Frugal Motivation Support Thread

[CharityAJO]

Well, we've got threads to get each other exercising, eating, eating healthier, and everything else...

Why not?

I need support to keep from impulse buying, and especially put my groceries on a budget.

I pledge to:
-Not buy so many prepackaged foods
-Cook and use my tupperware for work lunches
-Go to the library when I get bored, not the mall

Really I have trouble with "dollar here, dollar there..." I don't buy stereos or anything. :p But I know if I stopped picking up nic-nacs and take-out all the time, I'd have a lot more money in the bank account.

[smedley]

do you like to cook? if so, can you pick a couple of new recipes to try for the week--preferrably freezable ones.
have you added up what your frivilous spending amounts to? this may shock you enough to question whether xyz on a regular basis is worth it. if you DO know that amount, you could ask yourself whether you would rather pu half of that amount towards bills and the other half towards a massage or something.
and please do go to the library---soooooo good!!

[CharityAJO]

I do like to cook. I just need to do it ahead of time, or I won't bother. Today I made a batch of frozen burritos, to have for midnight munchies.

Frivolous spending accounts for about 1/2 of each paycheck. :) And it's mostly just out of boredom.

[smedley]

so--paycheck thing--doesnt that KILL you?!!!
on weekends make stuff to freeze. you can make great veg things and then have them to look forward to!!!!!
midnight munchies might not be the best thing! but--i dont know your lifestyle. try to remember to eat when you are hungry---if you are eating out of boredom---COOK!!!!!!

[CharityAJO]

I don't eat out of boredom, usually. :) I keep odd hours and get hungriest around 2 am.

What containers should I use for freezing meals? Will gladware be ruined in the freezer? Should I invest in magical plastic wrap?

[cymbeline]

I also need to stick to my list at the grocery store. I go in for specifics and end up with more.

Also, it wouldn't hurt if I actually sat down and worked toward making a food budget.

If I could just do those two things, I'd be way ahead. I won't list anymore because those two will be enough of a challenge. :whip:

[SallyK]

I need help with this too - except mine is my clothing shopping habit. Bad, bad, bad...

[organica]

One thing to keep in mind is that if you have very little, sticking to a budget is almost impossible sometimes.
I find myself overspending my budget because when the weather is terrible I must take an $8 cab ride to the bus to get to work.
Also when I get stuck here @ the radio station overnight w/o food, I have to waste money on chips & juice @ convenience stores.
Sometimes it's a problem w/ not enough money rather than poor spending habits.

[beforewisdom]

Well, we've got threads to get each other exercising, eating, eating healthier, and everything else...

Why not?

I need support to keep from impulse buying, and especially put my groceries on a budget.

I pledge to:
-Not buy so many prepackaged foods
-Cook and use my tupperware for work lunches
-Go to the library when I get bored, not the mall

Really I have trouble with "dollar here, dollar there..." I don't buy stereos or anything. :p But I know if I stopped picking up nic-nacs and take-out all the time, I'd have a lot more money in the bank account.


I have the same problem.

I have found that making it a rule to only grocery shop on one designated day a week helps.

Eating out has always been a problem for me. I do it less when I get enthused about eating healthy or trying new recipies at home. Take out food begins to look like junk rather then a treat.

However, you should make exceptions for the China Cafe :).

I can relate to the dollar here, dollar there syndrome. Perhaps the thing for us to do is to promise ourselves something expensive and then save for it by watching those "dollar here, dollar there's. We may not save money, but at least we will have something to point to when asking where our money went.

I used to love book browsing in Hornbake & McKeldin. It is almost like shoppin :). For several years after I graduated when I still lived close to campus I would still use my alumni card at those libraries.

[beth]

You sound just like me Charity. I need help. My husband and I make plenty of money but I have a really hard time controlling my spending, especially when it comes to Whole Foods. That place is dangerous. I'd really like to be putting more into savings.

[vggiegirl]

You sound just like me Charity. I need help. My husband and I make plenty of money but I have a really hard time controlling my spending, especially when it comes to Whole Foods. That place is dangerous. I'd really like to be putting more into savings.


Gah! me too...bad bad Whole Foods :whip: I'll "Just go for greens and a few bulk items" and end up dropping a hondo. I have a real love/hate relationship with that place

[spud]

Be frugal! I was, and eventually I saved enough money to buy a little house with 8 acres in the country and get overrun with cats...

[CharityAJO]

*My* problem is I WORK in a Health Food Store (one akin to Whole Foods). So I'm constantly seeing all these new treats, and it's like... well... I must try that. I can't even limit myself to one spending trip a month or anything. Maybe I can leave my wallet at home when I go to work.

[Linzey]

I am pretty frugal re: myself, but I still don't have a lot of money, cause I buy gifts for my friends and family so much. LOL

I have one pair of shoes. They have holes in the bottom. But, no, they are good for awhile. I have bandaids for blisters.

But it drives my mum nuts. "Pleasssssse - let's get you some new shoes".

I might conceed this once, but I was holding out for an mp3 player. Specialty food, new clothes, more books, new cds...no thank you. I'll save for my ipod first.

I usually save for the big purchases.

:)

-Linzey, who when she moves out wants the following: a clean bachelor apartment several stories up, but not in an expensive part of town. Lots of plants and not a lot of stuff. I HATE clutter. Simple lines. I'm a minimalist. Good quality paint and something soothing...like pistachio green for the bathroom, old clawed tub, a small but excellent tv, my dvd player. A really awesome mountain bike, state of the art computer. Futon, that fold up. A few of my favorite prints and photos and that's about it...I'd like a little alcove area for my books - I read quite a bit. And a few outfits that I love. I don't want tons of furniture and I want an insanely clean and easy to clean place. Hence hardwood, not linoleum. The little grooved sections of linoleum drive me bonkers.

I'm a clean freak, but I don't care if I have an insuite washer/ dryer or even a car. Public transit and a nearby laundromat will suffice. The computer and a great sound system come before cars and washing machines. To me :)

Oh, I also want to start investing in stocks. I seem to have a knack. In 9th grade we had this project with stock market and 'fake' money. Some kids made a bit, many lost...I grossed a million and something. It was an all-year running project and I spent a lot of time researching before I 'invested'. It was an awesome project :D

I guess we all have things we can't live without...mine is road trips, coffee, my music... :) And I can't WAIT to start travelling. I also love learning about new cultures.

[cymbeline]

Well, I haven't done that well these last few days. So much of this is discipline. Yes, I can afford the frills at the drug store, but that money is taking away from other things.

My other problem (and I shy away from admitting this here) is I really don't like to cook. Not so much I don't like to cook, just there are other things I'd rather do. I really need to work on making a plan for the week and sticking to it. I did that years ago and let the habit slide.

[Ludi]

Not so much I don't like to cook, just there are other things I'd rather do

Can you cook all your meals for the week and put them in the freezer, get it over with?

[cymbeline]

Can you cook all your meals for the week and put them in the freezer, get it over with?

Ludi, thank you.

I've never done that before. And you might agree it's hard to do something new. At least it is for me.

Now I am going to get to try this out from neccesity when I leave my 19 and 15 year old home for a week when my husband and I go to Paris (on a frugal low season trip).

The 15 year old is working on being vegan, so she'll need meals frozen for her. Maybe that can be a learning experience and get me in the hang of it. I can see it is a good idea! Frugal and then I could read before dinner or spend more time at the gym, walking the dogs, etc.

Thanks for the motivation for me.

[Coney]

I usually find that if I pick up an impulse buy item, carry it around the store for 20 minutes, I realize that I don't need it. I suppose you can apply the "your stomach doesn't feel full for 20 minutes after you start eating" rule to impulse buying.

After 20 minutes, I can usually talk myself out of what ever it was I thought was "so cool, I HAVE TO HAVE IT!"

This is my one piece of advice.