What is Frugality Really?

First I will describe what frugality is not. Many people associate frugality with lack, but this is a misconception. It is not scrimping, being cheap, and playing small. Some may believe that frugality is all about saving string and clipping coupons, both of which may be tactics used in living a frugal life. But in and of themselves these tactics do not define frugality.

Nature is the Model of Frugality

Frugality is what happens when your true values meet your cash-flow. The natural world is a perfect model for abundant frugality. Nature is amazingly abundant and giving, but she wastes absolutely nothing. Everything is used up or recycled. So frugality is not at odds with the law of attraction or with prosperity consciousness.
The wealthy started out frugal, and those who keep their hard-earned assets remain that way. To become financially independent it is imperative that you become aware of exactly where you stand right now and where you are trying to get to. Frugality is relentlessly reality based, and requires honest self-knowledge. But it is necessary for lasting financial success.
Keep coming back if you want to learn how to apply the principles of frugality to your own life. Do the work and watch what happens.

Get More Flavor for Less Money—Grow These Five Herbs Indoors

Fresh herbs add great flavor to home cooking, but buying them at the market is prohibitive. The herbs come in bunches much larger than usually called for, and only stay good for a few days. But if you have a sunny windowsill you can grow your own herbs for the cost of a pack of seeds. Then you can trim just a few leaves off as needed without hurting the plant. This is clearly the frugal solution.

You will need a bag of rich potting soil, a bag of something called perlite which is added to the soil, and some powdered limestone. You will also need some nice small ceramic pots with saucers, and a few seeds for each herb that you are planning to grow. If you know a seed saver you may be able to get them to give you a few, otherwise you may have to buy a whole pack of seeds for each variety.

Take the potting soil and mix it two to one with the perlite. Add a teaspoon of the limestone to each 5 inch pot and mix well. The pots should be filled to one inch below the rim.Then poke a two hole with your fingers and plant one seed in each hole. Water the pot gently and put in the windowsill. Keep just moist and in a few days you should see your little seedlings popping up through the soil. To get started I recommend you grow these five easy to grow herbs: Oregano, Basil, Thyme, Chives, and Mint. They all like full sun, and to be kept moist but not overwatered.

Try growing these five and see how much money you save and how good they make your food taste. Then perhaps you will branch out and create a whole indoor garden.

Don’t Throw Your Old Clothes Away—Mend Them!

 

We all have them—a little pile of cloths that are still it great shape except for that missing button or stuck zipper. You could go out and get a new one. Or, you could spend five or ten minutes doing a quick repair and save the money for something else. Like everything else, some repairs are easier than others. Sewing on a button is at the extremely easy end of the spectrum. Replacing a zipper is one of the hardest.

The first step is to create a sewing kit. Get a small box, about the size of the old cigar boxes. Gather several colors of plain thread, needles, straight pins and safety pins. Also get small pair of scissors, a thimble, and a very small box for stray buttons. The clear boxes that straight pins come in work well.

Then it is time to sort through and get the things that need repair into a pile, and put them into some sort of container. A basket is nice but a cardboard box will do. Pick out the most important item and decide what it needs. If it is missing a button, do you still have the old button? Get out the sewing kit and find out. You may need to buy a new button. Take the item along if you need a new button, so you can match it to the old ones. Then thread a needle with thread to match the garment and tie a knot at the end. Go through the little holes in the button over and over. When it is on tight, clip the thread and tie another little knot.

If the problem is a straight tear at the seam, turn it inside out and re-sew in matching thread using small stitches along the same place where the seam came out. Don’t make the stitches too big or they will gape when you turn it right side out.

Those two repairs are very simple. But what if the tear isn’t along a seam? You may have to use a patch. This is where some judgment comes in. If the item in question is a pair of comfy jeans, by all means patch away. But if it is a silk business blouse you should realize that you won’t likely be able to use it again for its intended purpose. You may have to replace it. But—don’t throw the old one away just yet. Drop it into yet another container. This last container is the patch and scrap bag.

To do a patch, find a fabric that is about the same weight as the target fabric. Cut a piece that will fit over the tear or hole generously. Fold under the edges of the patch and pin down with the straight pins. Then sew a seam all the way around the very outside edge of the patch.

If the trouble is a misbehaving zipper the whole thing is going to take a bit more thought. I am including a link to show you exactly what to do. But you may be better off paying a seamstress to do it for you. It won’t cost that much and may save you a lot of trouble.

While you are at it you should check out your shoe wardrobe. It is always a good idea to repair your shoes for as long as you can. This is generally a job for a professional. Even if you pay someone you will save hundreds of dollars over time.

So next time you are tempted to blow your clothes budget over a little tear, think again, and bust out the sewing kit instead.

Here are some helpful links:

http://www.thefrugalgoddess.com/2011/09/20/frugal-skills-sewing-can-brighten-up-your-life/ General Sewing Post

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SKGa4St10I Zippers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrSs_DiJ-ZA Buttons

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CALifgXuP_8 Patches

Moving the Frugal Goddess to WordPress.org

The Frugal Goddess

Hello my dear subscribers. I have moved the Frugal Goddess blog to a new home at wordpress.org.  http://www.thefrugalgoddess.com/If you click the link you will find several juicy new posts! Please come see me over there, and don’t forget to subscribe…

Speaking of subscriptions, I have started a Frugal Goddess mailing list and a newsletter. To join the list, click here:

http://thefrugalgoddess.us4.list-manage2.com/subscribe?u=642fd0533b4e3b2a1065f2992&id=fe36106e0a

I will be sending out things that don’t necessarily show up on the blog. So sign up and get you extra goodies!

 

Dear Frugalistas–I am Moving The Frugal Goddess!

Hello Dear Frugalistas–I have finally made the big move to wordpress.org and I would love to see you there! Everything is there just as it was only better. The only thing missing is you. If you are a subscriber would you take a minute to visit the new site and subscribe again? Here is a link: http://www.thefrugalgoddess.com/

I plan to leave the old site up for awhile, but all new posts will be on the new site. Thanks for being a loyal reader and I’ll see you on the other side.

Love,

FG

The Frugal Goddess on WordPress.org!!

 

The Frugal Goddess is now at  http://www.thefrugalgoddess.com/ a wordpress.org site. I will be publishing the same high quality advice on living a rich full life using fewer resources. Only the format is changing.

This change will give The Frugal Goddess more flexibility, more beauty, and more support for creativity. Please come see the new site for a healthy dose of frugal abundance! And don’t forget to subscribe.

Looking for a Great Winter Breakfast? Try a Big Bowl of REAL Homemade Hot Cereal!

Hot Cereal is Easy and Tasty Comfort Food

We often hear that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and in winter this will often mean hot cereal. But far too often it actually means a cheap imitation of hot cereal in the form of “instant” oatmeal. The kind that I am talking about comes in a little pouch, loaded with chemicals, expensive considering what it is, and lacking both taste and nutrients. It is so bad that lots of people won’t even bother, and so end up either skipping breakfast entirely or grabbing a tastier if equally useless pastry.

This is sad, especially since REAL hot cereal is so easy and fast, and so inexpensive. And—it is not limited to oatmeal. There are mixes of cracked grain ranging from three grain to ten grain. Some are in packages, such as Bob’s Red Mill, and others are bulk section products. What they all have in common is how easy they are to cook. Just put in a pan—one part cereal to three parts water for the cracked grain mix or one part rolled oats to two parts water for homemade oatmeal. Bring to a boil and simmer for about ten minutes, stirring often. That’s it. Add milk, dairy or not. Add the sweetener of your choice. I prefer whole milk and brown sugar, but there are lots of ways to go with this. There is even a microwave version on the Bob’s Red Mill package that only takes five minutes, no longer than the cheap imitation.

This breakfast will work for almost anyone. If you are gluten intolerant look for gluten free mixes of grain. Everyone except those with celiac disease should be able to enjoy this ten minute hardy winter breakfast. So give yourself a great start and eat your whole grain at the same time with a piping hot bowl of wholesome hot cereal.

Don’t Just Watch! Play Sports for Frugal Fun

 

Equipment Need Not be Expensive

Yesterday we talked about playing music; today I will discuss playing sports. The principle is the same. Being an actual participant and not just an observer is more fun and less expensive. Gone are the days of sand lot softball and “going out to play”. For many years now the schools have filled the gap for kids, though many of these programs are now threatened by hard times.

But it is not just kids who can benefit from playing sports. The state of children’s and teenager’s after school sports program is large enough for its own post, so I will concentrate here on the grown-ups.

Do you have a sport you already play and love? Then you are lucky. If not, why not at least consider it? Is there something you have always been attracted to but never tried? Think about your physical condition and natural inclinations. There are many types of sport—some involve teams, some are done in the company of others but not as a team effort, and some are real solo activities. For example, softball always involves a team, cycling is often done with companions, and skiing is pretty much solo.

Sports also vary in costs, both to get involved and to stay involved. Skiing can be pretty expensive if you don’t live near snow, but tennis is very reasonable once you have the equipment if you stick to public courts.  You will want to rent or borrow the equipment at first to make sure you really like it, and then check out used equipment stores and craigslist.

If you have never played a team sport, you may have to ask around a bit, especially if you are self-employed or work for a very small business. Bigger companies sometimes have a team you can join. If not, look in the yellow pages first or search online for local teams. Then check out the parks and recreation department in your town, or ask at a gym of sporting goods store. There are some great side benefits to playing on a local team, besides the entertainment value. It gets you off the couch, which will improve your health naturally. And it builds wonderful connections with your fellow citizens. Have you ever been out at a tavern and seen a whole team come in for drinks after the game? That could be you. So, get fit, make friends, get outside and PLAY!