Hello from a Newbie :)

**bqkali** · 04-15-2009, 11:50 AM

Hi everyone - nice to meet you! I've been reading your forums for a while and finally decided to take the plunge and join!

I am 22 and have been out of college and living on my own for about a year now. I have been moderately frugal all my life but never to the extreme. I grew up using coupons, buying on sale, budgeting, and other basic lifestyle ways to cut costs.

I am fortunate enough to have a decent job so I do not need to be overly frugal; I certainly have enough to cover my modest costs of living. I have worked hard and been responsible enough to pay off my college costs in full and I live in an apartment so I don't have a mortgage. I also don't have any credit card debt. I do have a car payment, which I pay in full monthly but it would be great if I could pay a little extra each month to pay it off early

I also have some emergency money stashed away that I contribute to each month (slowly...) and I contribute regularly to my 401K.

The reason I am trying to be thriftier is because I love to travel. For me, it is a high priority to explore new places and experience new cultures. I believe that I have disciplined myself enough to live within my means and save a reasonable amount monthly that I can "splurge" on my vacations without cutting my contributions to the more responsible savings I have...I am sure that if my financial circumstances changed, I could go without, but as long as I am meeting my financial obligations (bills and savings), I think that I should be able to spend the extra money I save on something I love. I currently go on about three trips a year - the length/cost of each determined by what I can afford to pay in full by cash, not buying on credit. My goal is to change my everyday lifestyle enough so that my long weekend adventures can turn into a week-long vacation using the extra money I've saved...and eventually perhaps longer/farther.

In other words, I'm saving to splurge. Does anyone else do this?

I have read hundreds of tips so far and I'm anxious to try out some of the new ideas. Some I've been doing all my life, but some are brand new ways to save money. My current downfalls are spending on convenience foods and eating out. I work 60 hours a week, so by the time I get home I usually don't have the time or energy to cook a meal, especially since I live by myself. I do try to look for deals on convenience foods and use coupons when dining out at affordable places (I never pay more than $5 for a full meal) BUT it is obviously more expensive than cooking at home. So I am especially looking for great tips on quick, easy meals to prepare on your own.

Thanks to everyone who has already contributed their tips and I hope to add some of my own! Hopefully all of us will be able to meet our financial goals