This is What Frugal Looks Like is a series that highlights different ways that people can be frugal in their lives- after all, frugality doesn’t have to be drastic or just about clipping coupons. Frugality can be fun and easy. Each respondent answers the same four questions. Today’s interview is with Emily from Mumblings from Troy Ohio.
What does frugality mean to you?
It’s a means of survival right now. We don’t have the money to be otherwise. Hopefully the day will come when we can be frugal by choice, instead of by necessity. And I like to think we’ll still be frugal even when we have the means to be otherwise.
What is something that you do that is ‘typically’ frugal?
I think it’s probably a lot of home-cooking, couponing, looking for cheaper cleaning alternatives, substituting what you have whenever you can.
What is something frugal that you do that is unusual?
I hate disposable anything. My personal vendetta is against sanitary napkins. Why pay for those, when a rolled-up square of old bath towel does the same job, is completely washable and reusable, and earth-friendly?
What are some of your long-term goals that being frugal will help you to accomplish?
Just being better stewards of what we’re given by God. And, in a few years, buying a house with cash! 🙂
About Emily:
Bible-thumping, 30-something, happily married, infertile (or so I thought!), overweight, eccentric, opinionated, drowning in debt, frugalista, and mother of a spunky, devastatingly handsome homeschooling kindergartner with the attention span of the proverbial fruit fly, and a little girl angel who waits for me in Jesus’ arms.
Favorite Posts:
Note From Kelly:
Emily is, I believe, one of Almost Frugal’s longest readers. We’ve never met in person, but through her comments on Almost Frugal, my reading her blog, and our Facebook updates we’ve become that modern version of next-door neighbors gossiping across the back fence- online friends. What I appreciate most about Emily is her determination to keep moving and growing. Although her interview here doesn’t really hint at it, her family has gone through some major financial upheaval in the past few years, including bankruptcy and foreclosure. Yet, somehow, she keeps on blogging and sharing her story…lending encouragement to me and numerous others.
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{ 4 comments }
Great interview from a fellow Ohioan! Thanks! 🙂
.-= Amy Reads Good Books´s last blog ..Booking Through Thursday =-.
Awesome interview. Good luck to Emily with her plans!
.-= Emma @ Baby-log.com´s last blog ..Potty training, day 1. =-.
Thanks for introducing her to us.
.-= Monroe on a Budget´s last blog ..Freep: First-timers crowd homeless shelters =-.
We started becoming more frugal by choice a few years ago. In 2007, we became more frugal by necessity. It seems that every year we are losing more and more of our income to lay-offs and rising prices. Because we became more frugal by choice, it has been a lot easier to keep our home! My favorite ways to save money – clothing your family secondhand for one and becoming smarter about your grocery buying habits – http://shallowpockets.wordpress.com/2009/10/19/12-tips-to-buying-healthy-food-on-a-tight-budget/. I don’t think couponing is always the answer. Coupons are usually for processed foods. If we buy more and more things with fewer ingredients, we can save and eat healthy!
.-= Heather at Shallow Pockets´s last blog ..From Shutter to Headboard =-.