- Know how much stuff costs. I shop sales weekly in the grocery store, but the "mark up to mark down" trick is always in play. I shop with a list, use coupons, but I know from week to week how much stuff costs.
- Be sure to assess value. It is OK to pay a premium for convenience, as a treat, or to save frustration. But key is value as of this moment. This leads back to #1 above. Know how much things cost.
- Avoid waste. This means inventory and vigilance.
I knew I was becoming frugal when I noticed a favorite recipe uses sesame seeds. Seeing we were out, I put it on the list, but this is something not used a lot. I got to the store, shopped for this little used commodity...and a bottle was $7. For seeds. Yes, I needed some, but then in a fit of frugality, saved to old bottle and vowed to start collecting the toasted sesame seeds found in the bottom of each bag of sesame rolls I buy. Now *that's* frugal.
January 23, 2021 at 10:22PM
