What Helped You Become Frugal?

[Shell]

Hello everyone! I just joined today. I used to be on the Frugal Mom's board a lot. Hi JustGina, nice to see you again!

My first step towards being frugal (and I am still working on it!) ;-) ;-) was, "The Tightwad Gazette." That book really helped me a lot. I paid off all my credit cards and starting saving a lot of money. Slowly, I went back to my old ways and I am now working on that again.

Now, I have almost paid off my credit cards again and THIS time I have also started an emergency fund that dh and I put money away in every month.

What was you turning point to becoming frugal? Have you read "The Tightwad Gazette?"

[kimmyo]

I started out subscribing to the Tightwad Gazette Newsletter, and then bought all three books (before it was compiled into one). I haven't been as good about it as I would like to be. I haven't paid off my credit cards yet, but I'm working on it. I have managed to cut my grocery bill quite a bit though and that was important to me.

I was doing really good for awhile and fell off the wagon and since being on here I am slowly finding my way back to being frugal!

[dawn]

I need help becoming more frugal also. My dh and i just paid off our credit card i was so happy. I was at the store yesterday shopping, the clerk said to me at check out if you use your JCpenny card you will get 15% off or if you pay cash 10%. I almost put it on the card , but i didn't.


As far as grocery's my bill is high . I use coupons. I have a family of 5. I need to buy baby food , diapers, formula. I seem to go through baby food and formula so quick.

I NEED SOME GO ADVICE!!!

[kimmyo]

dawn- there are some really good tips and ideas on the board!

Look over at Planning Ahead- there are threads there on grocery shopping and also meal planning.

[Amanda]

Hi Dawn

I remember how high formula was Have you considered making your own baby food? All it is is cooked food without added salts or spices all mashed up

I used to make dinner as usual, then I threw a small portion of that meal (stew, soup, meatloaf, whatever!) into a small food processor I had. I blended it all up and fed that to the baby. And low and behold, all my kids are still alive and kicking! LOL Seriously, baby food gets very expensive, and you have the means for doing it yourself quite easily. You can even freeze portions in an ice cube tray and pop them out to thaw.

[dxlifer]

frugality was a necessity for me after a failed business venture with my ex who took off and left me with a pile of debt.

being on disability pension and therefore a fixed income..even considerable credit counselling didn't help (the ex refused to participate)...the agency told me to declare bankruptcy!

well i did and what a shock to go from a very financially generous life style to suddenly living in the world of REAL MONEY!
what you get is what you got...no more and no credit of any kind

it has been a shock to discover how much the world caters to credit at the expense of people who don't have it.

and i admit i have had to pawn some jewellery a few times as i continue to make adjustments.

however, i got to keep my house as there was so little capital in it so i still have a peice of the proverbial rock.

so i've combined my love of cooking and simplifying life to help develop a frugal (mostly) lifestyle.

and i'm counting on folks here to help me learn more ways to cut costs.....then i've got more $$$'s to put into my house!

carol

[Jenna]

We started to become frugal when we needed to pay back credit card debt. It really is as simple as that!

I was really getting down about the amount of debt we had accumulated and then I watched Oprah one day. Her guest was Suze Orman. She was talking about getting control of your debt and living a life free of debt. I think, I changed that day!

We have not added any debt and have almost paid off what we did have. It is such a freeing feeling, I can't believe we didn't do it so much sooner!

I have a copy of "The Complete Tightwad Gazette" and I love it! I go back and look things up all the time, or I just use it for inspiration when I need it.

Jenna

[dawn]

Amanda,

I think i will try making my own baby food. my dd loves carrots, squash, and peas. I will just put them in my little food chopper.

Did you do the same with fruit?


Thank you so much!!!!

[Amanda]

Originally posted by dawn
Did you do the same with fruit?

Yep same with fruit! Pears, as long as they are ripe, whir up really nice. Apples do pretty well too, but sometimes you can get applesauce on sale for really cheap! Bananas of course you just mash with a fork, melons should be ripe so they are soft. Strawberries smushed up go great mixed with vanilla yogurt! And don't forget oatmeal, another great soft food.

Glad I could help!

[dxlifer]

i was just at the library, and, while looking for a tofu cookbook, came upon the tightwad gazette! i'm really looking forward to getting into it this evening.

i made most of my daughter's babyfood myself with the trusty blender...just put in whatever we were having for the most part and added liquid for consistency. by chance, i'm now doing it again for dh, who had his teeth removed last week. i had pulled a 21/2 lb. chicken out of the freezer (which i got for 99 cents/lb) and as a last meal we had the breasts and legs done up with lemon and a bit of white wine and parsley. the rest went in the slowcooker until the bones were free and thrown out and then everything went back in the slowcooker with a load of veggies and barley and herbs. left it for another day then pureed it all to make a thick soup for him for those first couple of days.

when he got tired of it i just mixed the rest in with the dogs' kibble and they were happy too.

that $2.50 chicken gotta lot of mileage!

carol