Comments on: Guest Post: It’s not about how much we save, it’s about how little we spend

By: Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 09:09:36 +0000

Jill, thanks for the great guest post! I’m new to being frugal, and your distinction between focusing on how much you save and focusing on how little you spend really hit home with me. I know I sometimes find myself combing the ads for a great deal, but if it’s something I don’t really need and that won’t benefit my family, it’s not a great deal. I’m looking forward to seeing our bank account grow as we become more conscious of what we spend and work on ways to get the things we need and want more inexpensively.

By: Financial Planning for Expectant Parents

Financial Planning for Expectant Parents — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 09:09:35 +0000

Absolutely, it’s not how much you’re saving, it is that you spend less, so the money coming in keeps growing! Here are some of the easy savings wins I just accomplished:

Cancelled HBO, which we hardly watch anymore ($10 month / $120 year)

Switched our phone and Internet to Comcast ($40 month / $480 year!)

Reduced our childcare by 3 hours per week ($150 month / $1,800 year!)

By: Cristina

Cristina — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 09:09:35 +0000

I am in full agreement with Jill! I have alwasy been frugal but my approach used to alwasy be how much I saved and my husband would always say “great, you spent $50 to save $15″ but being a stay home mother and wishing to stay that way I must now focus on how little I spend. Thanks for all the wealth of information you share each day. I don’t believe you have a Fresh and Easy where you live but if you did, you would love it!

By: Jamie

Jamie — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 09:07:49 +0000

If you think about it, to buy something for $100 you really have to make $120 since the Govt takes about 20% of every dollar earned. Saving money is is pre govt, pre tax and is very worth while. Thanks for the encouragement.

By: Carrie

Carrie — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:41:27 +0000

I agree whole heartedly with everything Jill said. Saving is an addiction, a challenge, and it can completely change your mindset and life.

Ironically, I know Jill. We have posted on the same message board for years, however we’ve never talked about Money Saving Mom, and I had no idea she came here. As I was reading this, I thought to myself “This girl’s name is Jill, and she sounds like Jill.” When I got to the end, I realized it WAS the Jill I knew!”. I guess it is a small world after all, eh? I said all that to say, even though Jill is a saver, Jill is one of the most generous people you have ever met. She has more than once offered things to me, not really knowing my IRL, and never expected a thing back in return.

Two thumbs up to MSM, and Jill!

By: kelli

kelli — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:36:26 +0000

well-written! this is exactly how i feel… thanks to you both!

By: Michele

Michele — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:25:32 +0000

Great post! I’ve always been frugal by nature, but it’s fun to read testimony of someone who has changed her ways! Way to go!

By: MomIsCrazy

MomIsCrazy — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:25:32 +0000

I agree!!! I started couponing around the same time as you and found this site a few months later. Between this site, other blogs and the NC based forum, savvydollar.org that started me down this amazing path, I have saved thousands and spent so much less!

We did our daughters Christmas for under $100 (Target 75%-90% off toy sale in August) and she had so many toys that I ended up pulling out about 5 to save for her birthday in April. So for under $100 I took care of Christmas and Birthday and she got more toys than if we had just done the normal spending full price!

I also agree that I no longer really *worry* about what will happen if my job is suddenly no longer there. Between the stockpile I have and the way I know how to shop now, we would be ok for awhile.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:25:32 +0000

There is no way I could have said it any better. I too joined you on your journey in April…….I have enjoyed EVERY MINUTE of it!

Thank you for all you do and God bless you and your family!

By: Never2Late2Save

Never2Late2Save — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:23:36 +0000

Thank you for sharing this with us. I totally agree with you on this subject. It’s definitely agree “How can I spend less?” is the question to ask yourself. I have had the same experience with our savings. We have only one income and two children and once I started couponing(since may) I started to see a change in our savings. I no longer live pay check to paycheck. Nothing is better than being 19 with no debt and able have the life of a young adult and still be a responsible mom.

By: Brooke

Brooke — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:23:36 +0000

Thank you so much for this. When I first started “saving” I too was too focused on how much I saved and now how much I spent and would buy things we didn’t need which was just as wasteful as I was before. I am now much better at watching what I’m spending instead.

By: Mari

Mari — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:23:36 +0000

Jill and Crystal I do so agree. When I clicked on a link that someone posted on one of my adoption boards to Crystal’s website here. Our lives changed in a matter of a couple of weeks. Thanks for you post Jill it was almost like reading my own thoughts. Thanks to you Crystal for sharing in all the ways that you do. May both of you and your families be blesssed this year.

By: Katy

Katy — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:23:35 +0000

I could have written the same exact letter! (Well, minus the part about kids…)

After discovering this website (and from it, others) this past summer, my life has really taken a turn for the better. In this kind of economy, it’s good to know we don’t have to pay for toothpaste and shampoo, isn’t it? : )

By: Jessica

Jessica — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:23:35 +0000

This is so well-put! It echoes what my husband has been saying all along, “I hear you say you are saving money, but are you spending LESS?” When I started stockpiling with the sales this summer, every time I got home he’d shake his head and wonder if I was really spending LESS to get more, or if I was spending MORE to get more. At the end of the year when we finished balancing our finances and could compare our spending, we saw that our spending had indeed gone down, while our stockpile had grown substantially!

By: Amanda

Amanda — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:23:35 +0000

Amen to Jill’s comments. Through your blog I too have become more interested in spending less. I have come to the same realization that Jill has. As a new mom who has given up her job this not only helps out with the lost income, but also gives me something to work at. Thank you so much!

By: Claire at Choyster Cash

Claire at Choyster Cash — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:23:35 +0000

What a fantastic post – Thanks !

By: Cathy

Cathy — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:23:35 +0000

Great post-I could have written it myself. I love this site!

By: lizajane

lizajane — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:23:35 +0000

Fantastic post!! I too find the whole deal thing exciting, and even a little TOO addictive. But you are right, it’s a different mindset entirely. I can’t quite get my husband on the need vs. want bandwagon, but truly he’s not too far out of line. I think he sees how hard I work both at a job and to save when I grocery shop that he realizes it’s silly to go wild on other things. With a little planning and patience, deals seem to pop up out of nowhere.

By: Jaycie

Jaycie — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:23:35 +0000

I totally love the comment, “Being frugal, shouldn’t be about how much you save, it should be about how little you spend.” How easily we can forget that and only focus on the “today you saved” on our receipts. And we will be living on Chex Mix, Kashi and Johnson’s Buddies right along with you!

By: jenni williams

jenni williams — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:23:35 +0000

Awesome post! My dh was working almost 2 full time jobs “back when we paid for tooth paste and toilet paper”! We save sooo much being frugal. And it has spilled over into all areas of our lives. We live 10 times better than others with our income!