Is frugality advice realistic?

[bitterhope]

I haven’t read much of this thread to be honest, but I think the biggest mistake people make when it comes to being frugal is they become somewhat obsessive about how much they can save on things. It’s a much easier and peaceful way to live if instead of focussing on saving, you look for what you can afford. It seems that there is a huge difference in cost of living across the country so things that work for one family are not going to work for another unless they live in the same area. I always find it silly that a family that has less people and more income than my family will jump through hoops to save money on everything possible. It’s time consuming and stressful to continuously search for things. It’s much better to just relax, live life in a way that you can afford, and enjoy what you’ve got. We raise our family of 8 kids on an income below the line of poverty without assistance, but I have never actively sought out bargains. We spend what we can afford and leave it at that.

 

[Cupofkindness]

This is a great insight, so balanced and wise. Thank you, Bitterhope!

 

[petitfleur]

I’ve been thinking of some of those foam sole slippers, just to have something to slip on around the house. It’s really getting into my cooking, I don’t want to fix dinner because I have to stand.

I wanted to address this though I have not finished the thread- be diligent on stretching your feet and calves, ice your feet when you get a chance, and use a tennis ball or frozen water bottle to roll your feet, apply as much pressure you can stand. Look up KT tape foot wrapping (I found it helpful, did not solve anything but helped through a long day I had) Saucony shoes are the best for me and I recently got a new pair. What a difference a new pair makes! I forgot since its been a while. Different brands work for different people. I was told to wear them at all times, and yeah it helps when I do. Do see a dr if you can swing it, but these things help.

 

[Xantippe]

I wanted to address this though I have not finished the thread- be diligent on stretching your feet and calves, ice your feet when you get a chance, and use a tennis ball or frozen water bottle to roll your feet, apply as much pressure you can stand. Look up KT tape foot wrapping (I found it helpful, did not solve anything but helped through a long day I had) Saucony shoes are the best for me and I recently got a new pair. What a difference a new pair makes! I forgot since its been a while. Different brands work for different people. I was told to wear them at all times, and yeah it helps when I do. Do see a dr if you can swing it, but these things help.

My podiatrist said something about tennis shoes losing their oomph after a few years, even just sitting in the box. (The materials deteriorate.)

I was just looking it up and found the following:

“Once you find a comfortable pair of walking shoes that support your feet right, it is hard to part with them. But walking and running shoes have a limited life span. With each step, you are breaking down their cushioning and support. By 500 miles, most shoes are dead and need to be recycled or saved for non-exercise purposes.”

walking.about.com/od/shoechoice/f/replaceshoes.htm

That is a pretty bitter pill to swallow–if you’re any sort of walker, it’s really easy to get to 500 miles.

 

[CatholicSheila]

I’ve been looking at my budget a lot lately as I’m trying to save for a mortgage. The one thing I’ve found that helps more than anything else with been ‘frugal’ is how I manage my money. I don’t mean a budget, although that is certainly necessary, but the actual art of spending.

I save more by paying for everything (except bills) in cash than I do by all my cost-saving measures combined. They say that it’s easier for people to comprehend how much they’re actually spending and how much they have left if cold hard cash is used. Looking at the last 2 months I’ve found that to be absolutely true. The weeks I’ve used cash I’ve stayed within budget every time. The weeks I’m lazy and try to stick to my budget but pay for everything on my debit card I go over. Every time.

It’s a new learning curve. It’s the norm in Australia to pay for card. Carrying cash, especially any larger amounts is quite odd. Especially for my generation.

 

[mommy_k]

I’ve been looking at my budget a lot lately as I’m trying to save for a mortgage. The one thing I’ve found that helps more than anything else with been ‘frugal’ is how I manage my money. I don’t mean a budget, although that is certainly necessary, but the actual art of spending.

I save more by paying for everything (except bills) in cash than I do by all my cost-saving measures combined. They say that it’s easier for people to comprehend how much they’re actually spending and how much they have left if cold hard cash is used. Looking at the last 2 months I’ve found that to be absolutely true. The weeks I’ve used cash I’ve stayed within budget every time. The weeks I’m lazy and try to stick to my budget but pay for everything on my debit card I go over. Every time.

It’s a new learning curve. It’s the norm in Australia to pay for card. Carrying cash, especially any larger amounts is quite odd. Especially for my generation.

Yes this is so true! I have started paying cash too. It is tricky in the supermarket, but cuts overspending.

On another note-this summer I have saved a lot by going to the library frequently and taking advantage of the children’s programs there, instead of paying for similar activities and barnes and noble for books.

We live in a nice surburban neighborhood, and no one would dare put up a clothes line-I love freshly dried clothes and sheets. Our trees in the yard allow me to have a hidden clothes line, and I love it.

And this has nothing to do with income, lack or excess, education or not. I enjoy the creativity that comes from living apart from a throw away society focused on excess–I saw a negative comment upthread.

 

[Xantippe]

I’ve been looking at my budget a lot lately as I’m trying to save for a mortgage. The one thing I’ve found that helps more than anything else with been ‘frugal’ is how I manage my money. I don’t mean a budget, although that is certainly necessary, but the actual art of spending.

I save more by paying for everything (except bills) in cash than I do by all my cost-saving measures combined. They say that it’s easier for people to comprehend how much they’re actually spending and how much they have left if cold hard cash is used. Looking at the last 2 months I’ve found that to be absolutely true. The weeks I’ve used cash I’ve stayed within budget every time. The weeks I’m lazy and try to stick to my budget but pay for everything on my debit card I go over. Every time.

It’s a new learning curve. It’s the norm in Australia to pay for card. Carrying cash, especially any larger amounts is quite odd. Especially for my generation.

There’s also the issue that it’s easier to be financially responsible with a goal in view. A lot of people (like myself) do not find frugality for the sake of frugality at all appealing, but give us an actual GOAL (like your house downpayment project) and it’s totally different.

When we first started Dave Ramsey, it was because we’d been theoretically in a position to save for a downpayment for four years, but no downpayment had materialized.

 

[CatholicSheila]

^I absolutely agree!

There is a sentiment here in Australia that it is impossible for a young person/family to save for a mortgage. In Sydney the average price for a house is around $800 000 and units not much better!! When I moved to a new area (thankfully I’m not in Sydney) I was shocked to find I actually could have had a down payment if I’d only saved a small portion of my income. I’ve saved more in the last 3 months now I realise it’s a goal that is actually possible than I’d managed to save in the previous 3 years. Despite earning less and having more expenses. Go figure.

We live in a nice surburban neighborhood, and no one would dare put up a clothes line-I love freshly dried clothes and sheets. Our trees in the yard allow me to have a hidden clothes line, and I love it.

That is one thing I love about Australia. Every house/townhouse has a clothes line. The only places that don’t automatically are actual apartments/units and I’ve seen many people put clothes lines on their balconies if they have one. Some insane people will choose to use a dryer but if weather allows for line usage it is seen as lazy. There would be an uproar if they tried to ban it like in some places in the US.

I’ve never owned a clothes dryer, including the 9 years I lived in a unit.

I am curious, why is it tricky to use cash in a supermarket?

 

[pianistclare]

I am curious, why is it tricky to use cash in a supermarket?/

Likely because some items are charged by weight and sometimes we American impulse buy!
You have to carry a pocket calculator to remind yourself that the things on the list come first! Spontaneous sales shopping gets you quickly re-=calculating to see what you will forego to take advantage of a bargain.

 

[Xantippe]

That is one thing I love about Australia. Every house/townhouse has a clothes line. The only places that don’t automatically are actual apartments/units and I’ve seen many people put clothes lines on their balconies if they have one. Some insane people will choose to use a dryer but if weather allows for line usage it is seen as lazy. There would be an uproar if they tried to ban it like in some places in the US.

Believe it or not, we also have people in the US being fined or otherwise punished for vegetable gardens…

cbsnews.com/news/fla-vegetable-garden-banned-couple-sues-for-right-to-grow/

The crazy just doesn’t stop…

 

[mommy_k]

^I absolutely agree!

There is a sentiment here in Australia that it is impossible for a young person/family to save for a mortgage. In Sydney the average price for a house is around $800 000 and units not much better!! When I moved to a new area (thankfully I’m not in Sydney) I was shocked to find I actually could have had a down payment if I’d only saved a small portion of my income. I’ve saved more in the last 3 months now I realise it’s a goal that is actually possible than I’d managed to save in the previous 3 years. Despite earning less and having more expenses. Go figure.

That is one thing I love about Australia. Every house/townhouse has a clothes line. The only places that don’t automatically are actual apartments/units and I’ve seen many people put clothes lines on their balconies if they have one. Some insane people will choose to use a dryer but if weather allows for line usage it is seen as lazy. There would be an uproar if they tried to ban it like in some places in the US.

I’ve never owned a clothes dryer, including the 9 years I lived in a unit.

I am curious, why is it tricky to use cash in a supermarket?

For me starting to use cash to get everything in one trip, means adding a cartful of groceries—I am always afraid I went over the amount of cash I brought. So far-so good though.

 

[UbiCaritas]

Cash can also be a liability if you live or spend much time in a bad area of town. I never carried more than about $5 on me in cash when I was in college, as I both lived and went to school in some very nasty neighborhoods. I’d often not get home from work until after midnight. Just one armed robbery/mugging–a distinct possibility in those areas–of my weekly grocery money could have undone any good I was trying to do by using cash only. Theft of a debit card would have been quite annoying, but I could have had it cancelled, and my bank had a protection plan in place for unauthorized use, so I wouldn’t have really been out any money in that scenario. Cash, on the other hand, not so much.

 

[Xantippe]

Cash can also be a liability if you live or spend much time in a bad area of town. I never carried more than about $5 on me in cash when I was in college, as I both lived and went to school in some very nasty neighborhoods. I’d often not get home from work until after midnight. Just one armed robbery/mugging–a distinct possibility in those areas–of my weekly grocery money could have undone any good I was trying to do by using cash only. Theft of a debit card would have been quite annoying, but I could have had it cancelled, and my bank had a protection plan in place for unauthorized use, so I wouldn’t have really been out any money in that scenario. Cash, on the other hand, not so much.

If I were a drug-addicted mugger, I’m not sure I’d be very happy with just $5…

Better make it $20 to be safe.

ETA: But yeah, carrying around a week’s grocery money in cash could be disastrous.

 

[UbiCaritas]

If I were a drug-addicted mugger, I’m not sure I’d be very happy with just $5…

Better make it $20 to be safe.

ETA: But yeah, carrying around a week’s grocery money in cash could be disastrous.

Hmmm, a good point, and one that hadn’t occurred to me back then. Though there were times when I’m not at all sure I’d have had the $20, and in any case, $25 would usually have been my week’s grocery money. Ah, to be a young, incredibly broke college student again…no thanks!

 

[BobCatholic]

The way I see frugality:

Either you can choose to be frugal, or the Bankruptcy Court will make that decision for you.

We have a bad job market and people lose jobs all the time now. This is not the 1950’s people.

 

[Ridgerunner]

^I absolutely agree!

There is a sentiment here in Australia that it is impossible for a young person/family to save for a mortgage. In Sydney the average price for a house is around $800 000 and units not much better!! When I moved to a new area (thankfully I’m not in Sydney) I was shocked to find I actually could have had a down payment if I’d only saved a small portion of my income.

$800,000!!!11 WOW! That’s a lot. What kind of down payment is required for a purchase like that? Here in the U.S., it would be $80,000 to $160,000. Mighty hard for people to save that much, no matter what they do for a living.

Of course, it depends on the nature of the house. But where I live a new home costs from $80 to $100 per square foot, depending on what all you put in it. It’s more expensive in, say, suburban St. Louis because of lot costs, but not a whole lot more. There aren’t a lot of $800,000 houses where I live, and the ones there are, are mind-blowing mansions.

I have met New Zealanders who have told me how breathtakingly expensive real estate of any kind is there. Maybe Australia is similar. I’m not sure why it’s so expensive in NZ except that they tell me there isn’t all that much useable land there, whereas there is in the U.S.

Returning to the topic, though, I have found that most cost-saving devices don’t really save much, if anything. The real key to frugality, at least for me, is to never buy anything quickly. If I go for days, weeks or even months, the desire to buy something usually wears off unless the item is an absolute necessity.

 

[Xantippe]

$800,000!!!11 WOW! That’s a lot. What kind of down payment is required for a purchase like that? Here in the U.S., it would be $80,000 to $160,000. Mighty hard for people to save that much, no matter what they do for a living.

**That’s presumably in Australian dollars, so around $600k.

Still a LOT of money.**

Returning to the topic, though, I have found that most cost-saving devices don’t really save much, if anything. The real key to frugality, at least for me, is to never buy anything quickly. If I go for days, weeks or even months, the desire to buy something usually wears off unless the item is an absolute necessity.

Right.

I used to do one-click on Amazon. Nowadays I don’t. Whenever I see something interesting, I stick it in the “Save” section in my Amazon cart. I’ve got stuff there from probably half a decade ago. That’s handy at birthday and Christmas time, both for our purchases and if any relatives ask what they could get us or the kids.

I also keep lists of household projects/major purchases and as money comes in, we direct it toward whatever is at the top of the list. The current priority is a fence project and then after that, we’ll probably be replacing our circa 2001 pre-kid sofa.

 

[pensmama87]

Returning to the topic, though, I have found that most cost-saving devices don’t really save much, if anything. The real key to frugality, at least for me, is to never buy anything quickly. If I go for days, weeks or even months, the desire to buy something usually wears off unless the item is an absolute necessity.

Delayed gratification is definitely a big factor, but I disagree with the first point here. I do not have the exact numbers because I only keep receipts for a month and pay for most things with cash, but several stores I shop at track your spending (through the shoppers’ card or whatever.) They also track your “savings.” Now, the mistake they make is they assume you will buy the product regardless at retail (which I would never do - I keep track of prices and will only buy things when they are below a certain price for common household items.) Still, I think the savings are significant:

• Over $800 over the past 12 months at local grocery chain (at which I only buy products if they are priced below Aldi or if they are the only place that carries an item)
• Over $250 over the past 12 months at retail pharmacy chain

Those savings represent well over 50% (my estimate would be close to 75%), and again, I’m not paying for an item there unless I can get it cheaper than it would be at a discount store.

I pay $60/year for a Sunday paper subscription, and spend 30 minutes to an hour every week clipping coupons and planning shopping trips.(I also get coupons from a free neighborhood paper and sometimes people give me some). To me, an hour a week to save over $1000 in the course of a year is worth it (and that’s just at those two stores).

I’m aware that I might be the oddball on the thread, but I do keep track of the numbers and they don’t lie.

 

[Sailor_Kenshin]

How do you remember what all is in the freezer?

I don’t! I have a list. As soon as something goes in, it gets written down. As soon as something comes out, it gets crossed off.

 

[CatholicSheila]

I don’t! I have a list. As soon as something goes in, it gets written down. As soon as something comes out, it gets crossed off.

That is an awesome idea. I always know when I use the last of something, but I’m not so good at remember what is in there if it isn’t one of my ‘go to’ meals/meats.

I might try it and see how it works.