The latest issue of Redbook arrived in my mailbox last week (it’s one of my favorites, and I get it on a super-discounted subscription, woo hoo!).
One of the cover stories is called “Live well on le$$” (the title of the article within the mag is “Spend less have more” by Christine Larson).
Is it just me, or is living a frugal lifestyle totally trendy right now? Maybe I haven’t noticed in the past, but I seem to be reading more articles in magazines and newspapers about ways to save money and live frugally. This is awesome! More people need to be exposed to the importance of frugal life.
One woman interviewed in the story lives in New York City and is now debt-free, after paying down $100,000 in debt. She says, “People are embarrassed to be frugal. We’ve been trained that it’s not cool to be cheap. Buy why should you pay full price if you don’t have to?”
Exactly. This woman, Kathy, now runs a great web site, thebudgetfashionista.com.
The magazine article features ideas you all know and probably use (find discount coupon codes before buying something online, places you can expect to haggle on prices, how much money you’ll save if you cut X habit from your budget, using The Grocery Game, etc.)
I was glad to see the article, because I’m hoping that someday soon, frugal living will be even more of a goal for people. To me, it’s a great alternative to living above and beyond your means, ya know?
Oh, I am so in on trying to be frugal. My husband and I are entering a two-month spending freeze. I hope we stick to it.
Kacie, I agree. I think more and more people are realizing that being frugal doesn’t mean living in poverty and that people can decide to live frugally by choice, regardless of how much money they have. The mail I get from my readers tells me that more and more people are becoming interested in a simpler lifestyle. So many people “out there” are fed up with the so-called rat race existence.
I am willing to bet that as the price of food and gas continue to rise, it will continue to become more “hip” to be frugal. (is that like being hip to be square?)
The budget fashionista also has a very nice book, which I reviewed back in June. I highly recommend requesting it from you local library and checking it out.
here is the link to my review: http://frugalupstate.blogspot.com/2007/06/book-review-how-to-be-budget.html
She was a really nice lady, and if you contacted her she’d probably send you a copy to read and review as well, plus possibly one to give away to a reader, as she did for me.
And there’s such a big difference between frugal and cheap. Well, I think there is. Some people have a harder time drawing the line.
I think it’s confirmation bias. But the environmental element may make being “frugal” trendier, although of course people were green before 2000. There’s also the aversion to living-to-work that Gen X and Y is supposed to have, that Shirley is talking about above. So there’s two possible reasons.
I read that issue too! One of the ladies that is a member at a board I belong to (www.frugal-families.com) was featured. She cut out Air conditioning and began frugal shopping to become a stay at home mom, among other things. I love the frugal lifestyle! My family life seems so much more in control and calm without having to keep up with the world’s definition of “rich”. Whether or not “frugality” catches on or not I’m in it for the long road because it is what is best for my family, my pocketbook, and my future!
We are going through the whole baby frugal thing, and we are actually giving away baby r us coupons if anyone is interested. That’s right check it out at http://www.evanpangburn.com/articles/babies-r-us-coupons/ For you free frugal 15% off baby r us coupon today!
Great website, and I am trying to live the baby frugal lifestyle as well.