Just curious who else is living super frugal

[Rosaleen]

Frugal? My 8 x 9 foot run cost less than $50.00 to build...materials were all recycled except for some wire, 2 x 4 s and screws. You can see the run on my page. The coop cost even less...

 

[Beekissed]

I've found, in my lifetime, that there is a fine art to poverty. One can be a success at it and, in doing so, be proud of having developed the skills necessary to weather the bad times as well as the good. With today's economy, many more people will find they are not going to be able to afford what they did previously, will have to do without the simple things they thought necessary for life but aren't (cable or dish TV, Cell phones, new cars, new clothing, dining out, etc. ), and will have to learn to scale down their living.

It all comes down to adaptive thinking and then implementing the changes in thought into one's life. You can have a successful investment portfolio and live an elevated and luxury lifestyle and call yourself a success at it...you've managed to do it well, in other words. You can also have a frugal, but still happy and fulfilled life, and manage it quite well and easily and call yourself a success at that level also.

As the past has shown us, merely having material wealth is no insurance against bad times or unhappiness. How many times have you read about former actors, singers, millionaires who died penniless in a nursing home in their old age? During the Great Depression, many people who had been wealthy and then lost it all chose suicide over having to live without their former lifestyles.

Living well and happy despite low economic status or times is a skill that is greatly to be desired.

 

[helenmar]

Well Said!!!!

 

[faerielady]

This is my first post in this thread, but I've read every post and will be implementing several suggestions that I've seen on here. I don't make much money. I'm a single parent, I work full time and I go to college full time. 5 years ago, I was a stay at home mom with a husband who made significantly more than I make now (about 3 times). I'm having to change my entire attitude about how I spend money.

I have a lot of debt as well. I have a repossession that I need to pay off. I used to own a Harley, but was laid off at the beginning of March and well... I was stupid and had both a car payment and a bike payment, so I ended up doing a voluntary repossession on the bike since I was upside down on it. I have some other stupid debt, a couple (literally, 2) small credit cards that are in collections, a couple medical bills that I was unable to pay that are now in collections. Some days, I just don't know where to start.

I get paid monthly, so I'm going to go grocery shopping today (payday, last day of the month). There are no sales ads in our Sunday paper for local grocery stores and most of them don't accept coupons anymore (there is one that does, and I get what I can there). I'll check their websites before I go to see if they post online flyers (they sometimes do) and figure out what I need to get at either store.

My boyfriend has his own house, truck, and bills so I don't count his income toward my things. He has his own issues that he has to deal with, coming out of a bankruptcy 3 years ago due to his ex-wife's spending habits (she literally spent him 30K in debt while he was deployed last time).

 

[Rathbone]

Quote:
Exactly this. And somehow, in looking at it as an art form, I feel more joy in pulling it off well.

 

[Rathbone]

Quote:
Thank you ... grapes are on sale right now! So guess what I will hope to be doing this weekend???

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
Exactly this. And somehow, in looking at it as an art form, I feel more joy in pulling it off well.

Same here....sort of a game or something to achieve. I like seeing just how much I can save, actually brag about my low electric bills, love the fact that I own nothing but a student loan in this world and will think myself truly successful to be debt free when that is paid off. I like knowing that my method of living allows me to have enough money to help others and this gives me a private smile.

I am a firm believer that those who have climbed a rung on the ladder of prosperity need to turn around and help another up. If they do not and merely crow about what they've done, they deserve to go back to the bottom and repeat the process until they learn the value of moving upwards. None of us can do it without a little help and those who forget to help need to learn that lesson all over again, IMO.

 

[Rathbone]

Quote:
Amen.

 

[ChooksinChoppers]

Quote:
Amen.

x2

 

[helenmar]

Do you guys use freecycle too.I love it and get such a kick out of giving stuff away.I have also collected some items in return.I always go for dog and cat food for local shelters and have collected stuff for charity shops also.Here in the uk we also have free Mesa and freegle.Well worth a look.I get really annoyed when folks take things to the dump when others can use them.