the best things in life are free

I want you to accept this as your new mantra:

I will graciously accept everything I might be able to use that is personally offered to me.

This is a basic tightwad principle that will quickly help you expand your social network, which, in turn, helps your budget. Here's how it works:

Most people in our society have too much stuff. These people (the majority, remember?) are constantly trying to pare down their things & figure out what to do with the excess. At the same time, humans, for whatever reason, often form strong emotional bonds with their material goods. It's common for these people to want to give it to someone they know will love it & use it. That person could very well be you. It becomes a win-win situation. You get something you have been needing for no out-of-pocket expense & the giver rests much easier knowing that her sweet possession is being well-cared-for.

Now, before long, people will realize that you are someone who likes to take free stuff off their hands. At this point, not only are you being offered things of sentimental value, but you're being offered things of little to no retail value before the giver's ready to head down to the local Salvation Army. Within a few months time, you might have a stockpile of things--some you need and are using now, some you might need or use down the line, and some that you don't have a use for, but can offer to someone else as a trade or just to fulfill a need that they have. This is the basis of community & networking on an economic level.

There are just a few caveats to remember:

*If someone offers you her grandmother's china, don't accept it unless you plan to use it. Deeply sentimental items should only be accepted if you can love them the way she does.

*If someone offers you things that are headed to the donation bin, by all means take them, whether you love them or not. And thank the giver--profusely. Later, you can sort through the pile & separate useable from donation-worthy items.

*A thank-you note is priceless. Don't belittle this social custom. I like to create my own thank-you notes with a picture on the front of our family using the item we have received & a short note on the inside. The price of your stamp is well worth the item they have given you and you can prove yourself as a grateful recipient. If you truly don't want to sport for the regular stamp, turn your note into a postcard & cut the cost by almost half. This is one area where email isn't going to cut it.

So, keep your mantra handy & stay on the lookout for offers. Then, watch the domino effect happen. Happy receiving!

Annoying disclaimer because people can be lawsuit happy: All information contained herein express my opinions only and are based on my health status & location. Each person's situation, health, and local laws & ordinances are different. By all means, use your own common sense & don't do anything you see here if someone more important than me (like your doctor, your local police) would disagree. If you're easily persuaded by everything you read, and you think I might cause you to hurt yourself or break the law, quit reading my site, please.

Soup - the perfect frugal food

What can you do with a roasted chicken carcass, an onion, and some random veggies you bought last week? Make chicken soup, of course!

Never throw away another roasted chicken carcass. Just put it in a large pot, cover with water, and boil until the water is about 2/3 the amount you started with. Strain into another large pot & voila!. Homemade chicken broth out of table scraps with no added MSG or preservatives, to boot.

When you strained your chicken broth, you had a bunch of meat & skin loosely stuck to bones, right? Spend 5 minutes to pick through for good meat. Throw it into the pot with the chicken broth you just made. Give the skin & scraps (minus the bones) to your dog, if you're so inclined. You may now throw away the bones.

Throw in a chopped onion, maybe some carrots, maybe some celery, chopped cabbage, frozen corn, cauliflower, spinach--you get the idea. This is a great way to use up produce before it spoils.

Add noodles before you cook the soup if you wish. Or you can stir in leftover noodles or rice after the soup is done.

Bring the whole thing to a boil & then put it on low & simmer for about 30 minutes. That's it! Homemade chicken soup.

Be sure to freeze what you won't use within 3 days.

lay it on me

OK, here's the deal. You can save money, on any income. And you can achieve realistic goals--and even some of the ones your naysayers will call "unrealistic." But it will take self-discipline. And it will take self-denial.

Don't get nervous! Those words have a negative connotation in our society that they don't deserve. I assure you: if you faithfully follow this site & the tips contained herein for at least 52 weeks and you diligently practice self-discipline & self-denial during that year, you will come out on the other side not only with more net worth but more confidence, empowerment, and character than you have today.

Give it a try--you really have nothing to lose. You're not paying for this, right? This is all free info from someone who knows frugal inside & out, and I give it to you so you can really live. There is no true freedom when you're living under a sea of debt. We were all designed to live in financial freedom.

We're going to spend a lot of time on some subjects and hardly any time on others. If you've got a big chunk of money and you want investment advice, you've come to the wrong place. If you want to nickel & dime your way to a big chunk of money so you can then seek investment advice elsewhere, you're in exactly the right place!

Some of your current expenses are fixed. Some are not. You can save money in just about any area of your life, but ovbviously, the non-fixed expenses are a good starting point since they require very small lifestyle changes. Many people begin their tightwad training by looking at their grocery bill & clothing expenditures. This is an excellent place to start.

Before I dive into the tips, I'd like to ask that you consciously decide to throw your opinions of the Joneses out the window. Have you ever seen your neighbor's credit card bill? Have you laid in bed nightly with the other preschool moms to see whether they toss and turn and can't fall asleep, worrying about money? How do you know that your attorney family friend doesn't shop at Aldi? Why is it that we all respect people who have "worked hard to get where they are?" It's because anyone can charge a big-screen TV on her credit card, but few people have the self-discipline to save for years for a vacation of a lifetime and enjoy every minute of it.

Keep your goal squarely in mind, and remember that your goal is not the same as Ms. Jones' goal. And at the end of the 52 weeks, I will be surprised if you're not proud to be a tightwad.