Frugality Can Be Cool.. Sorta!

fru•gal (adjective)
1. thrifty - characterized by thriftiness and avoidance of waste
2. meager - involving very little expense

Not only is our economy is in a slum, but there's an increasing need to save our poor, suffering planet as well. So why is frugality so often frowned upon? I may not be the coolest person around, but when I brag to my friends about how much my "thrifty" efforts pay off, I seem to get more of a perked-ear response in lieu of the former glazed-eye reaction.

Since I am such a generous person, I wanted to share just a couple the best money and environment saving tips I've gathered during my struggle to stay on my feet.

#1 (my favorite!) Turn it off… I don't understand why it's so hard to turn off a light switch when you leave a room? Better yet, why let your TV drone on in the other room with no one paying it the slightest bit of attention?? Didn't we all learn in kindergarten to shut off the water while brushing our teeth? In general this is a simple rule, yet I take it to the next level: I unplug everything that's not in use. Lamps, microwave, coffee pot, cell phone charger, TV, radio, etc. - they're all unplugged unless, of course, they are being used. What most people don't realize is that cords suck energy from your outlet (phantom energy), whether or not your devices are powered on. Now, I understand this isn't feasible for all households, but every little effort pays off. My electric bill is about $25-$50 a month, and I live in a 910 square foot, 3rd floor apartment home in Florida.

#2 Consolidate errands and plan wisely… No excuse here, people. The environment is dying before our very eyes, much thanks to our reliance on ozone-depleting means of transportation. Plus, with gas prices constantly on the rise, it only makes sense to run your errands in an orderly fashion. I work in a very messy environment; I never leave work without being covered in ink, sweat and dirt (how appealing, I know). Still, most stores are a 10-15 minute drive from my house, yet conveniently located on my normal driving route. Needless to say, I do all my shopping on my way home from work, saving me time and money. As for errand preparedness: don't do any grocery shopping while hungry, and make sure you always have a list. I've made this mistake and ended up wasting lots of money on food that only looked good at the time.

#3 Take advantage of free stuff… Instead of paying for internet, I wirelessly access the complimentary internet provided by my apartment complex. If I see a free sample, you bet I'm going to help myself! Coupons? Absolutely - saving even 20 cents on something I would have purchased anyways is like someone handing you free money at checkout. I don't even pay for cell phone minutes because my cell phone company allows me to watch ads in exchange for minutes! Freebies are everywhere, but they're useless if we don't take advantage of them.

#4 Make a budget and stick to it… I'm really not going to delve too much into this one, simply because it speaks for itself. All I can say is pay your bills before anything else, and on time (late fees are horrid!), then give yourself an allowance of sorts with your remaining money. I will advise, however, that even though the greatest bit of advice most financially sound people follow is to pay yourself first, this isn't quite feasible in tough times; it's hard to set aside anything for yourself when every dollar is accounted for in the "bills" section of your budget. Do your best to set up some sort of savings, though. Even if it's a dollar a week (a little extreme on the low end of the spectrum, I know), each dollar eventually accumulates into five, 10, 20, and so on, which only translates into a nice savings account either to fall back on in hard times, or to spend once you feel some comfort in your pocketbook again, or (if you're smart) you can let the money keep building up for retirement or investments. It's the same reason the government wisely takes out social security and some taxes before you ever make it to the bank - if they didn't, imagine how much time and money would be spent trying to collect taxes and the like. Apply this mindset to your paychecks: setting up automatic billpay or simply sticking to a preset budget will ensure your money is allocated wisely.

#5 Just say no… Some of my friends seem to have no financial problems and are always going out to have fun. They are out for dinner or lunch several times a week, they always have extra time and cash to meet for a few drinks, they even skip town to escape their obviously strenuous life on frequent weekend vacations. It's the hardest thing for me to do, but I have to turn down their invites more often than not. I must be fun to hang out with because sometimes they offer to pay my way, and at that point I can't say no and go against my own advice (see tip #3 above) .

Well, there you have it! You can use this as a starting point - I figure if you can't follow these few, simple gems, there's no point in me rambling on anymore. Being broke really isn't fair or fun, so I'm sure I will acquire more useful tips and post them in the future. My condolences to those of you in the same penny scraping situation I'm in!! Maybe you could use a little humor to help ease your worries: Surviving a Ruthless Economy