I am by no means an expert at frugality. Look at my spending history (nah, not ready for you to see that) and you'll understand immediately. It's like that scene in Breakfast at Tiffany's, when Sally Tomato is commenting on the sadness of Holly Golightly's expenses...except add a few decades' worth of inflation, because cat food is no where near $.10 anymore.
However, due to the national freak out regarding our economic condition--and, let's call it what it is, folks--the possibility of a $700 billion bail out (NOT a euphemistic "rescue plan"), citizens of the USA are worried about their bank accounts. So, I am going to share my resources for frugal shopping, accumulating a stash of coupons and using them wisely, and taking advantage of great deals at drugstores. I can tell a difference in my account balance and overall it is quite fun to play the scrimp & save game.
Since there is no point in me "reinventing the wheel", I am going to direct you to my favorite web sites. There is an astonishing wealth of personal finance and frugal living blogs out in cyberspace. All you have to do is find one and then check out all the other blogs it is linked to. Even though I find myself reading the same fundamentals over and over again, it is helpful to have those basics drilled into my head. Sometimes I come across blogs written by people who sew their own maxi-pads, but most of the time I am finding useful tips for people like me who have not yet gone down that road (truth be told, I highly doubt I will ever be sewing maxi pads).
The first place that I recommend is Money Saving Mom. Crystal is a young mother who is absolutely incredible at keeping to her budget for her family of four (soon to be five). I am single and I have trouble spending less out-of-pocket than what she has budgeted for a week! It's rather embarrassing, actually. I will reach that goal soon, though. Be sure to read her archives and pay special attention to CVS 101 and Walgreens 101. She also has easy-to-follow instructions for accumulating a nice stash of coupons and keeping them organized. I encourage you to start here and acquire a general education for what you will be getting into. Baby steps, people. This new way of living can be overwhelming at times, but if you're like me and you enjoy problem solving, then it will be like playing a new game.
The next stop is for you to learn about stockpiling food and toiletries. I'm not talking about amassing quanitities that will get you through to the next election, but definitely through a 12-week sales cycle. Don't buy what you know you will end up wasting; it's not worth it. Instead, follow the advice of Art of the Coupon and you will be on the right track.
Now I'm going to point you in the direction of more general personal finance blogs that I like. I check them out daily. You don't have to agree with everything that you read, and remember that the people who are writing these blogs are not professionals (except for maybe Dave Ramsey) and have disclaimers that state that their advice is not a substitute for legal and/or professional consulting. With that said, I find these blogs to be pretty consistent and I look forward to their new topics every day:
I will note that Dave Ramsey and Money Saving Mom follow Christian principles and sometimes include Bible verses or references to their beliefs in their writings. I am definitely not apologizing for it, because the Bible has a lot to say about money (and it's not as narrow-minded and naysaying as you'd think) and we would all benefit from putting those principles into practice. However, I know some of you may be uncomfortable with those types of messages so I thought I'd give you fair warning.
It is my desire that this post has been helpful to you. I am aware that I don't have the largest audience for this blog, but I'm sure some of my loyal readers will appreciate what they see here today. So, happy shopping and try not to get too crazy about finding good deals!
