Were you always frugal?

**Shell** · 01-22-2003, 10:41 PM

I was wondering, were you always frugal or did you used to be a big spender? If you were a big spender what made you see the light? I just had enough of my credit card bills one day and went out and bought the TW Gazette and it really opened my eyes. I still struggle with being frugal but I have improved 100%.

**Kate117** · 01-22-2003, 10:50 PM

I usually blew all my money when I was single. When we had kids I really started to look into ways to tighten our budget. We are still not totally frugal but way better then we both once were.

**justjenn** · 01-23-2003, 06:34 AM

No. I wish that I had grown up in a family that was frugal, but I didn't learn how to be frugal until I got married. There is a lot of improvements I could make, and am working on them. I'm not nearly as frugal as I would like to be, but I am trying.

**heavensent_7** · 01-23-2003, 06:52 AM

I did grow up in a frugal family and when I left home I started spending money like water?!

We ate out EVERY night and I would spend, spend, SPEND.

Obviously you can't carry on like that, especially once you have children but my first husband had LOTS of money and it never seemed an issue

When he left, I HAD to value money more than before, but more than that I really couldn't STAND the clutter and unwanted JUNK that I was accumulating, it depressed me - both the mess and the realisation that while people were living on the poverty line I was buying stuff I didn't even want or care about. It all felt morally wrong.

I still have alot to learn, but I'm getting there slowly.

**captclearance** · 01-23-2003, 09:02 AM

It was a necessity when I became an adult and was on my own, it has just progressed to a way of life......

**seadream** · 01-23-2003, 09:29 AM

I have always been frugal. I grew up in a frugal family with Mom raising us 4 girls by herslef with little help from Dad so she taught me well

**pamy** · 01-23-2003, 09:29 AM

A few years agoI received a report from Social Security which reflected my salary for the last 20 or so years, when I saw how much I had made and how little I had to show for it, it made me ill.
I have been working towards frugality and a simpler life ever since. It did take some time to get DH on board but when he saw the successes I was having without his help it motivated him to become more involved and to get on board with the whole thing.

**katiebug** · 01-23-2003, 09:33 AM

LOL, no! I was the definition of a spendthrift. We racked up thousands in credit card debt, with pretty much nothing to show for it. Then one day we said, "Enough" and got those things paid off, never to be charged up again.

Even then, true frugality didn't kick in until about 2 1/2 years ago, when I was looking for something to concentrate on after a traumatic event in my life. I found some frugal living web sites and jumped in with both feet.....now I really can't imagine any other way of doing things

.

**CAGmomof2** · 01-23-2003, 10:12 AM

I have always tried to be Frugal however over the past couple of years I have become more frugal because of all the tips I learn on here and other Frugal Boards and all the tips I learn from The Complete Tightwad Gazette. Also my Dh and I have been applying the Snowball Method to our Credit Cards and Medical Bills to pay them off then we will apply it to our Mortgage as well.
We also listen to DaveRamsey.com he also has great advice and tips.

**PrairieRose** · 01-23-2003, 10:52 AM

To a point I have been. I admit that I have lots of room for improvement, but I do watch and consider every penny I spend. I sort of enjoy frugality and the pursuit thereof. Dh is finally onboard and that makes it much easier to be frugal in a marriage!

**summercat** · 01-23-2003, 01:13 PM

I was never careful with the way I spent money when I was younger but the past few years I have learned a lot on how to spend more wisely & now my money lasts longer.

**pita1213** · 01-23-2003, 01:52 PM

no i haven't always been frugal. i wish i had found some frugal sites sooner, but then when i really could have used it, the internet wasn't that popular. i stubbled across a couple of sites while looking for mom sites in general. it took a few months for some of the ideas to sink in and i was able to change some things around. i still have a ways to go, but at least i'm on the right track. now i just need to get dh on the same road that kids and i are on. dks are young enough not to scoff at any changes i make and are usually pretty happy to go along with whatever i do.

as far as what changed my attitude, it was moving from Va to Ct. everything up here is more expensive, and while dh got a big cost of living increase when he was tranferred, it still wasn't much help. i needed to pinch pennies and trim spending anywhere i could.

**sunshine** · 01-23-2003, 06:49 PM

I grew up frugal, and was very frugal in the early years of my marriage. Then dh got sick and we splurged on just about every imaginable thing- trips, motorhome, eating out, etc.

Then, he outlived his prognosis (a good thing, but still. . . ) and we're faced with the bills. Thankfully, we have many years of living frugally to fall back on, and lots of experience - family support.