Our Frugal Lifestyle

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Passionate about eco-frugality. I used to party hard, clubbing my way from pay-packet to pay-packet. Never getting ahead, just getting by. Then came our much wanted baby with no savings in the bank - only an old car. Changes were made to our lifestyle and we didn't turn back. In the past 6yrs we purchased a flat, found employment, lived below our means, built an emergency fund, purchased a reliable car and saw the financial benefits of our frugal lifestyle. Our only debt is our mortgage. Our aim is to manage our cash flow wisely, pay off our home quickly and eventually work for pleasure, not necessity. Join us on our journey, share insights, tips and tricks to help us and others to get ahead while having a good time.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Spending Less to Pay for Treats.

I did not spend on groceries in the past week as I had lots of treats planned. I used everything I could from fridge, cupboard and garden in the aim to spend $$$ on Bastille Day and also a day off to be with my daughter.

Here was our meals:

Monday - Garden: Green pawpaw salad with a dressing of garden herbs and spices.
Tuesday - Fridge: Vegetable soup cooked in slow cooker.
Wednesday - Neighbour: Dinner at my neighbours. I took entree of left over vegetable soup.
Thursday - Garden: Bastille Day BBQ. I took a very large bowl of sliced/marinated egg plant to BBQ and share. Yum!
Friday - Spent: 3 take away pizzas with vouchers.
Saturday - Cupboard and Garden: Pasta with a pesto made of many different herbs, egg plants and steamed greens.

Basket was B-Day gift from my partner The Rambling Expat.  
Pesto - Lemon balm, basil, chocolate mint, parsly, Thai coriander, ginger, lemon grass chilli. Parmesan and nuts.
Egg plant, 3 spinaches, asian greens.
My Dolly LOVES Caviar. 5 Star Taste On Shoe String Budget.
I spent roughly, $84:

  • $18 for my office lunches, 
  • $45 for a special morning tea at work (Bastille Day) of croissants, pain au chocolate French cheese and bread. 
  • And the $21 for pizza take away.

I shouted my work colleagues a yummy morning tea and treated Dolly to a super special day of Sushi at one of her favourite restaurants and The Circus. This is one of the happy reasons I am frugal.

I am frugal because I am saving for retirement, cutting back my work hours in 2012, want to purchase a house but also save for those special things in our lives such as the Circus. Saving gets easier day by day as less things tempt me. But I did buy something... Hangs head in shame..... a $39 dual rubbish bin for my kitchen. Was it needed? NO. Was it wanted? YES, YES, YES. YES, YES.

How's your spending getting along? Feel comfortable spending on special outings and treats when you've saved your $$$. Or are you always feeling guilty?

5 comments:

  1. I am saving hard at the moment, so I can support myself through full-time study, and maybe have a holiday. It's not easy! But I still splash out on occasional treats.

    On the weekend, I took My Chick to see the new 3D Harry Potter movie (it was awesome!). And I'm weighing up whether to splash out on a massage, as I'm very muscle sore from working so hard.

    I think everyone needs the occasional treat, to reward them for working and saving hard.

    Cheers,
    Ms. Dig.

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  2. Sorry, but I must ask--what was so special about this bin that you had to have such an expensive item? No judging, just curious!

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  3. We just got back from a holiday that we had saved for but we also overspent on unexpected expenses, so whilst I loved loved our holiday we are going to have an extra tight budget to make up the difference for the next couple of pays.

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  4. Hi,

    (Thanks Ms Dig for starting the trail that led me here.)

    I love this concept "Spending Less to Pay for Treats." I think that frugality takes on new meaning when it is for a reason. Too many people live in Australia live with a poverty mentality of "I can't afford that" instead of taking responsibility for their lives and realising that so much of it comes down to taking control and making better choices.

    I have been making an effort lately to spend less too - partly to save for a deposit for a house (I am resisting the urge to work more rather than spend less to achieve this) and partly because I really want to opt out of consumerism as much as possible.

    And I think that a dual rubbish bin sounds like a great idea!

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  5. $39 is a good price for a dual rubbish bin- was it stainless steel? Oh dear I have bin lust! The pedal on our bin gave out three years ago and I can't bring myself to pay the money for a new one!

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Thanks for commenting - I love getting feedback, sharing experiences and learning from you.