What are you frugal with?

[jaysonsmom]

Since most PSers seem to put their money into bling, in what areas would you consider yourself to be frugal with?

For me:
Clothing (love outlets and discount stores)
Make-up (drugstore brands)
Vacations (usually paid company trips become pseudo vacations)
Hair (color myself, cut 2x a year)

 

[nala]

I don't splurge or spend frivolously, so that I don't have to be frugal on my needs or wants. Balance, I guess, is what I strive for, rather than frugality on specific things.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Clothes, most of the time I just wear T-shirt and pants from Costco.

 

[Jambalaya]

I'm very frugal with clothes, shoes, hair, cars, vacations, and all technology.

I also try to get discounts wherever I can, I wait for sales, I get free shipping codes wherever possible, and I don't let money slip through my fingers. For example, a few weeks ago I had forty dollars' worth of fraud on my checking account. I made calls, received paperwork from the bank, and it was dealt with - got the forty back. Then today, I receive a letter saying that I have to sign a declaration, that this is the second letter they've sent, and if it isn't returned by January 2 they will take back the forty-dollar credit.

I'll be following that up in the morning. I want my forty dollars back.

I had to fly somewhere in an emergency involving a changed return flight. There was a two-hundred-dollar change fee. Well, the airline made me jump through hoop after hoop but I sent all emails required and prepared an entire package of paperwork proving the emergency, and I got my change fee back.

My theory is that if you always get whatever discounts are available and you don't let small amounts slip through, that over a lifetime those savings here and there really add up.

Another way of being frugal is to look after your possessions so they last longer. I do that, but I have family members who are very careless with their things. I could never be like that.

I splash out on good skincare (Estee Lauder and Clarins), jewelry, and cosmetics. I don't wear the super-expensive (to me) foundations from the likes of Chanel or Lancome, though. My definition of expensive foundation is Clinique or Mac, as opposed to drugstore.

I guess there's a fair bit I cut back on, but I do spend on jewelry.

 

[chrono]

Jasonsmom,
I'm like you. I am very frugal with clothes (I'm happy in cheapo jeans and tee shirt), don't wear makeup, don't take vacations, wear cheapo $20 shoes, don't carry handbags, don't go to the salon and stuff like that. Most PSers probably think I'm a slob when they meet me.

 

[ame]

Apparently not a damn thing, if you ask DH.

Probably clothing. I have a TON of it, for some reason. But I mostly wear Target tshirts, and Lane Bryant lace trimmed camis, with jeans I got at Nordstrom on sale and converse. Like, daily. The only thing that changes is the color of said shirt and cami, but literally the shirt and cami are the same thing just in different colors. I also have more Old Navy and Target cardigans than any human shold own, I could stock a store. I've branched into a few other things, getting stuff from Boden on super sale. But otherwise, I am cheap about clothes.

I try to get the best price on the exact item I want. Some items I will buy generics of, but others I will not. Mascara I buy drugstore, some makeup is drugstore, others is not. Some OTC meds are generic, some are not. I like my Costco membership for a lot of things, so I guess that is where I make my "frugality" known. I try to get gas there since it almost always beats the street, I like to get meat and dairy and produce and cleaning products there. I also get things like deodorant which I am not AS particular about, and body wash there. And I buy things like advil, etc there bec it's SUPER cheap by comparison.

I like to buy a lot of makeup at QVC, and I also buy a lot of things with gift cards and nordstrom notes earned from buying as much as possible during big points events at Nordstrom. I try to hold out major spends for those events that are 10x points where they rack up, so I bought the majority of my expensive LaMer skincare at the Christmas shopping event in December where it was 10x points. So the $75 cleanser and the $300 serum, etc, earned me way more points than they would at any other time of the year. Those things earn me major Nordstrom Note rewards and I use those to buy things that I need later and don't want to pay for, or sometimes even splurge on and might "hesitate" to buy otherwise, like a pair of teal colored corduroys that are a little outside my comfort zone or sunglasses that are more than I might otherwise spend.

So I guess I am "practical" but still a spendthrift. lol

 

[diamondringlover]

I am frugal on everything including my jewelry...most of the good stuff came from ebay

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

I would think that I'm frugal with everything. I always do my best to get the best price for whatever I'm buying. I avoid things that are "brand" name unless there is a marked quality difference and I keep my retailmenot app loaded and ready anytime I shop.

 

[azstonie]

My years in Alaska taught me to be frugal with almost nothing: If you find it, its your size (or what you are looking for) buy it or it'll be gone tomorrow. I honestly rarely check prices on things. If its a clothing item that looks great on me I am so happy I just run to the register to pay

I've worked as a telecommuter for the past 9 years so I wore t-shirts and yoga pants or shorts 'to work.' So I've inadvertently been frugal with clothes.

I did get frugal with the cable company when I quit my job in July. I cut the cable TV, got an HD antenna for my smart TV (Vizio, supereasy to use/hook up) and have Amazon Prime and Netflix and TIVO DVR/guide. Still way less than cable TV. I downgraded my phone to just landline ($9.99) but not having caller ID about killed me, I reinstated the more expensive phone service to get caller ID.

I used to love me some German cars but I got tired of those servicing costs and switched over to Kia/Hyundai, so I guess I've gotten frugal over time with my cars.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

I am frugal with money in general. I prefer to call it being careful with my money. There was a time in my life when I thought I'd never make it with my mortgage and bills. I've found it hard to let go of those habits, much like those who went through the depression of the 30's. So, if its serviceable, I usually keep it. Now, this approach has not only kept me solvent, but has allowed my to invest excess funds elsewhere so I've been able to keep far ahead of the poorhouse. But anxiety still lurks sometimes.

My family makes fun of me. My brother says he has a daughter just like me, and she is doing nicely as well.

Sometimes I throw caution to the wind and splurge on a few Costco chickens and chicken salad, instead of making them myself.
I have come a long way baby.

I bought my bling when I unexpectedly came into some good fortune. I shared it with others, and bought myself the bling. I can do it.

Annette

 

[telephone89]

I'm not overly frugal with anything tbh. I always look for sales when I buy groceries/alcohol, but I would never clip coupons (or spend copious amounts of time LOOKING for sales). It's more, 'oh this brand of cheese is on sale. Score' haha. I guess I am frugal with clothing because I don't shop that often. Generally when I do, I buy either from outlet stores, or a few rare pieces that are higher end (so maybe it balances out?) I like nice jeans, because they last, and don't wear out/stretch/fade. I'm frugal with my car, because when my other was trashed, I did not want to start making car payments. So I bought a $1000 clunker. I will eventually buy another vehicle, but not right away.

Actually, reading this makes me feel more frugal lol. Even while purchasing xmas gifts, I was looking for sales! I guess, in my mind when someone says they are frugal, I think of those 'extreme cheapskates', but in reality that is quite overboard. Anyways that was kind of a tangent.

 

[VRBeauty]

My car. Current car is 12 years old; previous car was 17.

Personal care. I pay top dollar for my haircut, but color and highlight my hair at home. I've only had one pedicure in my entire life.

I'm a bargain hunter where clothes are concerned and I get some great bargains, but I'm not sure that counts since I have so many of them. And I will buy reasonably priced full-price clothing in a heartbeat if it's something I like and will use.

Entertainment - no cable for me.

I get a lot of my groceries at grocery outlet stores (a Northern California chain), but only when it's convenient.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Jasonsmom,
I'm like you. I am very frugal with clothes (I'm happy in cheapo jeans and tee shirt), don't wear makeup, don't take vacations, wear cheapo $20 shoes, don't carry handbags, don't go to the salon and stuff like that. Most PSers probably think I'm a slob when they meet me.

Chrono...are you my wife behind that screen name?...

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

My time.

cheers--Sharon

 

[Begonia]

Clothes - but I still manage to look quite stylish. I shop sales, and thrift stores. Buy good quality, classic pieces.

Make up - wear a few products but good quality.

Eating out - I'm a better cook than the restaurants I eat in.

Coffee - I buy good quality coffee and real cream. I do adore the odd Americano (we call them Canadianos LOL) though.

Cars - 11 years old, hubbie maintains.

No spas, pedi's, mani's or the like. I do all my own. Eat well, and have olive oil, coconut oil daily and your skin looks pretty damn good.

What I splurge on: I have every houseplant, cacti and succulent known to man. I've owned every annual, perennial, shrub or tree. If I haven't grown it, I've considered it. They are everywhere in my house (the houseplants). Everywhere. I'm good at it too. Lots blooming right now which is nice in Winter. Latest craze: tillandsias or air plants.

 

[elle_chris]

Gas- Use gasbuddy every chance I get.

Dry Cleaning - I don't get why a dress shirt costs 5.50 and pants 5.75 to clean!! We have a ton of clothes that require dry cleaning so I used to go to Brooklyn once a week to drop it off and pick it up (I'd get gas there too..lol).
That all ended when I wasn't able to make it there due to a snow storm one year .
Drove my hubs crazy to begin with but now he had a reason to make me stop.

Other than that, I'm not frugal.
My hair (just had it done today) costs a small fortune. The natural look does not come cheap!
I get my roots done and a trim every two months. Every 4 months we do my roots, trim and highlights. Love the way it looks. If the day ever came where I'd have to make a choice between jewelry and hair, I'd choose my hair.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I am pretty frugal with almost everything. I do usually buy a new car but drive it for 8 or so years. I am careful to go to two dealers and get them down to their lowest price, though! I do have good quality meat delivered to my freezer a couple of times a year, but then I buy other groceries at WalMart or Aldi to save money. I spend very little on clothes.....jeans, several tops that are the same in different colors for winter (sound familiar, Ame?!), don't need a lot of shoes. I don't buy expensive make-up and just get a pedicure a couple of times in the spring and summer. When we bought a new house about 5 years ago, I bought a lot of new furniture, but I live in a major furniture manufacturing state and we have fabulous outlets with fine furniture within easy driving distance. So I got a lot of things 50-75% off the retail price! I have also bought a few fine jewelry items from ebay that I would have never paid retail for. But when it comes to something like my AVR diamond, I buy at full price because that is the only option. Jewelry is definitely where I spend my discretionary money. We don't eat out a lot aside from take-out and rarely at expensive restaurants. We bought a beach place over 20 years ago with some friends, so that is a free vacation a few weeks a year with only taxes, insurance, and some fees split between the families. We don't take exotic vacations mainly because my husband is too tied up at work to take more than a week off at a time (he will retire at 62, though), but I am increasingly deciding that world travel is getting somewhat dangerous anyway. Being frugal just lets you have freedom to do more of what you want because your dollars stretch farther.

 

[dk168]

Mostly on food, such as buying and cooking in bulk to save time, effort and money.

Don't spend much on clothes, accessories and make up, definitely not one that has to buy the current season's must have's.

Holidays - go camping with the dog, don't like to spend much money on hotels when I go abroad, as I would rather spend more on food.

DK

 

[missy]

I am not really frugal with anything anymore but rather I try to be smart about what I am purchasing (good quality over quantity) and find the best price I can for what I am purchasing. I definitely shop around for the best price on what I do want to buy rather than sacrifice the quality of what I am purchasing.

That is I try not to be penny wise dollar foolish. You know when you buy something because it is a great price/saving money on that item but instead it doesn't last because the quality is lacking.

Or when you buy something because of all the $$$ you will be saving but it isn't really what you wanted in the first place so it was a waste. All these years have taught me that a deal is only a deal when you are getting want you really and truly want otherwise you end up with stuff you don't use and don't want.

And buy quality because in the long run it will pay off vs buying cheaper quality cheaper priced stuff.

 

[lknvrb4]

I could care less about name brand clothes and buy what I like as long as the price is cheap, same goes for shoes. Now running shoes, I will spend the $175 for a new pair because that is my hobby. I honestly do not like to pay full price for anything so I will do my best to find the cheapest price.

 

[OreoRosies86]

Everything except good food, good coffe, the cats and their food and vet care, and tipping when I get to go out to eat.

 

[ame]

I am pretty frugal with almost everything. I do usually buy a new car but drive it for 8 or so years. I am careful to go to two dealers and get them down to their lowest price, though! I do have good quality meat delivered to my freezer a couple of times a year, but then I buy other groceries at WalMart or Aldi to save money. I spend very little on clothes.....jeans, several tops that are the same in different colors for winter (sound familiar, Ame?!), don't need a lot of shoes. I don't buy expensive make-up and just get a pedicure a couple of times in the spring and summer. When we bought a new house about 5 years ago, I bought a lot of new furniture, but I live in a major furniture manufacturing state and we have fabulous outlets with fine furniture within easy driving distance. So I got a lot of things 50-75% off the retail price! I have also bought a few fine jewelry items from ebay that I would have never paid retail for. But when it comes to something like my AVR diamond, I buy at full price because that is the only option. Jewelry is definitely where I spend my discretionary money. We don't eat out a lot aside from take-out and rarely at expensive restaurants. We bought a beach place over 20 years ago with some friends, so that is a free vacation a few weeks a year with only taxes, insurance, and some fees split between the families. We don't take exotic vacations mainly because my husband is too tied up at work to take more than a week off at a time (he will retire at 62, though), but I am increasingly deciding that world travel is getting somewhat dangerous anyway. Being frugal just lets you have freedom to do more of what you want because your dollars stretch farther.

lol sure does!!! But that's for year round. I pretty much wear the same stuff year round, I just throw on another layer!

 

[kenny]

Great thread idea, Jasonsmom.
I love reading everyone's money-saving tips.
I'm a tightwad, which leaves a few bucks for some splurges.

We didn't have kids so we saved, what do they say it costs now?, Maybe $250,000 per kid, before college tuition?
Plus the greenest thing you can do is not reproduce, then your carbon footprint ends when you do.

I have no smartphone contract sucking away hundreds, even thousands, a year to make someone a trillionaire.
My dumbphone cost $19.95 and I use a 10-cents a minute prepaid plan that averages out to around $15 a month.

Our water heater is way out in the detached garage. When waiting for the hot water to get to the faucet I catch it in a bucket to water our garden.
Except for underwear and sox I haven't bought new clothing for around 20 years; everything is from the thrift store.
All shirts and pants line dry instead of paying for gas and electricity to use the dryer ... the clothes last longer too.
I keep our lawn semi-brown to save water ... besides, lawns in a desert climate are stooppid so I should rip it out.

Our kitchen and bath were 'remodeled' by someone in the 1970s with the cheapest tackiest materials possible.
We could afford a nice remodel but will just make do with the old perfectly-functional stuff, not just to be frugal but mostly to be green.
I recently replaced the worn-out ball bearings in our 15-yr old front-loader washer instead of paying the quoted $950 (no joke) for repair or buying a new washer. It was a difficult project but it's sooo satisfying to not send all that metal and parts to a landfill just because of a $79 part. It's wonderful revenge against our lazy, ungreen, throw-away culture.

While the bags are spendy I use a FoodSaver vacuum sealer thingie and buy huge packages of food at Costco.
I have several 5 and 2-gallon buckets with those fancy 2-part rubber-gasket lids for staples like a 25-lb bag of popcorn or 50-pound bag of wheat kernels for my flour mill.

I shop at a market catering to Mexican immigrants because the produce is a TINY fraction of the price it is at markets catering to white people who apparently expect every orange and apple to be the size of a kid's head and all be exactly the same size.
I almost never see another white person in that store.
I buy nearly zero processed food in packaging that has a barcode.

Instead of bottled water carried on trucks that belch diesel exhaust, and contribute to the earth's plastic problem, we drink the water that the city already pumps to everyone's home. We have an RO water filter ... super cheap over the long term and the best taste ... no taste.
When out and about, I NEVER stop to buy over-priced beverages at a coffee shop or 7-11 ... I boycott places like Starbucks, excuse me, Fivebucks!
In my car I always carry a bottle of our home's RO water.

We have no maid or 'help' of any kind.
I'm the barber for my SO, myself, and our dogs.
I do all landscape maintenance, including major stuff like tree-removal using a chainsaw.
I do all the house painting.
We don't have AC or central heating ... maybe 20 nights a year it gets cold enough to use a space-heater ... so all the humans and pets pile into one heated bedroom.

I pay no finance charges by paying cash for a new car (a cheap but high-quality and high-resale value Honda) and I drive it forever.
Instead of throwing away thousands trading in a car; I sell it myself.
I spend little on gas by hypermiling in a hybrid and average 50 MPG; Then I do all the oil changes.
I've never paid for valet parking, and avoid parking structures that charge ... preferring to park free elsewhere and hike in.

I save a fortune by buying no insurance that is not required by law, and don't buy extended warranties.
We take a real vacation maybe once a decade.

Only $9 a month for unlimited movies streaming on Netflix, instead of $9+ for ONE film at a theater where you have to smell people's mustard and jalapeños.

Instead of Keurig coffee @ $50.50 a pound I buy Jose's Colombian Supremo whole coffee beans (Delicious) for $4.50 a pound at Costco.
My 'coffee maker' below was maybe 25 cents at a thrift store instead of $169. Instead of sending zillions of plastic cups to the landfill or to end up floating in the ocean to be eaten by whales , my vermiculture worms eat the coffee grounds and even the paper filters.



I could go on, and on, but my hands are getting tired and I'm afraid they're going to announce a smug alert.

 

[Niel]

We are good with our money in general. We use the online coupon app for grocery store. I reuse containers from dairy and stuff instead of buying zip lock containers. I will buy nice jeans, bit on sale and wear them for 5 years.

What I sat I'm fanatically frugal about is furniture. Particularly wood furniture. In our whole house I think there is one wood item I bought new. This includes our bed, Ms bed, all the dressers and side tables and record cabinet and coffee tables. Some are family antiques, including one amazing kitchenette we just moved into my kitchen today that has been in the family for 100-150 years maybe? Others garage sale finds or second hand shops.

We aren't rich and if we bought new with our budget it would be a target brand build your own type item that wouldn't last, but the stuff I buy/ get handed down is sturdy, well made, andand has already lasted though many a generation. Plus, my daughter is going to ruin it anyways, why pay so much

 

[mochiko42]

Things I spend on: eating out with my husband, some foods (free range chicken) , international travel (we travel frequently but not luxuriously), our cats and their supplies (they get premium cat food and fancy Japanese cat litter that's flushable and biodegradable) , haircare (all Aveda) and jewelry (although I'm technically spending less by buying online instead at local stores).

Things I am mostly frugal with : clothes (I wear a lot of Uniqlo, H&M, Zara, and Korean high street fashion), transport (mostly subway or bus, I don't own a car and rarely take taxis), TV and computer gadgets (we just upgraded our TV but the old one was 7 years old), makeup (hardly wear any besides tinted moisturizer), shoes (just wear ballet flats mostly, I have two pairs of heels for special occasions) and handbags (I don't have much interest in collecting bags). We've also started eating at home more because we can eat better quality food for the same price as having a mediocre meal out.

 

[LLJsmom]

haircuts and coloring

Coffee from cafes. I make my own.

I don't look for sales. I don't go shopping. I save money by buying clothes when I need them, when they are worn out or if I don't have enough. I don't buy electronics. Use Reliable, low maintenance, and safe Japanese cars. Use them for 12-15 years. Vacations - either airplane tix or lodging on points. No gadgets, or purses. No make up. No hair products.

Use furniture for 15-17 years. When I buy anything big, I make sure the quality is good so we can use it for another 15 years.

 

[chrono]

Chrono...are you my wife behind that screen name?...

And that, DF, will remain my secret.

 

[Diamoneecee]

With five kids I have learned how to save.

Groceries: I shop first at the 99 only stores here in Cali, great bargain on fruits, paper products and frozen items, then like Kenny I shop at the local Mexican mart their meats are about half the price of the grocery store, finally I finish off with bulk dairy, bread and cereal products from Coscto.

Clothes: I buy on sale and/or with a coupon, Macy is especially good for this, I still smile at the $140 Michael Kors dress I got my 15 year old for $3.98 from there. I also by from the outlets especially for my handbags,

College: our biggest expense and worry as there are 5 to put through with our first we paid the first year(we were NY residents then and Cornell University gives a significant(close to 50%)discount to NY residents who attend certain ones of there colleges that was given as land grants by the state) it's one of the best deals on an Ivy League education for NYers. We then moved to Cali a year later, my daughter took a two year leave and did her basic core requirements at the local community college for 60 allowable credits and will finish up her final year back at Cornell next year.
My second daughter is getting her associates here at the local community college which is about 600 a year. She will then transfer to a four year college of her choice, saving us those two years of private school tuition.
The last three are very sport oriented and maybe will get a scholarship, our else do some version of what there two previous siblings did combining state and private college education to get the most bang for our tuition buck

Vacations: we are lucky because my husband works for Disney, so my kids go as much as they want, entrance into the park is free. Hotels can be up to 60% and the cruises up to 75% off. We also go to free employee screenings of new movies, which can be over $200 dollars a movie night for a family my size we also vacation either in NY where we have family all over Manhattan and Brooklyn so no hotels needed, or to Barbados where my in laws retired and built a five bedroom house on the beach with a 3bd loft just for us and the grands as my kids are their only grands. Or else we go to Florida and do the Disney vacation at greatly reduced prices. My kids never complain

Housing: I would not comprise here as we decided putting money toward college was a better than private school, so I moved in area with one of the best public schools in the state and pay the price for housing accordingly. We did however rent out our previous home in NY as well as the one we brought from our in laws when they retired and use the difference after expenses to keep our living expenses down here.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Apparently not much in looking as the year end summary from my American Express account...

 

[GliderPoss]

I am not really frugal with anything anymore but rather I try to be smart about what I am purchasing (good quality over quantity) and find the best price I can for what I am purchasing. I definitely shop around for the best price on what I do want to buy rather than sacrifice the quality of what I am purchasing.

That is I try not to be penny wise dollar foolish. You know when you buy something because it is a great price/saving money on that item but instead it doesn't last because the quality is lacking.

Or when you buy something because of all the $$$ you will be saving but it isn't really what you wanted in the first place so it was a waste. All these years have taught me that a deal is only a deal when you are getting want you really and truly want otherwise you end up with stuff you don't use and don't want.

And buy quality because in the long run it will pay off vs buying cheaper quality cheaper priced stuff.

I'm pretty much the same as Missy I try to always focus on the QUALITY of the item and buy the best I can afford. Lots of research first before parting with my hard-earnt money! I'm probably fairly frugal with basic clothes like underwear, t-shirts etc but will always spend top dollar on a pure wool business suit or leather handbag as it will last a lifetime. It's definitely NOT about the brand name - just quality of fabric and construction, classic design etc. My family were very poor when I was a child and I spent most of my 20's poor as a church mouse so I still know how to save pennies!

I just want a house with solid wood furniture (I have a lot of antiques for this reason!) a wardrobe with simple classics in natural fabrics, a reliable car with minimal upkeep costs. We don't holiday away a lot - just try lots of little weekend exploring trips. (Trying to save for a mortgage and a baby so we both try to be sensible about needs vs wants). I do still treat myself occassionally to little things though - coffee out, manicure etc. I work very hard so why not?