I have to say it is educate myself.  If I’m not educated on how to handle the funds, make good and responsible choices, and make money work for us, well then I can’t contribute positively to our goals and needs.  I can say that I’ve always had money sense, which was passed down from my mother.  But even then, I knew there was more.  I found Dave Ramsey, and that was all it took.  All the pieces that I had gathered over the years started to come together in a comprehensive way that really helped me get a focus and pursue it with the intensity I needed to not only survive but succeed.

How do you do frugal?  

*Firstly, I never look at being frugal as being deprived.  I am making my own choices and am in control of my life when I put what I know into practice.

*Communication is very important.  If you and your spouse, children, partner aren’t on the same page you can be frugal but you’ll never realize the fullness of success in your efforts.  (i.e., you save gobs of cash by making your own cleaners, but then your spouse sees that extra money in the bank as “free” money and starts eating out every day for lunch.  Now instead of seeing the fruits of your efforts, the spending was redirected in a way you didn’t agree to and trouble begins.)

*I believe in being ‘pro-active’ instead of ‘re-active’.  I want to be in control of what, when, and how much I spend on something.  (Plan for regular care and maintenance on things: cars, appliances, yourself! – it’s cheaper to take care of something than replace it or pay doctor, pharmacy, and hospital bills)

* I truly believe that the ‘little” things add up to big savings.  I was a single mom for a very long time, and we lived in some not so great places.  But we made the best of it, and I did things like used candles to supplement the heat in whatever room we were in, converted to energy saving light bulbs,  turned off lights and tv/radios in rooms we weren’t using and unplugged chargers when they weren’t charging something.

*I consider everything from donations at the cash register to appliance purchases and I make sure that I am willing to accept whatever consequence there is from making the purchase.  (did I have money available in my charitable donation fund for that donation or will I deduct that donation from my food fund for that month)

*I communicate frequently with the family on changes and setting short term and long term goals – I get the little kids involved now.  My 4 year old gets to make the choice of his favorite treat or a small toy when we go out to celebrate an achievement.  My 8 year old was given the choice to purchase a new book bag for school or a new lunch bag and I gave her a dollar amount.  She assessed her current stock of book bags (she still has her book bag from Kindergarten and she’s now in third grade) and the condition of her lunch bags and made the choice of a lunch bag.  Then, taking in consideration the budgeted amount and the cost of the lunch bag, she chose a less expensive bag and used the extra money for savings!!  

*I make it frugal FUN!!  I love to come home and show my husband how much money I saved on a shopping trip!  And I challenge myself to do better the next time out.

*I challenge myself and my kids to find alternative options to things that cost money.  We take advantage of our local parks for outings, and spend time playing games and reading instead of going out to the movies or costly amusement parks.  I’ve also been known to make a seemingly mundane car ride turn into a serious adventure!

How does frugal fit into your busy schedule without overwhelming you?  

Frugal to me is a way of life.  I make conscious choices and am in control of our finances so that we can determine what is important to us and then we commit to making it happen.  Almost three years ago, I was diagnosed with a gluten allergy.  It turned my whole way of living upside down.  I had to change how being frugal fit into my life and my shopping.  I could no longer go to our local Amish Market and purchase prepackaged foods for cut rate prices and still feed myself.  I had to discipline myself in a whole new way.  I started researching on the internet and in the library and sought to find the people who had similar experiences.  Anyone and everyone I could read about who had to manage life with special needs was of interest to me.  I applied what I already knew from Financial Peace University, and had to creatively find a way to make this new challenge fit into our already tight budget.  I can honestly say I’m still working it out, but it is getting better and better each day.  Finding your site while watching a CBN broadcast was an answer to prayer and it helped me renew my drive and encouraged me that I could make it through this and come out even better!

Lovely Readers be prepare to enter our next Frugal Queen contest, TBA!