Things You'll Need:
- Determination
- Common sense
- Patience
- Self Control
- Sacrifice
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Step 1
Saying No Is Very Frugal!Use your head! When you get your income tax refund, don't blow it on a big screen TV or a trip to Disney! We get to where we feel like we have been pinching pennies for so long that we deserve to splurge on ourselves. Just say no! Until all of your credit cards are paid off, you have an emergency fund equal to 6 months of living expenses, and have all of your bills met, you don't need to splurge on anything. Set aside $25.00 - $50.00 (not any more than that!!!) per pay period for spending money or pocket money. If you want a TV save that money instead of spending it. Do not blow big chunks of cash on stuff you do not need.
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Step 2
Save Money-Buy what you NEED!Eat to live. You can eat really cheap if you want. You don't have to eat a lot of expensive food. People fall into the trap of buying shrimp and steak and cooking it at home, then patting themselves on the back for not spending money on eating out. Dave Ramsey from Financial Peace University and the Dave Ramsey Show (See links in resources) is well known for saying "Beans and Rice, Rice and Beans" and that is about what you should be eating if you want to be a Frugal Tightwad. There are other things that are almost as cheap. Spaghetti sauce in a can and noodles, a head of lettuce with vinegar and oil dressing, and buttered bread makes a perfectly tasty, very cheap meal. There are so many things like this that are super cheap that you can eat on almost nothing. Especially if you use coupons and other super saver ideas for grocery shopping. Stay away from the frozen, pre-made foods and stick to rice, noodles, beans, and canned food. If you have to eat meat, choose chicken or ground meat. Think of it as filling a hole, taking care of a physical need.
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Step 3
Unplug to Save MoneySave on utilities. My brother has to be one of the cheapest people I know. He is so cheap he has a brick in his toilet tank to take up space so that he uses less water. He is the epitome of Frugal Tightwad and we could all learn from his example. Want to save money with your air conditioner and heater? Leave them off! Want to save gas? Don't drive with your A/C on. These are tightwad tips that my brother puts into practice everyday. He lives by himself with a part time job and pays all of his bills on time. You can put up shades, insulate doors and windows, wear long underwear, and use a wood burning stove to keep warm. You can strip down to your undies, use fans and drink cold iced tea to keep cool. Unless the temperature is below freezing or above 100 degrees, you can keep your thermostat in the off position and save a ton of money.
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Step 4
True Tightwads Don't Smoke!Put it down! If you don't need it to live, you don't need it. Stop smoking, stop drinking, stop going by the coffee shop and if you are doing drugs you definitely should stop. You can't even get a lot of jobs, much less do them if you are on drugs. I am amazed at the people that I have seen standing in welfare lines going outside while they are waiting to smoke a cigarette. You can't afford food to feed your kids but you can sure afford a pack of cigarettes everyday. Don't get mad at me, I was once there myself. I smoked for over 15 years and tried to quit 7 times. If I can do it anyone can! My big secret? After trying to quit 7 times I finally got on my knees and asked God to help me. Now I haven't had a cigarette, or anything else, in over 8 years.
Comments
highcloud said
on 11/9/2009 Great article. eating steaks and shrimps at home doesn't save any money because of the cost involved. Nice job!! 5*
highcloud said
on 11/9/2009 Great article. eating steaks and shrimps at home doesn't save any money because of the cost involved. Nice job!! 5*
NatalieJ said
on 10/31/2009 Great article on how to be a frugal tightwad. 5*
jeriaht said
on 10/27/2009 Good article on being frugal! 5* rec
alltrails said
on 10/25/2009 Excellent article on how to be a frugal tightwad. I will definitely think about this before I pull out my wallet. Especially the part about eating plainly. 5 stars - thanks!