Thrifty is Nifty

As a result of our commitment many years ago (before kids) to being uber thrifty about certain lifestyle choices, our family is well -off. Instead of living on credit like alot of people we know do, we actually have some bank, that we tend not to talk about too much...except on here of course :) We have some peace of mind, and I am always amazed at some people's desires for things they don't need, yet cry over later ( a four bedroom house, a car payment, name brand stuff for their kids, high end grocery products, etc.) Then, all they talk about is how broke they are- and they wait for us to agree. and we don't. cuz we're not :)
However, I have tried many times to share our thrifty ideas...sometimes people think we're nerdy or just cheap and that is just fine with us! These days, it is hip to be square.

Tips:

Auto-We bought a used vehicle about 4 years ago that will be paid of in one or so...our other vehicle, a much sought after sports car (trust me, there's alot of people that love these things, surprisngly), has been paid of for years. When car # 1 is paid off, we are keeping it until the wheels fall off. Car #2 has been all over the country with us for 7 years (it's a 94), and we fix most of it's problems in our own driveway. Advice- don't get new cars (of course), and don't keep racking up car payments...that's alot of cash each month to put away.

Cleaning- save old cleaned sock, t-shirts, clothes for dusting, disenfecting,etc. Don't buy those "deals" at Costco or Super target (what a shopper's addicts dream that is!) for 8 paper towels packs. Just use what you already have, throw in a dirty clothes pile in your garage (or in an old box) and wash once a month with very little detergent and cold water.

Wash Cars- at home. Car washes use more water than most people do in their driveway...I uses as little water as possible between hosing down and rinsing. Currently we are on water restrictions here due to the low aquifer levels and mild rainy seasons. However my entire adult life i have washed my own vehicle- it's responsible, un-lazy and you save at least $8 each time.

Baby / kids stuff- I get very amused when some new moms actually go to those "Baby's R Us" stores for their kids. For the past three years, we have never bought our children anything at that store or a "Toy's R us". A few times a year I'll pick up some summer sandals at Walmart as needed, and of course the diapers and food accesories, but only bare minimum. We are lucky to have family members give us some things we need for our kid's entertainment and clothing, and my own mother buys almost all of their toys and clothes at kid's thrift stores, and I am so proud of her for doing so. My kids have never wanted for anything, except a good nap. Phillip and I always provide what they need to be happy without going retail, and it's a good lesson for them to learn.

Beauty- you can dye your own hair, do your own mani/pedi can't you? Why would you pay a stranger to shove intruments under your cuticles? yuck! My indulgence when I worked full time and paid for it myself, was a nice organic facial at the Aveda spa in PC (in St. Andrews) which i loved. I have been treated to a few day spa packages due to my somewhat fantastic birthing experiences with both my sons, and that's appreciated. But I would never spend more than $50 maybe twice a year on a good facial or massage. Most stuff you really can do at home...

Landscaping- Do it yourself, never pay someone else to mow your yard or plant your own flowers! Gardening and yes even mowing the grass is free therapy, it burns calories, you get fresh air, and you fingers actually tough some real dirt. It's what we come from...and where we'lll be anyway down the road, so may as well stick your fingers in it.

Art- make your own art. Paint a canvas, look at Lowe's.com for DYI decorating ideas for headboards, birdhouses, wall art...Why would you buy something for $40 ( like my cute yard signs) when you can do it practically free? And it's a much healthier feeling doing it yourself rather than buying it and regretting the lost cash later.

Weekly Challenges- we have fun with this- pick a week or a two day block in which every one in your family or yourself spends absolutely no money (credit or cash). Before this, fill up the vehicle's gas, get your groceries and get prepared. Make all the meals at home, make your own coffee, no sodas at work, etc. you can save so much money doing this, trust me. Then you'll the money to do something fun later when you have paid your bills and have a better peace of mind.

Hope some of these inspire you to think of some ways to save some cash.....