Being More Thrifty

When did I become such a frugal girl, a thrifty shopper?  I asked myself this question over the weekend.

My parents were visiting us and as usual, my mom brought a half-dozen new outfits for the girls to wear.  My mom was sharing what she bought and how much she paid, proudly stating the 30% discounts.  While I can appreciate her efforts and I’m so grateful for her  saving me from trips to the store for summer wardrobes, I immediately thought… Wow, you still paid too much for that!   That wasn’t a real bargain after all!

The last time I bought ten articles of clothing, I paid only ten dollars for it.  It was at one of those Goodwill Easter store-wide special days.  Here’s a photo to prove my finds:

Some time in the last three years, I had to watch my nickels and pennies.  When I took a year off from working after I had my second child, I had to go weeks without spending any thing, except for groceries and baby items like diapers.  No impulse buys at the register… no coffee in drive-thru… no unnecessary frivolous things.  When I saw how much I saved by doing that, I was amazed.  I easily saved about $300 by vowing not to spend dollars on any “treat” or special item.

As I returned to work last summer, the financial burden was lifted.  We could spend more.   Restaurant outings became a weekly occurrence instead of once a month or less.  I’ll admit, it was nice.

Still when it comes to clothing, I can hardly bring myself to pay ‘full price’ or even the ‘discounted’ price for a shirt, skirt, pair of pants or dress.  Instead I find myself only driving toward thrift stores, consignment shops, craigslist, on-line garage sales and more.

When I receive a gift card for a birthday or holiday and I’m forced to visit that department store, I cringe at the price tags and what I’m paying at the check-out stand.  $25 for a shirt?  I could have bought twenty for that price!! 

Being frugal when it comes to clothing helps because sometimes it’s tough to be thrifty in other areas of the home.  Food for example can be a hit or miss thing for my family… We try to buy as organic as we can when it comes to our diet.  That can quickly add up since natural items like meat and produce don’t always come with a coupon or discount.  Still I do watch for BOGO deals (buy one, get one free).  I pay attention to the normal prices and a better rate on our favorite brands.  When I see it at the cheaper price, I stock up and clean off the shelf.  I’m thankful for a deep freezer!

The same goes for skin products.  My girls and I have sensitive skin and I’ve been known to have a reaction to something that my body didn’t like.  So I have to be careful what I buy and what I spread across my dry arms and my baggy eyes.  I shop online and buy in bulk to save money.  I’m thankful for big closets in our bathrooms and floor space where I can stack items up when I have to!

I only enjoy being frugal when I have time or I can plan a little for it.  Sometimes you have the weigh the option of time versus sanity.  If couponing takes too much effort and becomes stressful, then it’s probably not worth doing it, especially if you’re throwing most of it away and not using it.

We stopped receiving cable.  Instead we opted for other services that will allow us to watch movies at an affordable rate.  It just made sense to my husband and me since we never watched live television or even sports games.

Some things will be worth digging through the pile or sorting into the freezer though, especially if that extra $50 will allow you and the family to take a trip to the zoo.   Perhaps it will coax you into a date night with a paid babysitter.

Small, conscious efforts like remembering to turn the lights off in a room or not keep the water running for too long can make a big difference to the bottom line (aka your wallet).   Here’s a helpful site with some great tips on being more thrifty.

What are some ways that you save?