https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 24 May 2026 12:57:12 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally/page/2#post-1892428 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 18:53:27 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1892428@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Out of necessity, yes.</p> <p>It will be nice to graduate school, get a "real" job and not have to pinch every single penny! </p> <p>-We hardly buy clothes for ourselves unless we absolutely need something or it's a special occasion that we saved money for like a birthday or Christmas.</p> <p>-J needs clothes nearly every season still - but I shop at once upon a child, old navy and gap sales/clearance and still don't pay more than $10/item for his clothes. Except shoes, I will pay for good shoes because he runs them into the ground.</p> <p>-making lots of batch foods - and cheap ones like soups. I love fall because it's easy to eat soup every day. Our meal plan this week was chili, squash chicken soup, and butternut squash soup. DH is making homemade bread to go with it - between three large pots of soup, it's enough for the week and leftovers for lunches. </p> <p>- we don't really go out, we don't have cable, and don't have a ton of extras. The only things we pay for that are "non-necessities" is netflix and YMCA membership, and J takes swimming at the Y. </p> <p>- we have one car, and we paid it off this summer. It saves gas, car insurance, and the upkeep that a car has. We purposefully live a mile from DH's work and have J in a daycare next door so that we can make this work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally/page/2#post-1892418 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 18:43:00 +0000 Rocker2014 1892418@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes and no - I'm huge on coupons and sale items and we live within our means with savings. BUT, we both believe that entertainment and recreation is a valid and important part of life (and our marriage!) and we have a somewhat generous budget line item for eating out, concert tickets, entertaining, 1 (not extravagant) vacation annually, etc. To trade off, neither of us drive new cars or have fancy electronics or such. So, it may appear to others that we aren't frugal, but we've actually been very thoughtful about how we allocate our funds based on the kind of life we want to live and what is important to us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally/page/2#post-1892412 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 18:39:14 +0000 mrsjyw 1892412@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We live within our means and I try my best to shop sales and deals. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally/page/2#post-1892398 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 18:18:54 +0000 sunny 1892398@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I try to but I know that we haven't been that frugal lately. I'm ok with it, but I know I used to be much better about it.</p> <p>I try to not waste things (food, electricity, water, etc) and we try not to buy more than what we need. I know I am pretty cheap about LO's clothes. She wears the same things over &amp; over to daycare and wears a lot of hand me downs. I figure she doesn't care yet and I'd rather save the money now. I try not to overbuy for her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally/page/2#post-1892386 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 18:10:42 +0000 Dandelion 1892386@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>yep. I shop at thrift stores, use coupons and scour the ads for sales. Even when I shop at regular retailers, I rarely buy things at full price. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1892382 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 18:05:01 +0000 jedeve 1892382@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have had points in our life where we have had to be extremely frugal, so where we are now feels like a luxury. Although we are on one income now, so we will see how much more frugal we have to be!</p> <p>I am obsessive about maximizing sales on kids clothes and toiletries. If I can't find a good deal on something, I would rather not buy it. We eat at home. I coupon at the grocery store. We don't go on vacations (unless grandparents are paying, haha). We don't buy a lot of kid gear. Really we just try not to buy a lot of stuff. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1892379 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 18:02:30 +0000 Smurfette 1892379@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Somewhere in the middle but we need to be better. I don't buy clothes unless on sale, but I still buy more then R needs. And we eat out more then we should. I can't figure out how to cut the grocery bill. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1892298 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 16:50:04 +0000 regberadaisy 1892298@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes but I know we can be more frugal. But everyone needs a treat now and then! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1892283 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 16:38:27 +0000 Mrs.KMM 1892283@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@yoursilverlining: "Not really, but we live within our means and save so I'm ok with that."</p> <p>Agreed. We're the same way. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1892277 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 16:34:34 +0000 ElbieKay 1892277@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I try not to buy crap we don't need. But I definitely pay for convenience. We make a decent living, have two busy jobs, and save a reasonable amount of money each year. My job is stressful, and I want to spend my time outside of work with my family and friends, not clipping coupons.</p> <p>It helps that I hate to shop though, and we live in an apartment and I try not to clutter it up too much. We still have more stuff than I would like. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1892264 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 16:28:37 +0000 MapleMoose 1892264@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We budget for everything. I mean literally everything, even grabbing a burger off the dollar menu or a splurge shopping spree. :silly: It helps us see where our money is going and holds us accountable for our purchases. We are aggressive savers but we also give ourselves breathing room in the budget. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1892139 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 15:21:24 +0000 mrs. tictactoe 1892139@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not as frugally as some, but more frugally than others. I don't buy expensive things, I try to find things for cheap or DIY stuff, but I like to shop, so I get new things frequently. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1892129 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 15:16:51 +0000 HLK208 1892129@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sometimes. Right now is one of those times! I do love to shop but I feel better about myself when I'm frugal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1892108 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 15:04:31 +0000 cmomma17 1892108@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@IRunForFun: I bet that companies pay to be featured in the app. Then the hope is that you as the consumer will be influenced and will purchase things that you otherwise wouldn't. I love stuff like this because I am pretty non-influence-able (is that a word??) So I can get credit (hopefully) for things I'd already buy and not be swayed otherwise. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1892093 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 14:55:14 +0000 MrsADS 1892093@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes!! As much as we can. I have been accused of being cheap... I coupon, try to eat frugal (but healthy) meals, only buy clothes on clearance or consignment, keep our thermostat turned up, etc.... We pack lunches for work every day and eat out for lunch at work very rarely. Most Friday evenings we either go out or get take-out somewhere. That's our treat. But otherwise we eat at home, and make coffee at home. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1892091 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 14:54:59 +0000 IRunForFun 1892091@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lawbee11: I saw something about that app, but I wish I understood what the company's incentive was. Like, what are they getting out of offering people cash back for random grocery brands? It doesn't make sense! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1892073 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 14:44:51 +0000 snowjewelz 1892073@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Probably not to the full extent of that word, but we live within our means and I budget, coupon, mostly buy things on sale/clearance, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1892046 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 14:27:10 +0000 cmomma17 1892046@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lawbee11: cool, I'll check it out! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1892043 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 14:22:23 +0000 looch 1892043@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think so, I mean, you get what you pay for. I would rather spend a little more to get something I can use longer than buy cheaper and have to buy multiple.</p> <p>I try to use everything I can, like buying chicken bone in and using the bones to make broth. I turn stray socks into cloths, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1892042 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 14:21:16 +0000 Mrs. Sunshine 1892042@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lawbee11: what?!? That's awesome! I use Walmarts savings catcher sometimes but I never check ads so it's basically just me blindly hoping that I bought something that would be cheaper somewhere else. Thanks for sharing! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1892040 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 14:19:20 +0000 lawbee11 1892040@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cmomma17: @Mrs. Sunshine: I just downloaded a really cool app called Snap last week. It's by Groupon and it's basically a coupon app but you get the savings after shopping. You can shop at any store--you just take a pic of your receipt and upload it using the app. The cool thing is some of the stuff doesn't have to be a certain brand. For instance, right now they have $1.00 cash back on any gallon of milk and $1.00 cash back on any loaf of bread, etc. Once you reach $20 you can transfer the money to your bank account. So it's basically like getting money back for stuff I'd buy anyways. I'm excited to use it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1892032 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 14:17:30 +0000 Mrs. Pickle 1892032@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We live within our means. It's very important to me that we are able to save for our futures and not carry a ton of debt. Like lawbee said we budget for luxuries. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1892030 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 14:14:53 +0000 Mrs. Sunshine 1892030@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cmomma17: I just feel like I should be able to have more control over how much it is but I don't! It's like the grocery store is some kind of money vacuum! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1892028 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 14:13:49 +0000 artsyfartsy 1892028@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>edited to change my answer after rethinking it. We budget and save every way we can. We do budget for luxuries though. But we live well below our means. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1892026 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 14:13:07 +0000 yellowbird 1892026@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have to say no for our recent past but we've started making big changes the last couple weeks and we're living extremely frugally for now and until our debt is gone. We waste a lot of money on eating out and unnecessary impulse shopping so we're cutting that out to ramp up what we can pay toward our debt. I'm really excited to be debt free within the next couple years. It will be amazing.</p> <p>The tips im using is no impulse buying. If I want something I have to wait at least a day or two to buy it and assess whether I really need it.<br /> Selling u necessary items (furniture not in use, dhs bass amp, baby items, etc)<br /> And fun and free weekend activities: park, festivals, playdates, and just having friend over to our house rather than meeting for dinner etc </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1892022 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 14:07:25 +0000 cmomma17 1892022@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Sunshine: the grocery budget is one of my biggest sources of stress too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1892012 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 14:00:04 +0000 Mrs. Sunshine 1892012@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We try. We live within our means but we don't have as much "emergency" money as I'd like, but part of that is just hoarding. I get really upset buying groceeies. I really really do my best to keep it cheap &amp; I don't buy extra that we don't need but we seriously eat about 95% of what I buy every week &amp; then we eat that 5% rollover plus whatever else I bought the next week &amp; we are both at really healthy weights as is our LO. I'm not sure why we are such piggies lol it really causes a lot anxiety for me though </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1892007 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 13:55:41 +0000 autumnlove 1892007@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Somewhere in the middle. I'm really cheap about the thermostat. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1891984 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 13:47:58 +0000 lawbee11 1891984@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sort of? We budget, but we also budget for luxuries like Starbucks, eating out, etc. We buy generic brands at the grocery store and I don't buy clothes for LO unless they're on sale, but I also don't buy the cheapest clothes I can find either. I guess we're somewhere in the middle. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-live-frugally#post-1891947 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 13:37:08 +0000 MediaNaranja 1891947@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Even though I'm not a grad student anymore, I still try to live like one. So yes, we're frugal. We have a LOT of debt. For the next year at least, every extra penny is getting poured into that debt until it's at a level that lets me breathe a bit easier. </p>