What we do to be frugal...

Inspired by posts by Mapgirl, Amanda, and many others.... When I started thinking about this, I realized there isn't a whole lot that we do for the sole fact of being frugal. Some things we do because they are good for us physically or emotionally, some because we like being independent, some because they are good for the environment, and some are just to reduce clutter and waste, and keep life simple(r). That being said, here's our list... 1. We don't buy movies, books, or CDs. I love the library and am blessed to live in a tiny town that has the best library (hooked into a vast library network with online ordering) just a block away. Going to the library is much more convenient than purchasing media, especially since I don't have to find a place to store the items when I'm done with them. I don't even want to know what my book spending would be if I felt the need to buy books. 2. We don't have air conditioning. Again, not really done to be frugal, but that is on our list of pros. 3. We drive old cars and don't make car payments. Ok, this probably is done for the sole reason of saving money, but it's difficult to argue with two vehicles that are paid for and only cost about $70/month to insure with full coverage. 4. We buy used... everything we can. This is done to save both money AND the environment. I love the concept of recycling, as it extends beyond aluminum cans and plastic bottles. Used clothing, furniture, and tools are two of my favorites. 5. We plan to cloth diaper and use cloth wipes. Once again, frugality is at the bottom of the list of pros. Baby's health (the chemicals in disposables scare the beejeezus out of me, and I don't want to deal with diaper rash any more than necessary), the environment (resources used during the manufacture, packaging, and transportation of disposables, not to mention what they are doing to our landfills and all the contamination to our water supply), the simplicity and lack of smell (taking out trash, running to the store at the last minute, and that plastic-y, chemical-y smell of wet disposables three things that I abhor), and many other reasons top my list. There are tons of excellent resources out there for cloth diapering, I'd be happy to help anyone out who wants more info. 6. We plan to breastfeed, hopefully until at least 18 months. Again, frugality isn't at the top of the list of pros, but the money savings are undeniable with this one. 7. We don't eat fast food, and we only eat restaurant meals about once a week. We used to eat out a lot more, but it got to a point where I realized that eating out didn't necessarily mean a better tasting meal, or even any less time. It's easier, cheaper, and tastier to eat at home. 8. We don't buy gadgets. We get the free phones and we use them until they break. We do buy a lot of tools though, which, if I'm being honest, probably replaced the gadget addiction I used to have. 9. We like to do it ourselves.... or at least try. We're getting better at knowing what we can tackle and what we can't. Electrical - yes. Plumbing - no (although we have had success once or twice). Installing flooring, painting, basic repairs, and cutting down trees are all things we have conquered. 10. We don't buy bottled water. Tap is good for us, and I use my SIGG travel bottle (when I don't accidentally leave it in someone's car) to transport beverages wherever I go. 11. Make my own coffee or bring my own mug. Almost every day I make my coffee at home, but occasionally I will stop and buy some on the way to work. I have found a gas station, believe it or not, that has excellent coffee that only charges $.60 if I bring my own cup. I probably buy my coffee twice a month. I also *try* to bring my lunch to work, but I'm not very good at this. Luckily, our cafeteria is pretty affordable, and I can buy a BLT on whole grain bread, with a pickle, for $3.01. 12. I don't dry clean any of my clothes, with the exception of winter coats. I have dozens of wool winter sweaters that I have perfected a washing routine for that doesn't shrink, warp, fade, or damage them in any way. I also wash all of our wool blankets in the machine with a similar method. 13. We itemize! We keep track of everything and pull out all the stops at tax time. This has been one area where a little forethought goes a long way into decreasing that tax bill at year-end. Along the same lines, we take advantage of every tax advantage and retirement saving incentive (employer match) that we can. 14. We are having a midwife-assisted birth, out of a hospital. Frugality was not even on the list for this one, it wasn't until after I switched primary care providers that we found out the costs for this type of birth would be about half, despite the much higher level of service, attention, education, and amenities. The non-monetary benefits are HUGE, but this blog is about money and the monetary benefits are also quite substantial. 15. I try to be low-maintenance. The only makeup I wear is mascara. I wax my own eyebrows (some would argue that this isn't necessary, but I like to get those little white-blond hairs removed - even if it's just so I know they are gone). I normally do my own nails, but sometimes they don't get done, or I need a pedi from a pro (like now - when reaching my toes for an extended period of time is a monumental effort that results in a little person kicking me repeatedly in the sternum). I do spend a bit on haircuts, but I don't dye my hair. Send me your list and I'll be sure to link it!