Frugal: economical in use or expenditure; prudently saving or sparing; not wasteful
My mom is one of the most sanely frugal people I know (There are those insanely frugal people out there and she has her moments, but they're few and far between. So naturally, growing up I went through the phases if misunderstanding, disliking, and finally accepting and embracing frugality. I owe it all to her so thanks mom.
Even if I say so myself, I think I'm pretty talented at being frugal. So, in honor of this skill/hobby of mine, passed down to me from mine mother, I have decided to compile a list of helpful tips for being (sanely) frugal. Just don't get too crazy.
1. Keep your eyes open for things before you actually have to have them. Things cost so much less when you're flexible timewise. e.i. keeping your eye out for good jeans at cheap prices BEFORE your old ones become too ripped to wear out of the house anymore and you are forced to pay an arm and both legs for a good pair. (But then it would be pointless to even have jeans if you paid both legs to get them. ;) Forgive my love of puns.) ANYWAY. . .
2. Don't be afraid of hard work. Saving money takes a little extra effort. If it didn't,everyone would probably be more frugal. It's all about weighing the costs. Is what you want to save worth the extra work? Is the extra work worth the amount you would save? Sometimes, it isn't. But when it comes down to saving $20 on a pair of jeans just by going through the whole rack at Goodwill to find them, it's worth it to me. Sure, sometimes those thrift shops smell funny and it can be hard to find what you want at garage sales, but bring your hydration pack and some hand sanitizer cause sometimes the deals are practically steals.
3. Don't be afraid of used stuff. Used stores can be kind of gross places for those of us that are all-too-aware of germs. But once you've gotten a great deal on something and put it through the wash once (or twice) you might as well have gotten it at the mall. A large portion of the clothes I own came from places like Goodwill and The Salvation Army and I can't tell the difference between them and the minority of clothes I bought new. You don't really have a lot to lose.
4. Don't be stuck on namebrand. However, it is becoming more and more easy to shop namebrand in thrift stores, so if you're a namebrand kind of person, suit yourself (I never noticed till now how many idioms refer to clothing!!).
The only reason I shop namebrand when I can is because it usually means better quality clothes since they have a reputation to keep up. In the grand scheme of things though, having Hollister plastered all over the front of my shirt isn't really going to do anything for me, plus it's not really my style, so I don't go out of my way for it.
5. If you must shop retail, buy on sale. Sometimes I just have the urge to buy something new but that doesn't mean that I have to spend a small fortune to indulge. There are definitely ways to be frugal while buying new. There's hardly ever a good reason to buy something that isn't at least on sale, let alone on clearance at a retail store. Just keep your eyes open.
6. Coupons. The combination of in-store sales and coupons with manufacturer coupons make it pretty easy to save, at the very least, 50 cents here and there on purchases at retail stores. That doesn't sound like much but it adds up. Fifty pennies saved is 50 pennies earned.
7. Don't be afraid of looking bad. I'm talking about how you get the clothes you wear, not the clothes themselves. Being frugal and looking bad do NOT go hand in hand. As a member of the human race, I struggle with pride in all shapes and sizes. But frugality is a talent, not somethinig to be embarassed of. In my eyes, it could almost be considered an art form. I realized that it was also a smart thing to do because even if I had money to buy whatever I wanted, I wouldn't have it for long if I wasn't frugal about how I used it.
I used to think people were frugal because they had to be, but once I realized that sometimes, people are frugal because they want to be, I quit worrying about looking bad because of my frugality. (Also, what does looking bad in the world's eyes really matter when you have a heavenly Father who's heart is for you?)
8. How to be smart about it when you just have to spend the money. On things like gas and appliances and restaurants, you can't always get a great deal. There are probably a lot of good ways to go about these costs but what I've been doing lately is buying gas station gift cards from Kroger where I can get store points which add up to give me 10 cents off per gallon. Also, most restaurants have coupons online or in newspapers.
9. Other random tidbits of knowledge.
- Goodwill 50% off days: happen about once a month. $3 jeans. $2 shirts. Hard to beat.
- The Salvation Army: They have sales that are less inclusive but still pretty good. If you don't mind getting stabbed with the staples they use to put price tags on clothes with, it can be pretty easy to find what you're looking for there as most Salvation army stores are color coded. I got some khaki's that I wear to work for $.50. Comfiest and cheapest work pants I've ever had.
- Garage sales: Usually the best place to get the best deals on things you may or may not have actually needed. They're especially good at the end of the last day they're advertised to be going on because the sellers just want to have the stuff taken off their hands. Basically, I'm saying go when they're desperate.
WARNING: there is a fine line between being stingy and being savvy with saving.