April 21, 2006 5:58 PM
Links for frugal living
I don't know about that title - it sounds so unattractive. I mean, saving money is attractive, but the word frugal - for those new to the concept - can conjure up visions of tatters, ugly surroundings, Ebeneezer Scrooge.
One visit to Like Merchant Ships will convince you otherwise. Here's a mother who makes saving money look easy - and beautiful too.
Another resource to explore: Frugal Homemaker.
Frugal Living has lots of links, but also if you type in the two words vinegar or baking soda, you can eliminate at least half the expensive cleansers and air deodorizers cluttering your cabinets!
Be sure to check out this page: Frugal Cleaning Solutions from Common Household Items.
Here's a quote I came across at Frugal Village:
Frugality is one of the most beautiful and joyful words in the English language, and yet one that we are culturally cut off from understanding and enjoying. The consumption society has made us feel that happiness lies in having things, and has failed to teach us the happiness of not having things. ~Elise Boulding
I know I feel better when we've eliminated some unnecessary something. Tripp and I used to drink coffee each morning and afternoon. With cream. It cost a fortune. Because my diet involves not only weight-loss but toxin elimination, I gave up coffee completely. I haven't had a cup for eleven weeks, which led Tripp to cut back himself. Last Saturday Jonny accidentally broke the carafe from our coffee maker while putting it away. Tripp decided just to let it go, so we avoided buying a new carafe and also are saving all that money that used to go to modifying our energy cycle (I've found that my energy level is just fine now that I don't drink coffee or overeat).
I also periodically sweep through our house looking for things to sell on Ebay. As I lose weight, I sell my clothes on Ebay so I can afford to buy new ones. Favorite place to shop: Ross - and it gets easier to find nice-looking clothes as I am becoming more reasonably sized. Because Tripp and I are fanatic readers (although it can take me a long time to get through a book like Nicholas Nickleby, which I'm reading now) I sell books we no longer need on Amazon.
Both Ebay and Amazon have very friendly formats and anyone can learn to use them to sell. If I had the time, I'd love to spend Saturdays poking around garage sales then selling the stuff I found online. I'm sure you could make a pretty good living at it if you knew what things went for. But for now, I'm just grateful to have a way to liquidate extraneous stuff while bringing in a little extra money for things like summer sandals for the kids.
I'm just learning how to live a little more frugally myself - and a couple readers have asked me to share what I've learned. I know these are baby steps compared to some people, but we all have to start somewhere :)
And for this baby-stepper, the word frugal is starting to sound quite charming.
Posted in Big families, Practical Info | Permalink
Comments
I LOVE Meredith's style, and photos and how-tos, on LikeMerchantShips. She's kind of the Barbara Curtis of frugality : )
Posted by: floorplan | April 21, 2006 7:01 PM
To clarify, Meredith is like Barbara Curtis in STYLE: Warm but not telling more than you need to know, journalistic, teaching by showing. Not in # of chidren!
Posted by: floorplan | April 21, 2006 7:11 PM
Great post, Barbara.
I have a funny story to share about that all. You can find it here: http://relevantblog.blogspot.com/2006/04/path-to-publication-five-belly-button.html
It's how I took frugality to an extreme, timing my husband's shaving so as not to expend hot water. The result was this post.
I must admit I'm a bit jealous. It's HARD to be frugal in France. No garage sales. Ebay in French. NO ROSS!!!!!! Waaaaaa!
Posted by: relevantgirl | April 22, 2006 2:53 AM
You're reading Nicholas Nickleby? I wish you could come visit us. Two of my daughters are performing in a play adapted from Nicholas Nickleby at the end of May. Dancer Daughter is the girl, can't remember her name, and Organizer Daughter is Mrs. Somebody, a shopkeeper with a runaway tongue. I don't remember the characters' names because I read NN about a hundred years ago.
Anyway, you're invited to Houston for the play! :)
Posted by: Sherry | April 22, 2006 10:00 AM
I love to be frugal too. My one thing is good coffee, but other than that, I'm cheap. It's thrift stores on half price day, baby! Dh's friends at work say I spend less to feed 6 than they do to feed a couple. ;)
Next project is getting better at cutting the boy's hair!
Posted by: Carrie | April 22, 2006 12:35 PM
I love Ross (it's where I buy my coffee *grin* really!!)
I have wondered about selling extraneous things on E-bay. How is that working out? Do you really make money? 'Cause I have LOTS that I could unload....
And cutting boys hair (we have three boys) really saves money. Hang in there Carrie, it gets easier. I've been doing it for four years (at least) and now Hubby trusts me enough to cut his!!
Posted by: Phyllis | April 22, 2006 1:09 PM
Thanks for those links Barbara!
I'm a Kiwi Frugal chick - but not a really impressive one (like Meredith on Like Merchant Ships - great blog by the way. It's already in "my Favourite blogs"!)
Can always learn some more tricks!
Love your blog too Barbara!
Cheers, Wilm
(any more New Zealander's here???? Or am I the lone Kiwi???)
Posted by: Wilm | April 23, 2006 9:45 PM
