The Best Frugal Habit
This month’s posts have all focused on frugality, with this post giving you the simplest and best frugal habit. As a teacher, a frugal life is kind of a necessity, especially early in my career making less than $30,000. However, frugality is actually a great finance growing skill that is often forgotten. Frugality allows you to assess what you really need vs. what you want, as does minimalism. Frugality is a form of delayed gratification, as are most wealth growing methods. You have to take a risk, make a change, or a choice that might not be popular to reap the rewards later.
These rewards might be a robust retirement, family vacation, a year off, or the means to travel the world. Frugality is for everyone, and even the rich do it because frugality is all about making a higher profit for less amounts of work. Smart! So stop hiding or feeling ashamed when you’ve had to save money for your family. It’s a needed skill that will leave you with wealth building habits for your future.
Frugality and Family
I like to think of my family like a business. It wasn’t until I became a mother that I took my CEO of the family title into hyper drive. I constantly think how we can spend the most time doing the things we love, with the least amount of effort. It’s why we visit the beach more often, I try to swim once a week, and we save for flights to Minnesota for longs stays with family. Not all activities are expensive, but all bring me much joy. This is where frugality and minimalism play a huge role. If you are frugal and only spend money on things and activities that bring you the most joy you won’t have to work as much. You won’t be constantly working longer hours to get more things.
Believe me, my husband and I for the last couple years have both worked two jobs, sometimes 3 if you count full-time childcare to make ends meet, pay off debt, and provide for our family. We know what it feels like to work endless hours even on weekends.
Turns out, it’s not that fun. We don’t wish this for anyone, but it was necessary to see an easier path, and during this journey we honed our frugality skills. Now, we can live on a smaller income, still have money for trips to the beach, flights to visit family, and just time to spend with each other. We’re by no means rich, but recently we’ve become rich(er) in time. The most time we’ve ever had to spend as a family.
The Best Frugal Habit
Frugal habits will have to be utilized weekly, specifically when you enter stores. I love Target, but I was a chronic over spender in that store. Swimsuits? It’s winter, but hell yah! Cute pencils and stationary? Yes! A new planner with calligraphy handwriting? Put it in the cart!
It wasn’t until I went through all the stuff in my home that I realized I hardly ever used the items I impulse bought. Impulse buying is not a frugal habit. An impulse buy is anything you buy in the moment, typically in a brightly lit engaging store like Target.
What do you do to combat this?
BRING A LIST. That’s it.
You’re welcome.
Bringing a list and sticking to this list will help you stop buying frivolous items that only bring you joy in the trance of the brightly colored packaging, lyrical background music, and happy fellow customers.
This habit alone will help you maintain the amount of stuff entering your home. It will not only save you money it will save you time. When I first went through my closet I had about 10 swimsuits. How many of those swimsuits did I actually wear? 3. Simplicity is time. Time that you can spend with your family instead of hustling longer hours to pay for more stuff. If interested in any other lists of things I don’t buy check out any of these posts: clothing, toddler stuff, foods, and household products.
Final Thoughts
Frugality isn’t just for the middle class, or for people with a teacher’s salary. Frugality is utilized in businesses, always. It’s a way to maximize your profits with little extra effort. Consider incorporating just bringing a list to the store to squelch your impulse buys, save money for your family, reduce waste for the environment, and save time. If interested in saving $1000 each month with frugal habits check out this blog post as well.
Join the Discussion
What frugal habits do you utilize weekly? What is in your opinion the best frugal habit?
P.S. I always ask readers to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. I consciously try to document my everyday simple life. Since we happen to be on a debt free journey it can be motivating because most of my activities are intentionally inexpensive. However, if you’re trying to cut out social media, you’ll need to subscribe directly to this blog.
Author
-Maria
Halcumb
B.A.
in Secondary Education, English, and Physical Education
M.A.
Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction and Reading Specialist
22 Responses
I impulse buy too. Dollar Tree was my bad habit. Every time they got a new special item I had to have it not having a clue what I was going to do with it. It was only a dollar after all. But I believe I’ve broken the habit.
Yes, and if you buy something that you never use it only wastes your time and money. Even if it’s a dollar, it’s still a waste. 🙂
I love lists! Definitely need to bring them to Target, though … they get me every time 😅
Right?! It’s keeps me accountable in that store. 🙂
We have practiced this for years. Great way to live
For my family, the best frugal habit is to eat at home. We love eating out and, if I don’t have my mindset on what for dinner, that’s the go to. It’s costly!
Angel | Mommy-ing Differently
Yes, super expensive. I have a toddler so, eating out isn’t fun anyways…She forces us to eat at home just because it’s easier anyways. 🙂
Being frugal is the way to go! I have increased my savings tenfold because of frugality. So never be ashamed of it.
Exactly! Saving money is smart and time efficient. 🙂
bring a list…and stick to it!! the critical second tip 😉
Ha! Exactly!
This is exactly the mindset I’ve been striving for! I recently changed jobs, taking a massive pay cut in the process. I’m much happier and am definitely “rich in time” as you say. Because I’d rather keep doing what I’m doing, I’ve been learning to become okay with cutting down on spending. It’s very freeing! And I love your list idea – sometimes the simplest ideas are the best.
YES! Isn’t it all about freedom? I just think we are so much happier with more time. Thanks for stopping by!
I have got to get better at taking list with me when I go to the store. I do tend to do a lot of my shopping online which helps with impulse shopping but when I go in, I get sidetracked.
I must have a list when I go to the store or I forgot half the things I need there!! Then I too am less likely to pick up things that are not on my list!
These are great tips
I definitely impulse buy, mostly at cheap stores, but it all adds up! Bringing a list to every store you go to is a great and super easy tip! Thanks for the post!
Such a lovely reminder. I am frugal when it comes to myself but not at all when it comes to the kids and my partner but really need to do better.
I never stick to list which leads to lots of impulse buying! It is something I have to work on
It happens to the best of us! 🙂
Apart from bringing a list and sticking to it, I also avoid grocery shopping when am hungry 🙂 It helps being frugal and make healthy eating choices.
Yes! My mom gave me that advice too. 🙂