You Know You're Really Frugal When...

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

28 Mar 2007 04:03 AM

Whether you need a quick laugh or some more ideas on how to be frugal, check out this list of signs that you are really frugal.

• You look forward to ironing just so you can warm up your hands on the ironing board when you are done (free heat).
• You look forward to the day you've save up enough for that big ticket item at the thrift store.
• You make do with newspaper until the price of toilet paper goes down.
• You check the coin star machine at the grocery store to see if anyone left any extra money in the machine.
• You cut the elastic out of your old underwear to reuse it.
• You make a soup out of the contents of fast food ketchup and a little water.
• You collect sugar packets and use the sugar for your baking.
• You wear worn out shoes or no shoes in the house to save wear on your "good" shoes.
• You ask your co-workers for their lunch baggies so you can take them home, wash them out and reuse them.
• You've found a way to reuse dryer lint.
• You don't throw away a pencil until it is smaller than a thumbnail.
• You save spare loose threads from your clothes to darn your socks.
• You cut up your plastic grocery bags into strips and crochet pot holders with it.
• You save the crumbs from cereal boxes to use as a topping for baked chicken.
• You save the salt from the bottom of a bag of bargain pretzels to use on your own homemade pretzels.
• You take baths and showers in the dark to save electricity.
• You boil your eggs in your chicken soup stock to save money on gas or electricity.
• You use both sides of a post it note before recycling it.
• You go through your garbage to see what the rest of your family is unnecessarily throwing out and then rescue the items.

Related Articles:

The Frugal Light Revolt

The First Principle of A Frugal Lifestyle: Reduce

The Second Principal of A Frugal Lifestyle: Reuse

The Third Principle of A Frugal Lifestyle: Recycle

Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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PatV (57) 27 May 2007 06:50 PM

I could have written some of these myself. ;)

Mary Ann Romans (26791) 28 May 2007 05:35 AM

Do you have any extras to add? I'd love to hear them. ;)

momofjil (25) 30 Sep 2008 10:32 AM

I'm guilty of a few myself. Toilet Paper is a luxury in our home. I have made clothe TP and wash it like I do the Clothe diapers...yes clothe diapers. Does anyone else save the leftover veggies to be put in a veggie soup when there is enough? Did you know if you save all the little leftover pieces of soap you can make a little "bag", put the pieces in there and wash with it? We live frugally not to be misers but so we can pay our bills.

Mary Ann Romans (26791) 30 Sep 2008 11:57 AM

That veggie soup sounds like my freezer soup:

http://frugal.families.com/blog/freezer-soup-is-free