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In the US, we have a somewhat stange definition of what it means to be rich and poor.  Even many of those considered to be “poor” in America are rich, compared with the lifestyle and conditions of other countries.  And, in order to be defined as “rich” in America, it seems that the amount of money that you need to have should actually more realistically be classified as obscene.  In America, rich is not defined as having a home, one or two cars, food on the table, at least one telephone, at least one television set, etc. etc.  Rich is defined as having a mansion in Beverly Hills, plasma tv’s in every room, a Rolls Royce or some other car that costs more than a house should, etc. etc.  (more…)

In this post, there was a discussion of why it is so much harder to thrive in America today than it used to be.  A lot of the causes are legitimate, and it really and truly is more difficult to survive and thrive than it used to be, because of a number of different factors.  However, the fact does remain that we also require a lot more “luxuries” today then we ever did in the past, and we also have lost site of some of the basic principles of frugal living that used to exist.  While this tough economic situation has many people rediscovering frugality and reconsidering the spending that we used to take for granted, I sometimes whether the generation raised on easy conveniences will ever really understand frugality the way a generation of people raised during the Great Depression did.  Perhaps this tough economic climate will help bring those fundamental ideas back, but for now, it still seems up in the air as to whether the easy credit generation will return to our less-than-frugal ways once this economy turns around. (more…)

Some of you may have heard of Cesar Milan- he is a dog trainer with his own show on the National Geopgrahic Channel.  Cesar has a 3 step program to help “train dogs and rehabilitate people.”  His three steps are 1. Exercise 2. Discipline 3. Affection (in that order, of course).  When you are training a dog, you always have to be consistent.  You can’t admonish a dog for chewing on your shoe 9 times out of 10, but let him do it that tength time when you are too lazy to get up off of the couch- if you do, he’ll never learn.  Consistent, small corrections are required along with a lot of positive reinforcement, through the life of the dog, in order to have a well behaved and obedient canine family member.  A lot of these same principles apply to living a frugal life.  (more…)

I’m having car problems again.  Last month, I took the car in because the Check Engine light was on.  Thankfully, the service ended up being covered by my warranty and so I didn’t have to pay anything (including the $95 diagnostic fee that is required to see if the service is covered).  Then, a few days ago, the check engine light came on- again!  I made an appointment for tonight, but I just hate that risk of paying the $95 to see if it is covered, since if I have to pay for the service I definitely will not be getting it fixed at the dealership.

When I was living with my now-ex, we became pretty frugal together.  He didn’t start out that way, but with quite a bit of discussion, he became that way.  For a long time, we supported each other’s efforts to save money.  It became almost like a contest- who can spend the least, who can make it through the day without using the ATM card.  Before I made a purchase, I would think, is this really worth it, he will know that I have been spending.  And, of course, they say that it is also less expensive for 2 people to live as it is for 1.  (more…)

Some people think that only big purchases need to be thought about and considered. I’ve read posts and articles that suggest that for every $100, they take 1 day to think about the purchase (i.e. a $500 purchase needs to be considered for 5 days before pulling the trigger).  However,for most of us, I don’t think that it is the big purchases that cause us the most financial trouble.  I think it is the little purchases that we don’t notice that add up- we throw the McDonalds or the coffee or the toothpaste or the lunch meat on our credit cards and then at the end of the month we can’t understand how on Earth we have a $500 balance.  So, I’ve instituted a 5 question test before I buy ANYTHING.  (more…)

The internet is full of frugality tips and tricks.  Some of them seem obvious- make your own lunches instead of paying $5 a day.  Some of them are a little more obscure, like installing a little jacket on your water heater, or plugging your appliances into a special powerstrip that turns off everything when one main appliance is turned off.  All of these tricks work (if you do them consistenly and regularly over a period of months and years, that is).  And all of these tricks stem from the #1 Best True Secret to Frugality- the only thing you really need to know. (more…)

I really want a Kindle.  This is the first gadget I have had my eye on since we saved up and bought our 42 inch LCD TV (purchased entirely with Sears gift cards earned from points).  I won’t spend real money on this since it is not something I need, so I’m going to start saving up Amazon gift cards earned from Surveys and Swagbucks.  I have earned $15 so far, so I have $344.00 to go! Why is it so expensive!!

I try to save money all the time, and I am constantly looking for way to cut our spending and expenses down even further.  Here are 5 painless ways that I saved money this weekend: (more…)

For the most part, I have completely embraced the concept of living like no one else.  I don’t feel envious when my neighbor across the street comes home with a brand new Mercedes SUV, and I don’t mind not having the newest clothes or shopping with coupons, even if some people don’t think its ‘cool’.  I feel enlightened and like I am making the ‘right’ decisions in a society while a lot of American’s make the wrong ones when it comes to money.   But, despite all that, there are still just a few people out there in the world that I want to Impress, and for some reason that includes making them think that I have Money.  (more…)