There are some frugal behaviors that I have to practice very, very mindfully. Like, every month, like clockwork, I get this yen to go off to my favorite nail salon and get a pedicure. And every month I have to actively fight the urge NOT to do so. It’s still very unnatural for me to just default to doing my own toes.
But this is not so with every frugal behavior. Over the years, I’ve really internalized some aspects of frugality – that is, I’ve gotten to a point where being frugal about some things comes so naturally to me, that I don’t even consider the alternative anymore. For example, I would never consider:
– Buying clothes that aren’t on sale. I literally have not purchased a full-priced clothing item at a store besides H&M (where the clothes are super cheap to begin with) in over a year. I go straight to the sale rack every time I go shopping and if I want something that’s not on sale, I wait for it go on sale. If it never does, I just assume that it wasn’t meant to be 🙂
– Buying household items (cleansers, dish soap, etc.) at the grocery store. I used to just pick up my household items at Safeway because it was convenient but they are so much more expensive at the grocery store than they are at Target. Now, I don’t even think about picking up sponges or laundry detergent on my grocery runs – I just naturally wait until my next Target trip.
– Paying full price for cable/premium channels. Cable companies are always running promotions, so I just make sure to call every six months or so and explain that I can only pay so much. They’re usually happy to work with me, as opposed to losing a customer.
– Using paper plates and plastic cutlery. It’s shameful, but I used to occasionally buy disposable plates, cups, and flatware because I was too lazy to wash dishes (I don’t have a dishwasher). I cannot believe how wasteful that was, both environmentally and financially. It would never cross my mind to do that again!
I’m pretty proud of the improvements I’ve made in my frugality, but I could always make improvements. I still eat and drink out too much and there’s that damn pedicure urge! I suppose I’m still a work-in-progress :-/
What about you? Which frugal habits come easily to you and which ones are still a struggle?
