Any Frugal Wannabees Kith?

**dinah** · 03-30-2011, 12:02 PM

I find that I lurk here and I love all the ideas and I am inspired by everyone's frugality...but I find that I struggle with being frugal. Like really struggle.

I love suppers out and weekends away. I love expensive cheese and organic milk. I love lunches out and coffee from Timmies. I love new clothes and buying yarn. I would rather go out for supper with my tax refund then pay down my debt.

But, I dream of having no debt and saving money on my utilities. I dream of hanging my laundry to dry. I dream of making my own jam and having a stockpile. I dream of being frugal.

Are there any others out there like me?

**Jamielane** · 03-30-2011, 12:43 PM

Oh yes, finally I have found my soul sister!! I want to do all the right things, I try to do all the right things. I have the best intentions but alot of times I don't make the choices a truely frugal person would make. I am trying though. I read this board everyday and shop carefully and try to make do with what I have and be grateful for all my many blessings. I am however always trying and I figure as long as I am trying and having successes than its better than not trying at all . My good choices are outweighing my bad ones by alot these days but make no mistake if I could spend freely and do as I wished I would, never cook again, buy what I wanted, go on vacations and spend freely on my family . I am a bit obsessed with the stockpile though. I am building it up and the kind of shopping that I like most is grocery shopping. Is that weird? I think it might be.

**dinah** · 03-30-2011, 01:00 PM

i am so glad there is another person out there like me!

i do find reading this board helps keep me in a more frugal place.

i try and focus on small things that i do.

i have spent the last year learning to love the libraries in our city. now we go at least twice a week to 2 different libraries to check out what they each have.

i have also begun to make a meal plan and a grocery list again and have been working on making sure that we stick to actually eating those meals! sometimes i make the plan and the grocery list, we buy the stuff, and then it goes bad in the fridge. no more of that!

if i'm not thinking about being frugal then i begin living excessively and throw away our money and use my time unwisely.

**lotsadebt** · 03-30-2011, 01:26 PM

I too am envious of the posters who seem to have it all figured out. I wish I could "walk the walk and talk the talk" I made a few frugal choices at a time that I can commit too.

I suggest taking one step at a time and really committing to it before making another change. Does it really work for you and your family? Once I tried commiting to baking my own bread in the machine. Searched for the machine used at a garage sale (the frugal way), bought everything I needed. I committed to it for about a year. Then it just fell apart about a year ago. Just wasn't working for my situation (ds in soccer, DD in city wide choral group) Now it's for special occasions.

**GoodThyming** · 03-30-2011, 01:32 PM

I love eating out. It is a serious financial vice. That is what I struggle with the most. I want to meal plan and do the frugal thing, but it's hard. I put a fixed amount of money on a debit card for the month of April that is to cover expenses that vary. I'm hoping this will help keep me more disciplined. The card has my fun money on it, but also money for groceries and the drugstore. So the more I spend on stuff like eating out, the less there is for groceries and I will know that means I get closer to Ramen for every meal at home instead of fresh food from the farmers market!

**dinah** · 03-30-2011, 01:54 PM

sometimes i wonder if being frugal is something that is hard wired in you or something you are born with?

what are us frugal wannabees to do?

**Jamielane** · 03-30-2011, 02:08 PM

Try and try again perhaps? After we have hidden the take out containers of course......

kidding, kidding, I kid......

**QCmom$$$** · 07-25-2012, 09:14 PM

I consider myself one of you. I find it hard to be consistent in choosing to be frugal on a daily basis. I'm a libra, I love all that is beautiful, I love to eat out, buy me a coffee every day at work. I always have good intentions that I do not always respect ...

But I think the important thing is to try and improve by baby steps, each day. And get up if we fall ..

**oheoh's momma** · 07-26-2012, 01:30 PM

The last post was yesterday ..hello to everyone I think of myself as sophmore in the college of frugality...

being frugal is different for everyone....It has to do with your own comfort level I am not puting my heat on 50 and wearing coats in the house..70 is nice and warm. I do not make everything homemade and I am so envious of those who make their own cake mixes, brownie mixes, laundry soap, bread..ect I make my own fabreeze , taco seasonings that is about it..

I use dawn as a stain remover, vineagr as softner sometimes...

yes we out way to often, love to travel not enough, movies, nice designer clothes...
I shop second hand and clerance racks..

don't beat yourself up..It is up to your comfort level..My friend is frugal and she coupons all name brands, everything..no garage sales for her, sales racks and clerance.. no used clothes for growing boy or wally clothes except for undies and socks....that is her comfort level..mine is different I hang clothes and use generic.by the way she loves my cooking and lot of it is generic..hugs

**ARCMOMMY** · 07-26-2012, 01:53 PM

I think I have to keep trying all the time too. But it makes the splurges even sweeter.

**Callysta** · 08-02-2012, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by dinah

I find that I lurk here and I love all the ideas and I am inspired by everyone's frugality...but I find that I struggle with being frugal. Like really struggle.

I love suppers out and weekends away. I love expensive cheese and organic milk. I love lunches out and coffee from Timmies. I love new clothes and buying yarn. I would rather go out for supper with my tax refund then pay down my debt.

But, I dream of having no debt and saving money on my utilities. I dream of hanging my laundry to dry. I dream of making my own jam and having a stockpile. I dream of being frugal.

Are there any others out there like me?

I'm right there with ya, dinah. I also love organic foods. The most affordable food is, of course, the most unhealthy. And personally, I don't like the taste of corn syrups and preservatives. There is a very different (and fresher) flavor to organic fruits and veggies. And milk is amazing fresh. My grocery bill is actually more costly than the mortgage. LOL I'm a foodie!

And laundry! I despise having to do it. I don't think I could ever force myself to hang dry it. I understand having the desire to do all of those things, but real life makes it so hard. We're all busy, I imagine. I know I am. Hang in there.

~Cally

**wanderlusting** · 08-02-2012, 07:27 PM

that's me! I do frugal things in some areas which allows me to splurge in others. Some people here would be horrified at my grocery bills, but it's what works for our family. We save in other areas.

I do like to hear people's stories and am amazed at the resourefulness of the members here.