Let me divert from my university recklessness for a moment to ask you a question. Do you think thriftiness comes with age? Is it experience which makes you thrifty in the long run or is it something inherent to your nature? I know a few of my friends were very definitely born penny pinchers and a great many of them are also naturally as reckless with money as I was.
When I first set up A Thrifty Mrs, just as the financial poop started to hit the fast, spinny thing - thrift and frugality seemed to come with a 'fuddy-duddy' cloak. Before I mentioned my age or did outfit posts people assumed I was around 40 because and I quote 'that's the age people get into penny pinching.' Umm really? Wow! It hadn't occurred to me before that point, that thrifty and frugal lifestyles were in any way related to age. Sure, if you're older you may well have more life experience (equally you may not) and know the best way to stretch a pay packet but considering circumstance often dictates action - anyone at any age can be saddled with debt, recession and the job market from hell.
For me, money issues stopped me dead in my tracks as a newlywed, aged 24 - I had no choice whatsoever but to start on the thrifty path. This year I'm seeing a lot of younger readers coming to A Thrifty Mrs and adopting thrifty lifestyles. I'm sure part of it isn't through choice, our current financial climate is forcing people to cut back, scrimp, save and fight for every penny. However I'm also seeing a lot of young people who come here, who are fortunate enough to be well off, or in well paying jobs and they still actively pursue a frugal lifestyle. It definitely seems to be a trend I'm noticing more and more as someone running a lifestyle blog centred around money saving issues. And more power to them I say.
When I started reusing things, making face masks, using what I had instead of buying new I was branded 'a modern granny' by my friends but fast forward 5 years and it seems everyone is actively cutting back whether it is through necessity or not. I'd never wish for economic collapse (especially the social and personal repercussions) and I'm sure the bad is out weighing the good - however it would be silly not to stand up and say 'actually the recession has brought about some good things' (did I just say that?) because it has taught a fragment of a new generation to take control of their finances before they can wind up in debt. The landscape of thrift has changed over the last five years and I for one am glad to see more fresh faces who are proud of their frugality.
At what age did you decide to give your life a thrifty slant? What spurred you on?
TTFN,
P.S. Do you think people have preconceptions about those who lead thrifty lifestyles? Do you think age is attached to that?
I actually think I was more thrifty at uni because I was paying my own way through and knew that if I didn't save and work hard during my holidays, then spend it wisely during term time, that I wouldn't get my degree. It was my thrifty lifestyle that allowed me to save money to go travelling when I left uni. I think I'm worse at saving now because I have more income, and having spent years seeing my friends in nice new clothes, I want a bit of the action! However, I still love a charity shop bargain, cook all my meals from scratch, and make my own cards/presents etc where I can. I never spend more than I earn, and have saved since I've been working, though just not as much as i could have. I think a lot of my friends still see "thrifty living" as fuddy duddy and old fashioned, there are very few who would be seen dead in a charity shop, and even fewer who would make presents rather than buy. I think they will come around though! x
ReplyDeleteP.s. recently discovered your blog, and not only is it full of good tips, it makes me laugh a lot! I love it!
ReplyDeleteI was thrifty as a young stay at home mum and had to stretch every pound. I bought second hand for the children, used cloth nappies, home cooked, when I bought a house at 29, I stretched myself too far. I was forced 'back to frugality' but so wish I'd been like you and more sensible with money. The silliest thing I did, although I love them sooooooooo much, was having children I could barely afford to feed or house.
ReplyDeleteWhen I started going to uni - my parents couldn't give me any information about budgeting or finance, so I had to teach myself! There's something about having a finite amount iof money, 3/5 of which is eaten up by your rent, that encourages you to be thrifty and responsible!
ReplyDeleteI think I've always enjoyed a bargain but when I was at university I really started watching and worrying about what I was spending. Yes I was a little reckless but overall I didn't spend outside my means which I think is a really important way of thinking. If you can't afford it then you can't get it simple as. There's no point in over stretching yourself just for that one night out or the hottest outfit. It's often a mindset that you have to get your head around for saving money to really work for you!
ReplyDeleteAbi x
I have been thrifty since I went to fashion college in NYC because at the time you had to look the part to be in the fashion industry. It was necessary to be thrifty in all the other aspects of my life to support the fashion career part. It served me very well as I built a solid wardrobe and great work ethic. I am still wearing some of the pieces I bought 20 years ago.
ReplyDeleteI think traditionally it was an age thing, especially when you reached the stage of life where you were responsible for others. Now it feeds nicely into a trend and there is pride in saying, "I only paid £xxx". I think travel has also shown us (in the UK) that large swathes of the rest of the modern world don't pay what we pay for stuff. Been to USA with a shopping list? So, some of it may be a backlash against the feeling of being ripped off.
ReplyDeleteI've always been pretty thrifty but I've noticed lately that I've become less so due to circumstance. It sounds stupid, but we don't have room for me to get out a pile of old clothes and remake them or to make an old ugly piece of furniture pretty so it's tough. I'm still thrifty in other ways though.. and I can't wait to move into my new house, it's massive and I'm sharing with lovely people so we'll all get thrifty & crafty together!! :)
ReplyDeleteI’m 19 and am thrifty through necessity (as i am in uni) and just because i can’t stand paying over the odds for something i know i don’t have to pay that much for! Not so much now, but in the past i think there has definitely been a social stigma attached to people who try to be frugal with their money/resources and i think part of this had something to do with connotations with the old war time generation and making everything stretch that little but further. However, recently i think we are seeing huge change in this and all of a sudden it has become almost trendy to thrift - when people ask me where i got a jumper or a dress from and i say "a charity shop" i don’t get 'the look' i was so used to getting anymore and i think that’s great. My sister and i, (age 16), love nothing more than to rummage at a car boot, charity shop or haberdashery - I don’t think I can remember when I last paid full price for something ha-ha! For me, i thrift and find way to make my money stretch further because I’m not prepared to give up certain things like buying new clothes/makeup/shoes etc. but also I’m not prepared to financially cripple myself for the sake of an overpriced lip stick. I get a kick out of buying an old dress for £1 and then jazzing it up and walking down the street with no one cottoning on that my whole outfit cost under £3 - i think that’s great!
ReplyDeleteI tend to agree, with the age issue, as when I became a young parent, I spent a fortune on my kids and lived on plastic. And sadly in the end, my hubby tried to OD [I didnt realise how close to bankrupt we were] and ended up getting an IVA. which made it impossible to get any form of credit after we paid it off.
ReplyDeleteNow we have to watch the pennies, we both have good jobs, but I really like making do and making mend and buying second hand.
My mum has always been watch the pennies. She only buys things when she needs them and loves the whoops and reducies and gives us things. I also like to buy things in the sale, such as 3 bottles of china glaze nailpolish for 1.20 a bottle.
Plus fashion is dong a 360 all the time, so I tend to keep the essentials and buy the odd item I need.
Plus it is getting tighter and you cannot go out for the day anytime you like. So we save and then go out. I am only just learning now at 37 how to appricate a little goes a long way and you dont need to spend, spend, spend. Allie
I have decided to become "thrifty" this year at 26 due to after looking at bank statements and questioning what I was buying, I never went over what I was earning, as like Abi mentioned above if you don't have the money in your pocket you don't get it! But if I wanted something I would buy it and more often than not it would stay in my wardrobe worn/used once and then would be given to my younger sister. I would buy handbags galore and at one point I had I'm ashamed to say I had 35 handbags I mean who needs 35 handbags!!! I now think carefully about if I want something if I'm not 100% sure that I like it I don't buy. I go to carboots and can have a little indulge in my love of handbags if I see a nice one but always set myself a limit.
ReplyDeleteThis year I am going for homemade christmas presents were I can. I have set up a little spreadsheet like you mentioned in a previous blog post to help spread the cost and work out what ive made for who.
My personal thriftyness comes from exprience and nurture, my parents had second hand furniture when we were younger and it was only when I was 18 that they treated themselves to a brand new sofa. I moved out last year and took great pride when friends came over and admired certain pieces of decor and I could say carboot sale £2!!
Being thrifty on something's means I have more money for other nice things as well as savings!
hi love your blog it has great tips but its also really funny. Like you I start being thrifty when I go married and as a newly wed you need to be much more careful with money. Thanks for the help and tips xx
ReplyDeleteI am 17 and I love buying cheap products and styling them up.
ReplyDeletexxx
Vee
I'm so glad I started my thrifty-ness this year at the age of just 15, I will never be able to revert back to buying only retail stores clothes. It's something that now I've discovered it, it's never going to leave me. I know people my age who spend £40 on a shirt? £30 on a pair on trousers? It's crazy and makes me laugh if I'm honestly. I think to myself, "Those River Island shorts I'm wearing? Cost me a mere £2 when it would have cost you maybe £40." Us thrifters are clever individuals!
ReplyDeletehttp://thriftoclock.blogspot.co.uk/
I have always been a bit tight (aka thrifty)! I don't think people realise unless I tell them, you can't see my designer stuff is chazza shop and my other clothes EBay/sale bought...
ReplyDeleteIn most other ways I am a reckless idiot though, so it balances out.
One from the 'older' generation' here. But I do not think being thrifty is an age thing, I think it usually comes to most of us along the way. Some are just better at it than others, some embrace the chance and feel better for it, some hate it and struggle. My Grandmothers were thrifty, my Mother was not. She grew up in the era after the war when everything was re-used and consequently she loved new things. We used to worry about what else she would have thrown out while we were at school and replaced with brand new, but cheap mass produced items. Out went our inherited fine furniture from Ireland and England. Even though she could not afford it, she spent like a demon. I grew up in the 60s/70s and loved vintage things. Especially as I could pick them up at charity shops and flea markets. I also sold them. It was trendy in those days to wear 'antique' clothes and furnish the house with victorian items. In my 30s I suddenly earned a lot of money and turned into my Mother, shopping until I was exhausted. We had the lot, big house, country cottage, racehorses, sports car and designer clothes. One day something clicked and we realised we were not healthy or happy. We gave it all up and moved to the countryside - and now we are thrify once again as we were when we were young. My Mother-in-law reads all of the 'latest' info about how to save and make the most of things and she smiles, she's been doing it all of her life!
ReplyDeleteIve Grown up with being Thrifty , its only since ive graduated university at 21 that i've realised its pretty handy , heck even half my university books were sourced from second hand shops etc!
ReplyDeleteI think I was born thrifty! I am 46 and my Mum is now 84 (Dad would be 87)so they were teenagers during WW2, and their parents went through WW1. Both families were poor and I grew up thinking that rationing was still on! (I remember a coat when I was about 9, that my mother bought from a workmate for me; I was thrilled!) I have never made any money and although I enjoy buying stuff my hubby practically has to force me to buy anything costing more than a fiver. "Well, you're having it!" he says as he marches me to the checkout. We have no debt and have only ever been in debt once, unavoidably.
ReplyDeleteI really identify with this - I think that having parents who came thru WW2 definitely affects your mindset. I am 57
DeleteBeing thrifty was never really something I had done when I was younger but since moving into our own place and having numerous bills to pay as well as a wedding to save for & Christmas poking its head around the corner it is something we have learned to do as a couple. I guess when I was younger the money I earned from my part time job was used on nights out and new clothes etc. I also had the advantage of a student loan which I spent far too much of on un-necessary things. What with the way the current economy is going and prices are constantly on the rise I think being thrifty can also be re-named as being smart & not whittling away your hard earned pennies on things you don't need. I am a big believer in treating yourself but definitely within reason - unless your a multi bazilionaire lady of leisure! (I wish) x
ReplyDeleteLove this post and love the whole thread too!!
ReplyDeleteI'm 28 and very thrifty, I've always been a bit of a bargain hunter which I think comes from family traits. But this year I got into couponing and freebie websites and I get my weekly shop for 20% of the Cost I used to. I feel such an achievement when at the till!
I bought all my Christmas cards and wrap in the January sales this year to save money on Christmas this year, being organised can pay off.
I think people associate being thrifty with age but when I speak to people my age so many people are doing it. Why pay more for things when you can live the same quality of life for less!
Such an interesting post! Whilst I wasn't born thrifty, I was brought up by my grandparents who were incredibly thrifty themselves and much more likely to make do and mend. That said I was also an only child and spoilt rotten!
ReplyDeleteHowever, Ever since getting my Thrifty badge at Girl Guides (because it had a pig on the actual badge!) I have been into to making the most of what I had. I grew up making things, being into craft and then got into a serious eBay selling habit throughout uni and even though I was a bit reckless with cash at times, it was way better than it could have been. I'm now debt free and still looking at the pennies. So I don't think it is an older persons thing. I'm under 30 (just) and embrace it, as do an increasing amount of my friends. Thrift is fun!
I've always been a bit thrifty. Growing up in a house where we had to save for everything meant that it was always in my blood. I have always planned my meals and bought my food shopping accordingly...I'm know for going to 4 different supermarkets to get my weekly shop. I always allow myself 1 treat a week, normally a tub of luxury ice cream or a fillet steak. Recently I have started knitting my own hats (you have your cardies, I have hats) I was even super frugal with my wedding, £25 for my dress and home made wedding invites. The only thing I ever splurge on is tattoos. Every spare penny my husband and I have now goes into saving to get our own house and well for hopefully the new additions.
ReplyDeleteI'm more thrifty since I became a mother. In my 18th year alone I racked up almost £7000 of debt. A year later I became pregnant with my first daughter, moved into a tiny flat just the three of us and ended up living on just £100 a week even though we both worked full time. Since then we have gone on to have another daughter, moved into a house and had to start budgeting more. Next year we are getting married for £1000 all in. It's going to be the day I marry my best friend and if that's on homemade sandwiches and a dress from China, so be it!
ReplyDeleteI definitely think going through hard times make you appreciate things more. I honestly think if I became well off tomorrow that I would still buy from Poundland and high street fashion because I didn't grow up with money and I know it's not necessary to have a lot to be happy or successful.
My thriftiness has come about in a similar way to yours; when I was a 24 year old newlywed. We got married and bought a house in the same year that was much bigger than we were used to so not only did we have to cut back to cope with the cost of actually buying a house but now our general household bills and such are much larger.
ReplyDeleteTo add to that I'm not working at the minute due to long term mental health issshhooooes so at the moment we live on just my husband's income. He's a behaviour support assistant at a special school which pays really quite poorly. We struggle but we get by with being sensible and thrifty! You've said this before somewhere and I totally agree that being thrifty doesn't mean that you don't buy big purchases or never buy anything that costs more than a fiver. When we make big purchases we search around, compare different products and try to make the most cost effective decision.
Buuuut that doesn't mean we don't occasionally go over the top and my husband spends £40 on boiled egg balls that smell worse than shit on a hot day for fishing and I decide that the 38 balls of wool in varying shades of blue just aren't enough and I need moooooooore. It's a learning curve :D
I'm not sure whether thrift is something which comes with age. Certainly, the connotations are there that it's something which older people think about, and maybe that's down to the more recent generations not having to act in that way, because it has been (until recently anyway) so easy for them to get into debts by borrowing money they couldn't afford to pay back.
ReplyDeleteNow people seem to be taking notice, and I think it's those who have amore sensible outlook on life who look towards thrifiness to find ways of stretching their money.
When I moved out of home with J, aged 21. I'm 25 now and I was REALLY reckless with money as soon as I hit 18 and was allowed credit cards. My Mum and Dad have always been against them so I used to get them anyway and hide them, and what I bought with them - quite devious actually! When I moved out, these debts came with me, along with the expense of paying for rent and bills, and at first I found it really hard to adapt (and wished I hadn't been so stupid in the first place) but I'm grateful because I've learnt. And especially after I lost my job at the beginning of the year, I think things over before I impulsively buy. I feel sick if I have to spend a lot of money because I'd rather it was sitting in my bank. I also started to compare a purchase with my hourly wage, and think along the lines of "would I work 15 minutes right now to get this nail varnish?" or "Should I get this taxi? It'll cost an hour of work" and usually the answer would be no.
ReplyDeleteI love finding deals and bargains, it's like a rush. Although sometimes I do go OTT if it's cheap, but that's another thing I'm learning from ;)
I'm 19 and have always been thrifty, I think. My family has never had much money, so we've had to be thrifty, instead of choosing to be. I'm now at university, and because I'm living at home, I have quite a lot of spare money, but I'm still sensible with it. Even if I come into a lot of money one day, I think I'll still be sensible with it and try to find the best item of value - It's in my nature!
ReplyDeleteI think you are born with skills with money. One of my closest friends comes from a wealthy family, but is the tightest person I've ever met, resulting in him buying his first home in Sale Moor (not cheap) and paying the mortgage off in 6 years. I came from a single parent home, albeit a professional one, where money was always tight but we had the best of everything, and Mum was so thrifty it hurt, and I spend like it's going out of style. It's like money burns a hole in my pocket. I've had periods of no money at all and managed quite well, but as soon as its back in, I'm off. I'm hopeless, and need someone to take charge. I guess it will have to be me that does this though. I remember Dad getting a windfall hen he was in quite poor circumstances and buggering off to Ibiza on a yacht for a week, so I must have inherited that gene. Pah.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's age-related. I've always been thrifty because I enjoy the challenge. I think I get it from my dad. He's what one would call a "cheap skate". My mum would be the type to buy shoes and handbags on impulse. I do love them too but like DNA, I guess I'm a bit of both!
ReplyDeleteI am a sixteen year old girl living in Australia, and I have found that thrifting has become a HUGE trend with quite a lot of the teenage population. I'm not sure if you have heard of it, but so many teens are inspired by 'Indie' style which often includes, sometimes, kind of dressing like a granny. If you google something like Indie fashion and go to images I'm sure you will find an example. Alas, it has become a huge trend, and I'm quite positive it is not just in Australia. If you go to the shops so many clothes are inspired by crochet, lace, velvet, and generally a lot of traditional thrift store items. Unfortunately these shops sell them for ten times the price the of the item it was originally inspired by. I'm not ashamed to admit I quite like this new trend, and I think it's great that so many teenagers go shopping at second-hand stores. It definitely helps the environment, and your purse! Most girls my age are looking to save money for nights out or a new car for when they can drive. Times have definitely changed, even in the short time of five years. Five years ago, even as an eleven year old girl, I would never buy clothes from a second-hand shop (mind you, I was always a lover of knick knacks, and a thrift store is definitely the place for those!) I don't even think sixteen year olds in 2007, unlike in 2012, would go shopping for a new outfit at their local thrift store. Obviously now I've wised up a bit and I LOVE mooching around second-hand shops. You never know what kind of treasure you may find. I mean, you can't really lose when you buy clothes for such cheap prices.
ReplyDeleteSo, now that I've written an essay as a reply, I think that times have changed, and these new popular styles have certainly impacted the amount of people shopping at thrift stores. Of course, it is also impacted by the amount of people who are financially troubled. Thrifting is a necessity for some people, and I have been in that boat too. Even though I am still supported by my family, so many new costs just pop up all the time. Years ago, like you said, I think it was assumed that only older people shopped in second-hand stores (even though this evidently wasn't the case.) Now, it's almost 'hip' to do this. It makes me wonder where thrift stores will stand in another five years time. Who will be shopping at them? Will the stereotype return to 'older' people?
I think circumstance had more to do with it for me than age- like many others!
ReplyDeleteI left college at 18, got a well paid job in a bank, bought a house, furnished it and lived a very good life, first singly, then with my partner, until I was 21. Then we got pregnant and had Isaac... Ever since my maternity pay dropped, and the baby's needs definitely need to be put before a new shiny pair of shoes for myself, I've found myself becoming much more thrifty. I've always loved charity shops anyway, so to shop there for my clothes instead of some high street store doesn't bother me, and crafting has always been my 'thing' so I've been able to utilise that which has helped a lot!
I'm due back at work in November but I honestly don't think my ways will change- since I joined the blogging community and came across tips and tricks galore it's become a lot less of a chore and much more of a hobby for me that I thoroughly enjoy. That's right- I'm 22 and I heart boot sales and home made facials! Woop! xx
I'm not as thrifty as lot of people. But I do try to manage my money a lot. I'm only 20, but my mom has raised me to not waste a lot of money if it's not necessary.
ReplyDeleteI think it is in you. I used to shop in a seconhand clothes shop eons ago, when i was 18. I am 37 now. The clothes then were not known as 'vintage', they were just cheap. The shop was called 'Curiouser and Curiouser' and it had really cute painted windy steps. I still wish I had some of the lovely old clothes that I bought there for a quid each. So it isn't even just the thriftiness aspect for me. I think the clothes and things of yesteryear are sometimes more magic and exciting anyway, in addition to being cheap.
ReplyDeleteBefore my daughter's birthday, I trundled around the chazzer shops finding things for her, although I bought new things too. Some other mums looked appalled when I said I bought things for her secondhand and said they would never put their children in secondhand clothes. I felt a bit awful for a bit, but then just thought how ridiculous they were being. I remember a gorgeous one pound brand new Monsoon cardi I found for her in a charity shop, lush!
Pixie, I love the idea of children in secondhand clothes. They grow so fast and hardly wear out the very pretty things you can buy today. It is a sad thing that some people feel they must dress children in new, they need to listen to Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colours! Sounds like you are wise! x
DeleteAnother one from the older generation, brought up in the 50s when rationing was still fresh in peoples minds, frugality was normal, probably necessary.
ReplyDeleteLiving through the inflation years, with easy-to-get loans and credit, and with a wife (now ex) who thought she needed everything now, it's easy to fall into the 'spend today we'll be OK tomorrow' mindset.
Being made homeless, jobless and destitute at 55 resulted in enforced frugality, but I've realised how litle money we really need to live.
So not necessarily an age thing, but I think we learn as we get older.
Interesting topic! I'm only 19 and still live with my parents (except they don't pay for things other than food and school), and it took a couple excessive shopping trips for my bank account to wind down to $0. Before I knew it I was out of a job and miserable because this meant I couldn't have a social life or even update my blog with shiny new purchases. So, personally, I think a person has to live through an experience where money isn't readily available for them until they become "thrifty".
ReplyDeleteabundanceoferica.blogspot.ca
Definitely out of necessity here. With college to pay for, a baby to look after and a husband in a job that could pay better, expensive things are more or less out of reach. Our new TV required a lot of saving and a lot of research to make sure we weren't going to waste our money.
ReplyDeletePlus, I get great pleasure out of a bargain. So that helps a lot.
I've been thrifty for years and years... since I was a young girl actually. My Mum used to comment that I was "tighter than a gnats arse" and sometimes that is true. OK, so others who I've worked with may have the new Mulberry bag, a brand new watch costing a grand or whatever, but I know that those things don't matter to me and there are other things that make me happy :)
ReplyDeleteI started being thrifty at 17 because I got kicked out of home for being generally horrid. I love being thrifty (my wedding dress cost £15 mostly because it wasn't a "wedding dress"). I think that being thrifty is ace and I heart you Mrs T for sharong all your top tips x
ReplyDeleteOr sharing!
ReplyDeleteI grew up with thriftiness. We would jokingly call our dad stingy when he chose the reduced price food in the supermarket, or the cheapest yoghurt (but the most horrible flavours. He always replied that he wasn't stingy, just thrifty. We all wore hand me downs, given to us by family friends, and Mum cooked everything from scratch, no packaged crap in our house. Apart from the bizarre flavoured, but cheap, yoghurts.
ReplyDeleteI went to university in the good old days when your fees got paid, and you got a grant. Student loans came in my second year. However, money was still tight and I'd have to budget carefully. I did what I was used to, made food from scratch, happily went shopping in charity shops etc. When I got my first full time job, I foolishly got a few store cards and didn't pay off the balance in full. But when I decided that I wanted to work abroad, I wanted to go with a clean slate so I paid all my debts off. When I moved abroad, I stuck to a strict budget every month and managed to save.
Now I'm a flatowner (and the age where I'm suddenly supposed to be interested in being thrifty), and my priorities have changed. Now I save to buy stuff for the flat, instead of new clothes every weekend. But I even do that in a thrifty way, I get stuff from Ikea, or I scour second hand shops for something more unusual. Also, I like to spend my holidays travelling, so I prioritise money for that, instead of super expensive skin products, like I did when I was younger.
I grew up with thriftiness. We would jokingly call our dad stingy when he chose the reduced price food in the supermarket, or the cheapest yoghurt (but the most horrible flavours. He always replied that he wasn't stingy, just thrifty. We all wore hand me downs, given to us by family friends, and Mum cooked everything from scratch, no packaged crap in our house. Apart from the bizarre flavoured, but cheap, yoghurts.
ReplyDeleteI went to university in the good old days when your fees got paid, and you got a grant. Student loans came in my second year. However, money was still tight and I'd have to budget carefully. I did what I was used to, made food from scratch, happily went shopping in charity shops etc. When I got my first full time job, I foolishly got a few store cards and didn't pay off the balance in full. But when I decided that I wanted to work abroad, I wanted to go with a clean slate so I paid all my debts off. When I moved abroad, I stuck to a strict budget every month and managed to save.
Now I'm a flatowner (and the age where I'm suddenly supposed to be interested in being thrifty), and my priorities have changed. Now I save to buy stuff for the flat, instead of new clothes every weekend. But I even do that in a thrifty way, I get stuff from Ikea, or I scour second hand shops for something more unusual. Also, I like to spend my holidays travelling, so I prioritise money for that, instead of super expensive skin products, like I did when I was younger.
At 17 I consider myself reasonably careful with money. Seeing as I'm in my last year at school I've started putting away £10 each month for the next year so that I'll have enough money to buy all the basics I'll need in time for next September. Taking art at school has often meant that I need to buy copious amounts of fabric, beads and paints - instead of going into town and spending large amounts of money I instead turn to eBay, where you buy items from China for extremely low prices. I'm also a fond fan of charity shops, I've found many items for myself and my room as well as other things that can be cut up for fabric. I've also found places like 'The Book People'and 'The Works' are great alternatives for Amazon for when buying books. The Boots advantage card is also a great thing to own, especially as you'll always buy things in 'Boots'. I'm saving my points up till Christmas when I'll use them to buy presents using their 3 for 2 offer. It's all basic stuff, but it's amazing just how much money you can save by being sensible.
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I'm in my late twenties and have been thrifty for as long as I can remember. My mum and dad didn't have much money so I just picked up the habit. When I went to university it served me well - I didn't have a clue how to look after my little naive self, but I automatically did my shopping at Kwick Save (RIP, looked for the best deals, kept on charity shopping and mending clothes. I've never been well off so my frugal roots have served me well, and now I can't imagine living any other way if I had the money to. I think some good has come out of the recession because it's caused lots of people to review their consumption and do and make more for themselves, which although it's a necessity right now will have a positive long term impact.
ReplyDeletei've been thrifty for as long as i can remember lol...and i definitely think thats a good thing. That way, when there's a sudden rainy day, you don't find it hard to improvise ways to save money, because you're so used to doing it already.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't particularly thrifty during my undergrad years (lived in London for a year which didn't help!), but didn't go too mad. The only things that got me into debt were a trip to Kenya (which was subsidised by the uni, but I still couldn't afford without my overdraft) and some expensive dentistry which I had no emergency fund to fall back on.
ReplyDeleteWhen I graduated I had maxed out my overdraft (£1600 interest free) and most of a £500 credit card (student card so low interest), and THEN my car died (live in rural Cornwall so needed one to get to work), so had to borrow some money from my boyfriend as well as start saving like crazy to try and start paying things back.
By researching how to budget, I came across frugal living. I'd never really been exposed to it much; my family has a pretty low income but they tend to just live payday to payday. It was inspiring to see people living on not a lot and saving up for emergencies, so that's what I did!
One year later (and on crappy minimum wage jobs) I've managed to pay back over £2500 of borrowed money, saved £1000 for emergencies as well as another £2000 for deposit, moving costs and first couple of month's rent living debt free starting a PhD! :) (Helps that I was living at home only paying £40 a week board!). Frugal-living is the way forward for me now though, this time at Uni I will be living better for less! :)
I wasn't really thrifty whilst at university, however straight after uni I landed a job and became the sole funder of a family of two adults and a part time child.
ReplyDeleteI think that responsibility helped me realise the importance of money and being thrifty has just come from there.
I think for some it comes with age, but for me I've always been thrifty. I am very careful about money and have been since I can remember getting an allowance. I have a hard time spending more than $20 at one time so I can't really complain, haha! I'm glad I've learnt to be so careful with money at such a young age and before I get to uni (I'm only 18..starting university in a week!)
ReplyDeleteAva Tallulah
iv always been good at saving money and never wasted anything...it isnt because iv been without money at any point in my life, my family have never been hard up at all, i think its down to no importance being put on money or material things, part of being a country bumpkin i think, as a kid there was no must have toys or fashions, all my clothes were hand me downs and i spent more time creating master pieces out of pasta and toilet tubes than anything else...
ReplyDeleteI think being thrifty can come from many places i think for most it comes from at some point being without money or short on money or living in a household that has been
for others its having been brought up living "the simple life" i often find things people think are being thrifty i cant understand why people wouldnt do it anyway :S
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I think I have always been quite thrifty. We have a large family and I have always been a stay at home mum so with just one wage coming in we have to budget.
ReplyDeleteI grow my own, have hens, make and mend, recycle all sorts and yes there is a stigma attached to being thrifty. But I love and enjoy the simple life, you appreciate things so much more and don't take things for granted.
I know how to spend ....but I have also learned how not to spend......because I have no choice!!!I think age comes in handy here, because my parents set a good example....so I have taken a leaf out of their book ....they didn't have credit cards, so now, neither do I....If I want something, then I save until I can afford to buy it....Sometimes wanting something is a far nicer feeling than actually having it...I actually think we have had too much too easily of recent years.Everything happens for a reason...and in my opinion there is only one postive with this recession...I think it has taught us to be more frugal and not line the pockets of the banks by paying interest on credit cards.....and actually I quite enjoy raiding the fridge to see what I can make with what I have.
ReplyDeleteI think for me I was similar, I was a bit crazy at uni with my money, setting up my own business meant I had to learn to make money go further. Clothes were not bought constantly, ebay was my friend, i very rarely paid full price for anything, I'd always find it on ebay or amazon marketplace cheaper. I also think I've become less inclined to throwing clothes out. I have lots from years ago, thankfully they're all staples.
ReplyDeleteI don't have any credit cards or any debt but I think thriftiness has come from knowing how long it takes to pay for things and especially when you have to earn it, it makes you less inclined to let it slip through your hands!
dp
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www.inanityandthegirl.com
I think money skills come with knowledge and experience. Motivation plays a huge role in acquiring both. Children often think rich people spend lots of money; but if they did that then they would be poor not rich. Knowledge and experience can be either personal or vicarious. We will go through stages of economy and lavish spending at many times in our lives. Sometimes we do the same with food, entertainment, exercise, or love. Frugality with money is just more visible.
ReplyDeleteI began "penny pinching" at age 20 because I had an ex husband who didn't understand the "we have no money" phrase, because there were checks in the check book. He tried to ruin us with debt, luckily I got out. His debt was his debt and it caused him to file bankruptcy. I on other hand learned how to scrimp and save, balance a check book, and reuse things. My daughter wore cloth diapers, I breast fed and then ground up her baby food. I walked if I could, I dealt with the heat instead of used the A/C and all sorts of things you "sacrifice" to save money. I do think however, for the most part, thriftiness comes with age or experience. If you're lucky you had it nestled by a parent but not all of us had that.
ReplyDeleteI think thriftyness can start at any age, and for sure it is inherent in some. My Mum has always been 'careful' through choice, and i have always had it in me. When i was earning a large salary, thriftyness was not to the fore, but i have never spent beyond my means, or been in debt (other than my mortgage).
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your point that the recession has taught some people to be more frugal.
I am also much happier as a frugal mum and wife, than a high paid fashion buyer!!!
http://thegoodlifeemporium.blogspot.ie/
I was strapped for cash in uni and refused to take out a loan and wantes to pay my own way. I wore all my clothes until they fell apart, ate cheap food, didn't live extravagently. Now I have graduated and have a job I think I can lead the high life, going for coffee and buying lots of clothes I don't need. I'm 25 and living at home so I really need to start saving for a flat :| Do I really need to go out every weekend? do I really need another jumper? I think having a mid twenties crisis is going to mean that I revert to thrifty ways...
ReplyDeleteI think thriftyness hit me in my early 20s, when I did the grown up thing and bought my own place. Whether you rent or own, it's a big wake up call when you realise just how much things cost.
ReplyDeleteLuckily, my mum had given me lots of useful skills, from being able to sew a button on (why do people give things away just because they've got a button missing?!) to being able to look at a half empty fridge and come up with something reasonably nutritious for tea.
I think thriftyness hit me in my early 20s, when I did the grown up thing and bought my own place. Whether you rent or own, it's a big wake up call when you realise just how much things cost.
ReplyDeleteLuckily, my mum had given me lots of useful skills, from being able to sew a button on (why do people give things away just because they've got a button missing?!) to being able to look at a half empty fridge and come up with something reasonably nutritious for tea.
It's only since I started having a much busier social life that I've started to be careful with money. I'm more of a 'quality' person - if something is cheap but I can see it's not going to last, I won't buy it. If something is expensive but will last longer, and therefore be cheaper in the long run, I'll buy it. I've started saving the pennies now, even though I'm only 18, I need money! 'Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves'. Even just this week, I've begun to redecorate my room and in the initial process of taking everything out so I can redecorate, I've found SO MUCH loose change!
ReplyDeleteYou have made thrifty cool!
ReplyDeleteI have always been thrifty - since being a poor student - but now I am thrifty so I can save money to buy the things I love!
N x
My parents have always been thrifty and it's something I've grown up with. Not that I've always been amazing with money, I think I've become thrift-ier (is that a word?!) as I've gotten older - that might simply be because I've had to cut back on a lot in the last year. Loving your blog Mrs Thrifty, it's been a lifesaver for me whilst at uni! :) x x
ReplyDeleteFunnily enough I was much more thrifty when I was a student than I am now. I only used to spend about £10 a week on food and used to live on beans on toast. One thing that has changed for me though is clothes buying habits, I tend to buy less clothes now and shop in charity shops, but this is because it just seems pointless to keep buying stuff I don't need. I do think how thrifty people are depends partly on upbringing but also on circumstances and not so much on age.
ReplyDeleteHey Thrifty!
ReplyDeleteMy thrifting was pretty mch thrust upon me. My mum and dad decided to buy a piece of land with an old ruin i it, knock it down and build our family home on it, so we lived for around 18 monts in a fairly large caravan on the site. We had to put most of our stuff into storage, and the budget was very tight- so we became very `home grown' and resourceful. I think this was doubled by the thrifting of our nan, who still had that `make do and mend' war ethic. I do also think that this upbringing has turned me into a bit of a hoarder, as nan used to keep her spice jars and mini jam jars for me to keep beads in- and its been a problem ever since!
i definitely think a lot of people have preconceptions about 'thrifty' people - but im so glad i found your blog through louise and i love reading your posts - they're inspiring me to be a thrifty miss myself! your little tips and tricks are great and really really helpful, thankyou!
ReplyDeletenicola xxx
itsneecola.blogspot.com
I do think it changes with age because people grow up and get more mature xxx
ReplyDeletehttp://jeminixlife.blogspot.com
I guess I have always been thrifty, mainly because we never had any money. At college I shopped in charity shops and wore things from the costume cupboard (I was a performing art student), at uni I meal planned and shopped in my stepmother's 'to throw away' bags. Now I meal plan, take what I can for free and generally drive our bills as low as I can without being miserable. And i am only 25.
ReplyDeleteNo definately not! I'm fifteen and pride myself on fininding the odd bargain! :) x x x
ReplyDeleteNo definately not! I'm fifteen and pride myself on fininding the odd bargain! :) x x x
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