What makes you feel frugal?

**fixer** · 08-26-2009, 05:00 PM

I will give you a few of mine. When I empty the dishwasher and see many canning jars, I feel frugal. The same goes for using a stiff, rough towel. I know it was line dried and saved money. When I get a plastic shopping bag and notice there are few left, I know I have not been buying much at the store.

**Rebookie** · 08-26-2009, 05:07 PM

This might sound silly but since I am new(ish) to the frugal way, eating at home makes me feel like I am doing smething good for the family. =D

**AmyBoz** · 08-26-2009, 05:08 PM

It's funny, I feel really frugal when I have to buy more flour or shortening or sugar, etc, because it means I've been making things for my family from scratch instead of buying them pre-made, which is more expensive and not as healthy.

**MaryCarney** · 08-26-2009, 05:36 PM

When we eat out, because it is so infrequent!

**Maine Girl** · 08-26-2009, 05:53 PM

When i look at my budget at the end of the month after paying all my bills and i have money left over from a budgeted item and it either didn't happen or i budgeted too much for that item. Money left over from my budget gets put towards debt.

I also feel frugal when i stretch my groceries, or when i stay home on the weekends to conserve gas and save money.

**dmarie** · 08-26-2009, 06:50 PM

most will laugh at this but when i take the gallon of whole milk and pour half in a older container (that's clean and empty) and add water to both containers to make my own 1% milk. I stick one in freezer and one in the fridge.

**Grainlady** · 08-26-2009, 08:01 PM

1. Use powdered "milk" products ALL the time - costing $2.07-gallon if I purchase 24.25# bucket of Morning Moo's (www.moosmilk.com/), or $1.66-gallon when I split a 50# bag with a friend.

2. Mill grains/seeds/beans into flour and incorporating them in homemade baked goods of ALL kinds.

3. Own a sewing machine and use it.

4. I darn socks and mend clothes. A stitch in time saves nine.

5. No urges to "hit the mall"...

6. Recycled plastic bags drying on the cute birdhouse drying rack hubby made me.

7. I agree with using the clothesline reminding me of being frugal, except my towels (or clothes) are NEVER stiff and scratchy - I use Charlie's Soap which doesn't leave a soap scum on clothes, a common cause of stiff line-dried clothes. I have a clothesline indoors, as well as outdoors, so I rarely use the dryer because weather is never a factor. And while I'm on the subject, I purchase Charlie's Soap by the 5-gallon bucket (1280-loads about 3.5 years worth) to save by buying it in bulk.

8. A proud owner of a Library Card, and use it! We read the books, use the FREE movies and How-To tapes and DVDs, read the magazines (we don't have any magazine $ub$cription$), take advantage of continuing education programs and opportunities provided by the library....

9. Make my own "convenience" foods.

10. Our simple lifestyle.

**3tomboys** · 08-26-2009, 11:03 PM

I feel frugal when....
1. I stick to the budget
2. I make a menu for the week by looking at the sale ads and what I
have on hand. Also, using coupons.
3. Watching the debt go down and the savings go up.
4. Picking fresh vegetables from the garden.
5. Hanging clothes to dry.
6. Taking leftovers to work.
7. When your kids collect coupons for things they want and watching for
when them to go on sale.
8. When your kids tell you that they learned how to do this because you
showed them how.
9. Having cash to pay for something because you have saved on other
things.
10.The feeling of knowing that you are capable of handling the financial
challenges that come up.

**Ocean_Beach_Dweller** · 08-26-2009, 11:09 PM

Originally Posted by Rebookie

This might sound silly but since I am new(ish) to the frugal way, eating at home makes me feel like I am doing smething good for the family. =D

Yes! This for me too, just eating at home and bringing my lunch to work makes me feel very frugal.

Also, the place where i switch from subway to bus everyday is inside a gigantic shopping mall with all my favorite stores, and I'm not even tempted to go into any of them because I know i'm saving my money for more important things.

**Contrary Housewife** · 08-26-2009, 11:42 PM

... when I see how much money my friends waste on crap like expensive cell phones, fast food on a daily basis, and new clothes, and then hear them tell me they wish they could afford a vacation (like we just had).

To be fair, one of my girlfriends just thanked me the other day for recommending Dave Ramsey to her. She gave the book to her husband to read and said "It was like he suddenly woke up and figured it out."

**Palooka** · 08-27-2009, 12:31 AM

I feel frugal when I use my first batch of homemade laundry detergent and still have plenty left and when I need to do some clothes shopping, I think of the Goodwill first.

**Preston** · 08-27-2009, 06:39 AM

I feel frugal when my checking account only has one penny in it since I put the extra money into savings/toward debt so I don't have any stagnant money.

Or being months ahead of my debt reduction plan.

Later this week I will feel frugal when I cancel my trash service.

**lilyrose** · 08-27-2009, 07:51 AM

Whenever I mend something.

**never2late** · 08-27-2009, 08:34 AM

When we use up every bit of those leftovers in the fridge.

When I check the sales fliers before I go shopping, make my list, have my budget, and stick with it.