first changes you made

**Sara Noel** · 12-09-2007, 01:47 PM

What were the first changes you made when you started being frugal?

**Nantahala** · 12-09-2007, 02:11 PM

Eating at home more
Making a shopping list based on sale/coupon match
Building a pantry/stockpile
Unit pricing EVERYTHING
Cutting small expenses that added up (cable channels we never watched, cellphone minutes we never used)
Socializing with friends at home (ours or theirs) playing games, cards, watching DVDs
Potlucks and supper clubs instead of going out to eat with friends
Making "dailies" a special treat, i.e. latte at the bookstore
Stopped buying magazines
Stopped buying new books and joined Paperback Swap instead
Canceled the local Blockbuster account and went back to Netflix
Save for Big Ticket items and buy used through Craiglist or similar
Get all debt, expenditures, and budgets on paper

toile · 12-09-2007, 02:15 PM

Well I bought the Tighwad Gazzette newsletter back in 1993 and went hog wild LOL.

I remember starting the frugal game and planning to win.
Not letting a penny leave my hand unless totally neccesary.
I remember food bill cutbacks, not shopping, and stop wasting things were my first moves.

**FrugalMomof3** · 12-09-2007, 02:27 PM

Hummm... I would say I just stopped eating outside the home and getting un-necessary magazine, newspapers, etc... That was the small stuff, lol. Now it's no cable, keeping heat off until absolutely necessary and all the fun stuff like that.

**baxjul** · 12-09-2007, 02:31 PM

My biggest thing was that I started using coupons and watching the sales ads.

I also cut down on the lights, water, etc.

**shoiji** · 12-09-2007, 02:39 PM

Matching coupons w/sale items
Not going out to eat
Cooking as much as possible from
scratch
No more car
Getting daily local news from computer
only occasional magazines/then share
when done
Re-use glass containers
Cut up old towels instead of paper
towels
Knowing as many mutiple uses an item
I buy has. (still learning on this one)

**acidcookie** · 12-09-2007, 02:47 PM

Paying more attention to my grocery shopping
Keeping the heat/AC off
Re-using containers, baggies, etc.
TWG!

**Marie78** · 12-09-2007, 03:24 PM

cut coupons
ate at home more
turned off lights when not in use
set up a budget
stopped going to the mall/stores
got a library card-I have to read!

**ilovechocolate** · 12-09-2007, 03:31 PM

I started setting a grocery budget. It was amazing how much money we had been spending on groceries and eating out. I also quit eating out.

**kittykatstrong** · 12-09-2007, 04:55 PM

I started eating at home more and set a budget.

**Its_Donna** · 12-09-2007, 05:04 PM

Planned Weekly Menus
Shopped according to menu needs
Matched coupons to sales
reused, recycled and re-gifted
Cut eating out way down
Stocked a pantry and now keep it that way
Implemented "No Spend " days and weeks
started saving which has turned into a fully funded EF

**cab54** · 12-09-2007, 05:17 PM

Staying home more.
Taking a list to the store.
Eating at home more.
Using a crock pot.
Baking from scratch more.
Thinking more minimalist and simple.

**Libby** · 12-09-2007, 05:24 PM

Stopped all unnecessary spending and used what I needed from my stockpiles. Began to budget and stick to it as well as counting my pennies to curb unnecessary spending.

**Moor** · 12-09-2007, 05:31 PM

more, one pot meals
more meatless meals
buying things in bulk
stopped buying as much junk food
shopped around on cell phone, cable and such.
making things instead of buying a lot of things. (facial scrubs, bath salts)
buying bulk shampoo

**PrairieRose** · 12-09-2007, 06:26 PM

We stopped eating out (very much at all)
I stopped buying magazines on impulse, subscribed to one fave.
Started menu planning
Stayed home
Entertained friends at home by having potlucks and playing card games
Watched every red cent as it came and went.