Tuesday, April 21, 2009

The Mindset Of Frugality



This morning a friend and I ventured to the grocery store to get our shopping done. Each week it never fails that the price of things keep steadily going up. As we perused the isles picking up the items we needed, I began to really contemplate our monthly grocery budget. I admit, we have done very well at keeping our expenses down, but every now and then we splurge. Take for instance this past weekend, we went out to eat and spent a total of $15.02 for both our meals. (It was actually $12.02 but we gave a $3 tip.) While this isn't a big expense by any means, it was still an expense. Don't get me wrong, treating yourself to something every once in awhile is ok, but if we're really honest with ourselves, how many "once in awhile treats" have become weekly treats or even more? I wont lie; I'm guilty of it.

Back to the grocery store scenario...I guess my mind was really on over load as I browsed the isles, because there wasn't much that I can honestly say struck my fancy & gave me that "I just gotta have it" feeling. This was a good thing as I stayed focused on my list of things to get and only strayed when I saw that SunChips were on sale at a really great price. All in all I did very well; my bill totaled out to less than $56.00. So that wasn't too bad. Still though I kept thinking about how can I save more money. After all, Hubby works hard to support our family so it is my ministry to help us manage it and be the best stewards that GOD has called us to be.

I've said it before and I'll say it again..."A wife can throw more out with a spoon than her husband can bring in with a shovel!"

I am frugal minded already, but even more so now I want to try & learn more ways to save where we can in not only our grocery budget but in every area of our finances. One big money saver will be when our garden comes into harvest. We have been eating fresh herbs already but I am so ready for our lettuce, peas, corn, peppers, tomatoes, squash, zucchini and other goodie to be ready for picking.

How about you...are there any areas in your life where you feel the desire to make that penny stretch farther? Are you looking for more ways to cinch up your money belt? If so, feel free to share your new found tips or even old standards for money saving.

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