Comments on: Dust Off Your Magnifying Glass to Be Frugal and Still Enjoy Life

By: Headless Mom

Headless Mom — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 23:43:02 +0000

I would add to re-examine Vegas. They are so desperate for people to fill the rooms there are smokin’ deals to be had-to the tune of over 50% (or more) savings on rooms over a year ago! Plus, there are lots of low/no cost activities there to entertain the whole family, if you are so inclined.

By: Jules @ Lovely Las Vegas

Jules @ Lovely Las Vegas — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:33:29 +0000

Alternatives are key – you can keep your cozy comforts with slight modifications. In addition, I think you can keep some “spendy” (relative, term) things if you look at your whole financial picture and see where you can drop some other things that you don’t really need/want/use. It’s all a balancing act. And with conscious evaluation and modifications of one’s financial situation, one can really start living the way they desire without going into debt.

By: Avdi

Avdi — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:23:31 +0000

I can definitely relate. Our $99 Roku box has been one of our best investments – we can watch an increasingly large array of Netflix movies without even waiting for the DVD to arrive in the mail, and now they are adding Amazon rentals to it. Hopefully Hulu support isn’t far off. Anyway, the point is, we get the TV we need over the internet now – and as a bonus we’re actually being intentional about it, rather than flipping channels and watching whatever’s on.

I think it’s important to pick your luxuries. Good coffee is important to me, and while I can make a better cup of regular coffee at home than most cafes can, I still don’t have all the equipment to make a proper latte. That said, I think if I had a $4 latte every day, it would stop being special to me. It’s been weeks since I had a cafe-bought latte – so the next one I have is gonna be such a treat!

By: bee

bee — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:25:31 +0000

We dropped our digital cable & DVR after our daughter was born. We’re saving $75 a month, we can still pick up the local networks, and we watch the shows we want on hulu or even the networks’ sites. With a 2YO & a 5MO, it’s important that I get to watch my shows when it’s convenient for me (i.e. naptime). It just seemed like a no-brainer to us. It is funny to watch the expressions on people’s faces when it comes up that we don’t have cable (and that our TV is under 30″)… they look at us like we have a third eye or something!

And shopping at TJ Maxx or the department store clearance racks are just more fun than buying what’s on the mannequins… where’s the adventure in that?!

By: marci

marci — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 14:35:46 +0000

Being frugal means free to do what I want when I want and not worry about where/what other folks think I should be doing…. ie, their idea of fancy destination resort type vacations holds absolutely no appeal to me. I just can’t stand crowds to start with.

By: Mary

Mary — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 08:05:02 +0000

This post reminds me of a book my mom had years ago (and it was probably the first “finance” book I ever read) called “Champagne Living on a Beer Budget!”

By: MoneyTheory

MoneyTheory — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 06:44:21 +0000

That is so true about the idea of traveling somewhere closer to home if the budget can’t afford going somewhere far or more expensive. Sometimes the short weekend trips to somewhere cool in your home state can be the most fun!

By: Frugal Bachelor

Frugal Bachelor — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 04:18:30 +0000

“Vacations – Most people are talking about not going to vacation at all this year, but instead of that overseas trip, why not go to somewhere domestic instead?”

Because traveling overseas in a large number of cases is substantially cheaper than staying at home after you consider all of the costs. Try countries like Thailand, Ethiopia, or Guatemala (three of my favorites on as many continents out of dozens); where a decent hotel costs less than $8/night, and you can fill your tummy for $1. Or eat a four course dinner at a nice restaurant fit for a king for $1.50. Can you do that in your hometown?

Sorry, but the idea of “staycation” because of high fuel prices is so Summer 2008, and went out with $147/barrel crude. Also, particularly if you live in Southwestern or Southeastern USA, there are large selection of international destinations which are closer and quicker and cheaper to get to than staying domestic, regardless of where fuel prices are.

By: Candy

Candy — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 01:04:09 +0000

Great tips, I know many more will be looking for ways to save.

By: Historical Stock Market Closings on Presidential Inauguration Days

Historical Stock Market Closings on Presidential Inauguration Days — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 23:31:48 +0000

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