Frugal Parents

[jkelstaten]

My mom was a single mom, so she had to be frugal. Unfortunately, she didn't really take the time to teach us kids about finances so we've each had our times of financial difficulty, but really I think we're a lot better than most people our ages. Dh & I never really built up much debt so we were able to pay all of it off last year when we sold our house to come here.

My mom has NEVER had a credit card. She has at times had loans, but they were for small amounts and she has always been timely with the payments.

We had a large garden growing up, she canned a lot of food. When we went out to eat for a treat we only bought one soda (usually a small) and all shared it and took advantage of free refills.

She shops around and around and around. BUT, she always gets great deals.

Even though I despised it growing up, she bought the majority of our clothes second hand. I learned very quickly in high school and college when I started buying my own clothes that thrift stores are the way to go. She is the queen of $0.25 deals. She has provided almost all of my girls clothes (and my girls aren't shabby by any means) by shopping clearance and thrift stores.

[lullaby80]

My parents were (and still are but not so much) frugal. They bought their first house and paid it off in 7 years and always have bought their cars with cash. I think the last car they got was an exception but they paid like 80% of it cash and it should be paid off already. When I was growing up I never got the nice clothes that other kids were wearing and I actually think it was a bad thing because when I finally got my first job at 16, I went out and spent every penny on clothes for years.

My parents weren't frugal because of necessity, they are actually very well off. It's just that they were brought up that way and don't want to owe anything for anyone.

[PrairieRose]

My parents were very frugal and at the time, growing up I didn't realize it. We lived in a nicer home than most of my friends and they always told me I was rich. That's really pretty funny now b/c it wasn't true. My sewed all of my clothes, my sister's clothes, her own clothes, she made all of the designer draperies in our home, the bedspreads, throw pillows, etc... . Mom did all of her own home rennovations, which were considerable at times. We had a garden and Mom canned lots and lots from it, we always had 1/2 a beef in the freezer and we ate at home 99% of the time. I remember my Dad always being a 'trader' when there was something he wanted. He would find a way to trade for it rather than having to pay for it. They taught me pretty well except for the love of sewing. I can sew, I just don't really like to.

[nuisance26]

Well, I can't say anything bad about my parents and money because my mom is a member here! The good things were
~I still use my dad's checking ledger system that he taught me when I was 10
~The trips to the dump as a very small child and the thrift stores as a teen and the things my dad would pick up from other people's trash heaps taught me to think creatively about secondhand stuff-He is insanely creative!
~That work is often just that: WORK, not some kind of "life experience" that you HAVE to enjoy(Dad's 'career' in a glass factory is just about the worst work I can imagine).
~To not complain about what you can't afford, EVER!
~As a teen, an allowance for fun money and clothes but how I spent it(except short shorts and skirts!) was up to me. I could get oodles of cool clothes with the money at the Salvation Army but only one thing in a department store; I learned quickly!
~My mom not only taught me how to cook, but let me cook for the family often, letting me choose what I wanted to make. Those skills save me alot of money now.
~As a homeschooled teen the Library was the best place on earth. We have 4 libraries within 20 minutes driving of each other. So much free stuff to borrow! Why buy when you can borrow?
~Also as a homeschooled teen with alot of time on my hands I applied myself to honing some things my mother taught me and learning other handcrafts. I now sew well. I can also make metal-bead-paper and clay jewelry, paint, draw, weave, do macrame, decoupage, applique, quilt, embroider, follow patterns, make my own patterns,scrapbook, pour candles and many other things. These skills save me money because I can redeem things that would be thrown away and also make gifts for a tiny fraction of what it would cost to buy a similar product.
~My mom took us shopping with her so we could see and write down the prices of the things we bought. She used coupons too.

I grew up in the country with very little tv so I didn't want or ask for much. My daddy would(and still does) bring home squirrels, rabbits, deer, ducks, fish, clams or crabs to eat. My mom is a great gardener. I had alot of interesting food as a kid. The house we lived in was paid for because it wasn't exactly the Hilton and cost less than a used car would cost now. The cars my parents drove were paid for and maintained by my dad. We(I'm one of 5 children) weren't in programs and classes. We went camping for vacations. We lived a simple life; what they could afford. I learned that well and am taking it a step further by living very much UNDER our means. I don't remember feeling on the edge as a kid because I had confidence in my parents skills to make things do. I worry about my ability to do those things so I save more.

[kaykwilts]

Food shopping and keeping a stockpile
Never be in debt.

[Katybird]

My mother was a single parent and therefore frugal by neccessity. She raised 4 children and never had a credit card the entire time. She budgeted and shopped sales and thrift stores. We rarely ate out and did not have a lot of luxuries but we had a comfortable home with lots of love.

My mom taught me~
~Budgeting
~How to shop thrift stores and garage sales and still have a fabulous wardrobe
~Cooking from scratch
~How to make do with what you have and to be happy that you have it

[Emerald_Mommy]

My parents were frugal by necessity when I was very young. However, frugal doesn't necessarily also mean "good" with money. No one taught them how to live on very little money - but they learned and consequently taught me. I actually remember my mom reading The Tightwad Gazette when I was young. After that she got very good at frugality. Some of what they taught me:
~ Be content with what you have
~ Avoid debt as much as possible
~ Cook at home, from scratch as much as possible
~ Young married people should not expect to start off with as much as their parents, which took 25-30 years to get

My husband and I are actually more frugal than my parents now, and more determined to avoid all types of debt other than a mortgage, but I do appreciate my parents helping me start out with no debt and a realistic expectation of what we "need" as a young couple.

[justpeachy92]

I guess you could say my parents were frugal, though in some aspects I think they were cheapskates. They taught me nothing about money management. When I got out on my own and found out I had to pay for town water I was shocked, seriously I thought water was free. When I got my first checking account I had to have the bank show me how to right out a check cause I really had no idea. I feel I am still learning about money management now, and trying to teach my kids from my mistakes so they don't make the same ones I did.

[i.m.cheap]

I was never thought a thing about money management at home. My parents purchased only brand new cars, never used coupons, or shopped second hand, and used credit cards frequently. I was never told how to set up a budget, or pay bills. I did get married and move out when I was 16 years old, and got my first checking account and set up my own household. I can proudly say that I have never bounced a check in my life, but I did make some bad decisions with credit. I buy NOTHING on credit now.

[Ani]

My parents were/are definitely not "frugal", but they were/are very money-smart. Me and my sisters stand to inherit a small fortune when they die, and I have never had a moment's worry about taking care of them when they're older, as I know that we won't have to. I gained a lot of my financial intelligence from my dad. I learned that you don't really need "stuff", but I didn't learn anything really frugal from either parent. We always lived within our means, but I never felt like we were scrimping, even when we lived in a 2 bedroom trailer for several years. In recent years my parents have gotten nicer things, which makes sense considering their current state of having most children out of the house and more income etc. My mom drives a Caddillac, and they eat out a lot etc.

I think my money attitudes come from them a lot. I don't enjoy being frugal, and I don't consider myself frugal at all. I could be very frugal if I needed to be. I do appreciate good money management, however. I would never live beyond my means, or do things that would set back my long-term financial goals.

[thriftstorequeen]

We didn't have much when I was growing up. Our house was very old and run down. Daddy didn't maintain it at all. We got 5 new outfits at the start of each new school year. We always had plenty to eat, my Mom was the best cook. She could make a wonderful meal out of anything. In the summer Daddy had a large garden and shared it with all our neighbors. Mom would can the rest! They made due with what they had or what they were given. I never remember them ever buying furniture or curtains, my Aunt would give us stuff she no longer needed and we all loved it. Mom was a SAHM and I loved that and that's what I wanted to be and am! I always knew I was loved and to me that is priceless!

[TheRootedNomad]

My father has no money management skills and finances were generally left up to mom...unless of corse he spent it. Mom on the other hand was pretty frugal. We were never told much of anything financially growing up. What I learned had much more to do with what I saw. Mom had grown up one of five raised by a single mom and learned frugality and (deprevation) that way. I've learned both good and bad from what I saw modeled and am still seeing.

+ I learned to have fun and not be ashamed of shopping at thrift stores or searching out "blue light specials" as we shopped for clothes and presents. On summer trips to see moms family here in Kentucky lots of days spent cruising the thrift stores or bargin sales for school clothes with mom and her sister having a blast.

+ I learned to cook lots of meals from scratch both from mom and my paternal extended family. Not so much for frugality sake as tradition.

+ Catch it youself. Some frugality reasoning may have been attached but quality and fun were what was voiced. (Nothing like waking up to go to the bathroom and finding the door closed and checking for escaped blue claw crabs on the floor before using the potty. They may have escaped the huge garbage can that was in the tub.)

+ Grow it yourself. Again this seemed more culture, pride and quality, but frugality may have been an issue as well. ( I spent many summers in the garden on the side of my house (on Long Island) with my grandfather. We grew lots of things but most important were the tomatoes for sauce.)

+ Fix it, build it, make it yourself. I can't even count how many times I watched my grandfather work on the cars himself, glue and tie the chairs, build a compost greenhouse, melt and mold his own sinkers, dig worms, scour the rod iron and paint, and so on. My grandparents had money not loads but plenty. Now that I look at things financially I can see this as a big reason for it. Growing up it just seemed to be what grandpa did. He appeared to have boundless energy and a constant need to move. With that said I again don't know if the motivation was frugality not .... but it was frugal none the less.

- My parents spent what was made or stashed for the winter months when dad didn't make much (being in construction – extensions and roofing mainly). No investing - even in their own home. So they wouldn't own one if they didn't get enough from the sale of my grandparents to buy one here even after splitting the sale money with my uncle.

-Dad worked for himself and didn’t save. Sooo... they CAN'T survive on just dad's social security and now mom has to work.

-They didn’t pay attention to what their behavior meant in the future and now can’t afford to enjoy retirement.

-Dad didn’t have credit cards but he could sure rack up the personel debt ---especially playing poker.

The negatives are negatives for them but I’ve turned into positives for me. It took awhile to recognize dad’s spend what you make/take a chance behavior as being as negative as it truly is. But watching them now I know I don’t want to be where they are.

[geckoace]

my mom was also very frugal and my grandmother lived through the depression from them i learned:

nothing is wrong with second hand stuff and the thrift bakery

that hamburgers are great but if someone in need is coming over that spaghetti w/meat sauce is just as great.

that brown paper bags and crayons can be anything you imagine

Also i learned about layaway which i think is a far better option than credit although you'd be hard pressed to find it somewhere nowadays.

and most importantly i learned that every now and then you have to treat yourself to something or you'll go crazy

[MamaBear209]

Were your parents (or your primary caregiver) frugal while you were growing up? If so, what are some things that you have learned from them that you do today?

I guess I got the frugal influence from my dad's mother. She was frugal and money wise ~ a good combination. She didn't have much education, when WWII broke out, she had to fend for her 9 siblings, all of whom she sent to school. She built her wealth with a lot of ethical, business sense and she succeeded. We lived with her until I went to kindergarten so everything I need to learn about money, I've learned from her. She opened an acct for me at an early age and when I was in the 4th grade, I saved my allowances and started a small business selling chocolates to my wealthy classmates. I put all my savings in the bank and was so happy to see my money grow since interests was compounded monthly. I've grown up knowing the power of compounded interest and has used it to my full advantage. I should have taken a course in business but I was more inclined in the sciences. All the advices she gave me while I was growing up was put to good use even in med practice. She is the greatest influence in my life when it comes to money and spending. Everything I know about saving came from her and I'm proud of it.

[frugalandsimple]

As I was growing up, my parents were frugal out of neccessity. However, I felt they didn't teach me that much about "financial management". So, I'd say I got some of my frugal ways from my mom. I learned how to be frugal by taking a "life skills" class in high school and by reading books on how to be frugal etc.