Frugalistas

Are you a frugalista? Or do you splash the cash? What great money-saving tips do you have? Have you always been careful with money or has the credit crunch kick-started your frugal ways?

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Comments

[meryl]

We have just launched a website www.countingthepennies.com. Come and join us have your say, let's make it big and FUN.
email. [email protected]

[Karen]

I used to owe £700 and more on buy now pay later purchases in my catalogue and have £6000 on my credit cards, now I buy clothes and anything I need from Ebay, in just a year I owe nothing on my catalogue and I've managed to half my credit card bill to £3000.

[Ruth]

Frugalista is me - I decant the huge cheapo bottles of bubble bath or shower gel from Lidl or Netto and put into more expensive looking bottles. Any mash potato or swede gets put into plastic containers and frozen. Car boots are usually cheaper than charity shops as are Jumble Sales. Look for ones in "affluent" villages or run by "The Round Table" or "Women's Institute". Recycle everything - and hold car boot sales. Make curries and stews out of left overs. Buy all food reduced "yellow sticker" and freeze. Walk where possible and only have a very economical little car for necessary car journeys. Get classic clothes which never date & accessorise with cheap jewellry and scarves. Never use oven if grill will do. Always turn TV off at mains (standby gobbles up electric). Only have heating on if absolutely necessary - wear another jumper!!

[Suzie]

Being a frugalist is very tempting especially as i am a charity shop browser and love the odd jumble sale or two and have on occassion come away with a bargain.

I am very careful about what I buy and tend to only buy either in sales or on ebay and certainly take advantage of the buy one get one free offers much to my husbands annoyance at times.

Unfortunately my garden although big doesn't have the right soil for growing much other than roses as it is predominatley clay but I have attempted tomatos in a grow bag and lettuce it is a start.

Maybe I could be a frugalist in training.

[eileen]

Just at the corner of my (very nice) street, there is a bin. On Sunday nights, people put out the big objects, for the binmen to come and collect. Over the last 2 years, my husband and myself, have taken - a fulll wicker patio set, a swinging couch, and a childs swing! All needed a little paint, or a new cloth seat etc, but they have all been restored, and give us great pleasue in the garden! We also got 2 pine chairs that matched our kitchen perfectly! It's the way to go!

[marie]

I always have a good luck through charity shops for all my jeans i never ever pay more than three pounds for a pair . I then go to primark and buy myself loads of tops to go wth my jeans , even buying belts sunglasses and jewellery from primark. My outfits look very expensive and stylish for less than ten pounds . In fact im going to start selling them on ebay when im ready for a change.

[Alex]

Never seen the problem with finding the best deal possible- why pay more for something than you possibly need to?!

[Nathalie Hachet]

My parents taught me the value of money quite early on in life. Although I have splurged on designer outfits in the past and made some spending mistakes with my credit card, I have vowed never to fall into bad debts again. I try to stick to a budget and avoid buying on impulse. I resist temptation even if it can be very difficult!

I hardly buy any ready meals, and cook up a meal using simple staple ingredients like rice, lentils, pasta or potatoes. I have bought an electric whisk and whip up my own chocolate mousses, instead of indulging in expensive store-bought mousses!

I have cut back on hairdressing bills and dye my own hair. I hand-wash and valet my car, and am careful with gas and electricity. I am a bit of a hoarder and had kept all these good quality hardly-worn clothes of mine from 20 years ago which are now back in fashion... I have decided to wear again some of them, and am saving in the process a little fortune on clothes!

Other little things do help keep my budget in check like cutting out the cappucino and chocolate bar that I used to treat myself to everytime I went into town... I now also design my own birthday and Xmas cards, and do not drive unnecessarily. I have long cut out Saturday night outings to bars and clubs, and my body and purse thank me for it! I have kept a hand-me-down 30- year-old TV that works perfectly, and use the same mobile phone I have had for the last 10 years, as I am not consumed by the urge to upgrade to the latest gadget every 6 months!

Being a frugalista used to be a decision I had to take for purely financial reasons. It has now become a way of life, although I still spoil friends and family, and never come across as some sort of tight-fisted fiend. Saving money makes total sense to me!

[mags]

i am a frugulista on the basics of life- i never buy anything i do not have to- hate spending money- long love freecycle. i used to buy clothes in charity shops but now we have primark theres no need to. i wait for the items i want to be reduced.