We live in fairly materialistic, money-minded times. Anybody taking an objective look at various civilized cultures throughout the world probably figure that out pretty quickly. This isn't a new phenomenon attributable to my generation, so I don't consider this a sign that our current era is a particularly shallow one. There probably hasn't been a truly frugal culture to be found anywhere in the world since the times of primitive mankind, when survival dictated necessity and left little room to contemplate entertainment or hoarding unnecessary goods. Though most of us aren't so materialistic as to think that a new, stylish pair of shoes will deeply change our character, we have all experienced the slight confidence boost gained from wearing a new pair of shoes that we really love.
It's much easier to spot this kind of materialistic behavior and use some restraint when dealing with something concrete such as purchasing items. You can look inside any room in your home and spot some things you bought that you know are totally unnecessary or useless. It is more difficult to work on another common expense dominated by the idea that the more money one has, the better time one has. I'm talking about entertainment. I know personally, it's a rare to non-existent occurrence that a relative or friend invites me to an outing that doesn't require me to spend money. My fiance and I are likely to go out somewhere for coffee or a bite to eat when we find ourselves with absolutely nothing to do. I went through the all too common college drinking phase a couple of years ago, where I found it nearly impossible to have a fun night on the town without some kind of alcohol consumption. As one would expect, this meant dropping at least ten dollars a night (usually much more than that) and devoured my meager student income. Aside from the money spent on alcohol, lowered inhibitions and poor judgment usually lead me to a Denny's or I-HOP at three thirty in the morning to fritter away more cash than I originally planned to spend. I don't recommend going grocery shopping intoxicated, as you're liable to regret your dietary choices in the morning and find you spent money you wish you hadn't. Even when choosing to avoid bars and the like as a means of wasteful spending, popular alternatives don't get much more affordable. When a friend would suggest we go to the movies for the evening and have a calmer night, I'd leave the theater feeling ripped off for having spent nine dollars for two hours of entertainment.
Those were merely a few examples that I think the average college student would relate to. If neither happen to relate to your lifestyle, trust me, regardless of your interests in entertainment, it can get costly. If you're a reader, think about how much you spend on new books. Love video games? Consider how much money it costs to purchase a new video game or the price of monthly subscription fees associated with playing online. In other words, it seems spending on entertainment is unavoidable. I can see it's pretty clear that entertainment can be come expensive but what can I do about it? Should I stay in every night rediscovering my childhood imagination and inventing imaginary games to play free of charge? When my friends call me and suggest we go out for a drink should I tell them to take their wasteful lifestyle elsewhere? It's apparently impossible to have fun without spending money, so maybe I should just renounce fun? Wait a minute...maybe I'm being a little narrow-minded here. I surely can think of ways to have fun that don't involve spending money. Besides, from the first post, I specified where I'm coming from, this blog is called "Finding Frugal" not "Militant Frugality". I don't think it's necessarily against what I'm trying to practice to spend money on entertainment, as long as it's done so responsibly and consciously as opposed to without much thought or restriction.
Now that it's clear I'm not advocating self-imposed prison or being the ultimate "party pooper", let's move ahead and think of ways to have fun where you can leave the debit card at home:
The Public Library:
"Is this guy serious? The public library! Come on man, I didn't need to read your blog to know this, my grandmothers been advocating this kind of clearly boring outing for years." Yes, my friend, I am indeed serious. Though unlike the trip with your grandmother (I know, it's been ages), I'm not talking about sitting down in the children's book section with a copy of "Green Eggs & Ham", even if it is a good book. I'm talking about overcoming your preconceptions about what the public library is and going there and seeing what they have to offer. Even if they don't have the book you're looking for, they can generally have it ordered in within a week or less. I don't know about you, but I'm pretty certain waiting a week to read a book costs less than rushing to your local bookstore and dropping ten bucks on it. Even if books aren't your thing, these days nearly all libraries carry movies on DVD. If you can find a film that interests you and check it out for free instead of paying a rental fee, well then you've found some money you can leave in your bank account. Some libraries also occasionally have free social events. For those of you with children, many libraries have certain days where they do a "story time" and have a member of the staff read a children's book aloud to a group of kids.
Your Local Recreation Center:
I used to play basketball at least twice a week at my local rec center. How much did it cost me? Absolutely nothing. There was usually a lot of people on the court and I always left feeling I had a great time. Aside from basketball, most of these facilities have tennis courts, football fields, soccer fields, baseball fields, swimming pools and a trail made for running track or taking walks. Some even have indoor facilities featuring ping pong, air hockey and pool tables, foosball and various board games. Recreation centers are usually open to the general public and don't require any kind of membership or application to use. For those of you who are college students, more than likely your University or College has similar facilities open for use to all students.
Good Ol' Fashioned Freeloading and Borrowing:
The term "freeloader" has commonly been used in a derogatory manner to offend people. I remember a friend of ours calling my brother a "freeloader" when my brother would visit him and not want to do anything but play x-box. In actuality though, hanging out with a friend in order to use something she or he has is only "freeloading" if that's the sole reason you're going there. I think all of us have at one point or another gone over to a friend's house in order to access entertainment we couldn't access from our own home. Usually, it's a prearranged, mutual kind of deal. I've known plenty of friends who congregate at a friend's house to watch HBO shows for example. "Freeloading" is just what angry friends who feel unappreciated call getting together to enjoy entertainment. As for borrowing, well I don't feel an explanation is needed to explain what that entails. If you have a friend or a relative that has a lot of movies, books and video games that you haven't seen, read or watched, why not borrow them before running off to rent or purchase them. My father comes over biweekly to check out what movies I've acquired and usually finds at least one he hasn't seen. That's a trip to the rental store or retail store saved.
Get Your Thoreau On
Gather up supplies, find a pond in your town, build a cabin beside it and live there for a year or two. I'm joking, you don't have to go like a legend of literature to learn a thing or two from him. I've been reading Walden and I've come to find that Henry David Thoreau was indeed a master of frugality. He has a lot to say about how one should use available resources and live a simpler, more fulfilling life. What I mean by "get your Thoreau on" though, has more to do with his views on enjoying nature. According to Henry David Thoreau "A man's interest in a single bluebird is worth more than a complete but dry list of the fauna and flora of a town." The essence of Thoreau's argument is that nature is best experienced in a personal way versus being read about or told about. Looking at a picture of a flower alongside information such as the type of flower it is and where it grows isn't as exciting or interesting as picking up a flower from a garden and holding it in your hands as you inhale it's aroma. Getting a personal experience with nature won't cost you a dime.Next time you're bored, go to a local outdoor park and take a walk on one of it's trails through the woods. If you prefer to ride a bike, then find a scenic route and go spend some time cycling through it. You don't have to be a seasoned outdoors person to enjoy the sights and sounds of the natural earth. Go out and climb a tree, I bet you haven't done that in a couple of years and don't remember what it's like. Go bird watching. Make a bonfire somewhere in the woods, and enjoy it's warmth with some friends.
Get Creative
I really think that part of the reason social network applications like Facebook have grown so popular is because they provide a type of outlet for creativity. Using these kinds of websites, people say what they're presently feeling, post photographs they like, write captions for pictures and share their thoughts on movies they saw, sports events on television or whatever else they feel is a worthy topic. It's like the creators of these applications have tapped into a need to create and be heard that most of us forgot existed within us. Feel passionate about something and want to put your feelings into words? Why not write about it. For those who've never really written for pleasure and are put off by the idea of forcing a school assignment upon themselves, I will highlight the big difference here. When writing for a school assignment, you always have something you have to write about, if you don't really care for the topic, writing about it is a chore. Now if you decide to write about what you're feeling during an emotionally rough day, or write an essay about why your favorite television show is better than others on cable right now, or anything that interests you, you will find you fill pages with a sense of purpose and enjoyment you don't usually associate with writing. Did you used to love drawing as a child? Why not draw something today then. Whether you're "good" or isn't what it's about, you're doing this for your own entertainment, not for an art connoisseur. The same goes for those of you who might enjoy (or used to enjoy) singing, dancing or playing musical instruments. If you have a camera, and I know in this generation specifically, this is hard, but try taking a picture without the idea in mind that it's going to be on Facebook or another social network. Take some picture you find appealing, whether or not other people will, for your own enjoyment.
Suddenly, I see there is quite a bit I can do for free next time I'm bored and considering driving off to get coffee for the sake of going somewhere. This is obviously not the most complete of lists, so I'm certain you can think of other things you can do for free. I know I'll be on the lookout for more ways to have fun, free of charge.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Learning to Trust the Manufacturer
As a consumer, I've had a distrustful attitude towards product manufacturers that dates back to my childhood experience as a young gamer. I remember when my brothers were trading bedrooms, somewhere along the moving process, one of the controllers to our Nintendo 64 game console was lost. After searching for it and realizing we had to purchase a new controller (with my especially frugal mother, this potentially meant waiting months), I remember being annoyed at the fact that controllers were console specific. I thought why couldn't the game manufacturers agree on some universal controller so I could just grab a controller from our Sony PlayStation and plug it into our Nintendo 64. As an adult I understand there are more issues involved than forcing you to purchase replacement products from the manufacturer. In this particular instance, I now realize manufacturers design controllers the way they do for a multitude of reasons, including functionality, comfort and aesthetics. Nonetheless, I considered it my general introduction to manufacturer specific products and I didn't like the lack of options I was presented with to deal with the problem.
Being aware of such products has led me to usually look everywhere but the manufacturer when I have an issue with a product. I will go online and read forums, call a knowledgeable friend, check retail stores for parts, start the trial and error of fixing the product myself, without contacting the manufacturer. I suppose the main reason for doing so is my assumption that the manufacturer will never offer me any kind of solution that doesn't involve having to purchase any necessary parts or a new product at their price. Another presumption of mine is that the manufacturer always sells things at full price and it is certainly cheaper to find the product at a retail store. I think it's pretty clear at this point that I don't consider the company to be a useful resource for product repair and replacement. I'd go further and say our consumer to company relationship is even slightly adversarial. I trust the brand enough to make a product worth buying, but I worry that they are so motivated by profit that they would consider an inquisition about repair as a perfect opportunity to sell more product.
This past week I was forced to give in and call the manufacturer of a product. This occurred because a couple of weeks ago, I accidentally broke a piece of my fiance's breast-milk pump. I know that sentence leaves a lot of room for all kinds of questions and strange mental images so I will elaborate. The pump basically has a suction cup (the horn shaped rubber component attached to the bottle) that facilitates the milks movement from the nipple into the attached bottle. When removing this suction cup from the bottle and switching it with a traditional, rubber nipple that the baby actually feeds from, we sometimes absentmindedly leave the suction cup on top of the nearest counter. On one particular day, the nearest counter was on top of the stove. Later on that same day, I had some friends over and offered to make them some tea. I placed the pot of water on the front left burner. The rear left burner had a protective lid on it, on top of which sat the suction cups. After ten minutes of conversation with my friends, I remembered the tea and decide to check on it. I noticed the water isn't boiling and figured maybe I used too much water and it was taking longer to heat up. I decided to return to chatting with my friends and check on it in five minutes or so. As I was talking to them I picked up on a strange, burning smell and decided to go check the Tea again. I looked on the rear burner, where I forgot the suction cups where, and realized they are melting. Quickly, I shut off the rear burner and examined the suction cups to find they were clearly no longer usable.
As I knew there was no chance to repair the piece I began doing an internet search for the part. I couldn't find it sold individually anywhere. From prior experience trying to find similar parts at retail stores, I knew I wasn't going to find a replacement suction cup there. Looking over the manual that came with the pump, I found the contact phone number for the company, Learning Curve, and prepared to pay $50 or more for a component made entirely of flexible rubber. I dialed the number and as I waited on hold, I thought about how I should have paid more attention when I was making that tea. The hold time was exceptionally short. I probably waited less than a minute before speaking to a representative. I told the woman on the line the story about accidentally melting the suction cup. She thought it was funny and laughed a little as I recounted it. She then proceeded to set me up with an order of new suction cups and another part that goes inside of them I hadn't realized I'd also ruined. I prepared for her to ask for my payment information and she instead asked for my address. She said "OK, we'll have them out you in about one week" to which, still in disbelief, I could only say "So I don't have to pay for anything?". She reassured me that no, I did not have to pay for anything and that the replacement parts were free and would be here in no time. What? Where was the offer to buy an extra set of suction cups at half-price? Why didn't she ask me for a receipt number or UPC code or some other proof of purchase? Could I really have been this wrong when it came to calling the manufacturer for assistance?
I suppose this isn't the first time I've built a seemingly strong opinion almost entirely upon personal experience only to have it shattered when put to the test. From here on out I will definitely call the manufacturer about any necessary part before attempting to purchase the time. Who knows how many products I threw away to avoid the hassle of repair when I could have called the company and got any necessary parts free of charge. Next time, before reaching for my wallet, I'm reaching for the telephone and seeing what the company is willing to do about the problem.
I suppose I should have realized that manufacturer's would be more willing to help than I gave them credit for as customer service is such an important component of running a business. Every employer I've ever worked for had extensive training focusing on customer service skills and how to use them effectively. Why should the companies I contact be any different? In an online article titled "The Importance of Customer Service in Today's Marketplace" by DJ Schwab, I was reminded of why customer service is so valuable. Schwab demonstrates that companies should meet and exceed what customers expect as far as customer service is concerned. He warns companies that having poor customer service will lose them customers in the long run and urges companies to train their employees to showcase great customer service skills to increase customer loyalty. If the company goal is indeed to meet and exceed customer expectations, it's safe to say that Learning Curve did just that. The effect was go great it not only increased my loyalty as a customer (I know when purchasing future products, I can deal with problems easily) but also helped me feel more trustful of the companies I deal with as a consumer.
Being aware of such products has led me to usually look everywhere but the manufacturer when I have an issue with a product. I will go online and read forums, call a knowledgeable friend, check retail stores for parts, start the trial and error of fixing the product myself, without contacting the manufacturer. I suppose the main reason for doing so is my assumption that the manufacturer will never offer me any kind of solution that doesn't involve having to purchase any necessary parts or a new product at their price. Another presumption of mine is that the manufacturer always sells things at full price and it is certainly cheaper to find the product at a retail store. I think it's pretty clear at this point that I don't consider the company to be a useful resource for product repair and replacement. I'd go further and say our consumer to company relationship is even slightly adversarial. I trust the brand enough to make a product worth buying, but I worry that they are so motivated by profit that they would consider an inquisition about repair as a perfect opportunity to sell more product.
This past week I was forced to give in and call the manufacturer of a product. This occurred because a couple of weeks ago, I accidentally broke a piece of my fiance's breast-milk pump. I know that sentence leaves a lot of room for all kinds of questions and strange mental images so I will elaborate. The pump basically has a suction cup (the horn shaped rubber component attached to the bottle) that facilitates the milks movement from the nipple into the attached bottle. When removing this suction cup from the bottle and switching it with a traditional, rubber nipple that the baby actually feeds from, we sometimes absentmindedly leave the suction cup on top of the nearest counter. On one particular day, the nearest counter was on top of the stove. Later on that same day, I had some friends over and offered to make them some tea. I placed the pot of water on the front left burner. The rear left burner had a protective lid on it, on top of which sat the suction cups. After ten minutes of conversation with my friends, I remembered the tea and decide to check on it. I noticed the water isn't boiling and figured maybe I used too much water and it was taking longer to heat up. I decided to return to chatting with my friends and check on it in five minutes or so. As I was talking to them I picked up on a strange, burning smell and decided to go check the Tea again. I looked on the rear burner, where I forgot the suction cups where, and realized they are melting. Quickly, I shut off the rear burner and examined the suction cups to find they were clearly no longer usable.
As I knew there was no chance to repair the piece I began doing an internet search for the part. I couldn't find it sold individually anywhere. From prior experience trying to find similar parts at retail stores, I knew I wasn't going to find a replacement suction cup there. Looking over the manual that came with the pump, I found the contact phone number for the company, Learning Curve, and prepared to pay $50 or more for a component made entirely of flexible rubber. I dialed the number and as I waited on hold, I thought about how I should have paid more attention when I was making that tea. The hold time was exceptionally short. I probably waited less than a minute before speaking to a representative. I told the woman on the line the story about accidentally melting the suction cup. She thought it was funny and laughed a little as I recounted it. She then proceeded to set me up with an order of new suction cups and another part that goes inside of them I hadn't realized I'd also ruined. I prepared for her to ask for my payment information and she instead asked for my address. She said "OK, we'll have them out you in about one week" to which, still in disbelief, I could only say "So I don't have to pay for anything?". She reassured me that no, I did not have to pay for anything and that the replacement parts were free and would be here in no time. What? Where was the offer to buy an extra set of suction cups at half-price? Why didn't she ask me for a receipt number or UPC code or some other proof of purchase? Could I really have been this wrong when it came to calling the manufacturer for assistance?
I suppose this isn't the first time I've built a seemingly strong opinion almost entirely upon personal experience only to have it shattered when put to the test. From here on out I will definitely call the manufacturer about any necessary part before attempting to purchase the time. Who knows how many products I threw away to avoid the hassle of repair when I could have called the company and got any necessary parts free of charge. Next time, before reaching for my wallet, I'm reaching for the telephone and seeing what the company is willing to do about the problem.
I suppose I should have realized that manufacturer's would be more willing to help than I gave them credit for as customer service is such an important component of running a business. Every employer I've ever worked for had extensive training focusing on customer service skills and how to use them effectively. Why should the companies I contact be any different? In an online article titled "The Importance of Customer Service in Today's Marketplace" by DJ Schwab, I was reminded of why customer service is so valuable. Schwab demonstrates that companies should meet and exceed what customers expect as far as customer service is concerned. He warns companies that having poor customer service will lose them customers in the long run and urges companies to train their employees to showcase great customer service skills to increase customer loyalty. If the company goal is indeed to meet and exceed customer expectations, it's safe to say that Learning Curve did just that. The effect was go great it not only increased my loyalty as a customer (I know when purchasing future products, I can deal with problems easily) but also helped me feel more trustful of the companies I deal with as a consumer.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Finding Frugal: An Introduction
"Ballin' on a budget" - My Friend's Older Brother
For those unfamiliar with the term, "ballin'" is a verb form of the noun "baller". The word "baller" is primarily used in modern day hip-hop slang to describe someone who is doing well financially. It can also be used to describe a basketball player, but in the context in which we used the term in our joke, it was referring to doing well financially, not basketball. I know some readers understand a definition better by seeing the word used in a sentence. I will demonstrate it's use in a sentence here: "Man that Mark Zuckerberg is gotta be ballin' so hard right now with all that Facebook money."
A couple of years back I was working at a bookstore and used my employee discount to pick-up "The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Living on a Budget" by Jennifer and Peter Sander. I decided to read this book because I was tired of living paycheck to paycheck and figured a budget could help me solve this problem. One afternoon, I was chatting with some friends between my college classes and had the book with me. A friends' older brother noticed the title and jokingly suggested writing his own book titled "Ballin' on a budget." I thought this was a really funny, clever play on words. From there we made numerous jokes about his book "Ballin' on a budget" which would cover topics such as where to get the most genuine looking fake Nike sneakers and how to package cheap alcohol in expensive alcohol bottles to make people at parties believe you are a high roller.
Those of you worried that I'm now going to tell you that this is basically going to be the "Ballin' on a budget" blog can relax now. If I felt inclined to write a satirical blog, I would consider it a worthy topic, but that's not what Finding Frugal is all about. I did however mention that joke for a reason. When my friend made this joke, it was so funny because a title like "Ballin' on a budget" is so starkly in contrast with the serious and boring topic of personal finance. I know for sure that part of the reason I prolonged looking into managing finances is because I assumed it would be either too boring or too complicated for anybody under 30 years of age. Modern society seems to think that attempting to spend less money is synonymous with having less fun, a preconception I've come to find is quite off base. I have found I've noticed there are blogs who seem to be aware of this preconception and do their best to write about frugal living in more entertaining ways. They often times use words such as "Sexy", "Fun" or "Fabulous" in their titles and/or posts and do their best to present seemingly mundane financial advice in a more stimulating, exciting way.
When I was reading various frugal living blogs, I felt that certain demographics weren't as represented as others. I found a ton of articles geared towards reducing grocery costs for families. Articles geared towards a more affluent crowd about managing stocks, IRAs and savings accounts were quite easy to find. There were many posts with an environmentalist perspective focusing on reusing household items. The ultra-frugal had their place to discuss how many years (maybe decades is more accurate) they wear the same pair of jeans or t-shirts before replacing them. It was more difficult to find other types of blogs. I found very few specifically geared towards young adults. There also weren't too many were geared towards people who have a developing interest in frugal living but want to start with some small basic changes and don't want to drastically alter their lifestyle overnight. The middle class and wealthy class demographics also seemed to be more represented than the low-income class. Most of the tips on saving money seemed to be geared towards helping build wealth as opposed to helping those with little money stretch the small amount they have.
Here on Finding Frugal, I intend to do my part to represent those underrepresented demographics. I will readily admit that I am just beginning to practice frugal living and this will be as much a documentation of learning to be frugal as it is a place to find tips and advice. As for my personal perspective, well, I'm 22 years old. I'm a college student who works 30 hours a week at minimum hourly wage. I live with my 6 month old son and his mother, my fiance. In other words, like most of my contemporaries in college, I don't make much money and do my best to manage it as efficiently as possible. I know what it's like to run out of gas on the way to work, I know what it's like to run out of diapers for your child, I know what it's like to open the fridge and see it's low on food, I know what it's like to run out of nearly all necessities a day or two before you get paid next and wish you had managed your finances better. It's this perspective I will bring to the discussion. To the experts and writers who've been exploring a frugal living lifestyle for many years, some of what I post will seem like "common sense." As for the rest us who have been conditioned by television shows, movies and advertisement to indulge in consumer culture, live from paycheck to paycheck (or better put from broke to soon-to-be-broke) and feel that it's time to change, I say to you: let's get started.
For those unfamiliar with the term, "ballin'" is a verb form of the noun "baller". The word "baller" is primarily used in modern day hip-hop slang to describe someone who is doing well financially. It can also be used to describe a basketball player, but in the context in which we used the term in our joke, it was referring to doing well financially, not basketball. I know some readers understand a definition better by seeing the word used in a sentence. I will demonstrate it's use in a sentence here: "Man that Mark Zuckerberg is gotta be ballin' so hard right now with all that Facebook money."
A couple of years back I was working at a bookstore and used my employee discount to pick-up "The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Living on a Budget" by Jennifer and Peter Sander. I decided to read this book because I was tired of living paycheck to paycheck and figured a budget could help me solve this problem. One afternoon, I was chatting with some friends between my college classes and had the book with me. A friends' older brother noticed the title and jokingly suggested writing his own book titled "Ballin' on a budget." I thought this was a really funny, clever play on words. From there we made numerous jokes about his book "Ballin' on a budget" which would cover topics such as where to get the most genuine looking fake Nike sneakers and how to package cheap alcohol in expensive alcohol bottles to make people at parties believe you are a high roller.
Those of you worried that I'm now going to tell you that this is basically going to be the "Ballin' on a budget" blog can relax now. If I felt inclined to write a satirical blog, I would consider it a worthy topic, but that's not what Finding Frugal is all about. I did however mention that joke for a reason. When my friend made this joke, it was so funny because a title like "Ballin' on a budget" is so starkly in contrast with the serious and boring topic of personal finance. I know for sure that part of the reason I prolonged looking into managing finances is because I assumed it would be either too boring or too complicated for anybody under 30 years of age. Modern society seems to think that attempting to spend less money is synonymous with having less fun, a preconception I've come to find is quite off base. I have found I've noticed there are blogs who seem to be aware of this preconception and do their best to write about frugal living in more entertaining ways. They often times use words such as "Sexy", "Fun" or "Fabulous" in their titles and/or posts and do their best to present seemingly mundane financial advice in a more stimulating, exciting way.
When I was reading various frugal living blogs, I felt that certain demographics weren't as represented as others. I found a ton of articles geared towards reducing grocery costs for families. Articles geared towards a more affluent crowd about managing stocks, IRAs and savings accounts were quite easy to find. There were many posts with an environmentalist perspective focusing on reusing household items. The ultra-frugal had their place to discuss how many years (maybe decades is more accurate) they wear the same pair of jeans or t-shirts before replacing them. It was more difficult to find other types of blogs. I found very few specifically geared towards young adults. There also weren't too many were geared towards people who have a developing interest in frugal living but want to start with some small basic changes and don't want to drastically alter their lifestyle overnight. The middle class and wealthy class demographics also seemed to be more represented than the low-income class. Most of the tips on saving money seemed to be geared towards helping build wealth as opposed to helping those with little money stretch the small amount they have.
Here on Finding Frugal, I intend to do my part to represent those underrepresented demographics. I will readily admit that I am just beginning to practice frugal living and this will be as much a documentation of learning to be frugal as it is a place to find tips and advice. As for my personal perspective, well, I'm 22 years old. I'm a college student who works 30 hours a week at minimum hourly wage. I live with my 6 month old son and his mother, my fiance. In other words, like most of my contemporaries in college, I don't make much money and do my best to manage it as efficiently as possible. I know what it's like to run out of gas on the way to work, I know what it's like to run out of diapers for your child, I know what it's like to open the fridge and see it's low on food, I know what it's like to run out of nearly all necessities a day or two before you get paid next and wish you had managed your finances better. It's this perspective I will bring to the discussion. To the experts and writers who've been exploring a frugal living lifestyle for many years, some of what I post will seem like "common sense." As for the rest us who have been conditioned by television shows, movies and advertisement to indulge in consumer culture, live from paycheck to paycheck (or better put from broke to soon-to-be-broke) and feel that it's time to change, I say to you: let's get started.
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