Guest post from Jody:
You Might Be Frugal if…
You are wearing the same shirt in all your family’s vacation pictures – for the past four years.
Your family’s favorite part about going to Chuck E. Cheese is searching under the machines for stray tokens that other kids have dropped.
You plan road trips to hit the Sam’s Club and Costco stores at peak sample hours.
You tell your mother you are going to take the train to the family reunion, and her first instinct is to gasp and say, “You aren’t going to take a boxcar are you?”
You go to the grocery store and the employees ask you what the best deals of the week are at their store.
You wince to pay full price for something at the thrift store.
You don’t call a repairman when something breaks, instead, you look up a YouTube video on how to fix it.
You have an entire shelf of free dental floss, but you still reuse it.
You read Crystal’s book, which says, “I won’t teach you how to use dryer lint” and have a serious thought, “Dryer lint. Now that’s something I never thought of… I wonder if I could…”
What would you add to this list?
Jody might be frugal – since she can put a check mark next to each of the statements in the above “You Might Be Frugal” test 🙂
Pamela Marks says
we do several of those already lol
Julie Porter says
I am frugal – I still wear a t-shirt that I was wearing when I was newly pregnant with my eldest daughter, and she has just turned 21! Way to go!
Angela @ Setting My Intention says
Oh my goodness – I laughed out loud. I don’t think I’m THAT frugal, but my kids would definitely be on their hands and knees looking for tokens at Chuck E. Cheese. Thanks for a good read!
Olivia says
You might be frugal if you…..
Reuse aluminum foil, plastic zippered storage bags, plastic bread bags, jars for canning, twist ties. Make cleaning rags from old t shirts and ratty towels. Shop for next year’s Christmas the day after. Pick up pennies off the ground. When the first words your kid can read are “YARD SALE”.
Wingles says
Oh my, I think I am frugal. I do what you have stated! LOL
Amanda@CrunchyHippieLife says
You might be frugal if you are reading these comments for new money-saving ideas!
Laura says
Ha! That was me, and most of them I already do:)
Christy says
I thought of another one. You might be frugal if you don’t own a flat screen tv. Our living room TV is 9 or 10 years old and the one in our bedroom is from when I was in college (graduated in 1999). We use things until they don’t work anymore.
Jessica says
You may be frugal if Cow Appreciation Day, Talk Like a Pirate Day, Free Ice Cream Cone Day, etc…are beloved annual traditions.
Janice says
I had to laugh when my daughter held up a dress that was a gift to her (brand new) and she said “Who grew out of this one?”
Alley says
I am frugal, but my grandmother was in a league of her own..
She actually had a coupon for her own cremation. She sent us coupons for birthdays. She bought day old doughnuts and froze them. She covered all her furniture in plastic, including her TV remote. My grandfather and her retired when they were in their 40’s .. After raising 4 kids. She kept locks on her fridge and kitchen cabinets. They eventually moved to Florida where dinner was always free at the hotels during happy hour…
Meg says
When I was a Girl Scout we always saved dryer lint to make egg carton fire starters.
I’m sure you can look it up.
To this day, I have to remind myself to throw it away!
My husband thinks it’s super weird.
Dana says
You might be frugal if your couch is older than you are! 🙂
Kristine Hart says
To stretch our coffee and coffee filters, sometimes I just add coffee to the used coffee grinds but I don’t need as much fresh grinds second time around and I save on a filter, too! (shhh..don’t tell hubby 😉 )
Kristine 🙂
Ellen says
When I was first married, I wanted to make my husband a hand made gift. I learned to cross stitch – kinda – and made him an ornament. We didn’t have a lot of cash, so I didn’t buy store bought batting to fill the ornament. I stuffed it with……. dryer lint!
So – I am not crafty by nature – but frugal, yes.
Ashley P says
If you walk down the aisle with the commercial cleaning products just so you can say, “I know how to make that…and that…and that…”
I haven’t bought ready-made cleaning products in years.
Ashley P says
If you walk down the aisle with the commercial cleaning products just so you can say, “I know how to make that…and that….and that…”
I haven’t bought pre-made cleaners in years. My glass cleaner is vinegar, my microwave cleaner…is vinegar, my floor cleaner….vinegar (I just love vinegar. It SMELLS like clean!), and I make my own laundry detergent and Febreeze…I could do this all day, really.
natalie says
I love this.
-you might be frugal if you go to the sporting goods store with your husband and both of you are comparing prices to Amazon and Ebay before putting the item on your wish list. 😉
-You might be frugal if your kids think it is a “treat” to go to the salon to get a hair cut.
– you might be frugal if your kids ask to play the “no car game,” and think its a fun competion to see how many days we can go without driving.
-You might be frugal if your kids ask for a free date with Mom or Dad and then pull out the coupon binder to determine where we will go.
-you might be frugal if your entire families favorite part of the parade were the free coupons that were passed out.
Allison says
You might be frugal if you’re willing to walk an extra 15 minutes to avoid parking in a pay lot.
You might be frugal if you always keep your coupons with you, just in case.
Katie says
Wait, you consider four years a long lifespan for a summer shirt? I’m still wearing clothes that I had in high school. I still get compliments on my favorite tank top and I distinctly remember wearing it in study hall, which would have been the first half of my tenth grade year – in 1999!
Daniele Vitanza says
When shopping, you research on ebay to find the item you are buying for a cheaper price. We do this.
Charlotte @ this georgia girl says
I love these. This should be a monthly post!! I wrote on this same subject about two weeks ago.https://thisgeorgiagirl.wordpress.com/2015/07/06/do-any-of-these-apply-to-you-you-might-be-frugal-when/
Theresa L says
Please tell me that was a joke about re-using the dental floss! EW! There’s a fine line between frugal and flat out cheap! LOL
You know you’re frugal when you read a new recipe and mentally check off the ingredients you can get at Aldi and get bummed out because there are some you’ll have to go to the “real” grocery store for. And you’re not sure you want to pay that much for something. LOL
Or you’ve written off a new recipe entirely because you CAN’T get all the ingredients you need at Aldi. (Yes, I’ve done that.)
Katy @ Purposely Frugal says
I actually wrote a similar post a couple years ago! 🙂
http://purposelyfrugal.com/2012/01/18/you-might-be-a-cheapskate-if/#.Vao8G_lViko
Charlotte@thisgagirl says
These were some I never would have thought of. I recently did the same list and came up with something entirely different. https://thisgeorgiagirl.wordpress.com/2015/07/06/do-any-of-these-apply-to-you-you-might-be-frugal-when/
Carla says
I usually save dryer lint and throw it outside for the birds to use for nests.
Julie C says
You might be frugal if the grocery store pays you to take home 10 boxes of tissues! Love when the cashier hands me money instead of my handing the cashier money. 🙂
Joy says
When your kids look at a price tag and sa y to you: why would anyone pay for this when it’s cheaper to make from scratch! Or that price is ridiculous! Yes, my children do this regularly ?
Shelly says
I use dryer lint for fire starters at our house. We put dryer lint into toilet paper tubes and then use them as a fire starter. So easy to make and they really work well.
A few more ideas, you might be frugal if…
-You have the rock bottom prices memorized for the items you buy most often and comment to yourself about how you could get a better price at a different store while shopping.
-You’re not afraid to take apart a broken appliance to see if you can fix it.
-You carefully flatten your aluminum foil so you can wash it and use it again.
-You have a system for washing your plastic zippers bags so they can be reused.
-You keep your old bread bags, so you have bags for your homemade bread and use them until the wording is almost worn off.
-You physically can’t throw away a bottle with a little left in it, instead you water them down to make sauce.
This is a great post and so many great ideas in the comments too. 🙂
Ramona says
Ok, I am frugal. When I go to Goodwill and find something to buy, I usually won’t buy it unless it is the “color of the week” which means it’s 50% off. If I happen to be near Wegmans (grocery store in my area) on a Saturday around noon, I will stop in as I know they are giving free food samples away. My thought is, why not get lunch? Great post!
Halli says
You might be frugal if…
-You are constantly getting discounts on the Dish bill every 3 months just for calling and asking if there are any loyalty offers for long time customers. (True story! I save $15 per month for the next 6 mos just for asking! Sometimes they’ll throw in free premium movie channels.)
-If the kids only ask for Froyo on Fridays since our local frozen yogurt shop offers $5 Friday fill ups!
-if getting new school clothes involves a trip to Goodwill (and the kids actually like it!!)
-you have been wearing the same 4 work scrub outfits for 3 years! (They are not cheap).
-if your kitchen counter is full of little glasses containing veggies that re-grow in just water (green onions, romaine lettuce, and celery)
-If your co-workers save their Sunday coupons for you!!
Tiffany says
When asked what his favorite cereal is and your son replies, ” Whatever is bogo with coupons!”
Leah says
hehehehe, good one. 🙂
Jessica @ The Abundant Wife says
I’ve got to say, I’ve never reused dryer lint or dental floss before, or taken my family to Chuck E. Cheese or Costco. But I think you might be frugal if…
-You’ve been cloth diapering for 6 years through 3 kids.
-You make your own laundry detergent.
-You hang your laundry to dry.
-You grow your own fruit and vegetables.
-You have never paid for cable.
-You are a one-vehicle family by choice.
-You never use shaving cream to shave your legs.
-You save up to pay for large purchases with cash.
Thanks for the fun post, Jody!
Jennifer says
There are few things I love more in life than the smell of laundry that’s been air-dried on the clothes line. It smells so fresh and feels so crisp–luxurious although frugal 🙂
Christy says
I can’t hang laundry anyway, as we live in a townhome, but the Spring pollen would do me in!
Sarah@TheOrthodoxMama says
You might be frugal if your favorite book store is the library 🙂
Patty says
Amen to that! My daughter was (and still is!) so library-oriented that when we went into a Barnes & Noble she asked, “where is the check-out counter?”
Tra says
Reuse dental floss??? Sorry, not happening. I’ve never even heard of doing that! Most of the other things, I can relate to.
Chelsea says
You might be frugal if you and your husband consider a date browsing clearance racks at Target… and then leave empty handed. 🙂
Ramona says
Good one.
Ashley P says
Back when we were first married (and even more broke than we are now) we’d walk through the card aisle at CVS and just look for cards that made us laugh. then put them back and walk out the store without buying a thing.
Did the same at Books-A-MIllion, with books.
karen says
You might be frugal if your husband takes your four year old to the Tractor store and tells her she can get a treat and she heads straight to the clearance section…yep, my child!
Gina says
You might be frugal if you pour milk into the nearly empty bottle of chocolate syrup and swish it around just to be sure you got every last drop of that chocolaty goodness.
Jody says
That’s frugal – and genius. ☺
Diane says
Or if you make your own chocolate syrup.
Christy says
You might be frugal if your son asks weekly what snacks are on sale or have coupons out.
You might be frugal if you tell your husband 5 times to remind the mechanic you have a $50 off $500+ coupon. Hey it was only a portion of the $670 bill, but that was $50 less we had to spend.
You might be frugal if you save all of your son’s clothes for his younger brother even though they are almost 4 years apart and the oldest is really tall so you have to save them 5 years and you live in a 1300 square foot townhouse with no garage or true attic. (Rubbermaids in every closet).
Emily says
Well you might be frugal if you have saved all the clothes from your nieces and nephews before you even had kids.
Delorise says
You might be frugal when you eat out and ask for a meal from the kids menu and then ask for the Senior discount and a to go box for half the food. ( Yes we have a restaurant that allows kids menu purchase for adults and allows Senior discount at the same time– love that place).
Bethany says
If your Christmas presents are paid for by rewards and gift cards earned through out the year.
Bethany says
You might be frugal if your husband asked if you saw “Clearance” at Target.
Theres says
You might be frugal if when your 2 and 3 year-old pretend play “grocery store” at home, the “customer” hands the “cashier” a giant stack of coupons!
TRUE STORY!
=)
Leslie R. says
You might be frugal if….your entire decorating budget is $4.00 per month. True story. That was all I had for decorating in the 80’s and early 90’s. I did a lot of bartering.
Crystal Paine says
That made me think of one: You might be frugal if… you furnished and decorated your entire apartment when you got married for just $100. 🙂
Jenny Culler says
I guess I have one too. In 2000 My husband and I got married and we paid for the wedding and decorated our trailer and paid less than a $1000.00 for it all and that included buying my wedding dress, buying a tux for my husband, wedding cake, and reception for 200 people. Even now I still do everything can on a shoe string and love finding ways o make things look expensive but isn’t in the least it just requires a little thinking of things not as they are but as what they can become and never being afraid of trying to learn and try something new
Amy says
You might be frugal if, at the end of the school year, you e-mail your children’s teachers for next years subjects, and ask them what paperbacks they will be reading in class so you can get them at thrift stores over the summer!
Ramona says
That is just smart if you asked me, but ok, I am frugal.
Jaime says
Love this! I’ve often said I feel like a bad Momma joke when it comes to frugality. “Your Momma’s so cheap she shops the clearance racks at thrift stores.” So glad I’m not the only one!
Diane says
I’m the same way! I only shop at Goodwill on 99 cent days.
Katie says
They have a .99 day??? I’ve gone in a couple of times and walked back out because they wanted way too much for furniture and picture frames. I’ve been sticking to garage sales and Yerdle.
Diane says
Ours does. I think they really vary by region but it’s monthly and the only time I’ll shop there.
Susan in St. Louis says
Okay, Jody, I think I know who you are! 🙂 And you are definitely frugal!
You might be frugal if…$3.27 is way more than you need for a night out on the town with a friend. 😉
Jody says
I think we need to change that to .327 cents ☺
Reelika @Financially Wise On Heels says
Great list 🙂 I tend to be frugal with things like candles, etc stuff for home. However, I am not very frugal what comes to my personality. I guess one reason is the fact I grew up in Soviet Union where there was absolutely nothing to buy (even if you had money). So now I tend to enjoy shopping now, but I always try to increase my income with VA and other business duties, so it doesn’t affect my financial life that much. However, I am frugal what comes to things where I just don’t want to pay extra, for instance, I always save on groceries, electricity and we are one car family (by choice) 🙂
Leah says
You may be frugal if….you’d rather bathe in sweat than turn on the a/c in your car or house or otherwise… 🙂
Vicky says
I’ve read that you use less energy with the a/c on in the car because there’s less drag on the car with the windows up.
heather says
Except for my little ’84 Nissan Pulsar. It couldn’t get up a hill with the a.c. on!
Kelly Cox says
I must be frugal. 🙂 Great list!
Connie C. says
If your kids see something new in the frig and assume it’s only there because Mom had a coupon for it….
Need A Nap2 says
This and my kids declare, “It must have been on sale.”
Charleen says
I can put a check mark by just about all of them….hmmmmm…what can you do with dryer lint….maybe save to start a fire in the fireplace, grill or firepit. 🙂
Nancy says
Wait—- people reuse dental floss?
Meredith says
That was my response. That’s something I don’t reuse. 🙂
Lea Stormhammer says
My hygienist actually asked me if I reused dental floss at my last appointment. They were asking everyone because its becoming a trend and it’s actually a way of spreading bad bacteria around your mouth – even if you wash the floss between uses. They give away dental floss to people who can’t afford it for this reason.
I guess their point was: don’t reuse, it’s bad for dental hygiene!
Lea
mel says
I’ve been a dental assistant for 15 years. This is definitely not a good idea. Trust me, a filling is more expensive than the box of dental floss. And if your dentist doesn’t give you floss, ask for it, most offices are happy to give you some.
Mrs. LC@LooseChangeLiving says
I have never heard of people reusing dental floss. I’m plenty frugal but that is taking it a bit too far!
Elise @frugalfarmwife.com says
You might be frugal if… you’ve never even taken your kids to Chuck-E-Cheeses. Or is that just plain mean? 😉
Love this list!
karen says
I agree! We haven’t been there yet either!
Beth says
That’s what I was going to say! My kids have never been.
Stephanie says
Back when my two kids were small we would go often. There used to be awesome coupons for 100 tokens for $12.50 in the newspaper inserts. I would give them each 15 on a weekday morning and easily kill an hour or two, so in my mind that was an amazing deal, three outings for $12.50 (I loved the pinball machine and would use the remaining 10 tokens for my own amusement!). We tried to get there when they first opened because the employees normally check every machine before opening and leave the ticket or two that they won sticking out. My kids would run around collecting them all before they started to play. There was also a “play-place” type contraption in the center that didn’t require coins. One of my kids always rationed her time, playing a game with a token, then climbing, where my other child would blow through all the tokens in the beginning and then head to the play area. We went there for a birthday party last year and were so disappointed to find the layout had changed and there was no longer the play structure at all.
Ellen says
You’re not mean! If there are other/ better ways in which you want to make memories with your children – then that’s great! I personally don’t go there either – I don’t have a ‘bucket list’ per se, I have a ‘never’ list. As in, I will ‘never’ go there again. Chuck E. Cheese is on the never list for me, as it makes me want to run away screaming. So does Wal-Mart. =)
Jennifer says
They’re not missing a thing. My son always wanted to go when he was younger so his grandmother took us. He was bored within five minutes and the pizza was not all that.
Victoria says
When you give house tours you keep hearing yourself say “oh I got that at a yard sale” to peoples questions of “oh I love that where did you get it?”.
Rose says
I’m always saying that or I got it at the thrift store about my clothes : )
Kathy says
Me too! Lol…and I always brag about it when I am complimented on an outfit. 😉 I was just at Goodwill yesterday, and found several cute things to try on, all name brands. I kept thinking, why on earth would people pay full price??
Ebie says
If you read that last comment about dryer lint and thought, Yeah, dryer lint makes a great fire starter if you have a wood burning stove or if you are camping 😉
Need A Nap2 says
Everywhere you go, your youngest daughter asks if they have anything for free! 🙂 She’s gotten stickers, ice cream, and doughnuts (they love her at the day old bread store).
Jules says
Dryer lint paired with melted wax can make great fire starters…..ha!
Mariah says
I save all my dryer lint now, as a habit, and stuff toilet paper rolls with it for fire starters!
Jennifer says
Such a great idea 🙂
Elizabeth Horton says
That reminds me I need to save dryer lint & empty toilet paper rolls for camping fire starters
Cheryl says
Never pay full price, always shop sales Your kids favorite word is sale!
Jennifer says
Love this 🙂
Kariane says
You might be frugal if you use every bit of food, including stems, bones, peels, and trimmings, that come through your house.
Here are 34 ways to help you reduce your food waste if you don’t know how to use it all:
http://everydaymindfulliving.com/34-ways-to-reduce-food-waste/