I've had to cut back in some areas. The best tips that I are are using coupons and cooking at home rather than going out to eat. I'm also really good at spotting sales, this way I get to live my life with the fine things I want, without spending all the extra money. (I just got an amazing pair of shoes worth $75 for only $15!)