I'm not nearly as frugal as I could be - the things that are important to me are also the things I can save the most money on! I LOVE living alone, so I haven't had a roommate since shortly after college (well, I do now, but only for a few months). I love food, and I dislike leftovers, so I eat out a LOT more often than I should.
I do eat breakfast at home (or, more like, as I WALK to work). I boil 6 eggs on Sunday, put them in a bowl in the fridge, and eat one egg and one apple each morning. Healthy, cheap and FAST! Sundays I usually eat lunch out with my fellowship, so I skip breakfast.
I could barely care less about clothes, so I hardly ever buy new clothes, except underwear and socks. I buy good quality clothes on sale, clearance, or in consigment shops and thrift stores, and have them last as long as possible. I have suits from over 10 years ago that still look GREAT. I also make sure I can wear my clothes in a variety of combinations, so I can get the most out of them.
I don't like having a car, so when my last one went out on me, I started walking and riding the bus to most places. And in THIS city, that is WEIRD! I am going to buy a car in the next week or two - in CASH! - because my new part-time job involves going to various places around town, and the buses don't got out that far in a few cases. BUT, I WILL be counting the miles for a tax deduction! In addition, my oldest brother and I will live near each other (about a mile apart), and he works at night, so we will share the car. AND, since he owns his home, we'll have the insurance under his name, with BOTH of us listed, so we will save a LOAD of money on that!
I can't stand the taste of most toothpastes, or baking soda, so I buy my favorite toothpaste on sale, with a coupon, and make it last a LOOONG time. I think I've gone a year or more without buying toothpaste before.
I don't sweat a lot, so I use baking soda or a CHEAP deodorant. And I only apply every other day. Sounds gross, but it works for me!
My furnace went out this past winter, and my landlord was being a butt about fixing it, so I got a space heater with a timer. I would sleep in flannel pajamas, socks, and a hat, with two blankets on the bed! My utlity bill was less than HALF what it was the year before! I may do the same this year!
Right now, I live with my brother, to help him with bills, but when I move out in a couple of months, I will move into an apartment. The utility bills in an apartment are a lot cheaper (usually) than in a house.
I rarely wear makeup, so I buy a $1-2 lipstick that lasts forever. I'm lucky in that lipstick alone makes me look completely made up! (Or maybe it's in comparison to my non-madeup face!)
My cell phone is my only phone, and I carefully watch my minutes to make sure I don't go over. I use the internet a lot, so I have internet access through my cell phone company. Instead of a land line, AND internet, AND a cell phone, AND cable, etc. I just have a cell phone and internet - wireless broadband specifically. And my part-time job covers part of the cost of both.
I LOVE to read, but I refuse to pay a lot for books. I check out stacks of books from the library, and get several on interlibrary loan. I still occasionally splurge on a book, but it's pretty rare - maybe twice a year. And a spulrge for me is $15! I also like used book stores, but the library is my main source of reading material.
I don't own a television, so I don't have cable, and I never feel deprived becuase I see this commercial or that sit com telling me I don't have enough. I have MORE than I need!
