My Frugal Childhood
As a child, I didn’t even know the real meaning of the term “tightwad”, but I had the perfect example in my dad. I remember this one time when he dropped by to help me spiff up my old RV. When leaving, he handed me a book. It was so dirt-streaked and grimy that I could hardly make out the title. Turns out, it was his copy of “The Tightwad Gazette” which he’d been carrying in his truck for years.
Cleaning up the book, I started reading and began thinking about all the frugal life skills my family had taught me.
The Power of Change
So many folks overlook loose change on the sidewalk or don’t bother with their change after shopping. Not me. I keep a jar for all my spare change, transferring it to the bank when full. You’d be surprised at how much it accumulates over time—it’s like magic!
Why Quality Matters
I’ll never forget my dad’s ketchup lesson. Shopping with my mom was a free-for-all, but shopping with dad was all about comparing prices and making sure we were getting the most bang for our buck. Once, I was proud to find a cheaper, generic ketchup, only to be sent back by my dad for the more expensive Heinz one. His rationale? Quality matters. It’s a lesson that has stayed with me, even if I’m not that picky about my ketchup brand.
Composting
Gran was another great teacher. She’d keep all her compostable waste in a container under the sink. Every day, she’d take it out to the garden. She had a lush garden and threw out a lot less trash than anyone else I know.
So, what frugal life tips did you pick up from your family members?