What makes "frugal" hard for you?

[AndreaDM]

Me, three (or four or five?). I just couldn't pass up a bargain and would buy a load of stuff I really didn't need. After going through closets and dressers stuffed full of things I've never used/worn, I have really come to the conclusion that it is NOT a bargain if it won't be used; it is just a waste of money and a space-hog. Discovering that I had 8 (!!!!) sets of sheets for the guest bed when I really only need two was a real eye-opener.

Sheets were my downfall too! Watching Hoarders has really helped cure my habit, especially seeing the homes with a bunch of Target bags!

 

[chimilady]

I love Wal-Mart because I get what I want and at a good to excellent price. The Wal-Marts in my area are pleasant to shop at. If the treatment of women you refer to is the class action lawsuit that was filed against them accusing them of discrimination, I think 99% of all class action suits are absolute garbage. The women I see working in Wal-Mart seem to be doing just fine.

Well, I think the focus was more on the lack of women at the executive level, the lack of women being promoted across the company, the treatment of pregnant women and nursing women, and so many other women issues in general you wouldn't see just by shopping there. Which is the may I avoid walmart like the plague, plus that and the whole life insurance issue which to me is just the ultimate in slimy. Oh and the whole Debbie Shank case, which I just find despicable. To me, I would rather spend the extra $.03 and get it at Target which has much better policies towards women.

But back to the OP's point, in general my food shopping is at Trader Joes and farmer's markets. My kids clothing is at clothing swaps, so I pay nothing. I try and avoid Targets as well unless I absolutely need something immediately that I can't wait have delivered from an online store. I need to get clothes for myself, which normally I would get from a thrift shop but I hear Macys has some amazing clearance sales where you can get brand new items for under $5, so I may check that out.

 

[Couchy]

I am so cheap when it comes to some things ( reuse ziploc bags, refill water bottles, etc) but some things I spend way too much $$ on

groceries... almost all fresh and produce ( its healthy but expensive)

eating out at our favorite restaurant - fresh seafood - at leat 1x a week

these 2 things kill my budget

 

[MissManda]

To be honest, I would have to say that my biggest problem with being frugal is my husband! He likes to spend money. He likes to have all the new toys and gadgets and he doesn't want to have to wait for sales. It drives me crazy. He had very little growing up. Now that we are both established in decent paying jobs he would rather spend money than save it. He says he had to do without so much while he was growing up that he doesn't want to do without it now. I do have to say that he has gotten better the past few years. He is mindful of sale prices and only splurges on full price items every once in a while. He also doesn't do as much spontaneous shopping as he used too. So, we are making progress!

My second biggest problem is that I flat out hate to cook. I know how to cook and when I do, I think I'm pretty good. I just really really hate cooking. I know that some people find it relaxing and enjoy it, I just don't. I view it more or less like another chore, like laundry, cleaning bathrooms, etc. Its work and I don't like it. I would so much rather go out and buy something than have to cook it myself. I'm trying though to be better about this and to make myself cook more. Maybe one day, I'll find it fun.

 

[happygirl]

Yay another Walmart bashing thread

 

[tigger_mommy]

I'm a guy. I was with my wife and mother-in-law out and about when I pulled into Walmart's parking lot. "I just need to run in and get something." I had $20 in my pocket, I needed something that cost $20. They stayed in the car. I scared the daylights out of them when I came back in 10 minutes. "How did you do that?" they asked.

I went in with a $20 bill in my pocket, grabbed what I needed, paid, and walked out without a $20 bill in my pocket, LOL. Either one of them would have went in, walked all through the entire store with a cart, grabbed a bunch of stuff, grabbed what they needed, and walked out with $100 less in the checking account.


Our budget puts $400 in the local checking account. That is $150 for gas for the week and $250 for groceries. It's all there is, everything else is in another bank for bills. She comes home from grocery shopping after spending $350. How the heck does she spend $350 on groceries when there is only $250 available? (we go through 3 tanks of gas/week at about $48 per fill.) Now I have $50 in the checking account and I have to fill both cars up with gas plus she will need filled up again in 3 days. I then see my daughter wearing a new pair of jeans and new shirt, find a new door mat in front of the door, come home from work to see the bedroom repainted, etc.

We are trying to finish up paying off CC debt. She wonders why we can't seem to get it paid off.

Maybe you should take over the grocery shopping for a month. Give each of you an "allowance" and show her that $250 for groceries is doable. These things need to be brought to her attention. Maybe do a spreadsheet for a month and track EVERY expense. Any money out gets put on that sheet, with a description of what it bought. Not just generic groceries either. If a gallon of unneeded paint, new jeans for DD and a door mat were bought put that on it. Seeing the frivolous purchases and having to answer for them may curb her. Getting out of credit card debt is important.

 

[tigger_mommy]

Yay another Walmart bashing thread

On the contrary, I am not bashing wally world. It was what made being frugal hard for me. It doesn't help that I don't like their practices towards women, so I made a decision. I no longer go in there to save myself money and it makes me feel better not supporting something I don't like. They are a powerhouse when it comes to it, me not shopping there is not going to shut them down. They have the right to do business as they please, I have the right to not do business with them if I please. My wallet thanks me!

 

[maxiesmom]

Our budget puts $400 in the local checking account. That is $150 for gas for the week and $250 for groceries. It's all there is, everything else is in another bank for bills. She comes home from grocery shopping after spending $350. How the heck does she spend $350 on groceries when there is only $250 available? (we go through 3 tanks of gas/week at about $48 per fill.) Now I have $50 in the checking account and I have to fill both cars up with gas plus she will need filled up again in 3 days. I then see my daughter wearing a new pair of jeans and new shirt, find a new door mat in front of the door, come home from work to see the bedroom repainted, etc.

We are trying to finish up paying off CC debt. She wonders why we can't seem to get it paid off.

Give her cash to spend at the grocery store. It makes you watch every single item you put in your cart. I know when I use cash, I keep a close eye on everything. If you don't have access to a debit/creditcard/check, you can't overspend.

 

[juliebug]

Target and sweets! those are my demise. Target with their %5 off also sweets when i am hungry and go shopping i just want to buy sweets and that's not good!

 

[My2CrazyGirls]

I wouldn't call myself frugal/cheap, just careful with money overall. I do love Target and so I do try to avoid it The COST OF FOOD is what it makes being careful with money difficult. Food is pricey, especially when you don't buy anything w artifical colors, flavors, preservatives etc. And the cost of food is on the rise....and with gas prices on the rise, the cost of food is going to go up up up....

 

[Tracerr00]

Eating out makes being frugal hard for me. I try so hard to bring my lunch every day and to make smart meal plans for the week. But it's tough when I work very near tons and tons of restaurants and fast food establisments - Jamba Juice, Starbucks, Noodles, Famous Daves, Buffalo Wild Wings, Subway, Pizza, Chipotle and numerous sit downs. I'm not saying that I don't eat healthy options at (most) of these places, but I have zero willpower and sometimes I get something in my head that sounds sooooo much better than the leftovers or bag lunch that I brought...so I just do it!

And now that my daughter is starting volleyball after school, I usually pick her up, we eat out and then she goes to practice. We live so far from town that it's impossible to run home beforehand. This is really a budget killer for me and I have to figure something out soon!

 

[maxiesmom]

My dogs are what makes it hard for me to be frugal. I have 2 big dogs (one lab mix one coonhound) and we go thru one large bag of dry food a month. They also get part of a can each time they are fed. They have had health issues, so no cheap dog food for them! I also buy canned no-salt green beans on the advice of my vet, to help fill them up.

Add in treats and dentastyx to help clean their teeth and I probably spend at least $100 a month on them, just for food and goodies.

 

[JB2K]

I Not only did I not like the place, how they treat women infuriated me, and just something about the place made made me .

Is the "how they treat women" thing something you (or someone close to you) personally experienced, or was it "something you read"? Are we talking customers or store associates?

Reason I say this is that two labor unions (who have been trying in vain to organize Walmart for years) put-out a lot of information that I consider to be "questionable".

The reason for that is I live within 10 miles of 2 Supercenters -- and both of them are managed by women, which debunks just about anything I ever read on the internet...

And no, I am not a defender of the Wal -- my concern is it seems big labor has figured they can't touch Walmart, so now they are moving-on to other big retailers.

 

[tigger_mommy]

Is the "how they treat women" thing something you (or someone close to you) personally experienced, or was it "something you read"? Are we talking customers or store associates?

Reason I say this is that two labor unions (who have been trying in vain to organize Walmart for years) put-out a lot of information that I consider to be "questionable".

The reason for that is I live within 10 miles of 2 Supercenters -- and both of them are managed by women, which debunks just about anything I ever read on the internet...

And no, I am not a defender of the Wal -- my concern is it seems big labor has figured they can't touch Walmart, so now they are moving-on to other big retailers.

Women close to me and not so close to me have worked for them and it was not a pleasant experience for them. One of which was pregnant. They treated her like garbage and she is a hard working lady, I know from experience. Also it is not just one state, or city for that matter.

 

[tigger_mommy]

It seems at though Target is a downfall of many. If there was one in my town it would be my downfall too, I love Target! Closest one is about an hour away and I never have the time to go. Sad, yet good all at the same time.

 

[rnorwo1]

Disorganization is the root of all my difficulties: if I don't make a menu, we eat out more; if I don't update my budget regularly (I use ynab) then I go way over budget without even realizing; when I don't make shopping lists I end up going to the store many times a week and buying way more than I need; when I put bills in a pile I forget about them and then have late fees.

I know how to be organized and most times I am, but it's hard to keep all of it together all the time, especially when things get so busy. And when things are very chaotic my frugalness goes out the window!

 

[MinnieForMe]

Gymboree and Stride Rite are my weaknesses! I love dressing my daughter in pretty clothes and shoes! Throw in a sale combined with Gymbucks and I'm lost!

 

[angierae]

For me, it's little bits of money going out. I can resist a $25 purchase, but little $5 here and $5 there purchases are harder to stop myself from - so soon I've spent $35 or $40!

 

[pigletto]

There are two ways it's hard for me to be frugal. I can be as thrifty as they get if I am saving for a trip. Every extra penny goes in the trip fund. But if it's just being thrifty to get by it's miserable.
I don't mind saving as long as it takes, but I do need a fun goal to keep me going.

The other place I blow the bank is Christmas and birthdays for the kids. This year their big big big gift was Annual Passes to Disney and Universal. Kind of killed two birds with one stone on that one. I get to save for our trip and it covered some of their gifts

 

[2Eskiedogs]

My biggest budget buster....forgetting my grocery list at home

I plan my menu for 2 weeks at a time and I keep a list on the fride that I write items that need to be purchased either groceries from Aldi's or items that need to be purchased at Walmart or where ever. But when you leave your list at home, I wonder around the store trying to jog my memory looking at items, only to find when you got home that I purchased cat litter but I needed catfood.