Who Taught You to be Frugal and Thrifty?

[forHISglory]

Growing up, I assumed (to some degree) that most families were just like mine. We kids cooked, cleaned house, did laundry, ironed, gardened, took care of the animals. It was just expected of us. Along the way we learned how to do it frugally.

And of course, I was wrong. Seems that lots of people never got their "basic training". Even on this forum, which is the epitomy of frugal, there are those who as adults are just beginning to find out how to do these things in a frugal manner. I applaud beginning, no matter when!

Another thread was discussing feeding a family for $20 a day and one poster mentioned that many folks were not educated in how to do this.

So here's my question: How and when did you learn to be frugal? Who educated you in your frugal ways?

As I mentioned, my folks, along with my grandparents, taught me how to do all these things. I also belonged to a 4-H Club for 10 years, and they really got me to doing all sorts of things from scratch. We learned to make simple furniture and decorating items, how to make our own cleaning materials, how to sew, cook, etc.

I never took a home ec class in school, and at times I regret it. But how about you? How did you learn to be frugal?

[sdrjeolsen]

My dad was a farmer, mom a SAHM, and we were a family of 13, I was exposed to it from the day I was born, its always been a part of life for me. My folks could stretch a dollar further than anyone I've ever known.

[HisDaisy]

My mom taught me to be frugal indirectly. When we were young we did not have much money. My mom cooked everything from scratch and I liked to help in the kitchen. I remember shopping for food at the bread store, discount grocery and the farmers market. She canned peaches, beans, applesauce, relish and jam. She baked bread and other baked goods.
She also bought clothes at good will and the clearance racks at department stores. We also received lots of hand me downs.
She was a SAHM, but she often had a second job. She sold tupperware and avon (I think). She also did home day care.
I did not always understand why she did what she did. I also did not always appreciate her frugal ways. I am greatly for her now.

[katkat]

I learned some from my Mom too. The rest I picked up from sheer necessity.This site is great for learning little tips of frugality. Must admit---I am not always frugal though.-----Blessings, katkat

[Royal]

I learned most of it on my own. Although my parents were somewhat an example as to always making everything from scratch. My dad could repair anything. We never had someone come in to repair anything when I was younger. My mom baked and cooked everything from scratch. I also learned somewhat from my MIL. She is frugal by nature. I admire how she raised all the kids on such a tiny budget and still go on vacation every year when my DH was younger.
I learned the most part from trial and error after error after error.

[Becci]

Mum taught me a few things I guess. Like not having to have brand name things, etc but not much else. Most I learnt from being on wlefare when I had my son (I was a sole parent and on a pension). Now we don't have to be soooo frugal but doing things frugally where we can allows us to have a few luxuries (internet and pay tv).
I have taught my son the value of a dollar too. He doesn't mind homebrand and target brand things. He's starting to want name brand things now that she's approaching the teens. I remember when we moved town and we went shopping at Bi-Lo for the first time, ds was so excited to see Bi-Lo brand items in the pantry (he had only seen the ads on tv before then).

[Palooka]

My parents, mostly. Also that I wanted to be a SAHM with my children. I searched the net and books and so far it has worked.

[Daisygirl]

Necessity and being on the verge of starvation.

I grew up with a lot of money, although my parents weren't spendthrifts per se, frugality was not a lesson taught in our home. Things they did to save money were not announced or explained.

When I was married we were dirt poor. I did not have my papers so could not work in Canada. We had months where we ate only peanut butter sandwiches (although ex-h always had beer.)

I got one of the Amy Dacyzyn books at a yard sale and it changed my life. I switched my philosophy about money instantly because I saw a way of survival.

Later in our marraige thngs turned around financially and we had tons of money, so I went back to my spendthrifty ways. Then I left my EXH and all those messages came right back to me (sort of like riding a bike). As a single mom with 2 children to raise, being frugal is not optional. My kids are learning from me because I think the best gift I can give them is the gift of survival.

[powerfm1]

Lived with my aunt during my teen years and there were a lot of to feed (8) so I was in it with her and she could do anything and stretch a buck till it yelled HOLLA!

When I was raising my first son alone I was on welfare a lot because he had health problems, I figured out a lot of things I didn't already know and started sharing my grocery buying and cooking strategies with the other women who lived in my complex and were in the same position. My mother worked in an upscale store and used to dumpster dive there and also got things the a lot of them women who worked with her were getting rid of. Not only did I furnish my place but also half the places where I lived. You wouldn't believe the stuff we got!

My friends are all very frugal and we've always had little competitions to see who could get the best deals - birds of a feather you know.

[Nantahala]

Half mother/grandmother and half TWG and internet sites like FV.

[Holly]

my parents were not rich and mom could feed an army on nothing.
we had a big garden and canned alot.
my brother used to work for a chicken farm and when they wanted hens butchered for eating my dad and brother did it , then mom and I gutted and cleaned them. we got 1 for every 3 we did so always had chicken and then my brother got us all the eggs we could use.
my mom also cleaned a couple neighbors houses each week.
So I guess my parents both showed us how to live and survive.
when my parents died I had to live on my disability check so had to stretch it a dozen ways.
then became a single mom so it was a real tight squeeze then.
so my parents and life itself.

[ballylarkin]

My parents never had credit cards until I was older. They took money out of the bank when my dad got paid and that was what they had to last them the week. They never went back for more.

They spend differently now, but then they have a bit more to spend. They still don't use an ATM card...

That being said, they were thrify and frugal but not to the excess...

I find it's fun, almost like a game. I make a small amount of money so I need to be frugal, but sometimes like to treat myself as well.

[jamie79]

Noone. My mom was frugal but we were not allowed to talk about money. To her that was private. So I am learning on my own. I have gotten a very late start on it too.

[PrairieRose]

I grew up in a very frugal home, even though at the time I didn't realize it. We lived in a nice house and I always had really nice clothes that my mother made all of. She not only made all of my clothes but all of her's as well and she worked 40 hours a week outside of the home. She cooked everything from scratch, from very little. She gardened and canned and always had a beef in the freezer. We ate a lot of beans (which I still love!). My mom was a big DIY-er. She would tear down a wall and refinish the panelling in the house (which she did), she'd paint and paper and make draperies and bedspreads (all of our's she made) and she helped other women learn to sew and do handicrafts. I remember once when she and a bunch of her friends got together and made these huge, ball looking lamps with broken glass and reisin......it was a huge deal but everyone was thrilled with the results. I haven't seen one of those things in ages. Anyway I digress.....My daddy was always the 'trader/wheeler dealer' and 'mr. fixit'. He still is to a point. Last year I found a huge, stained glass lamp shade at a garage sale for $5. It was beautiful but partially messed up on the very top. Well I took it to Daddy and he fixed it right up and now it hangs in a place of honor above his dining room table. I've also learned lots from the TWG, this sight and my mother in law. She raised 4 kids with no child support, always took them on vacations and lived in a nice home. She is still frugal to the nth degree.

[joyofsix]

Growing up we were poor in the way country people are poor but we had plenty because mom and grandma had a huge garden and preserved that and we actually ate things like dandelion greens, etc. My dad hunted and fished. It was for meat, not just sport. My parents could get blood from a turnip. I don't have to be that frugal but I sure work too hard for my money to waste it. I hope I'm passing on that value to my kids.