My family was always thrifty. My winter coats came off the rack of the local Goodwill, my shoes never cost more than $10, and any time I wanted new clothing as a teenager my mother took me to the thrift store (to my horror). As a teenager, I hated it. I wanted the hottest fashions, […]
The Line Between Frugal and Cheap
Nobody wants to be called cheap. We dread being labeled a scrooge, likened to a mean, greedy recluse who would do anything to avoid parting from a penny. We want to be known for our generosity while still saving enough for ourselves. Those who decide to be money-wise are often nervous of being accused of […]
September 2018 Expense Report
I didn’t spend too much time at home this month. I converted from hourly to salary at my new job so I flew down to California to go to orientation. I flew out early in order to take advantage of the weekend and crashed at a family’s place in San Francisco.
August 2018 Expense Report
Despite smoke haze, August has been a great month for us. We spent weekends with family, hanging out at the lake, going to concerts on the green, and threw in a few days in Denver as well. The general trend of this month was frugality by generosity of our respective families. We are very grateful […]
Cutting Hair (Out of Your Budget)
The average American woman spends $44 on a haircut. Add 20% tip, the total rises to $53. If she goes to a salon the recommended 4-8 times a year, she pays $212-$424 per year on haircuts. The average American man will spend $28 on a haircut. Add 20% tip, he will pay $34 every visit. […]
The Mechanic’s Guide to Meal Planning
Four steps helped us set some goals, benchmark our spending, and make meal-planning happen.
Four Fantastically Frugal Foreign Feats
A travel bug scuttled around the house as I grew up, buzzing through hallways lined with photographs of faraway places. My parents met while on a three-day trek in New Zealand, so I guess it was inevitable that they would bring the bug home with them. I try to follow in their footsteps and travel […]
What is Financial Independence?
I am part of a growing movement of people looking for a way out of the rat race. The movement is called FIRE: Financial Independence, Retire Early. The blogosphere is growing with people embracing the movement, and I at first felt like I had little to add to this space. After all, Gwen of fiery millennials is another […]
Frugal Roots
My parents set the example for frugality. I’m sure my dad had a mental catalog of every item in the grocery store and how much it should cost. After shopping for our staples at King Soopers, our local Kroger mart, we’d walk across the street to Safeway because milk and bagels were cheaper there. We never […]