Are You Really Frugal?

**SHOPGIRL** · 08-11-2005, 11:53 PM

<H1>My brother-in-law recently told me that he didn't think I was frugal.  Hmm...maybe I'm not so frugal according to this article. What about you?</H1>

<H1>Are You Really Frugal?</H1>
<H2>Ways to know if you're really frugal</H2>You know you're frugal when you...

... go window shopping at the thrift store. ...keep trying to reuse that glob of sticky stuff with which the fake credit card was attached to the sales material. ...take the long way through the parking lot back to the car in hopes that you'll find money on the ground. ...try to find ways to "make do" until the next sale on toilet paper. ...estimate how long you'll be gone from a room so you'll know whether it's cheaper to turn out the light or leave it on to avoid a spike in electric consumption. ...lightly use the eraser on your pencil so you won't use it up before the pencil is used up. ...refuse to resharpen a pencil until the lead wears almost to the wood. save the elastic from your old underwear to use on your new (homemade) underwear. ...take your shoes off when you come into the house for the purpose of saving wear on them. ...save thread from the seams of clothes you're cutting up for rags - to darn your socks. ...use saved fast food ketchup to flavor soup, and put a little water in the package to get the last of it out. ...save the salt in the bottom of pretzel bags to reuse. ...won't take a shower when it's dark to save on the electricity it takes to light the bathroom. ...go to bed an hour early to save on electricity. ...you rejoice when the electric blanket goes out because now you have all that wire to tie up tomatoes or make a mini clothesline. (Of course you remove it carefully; you'll still use the blanket to keep warm.) ...plan your children to be born after Christmas and before New Year's so you can take the full deduction for them for that year without having the expense. Are you really frugal?

**Shell** · 08-11-2005, 11:55 PM

Yup, that's pretty frugal.

**Kimberlina** · 08-12-2005, 12:01 AM

Haha!

I'm not quite that frugal. I'd say I'm about a 7.5-8 on a scale of 10 (1 being a big spender, 10 being a super cheapskate.)

I do, however, think about whether to turn a light off or not. And I save the elastic from underwear. Just two days ago I decided to finally throw away those old bras that are woefully inadequate. Before I got rid of them, I had to decide what pieces I could keep and use again (like the hook and eyes.)

**SHOPGIRL** · 08-12-2005, 12:24 AM

Speaking of bras, I have a few that are in good shape, but the underwire is poking through one side. Does anyone know of a good way to fix it? I was going to just use thread, but I wondered if that was enough. I wondered if I need to insert a small piece of material. So, if anyone has ever fixed an underwire bra, please let me know. I suppose I should post this in the sewing section.

**kaykwilts** · 08-12-2005, 07:47 AM

This is really radical. I don't that Amy Dacyzn the queen of frugality is that frugal.

**mommy2many** · 08-12-2005, 09:04 AM

Wow I am actually pretty frugal

**Kimberlina** · 08-12-2005, 10:12 AM

Originally posted by SHOPGIRL
Speaking of bras, I have a few that are in good shape, but the underwire is poking through one side. Does anyone know of a good way to fix it? I was going to just use thread, but I wondered if that was enough. I wondered if I need to insert a small piece of material. So, if anyone has ever fixed an underwire bra, please let me know. I suppose I should post this in the sewing section.

My first repair usually involves pushing it back in and then sewing it up very securely. Once that fails once or twice, I just pull the underwire out altogether. I generally prefer non-underwires anyway. so it just becomes a "new" bra, and when and what I wear it with might change, too.

**SHOPGIRL** · 08-12-2005, 10:21 AM

O.K Thanks for the tip!

**Valerie in WA** · 08-12-2005, 10:29 AM

I *do* window shop at thrift stores. I usually end up spending a $1 or $2, but once in a while, I'll walk out empty handed.

And on winter mornings, I do shower in the dark, but not to save power. I find it more pleasant to wake up a bit in the shower before turning on that BRIGHT light. I usually turn on the light when I have to put in my contacts.

**patches** · 08-13-2005, 01:29 AM

go window shopping at the thrift store. ..go window shopping at curbs and dumpsters....take the long way through the parking lot back to the car in hopes that you'll find money on the ground. .... ...estimate how long you'll be gone from a room so you'll know whether it's cheaper to turn out the light or leave it on to avoid a spike in electric consumption. ....refuse to resharpen a pencil until the lead wears almost to the wood. save the elastic from your old underwear to use on your new (homemade) underwear. ...take your shoes off when you come into the house to keep from having to mop too soon ...save clothes you're cutting up for rags - to resew new clothes or quilts ...use saved fast food ketchup to flavor soup, and put a little water in the package to get the last of it out. ...only buy groceries in containers that I can reuse for other purposes...save empty catsup bottles and buy huge cans to refill them because its cheaper...reuse mayo jars, pickle jars and salsa jars to can in...reuse ice cream buckets for storing homemade stuffing crumbs during the year...reuse vinegar jugs for making koolaid and drinks in...take apart old bras for the parts...save buttons and elastics and sometimes trims to be reused...reuse coffee grounds, teabags and bacon grease...save seeds from grocery store produce so I don't have to buy it them next year.

Ghee reckon I might be frugal? Or am I just nutts?