Category Archives: Frugal

Learn how to pinch your pennies without giving up the good things in life here at the Families.com Frugal Living Blog.

The Free Money Box

In our home, we have a free money box. Thanks to this box, we have been able to afford things, both necessities and treats, that we might not otherwise have, or at least been able to justify. To start our free money box, I purchased an inexpensive but sturdy cardboard box with a lid and label. I titled the label, and set to work. I started by going through the house and gathering up all of the unused gift cards that we had from the many places that they were hiding: drawers, purses, bags, cards, closets, pockets, etc. All of … Continue reading →

Touring the City on Less: Hotel Accommodations

For a great summer travel experience, consider touring a city, whether near or far. Stay for a weekend or a week (or more) and explore all that your city has to offer. Of course, you will want to do it for less. So far in this series, we have offered ways to save on transportation within the city, and on great food experiences. If you missed those articles, you can find the links below. Touring the City on Less: Touring Busses Touring the City on Less:  Food Extravaganza Today, I am going to talk about hotel accommodations. My frugal self … Continue reading →

Touring the City on Less: Food Extravaganza

The summer and fall are great times to tour a fun city. Of course, you want to do it for less. Yesterday I shared the money-saving way to save on transportation around the city. If you missed that post, you can find it here. Today it is all about having a food extravaganza. Part of the fun of visiting a city is all of the great food that you can try. Most cities offer a variety of great food, different fusions and ethnic dishes, traditional and down home fare. It would be a shame to waste this opportunity because of … Continue reading →

Touring the City on Less: Touring Busses

 I spent a great day touring the city with my best friend from college. Fortunately, we did not spend much money at all. Here are some of the techniques we used to spend less and see more. First up: The local touring bus. Whenever my friend visits a new city, one of the first things that she does is to find out about the local touring busses. These are vehicles that are usually double-decker with the top open. Sometimes the busses are actually trolleys. Tourists can ride on the top as a tour guide narrates the various attractions throughout the city. … Continue reading →

Frugal Attitudes Are Here to Stay

According to a Deloitte’s 2013 American Pantry Study, a whopping 94% of consumers are keeping their frugal attitude. The study said that, even if the economy improves, these consumers plan to remain cautious and keep their spending at current levels. It seems that many of us are taking the lessons that we have learned during the great recession and are developing a new relationship with our money and with our debt. Families who once didn’t blink twice about running up thousands or even hundreds of thousand dollars in debt are working hard to pay everything down, creating budgets and sticking with them. … Continue reading →

When I Am Feeling Entitled

Entitlement. It creeps up in almost every family. That feeling or thought that you have not only a right to all that you possess, but a right to more and more. Sometimes we all need a little perspective about that. In general, my kids are pretty good when it comes to appreciating our blessings and not asking for more. But, let us face it, they are kids. It can be a little difficult to feel blessed when friends around them seem to have so much more, or when a parent, like me, complains about what we have, such as the … Continue reading →

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

One of my favorite books to share with my children is Simms Taback’s Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. The tale tells of Joseph who had, what else, but a favorite little overcoat. Eventually it gets “old and worn.” Instead of throwing it away, he makes it into a jacket. Once that also gets “old and worn,” the jacket becomes a scarf, and so on. Joseph continues to transform his garments as needed until he is down to just a button. Unfortunately, the button gets lost, but despite this development, Joseph still manages to make something out of it. The book … Continue reading →

Is The Free Resort Stay Worth It?

Lately, I have been getting a lot of mail offering me invitations to stay for free at one resort or another. The invitations promise that I could invite my spouse and any children that we have. In exchange for a night or two or three at a fabulous resort, all I have to do is to sit in on a meeting. Well, of course you may know what theses offers really are, attempts to sell vacation time shares. The meeting may last up to a half a day, and I could be subjected to many different sales techniques in order … Continue reading →

Curbing Consumerism

Getting consumerism under control, that is purchasing and spending what is not needed, is the quickest way to save money and affect your budget in the positive. But, what is consumerism? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, consumerism is: 1: the promotion of the consumer’s interests 2: the theory that an increasing consumption of goods is economically desirable; also : a preoccupation with and an inclination toward the buying of consumer goods. It is that last bit we are concerned about. Having a preoccupation toward buying a lot is never good, and it can lead to some serious financial repercussions. Our … Continue reading →

Make Your Bargain Hunting Work for You

I love getting bargains and good deals, but I don’t love the clutter that those bargains often bring to my house. I know I am not alone after a conversation I had with a friend yesterday, She is in the process of downsizing to a smaller home and is overwhelmed with the amount of stuff that she must deal with in her current home. She confessed, “It is hard for me to pass up a bargain! When you find something fabulous for just a couple of dollars, how can you not buy it?” Well, I am not going to get … Continue reading →