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Susanne Myers asked:


Very few things can bring more strife and stress into a family household than issues around money and not having enough of it to cover expenses and bills. If money issues or lack of it are taking away the joy in your life and you want to take steps to do something about it, start by banning the “if only” mindset.

“If only we could go out to dinner, I’d feel more energetic about the house cleaning that I have to do later tonight.”

“If only we had a new TV, then we’d have a more pleasant evening with the family.”

“If only I could purchase this nice expensive cut of meat, then I could make the family a really good meal.”

The “if only” mindset leads you to feeling unsatisfied with what you have and that is a dangerous place to be. Before you know it you’ll be spending what you don’t have which will only lead to debt.

The frugal lifestyle looks at making the best, most efficient use of the food, materials and resources that we have and is the counterculture response to the mass consumerism that is making so many of us crazy!

You don’t have to be an instant frugal living expert over night. There are many resources available to help you to find your way to the frugal lifestyle.

Let me give you an example. Cutting the grocery bill is one of the easiest ways to make an impact on your budget. The website (www.hillbillyhousewife.com) is a great resource for helping with food budgets. On that site you’ll a find a free guide called “Best Bets for Your Budget” and in this guide are tips for building your family menu around healthy food items that are always good buys at your local grocery or super store.

For instance, you might like sirloin steak, but let’s face it, sirloin is an expensive meat that is rarely ever affordable. So don’t collect recipes or make meal plans that include sirloin steak. Save sirloin for special occasions. Instead focus on recipes and meal planning that includes fresh items and other goods that are healthy and affordable where you shop.

One of the great features of the “Best Bets for Your Budget Guide” is that it includes a suggested list of items that can be purchased affordably in many stores. For example instead of the sirloin steak mentioned above you might focus on preparing tasty dishes using other more affordable meets like those suggested which include ground turkey, fresh chicken leg quarters and frozen trout and catfish fillets. Sometimes you just need some ideas to help to get you going on developing your own list of “best buy” foods where you live.

The Hillbilly Housewife website also offers hundreds of recipes specifically designed for the frugal cook.

Approach the purchase of materials in your home in the same way. Do you need that new flat screen TV or can you wait until you can afford it and make do with your old flickering TV mixed with some good family time together, playing cards, or sitting out on the back porch or backyard tent telling stories and enjoying the company of the people who mean the most to you.

Nurturing a strong appreciation for what we have both in our pocketbooks and in our homes and families is more than a frugal mindset, it’s a smart way of living that can lead us out of debt and on the road to finding real joy in our lives.



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Richard Warren asked:


OK guys sit back and brace yourselves this one is not going to be funny. After I posted my blog on last Friday regarding my take on todays eonomy I began to see other opinions especially regarding it\’s effect on the modern day homeowner’s plan\’s or lack thereof on home renovations. In a blog posted 2/1/09 on “Walletpop” entitled “Home slump hits home decor trends”, Zac Bisonette cites “fancy kitchens and fireplaces that were so important to buyers during the housing boom are going out of style”. He goes on to say “It\’s hard to know what to make of these trends. Are they long-term changes in taste or is luxury just taking a leave of absence while people cope with plummeting job security….Even if luxury items like granite countertops and fireplaces are desirable, they may not be desirable enough to justify the additional expense.”

In the high flying days of the past ten years homeowners had available easy credit in the form of home equity loans, readily available credit cards and revolving credit terms from retailers. In 2008 with the U.S. banking and real estate crisis in full free fall these facilities have all but vanished. Banks have stopped lending, home mortgage loans are virtually a thing of the past and credit card companies have raised their interest rates and lower the credit available even to their best customers. Its easy to see why American’s taste for luxury items has diminished. The fact still remains, as I pointed out in my blog of 2/13/09, that this does not eliminate the need for refreshing of that tired old kitchen or bathroom to make your house more saleable if that is your fate or to make you home feel better to your family in these tough times. What it does mandate is a more frugal approach. Frugal does not mean “cheap” but instead indicates a more careful reasoned approach to how something is expended. Can you afford to replace your old laminated countertops with granite? Can you reasonably replace that linoleum in the kitchen with real hardwood floors? Can you afford custom made cabinets? new stainless steel appliances? Glass tile backsplashes? And the list goes on and on. In general the frugal answer is NO! This does not mean that you can’t make reasonable, attractive and useful changes to your kitchen or bathroom. You just have to be smarter in your choices as well as shopping smarter.

Here are some recommendations. Instead of granite you can choose from a wide assortment of man made surfaces, such as Corian, which in most cases can be half the cost of Granite and a whole lot easier to maintain. You can choose from dozens of forms of laminated flooring, such as \”Pergo” instead of hardwood floors again saving 50% or more. When recently finishing a family room/kitchen project in our basement I was able to find a weekend sale on laminated flooring at a major retailer for $.99 a square foot. That’s less than the $9.00 per sq.yard and less than the least expensive carpet plus my son was able to install it. We could not have installed carpet and that would have added another $3 to $4 per sq.yd or more to the price and we had the look of hardwood at a fraction of the price. As for custom made cabinets the best buy in cabinets and vanities today is in prefab cabinets which come broken down flat in cartons and you assemble them yourself. The most familiar of these come from vendors such as “Ikea” or like “Kraftmaid” available at the large home improvement stores. Not only are these cabinets a great buy but are high in quality and features. Can’t afford stainless steel appliances? Look at “Craigslist” any day and you will find great deals in practically new appliances at a drastic cut in price. The bottom line is shop smart and make educated choices. Take these ideas and team them with the suggestions I made in my previous blog such as upgraded faucets, sinks, new paint and other fixtures and you can have a great looking functional new look and space in your home at a reasonable attainable price. To reiterate my point, it is far more important than just vanity that we consider making these improvements. The economy is consumer driven. If we expect things to turn around quickly we all must regain our confidence that the American economy is resilient and has been a shining example to the world for 200+ years. To this end we need to invest in reasonable improvements. We need to spend carefully but we need to spend. Money sitting in a savings account drawing zero interest is not helping the economy. The banks aren’t lending the money, they are sitting on it. Investing in home improvements creates demand, creates jobs and works to restore the public confidence in our economic system.



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Frugal Guy asked:


Is it winter again already? I don’t know about you but I’m certainly noticing the colder weather! Due to rising energy costs this winter is sure to cost us more than ever in home heating expenses. While these tips aren’t groundbreaking I’m sure they will be helpful for those that have never been responsible for heating bills before.

Plastic Window Wrap

If you rent an apartment, or otherwise can’t afford to undertake larger projects, then window wrap might be just the project for you. Basically, windows are sealed under a plastic film to reduce the flow of cold air from a window into a room. This cold air could flow directly through cracks or simply from the window pane itself via convection.

Heavy Curtains

If your windows are too large to wrap, or if you aren’t willing to look out of your windows through a thin plastic film, then perhaps you could put up some heavy curtains. These will reduce the flow of cool or cold air from a window fixture into the rest of the room. You can open the curtains during the day to enjoy the view and close them at night while you sleep.

Dress for the Season

No, I am not talking about when you go outside. In the summer season it is common to lounge around your home wearing shorts and a t-shirt. While this may be a comfortable habit you should work towards wearing pants and long sleeved shirts. Track pants and a sweater are certainly suitable if you aren’t expecting company. Keeping your home a little cooler can save a lot in heating costs. Of course, it goes without saying, but get out the heavier bedding as well.

Humidity Management

Have you ever noticed that you feel hotter on a humid summer day? Sure you have. Well, this is true year round. If you don’t let your house get too dry in the winter you may be more comfortable at lower temperatures. Use a cool water humidifier for maximum safety and energy efficiency.

Screen Doors

On many homes you’ll see defective screen doors. Windows may be cracked, corners may be gone or perhaps the whole door is missing. Perhaps it is just heavy summer use, but these doors often seem to be abused, especially in areas populated by students. Fix up the screen door, make sure it closes properly, and fix any holes, cracks or leaks.

Seal Cracked Caulking

We don’t often inspect the outside of our homes. However, while we may easily spot cracked and peeling paint, window caulking is something we may overlook. Cracks in caulking can allow hot air to escape and cold air to enter your home. Before it is too late in the season take a look at your windows and see if you are due for some minor repairs.

Adding Insulation

This is a big ticket item. If your home does not have adequate insulation then you should consider adding insulating to your attic or exterior walls. See if your utility provider offers free home assessments. They can measure how much heat is being lost and identify how much you can save on heating costs.

Conclusion

While some of these projects are more complex and more expensive than others they are all worthwhile. However, if you don’t own your home or don’t plan to live there for a long period of time, then it may not make sense to invest in all of these solutions. If you do own your own home you’ll find that rising energy costs make it quite easy to get your money back over time.



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