Be a Cheap Date

I've recently discovered something rather shocking about myself.

I. like. being. thrifty.

There, I said it.

It's hard to believe. I haven't always been this way.

But since this most recent phase of our marriage has consisted of us making way less money and having way more expenses than we ever have before, I've really had to develop the thrifty side of myself. (Apparently the down side of closing your own business is that the business stops actually bringing in any profit for you. Who woulda thunk it?)

Date night for us these days is Lost and a bowl of popcorn in the living room. (See, I really am a cheap date!) Family fun is a trip to the local park or to Duke Gardens. I've actually started using coupons. (Did you know Kroger has a cool online coupon feature that's simple to search for things you use regularly?) I plan my meals for each week, and only buy exactly what I will need for those meals. I make my own coffee in the morning and take it to work in a thermos. We haven't eaten out in eons, and have figured out pretty thrifty ways to eat fresh and wonderful foods. I plan meals that use my leftovers in creative ways throughout the week so that I won't waste food. I pack my lunch on days that I work a long day. I haven't wandered aimlessly through Target in months. Months! (And those of you who read this blog regularly know that that's one of my favorite hobbies!)

Yup, I have become frugal.

And it's actually not so bad. It even kinda makes me happy to have control over my spending, and to be a little bit disciplined in limiting my consumption of stuff. Money can't buy happiness. But maybe saving money can?
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By the way, here's a cool personal finance blog I like. I get his daily updates, and they really help me stay focused in my thrifty ways!

P.S. The toy pictured above is one of my all time favorites for speech therapy fun! More about that in a post to come this weekend!



What are your favorite ways to save money? Do you get a strange (sort of embarrassing) thrill out of finding the best deal on a purchase before you make it? What are your favorite personal finance secrets?