I like shopping, but I quickly tire of spending money. I consider myself to be Frugal. I buy the store brand whenever it doesn't drastically effect quality. I shop at the dreaded Walmart because that is where I can get good food prices.
I try to employ self-control and not impulse shop. I make a lot of things from scratch. I limit the amount of school clothes and other items I buy for my children, though we could probably afford more I feel it is wise to get less and save more money.
I am not a person of excesses. I am frugal when it comes to getting gifts for birthday parties, I don't like to spend over $10-$15 but if I get a killer deal I will spend less if I can. I buy as much as I can in the "off-season" so I can buy on clearance.
In all of my frugality, I've realized that I'm not as frugal as perhaps I could be. We throw out a lot of food leftovers. My husband hates leftovers and my kids let a lot of food go to waste. I do reuse shopping bags as trash can liners in the bathrooms and study.
But I don't pay the $48 per year to recycle my milk cartons, pop cans, etc... Here in Colorado you have to pay a fairly steep amount to be given a couple of very small yellow bins to put your recycle contents into.
I cannot stand clutter and so I'm one to throw a lot away, and give a lot away. I am not big into having my own yardsales because it makes me sick to have to sell for so much less something that I paid so much more for. I have only ever had one single, solitary yard sale. So I give most of our stuff we are done with away to Goodwill, mainly clothes and household items and home decor. My kids are expected to wear hand me downs because that is part of being wise financially in my opinion.
Anyway, all of this to say I read this article about being a Freegan. Now, call me crazy but there is a lot about this that appeals to me. This gal is going to go an entire month without buying anything except for food, medical supplies and emergency essentials.
I often times feel as though I spend way too much on non-essentials that simply do not matter. I usually buy home decor things, a cute item of clothing or a toy for my kids or a tool for my husband with our discretionary money.
If I did the same experiment as the gal in the article, I would not however become a vegan. I think I could become vegetarian without too much effort because I'm not a big meat person, but I don't want to go without eggs and cheese (though I try to eat very little cheese anyway) and things like that that vegans go without.
But I would like to try out not spending and see how much money I could accumulate in savings. It is an intriguing thought that I will probably never do, but it does occupy quite a bit of time in my mind.
**Could you become a Freegan?
**Could you go a month without buying anything but food and medical supplies?
5 comments:
That's a hard thing to do, although I actually consider myself frugal as well. I always go to the store with a list and stick to it, I almost never pay full price for clothes, shoes and those types of things. But I also have some of non essential things that I can not live without. I must have cable tv (my husband is gone alot and that is my form of entertainment), I bought a treadmill (I guess I could run outside but I prefer a treadmill), so to answer your question, I dont think so. What I wish I was better at and am actually starting to do is use coupons at the store. I have heard of women who walk out with the store practically owing them money. I wish I was savey like that.
That would be very interesting to see if I could go a whole month with out buying anything but food, medicine and the like ...
I might have to try! :D
I might could... but it would be tough.
Hmmmm. Maybe if I didn't have children who need money every other day for school, sports, etc.
Wow! I am surprised that if you have plenty of discretionary funds (as you state), that you wouldn't spend $4 per month to recycle. That seems totally reasonable. I have always felt that recycling is a measure of being a good steward of the earth's resources.
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