<p>The frugality: We collect a lot of empty soda cans and turn them in for money at the recycling center.</p>
<p>The extravagance: We drink a lot of soda.</p>
<p>Here’s one that was in the New York Times - use Century Gothic instead of Ariel - 1/3 less ink!</p>
<p>We traded in our 30 year mortgage for a 20 year one a while back.</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>Or don’t wear socks on Thursdays. You can cut your sock laundry bills by 14%!</p>
<p>Wear your underwear a second day inside out (old college trick) and there’s another 14%!</p>
<p>I try not to wear underwear or socks if I can get away with it.
;)</p>
<p>I’m thinking that there is no reason to buy laundry detergent, dishwasher soap, shampoos and other cleaning products without checking for coupons and sales. It’s too easy not to do it.</p>
<p>It might be more of a challenge to use coupons for food. I don’t want to trade freshness and quality for savings. I always keep a bag of frozen veggies in case we don’t have fresh, but we prefer fresh. </p>
<p>Our local produce market makes up little bags of fresh veggies for $1.00. We are probably paying more for the convenience, but there are only 2 of us and we can’t eat the veggies fast enough if we buy too much.</p>
<p>It’s been much easier to get frugal with our kids out of the house. We recently realized that we spend very little on food, entertainment, gas, and energy as a two-person household. Being in advanced middle age certainly helps. We bought a panini maker last year and now probably have sandwiches for dinner twice a week. (Can cereal and milk be far behind?)</p>
<p>I don’t do coupons because I don’t want to clutter up my brain, purse, or kitchen table with them - but mostly because I never want to buy any of the coupon items. Why are they never for anything we actually use?</p>
<p>Here is a tip I saw on a local channel last week. Look in the ethnic aisles and compare those prices to the regular aisle. example - Knorr bullion cubes. $1.09 (Spanish label) vs. $1.49 for the same darn thing written in English.</p>
<p>I also save by going to a local dollar store 1-2 times per month. I am amazed at what they can sell for a dollar (toothbrushes, Revlon/Maybelline cosmetics, cotton blend socks for men, Softsoap in dispenser and those I refill, rolls of gift wrap, greeting cards are 2 for a dollar, etc.).</p>
<p>Sitting outside my house right now is the bedspread that great grandma gave us in '78 when we got married. Finally getting rid of it, and it’s seen a lot of use over the years.</p>
<p>I don’t bother with coupons anymore. Instead I try to keep prices in my head, so when some veggie is 2X what it was a week ago, I walk on.</p>
<p>My rule is never buy groceries on sale except for very few items that I have used before and know that they are OK. We buy a lot of staff at Costco. I love the store. But we are buying very expensive items that are not sold anywhere else in our city. We do not go out, except for very special occasions (few times a year), we do not go to movies and art museum is free (major entertainment). We have tried to look at spending, but it takes too much time. I rather focus on cutting all expenses, not just groceries, but spend on items that you really enjoy having (cleanning lady in my case). And again, I hate shopping altogether, just too lazy to go to the store as well as movie, restaurant.</p>
<p>I agree with Miami. The easiest frugal thing to do is hate shopping or going out. Everything falls into place much easier after that!'</p>
<p>I love the starter spouse comment. Unfortunately my ex decided to trade-in! He was a spender though, so Frank Frugal (#2) is much better in that regard. Start with a house you can afford, pay if off in 15 years, and drive your cars until they die. Those are two huge monthly expenses for many people.</p>
<p>The best way for me to save more money would be to give up wine :)</p>
<p>I don’t want to do it.</p>
<p>“We buy a lot of staff at Costco.”</p>
<p>I prefer to buy my staff at Walmart. ;-)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>All those 50-somethings at Trader Joe’s aren’t just in search of good eats - they are looking for the illusive $4 bottle of really good wine. I’m one of them!</p>
<p>We don’t have a TJ’s within 3 hours of here. Pity me, please.</p>
<p>Yes, sryrstress. We paid for a house much earlier than 15 years. However, we buy nice cars on a regular basis, but never ever new one. However, we all have nice cars and love them, although I hate to drive. D. went to state school on full tuition scholarship, that is another big one. However, the biggest of all NEVER ever retire. I am at the office until they kick me in my b… Job is the best entertainment any way, do not need to spend $$ entertaining yourself after that, but I do, I take a class to get entertained after work. It is not cheap, or well, everybody got to have some fun after work when kids are not there any more.</p>
<p>We don’t rent DVD’s very often but when we do they always come from the RedBox at the gro. store for $1. I don’t know how BlockBuster stays in business.</p>
<p>Also, I get my hair cut at one of those walk-in places that cost $14 and I don’t color it.
I don’t get manicures or pedicures. I buy cheap cosmetics from Target. I pack our lunches for work every day. DH does all our yardwork and most of the home repairs…hey, maybe marrying a Mech. Eng. major is the way to be frugal!</p>
<p>Y’all have covered most of what i do–but I’ll comment anyway! 
I definitely agree with staying with starter house, and spouse! however, on the house front, we did buy a second one several years after the first was paid off. But both are very cheap ones. AS soon as we can move, we’ll sell the first, which will pay off the mortgage on the second (we’d saved enough to put half down as down payment.) But, that is an extravagance right now.</p>
<p>We do drive cars into the ground. Monthly shopping trip to TJ, especially for the wine! I hate paying liquor store prices. Also Costco when I can get there. Still have avoided setting foot in Walmart, but if they keep acting decent-er, I may change that eventually (esp. because there are no TJ/Costcos where our eventual home is.)</p>
<p>We grow a lot of fresh veggies and freeze some. Have had pasta/pesto at least once a week since the crop came in last summer, and it may stretch to meet this year’s crop.</p>
<p>H and I almost never go out. Our idea of a perfect weekend is writing/reading time, a walk on the beach, kayaking, and cooking a simple fresh dinner. We are fanatically boring! :)</p>
<p>As someone mentioned upthread, we did splurge on college, but without loans. It all came from savings/current income. And even though are income has fallen drastically, we live below it and still save.</p>
<p>Garland, you might be interested in this-- [Trader</a> Joe’s Wine Recs? - Wine - Chowhound](<a href=“http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/638065?tag=footer_recommendation%3Bboard_discussion_module_small]Trader”>http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/638065?tag=footer_recommendation%3Bboard_discussion_module_small)</p>
<p>I also freeze large quantities of pesto. In addition to putting it on pasta we like it on whole wheat pizza dough with artichoke hearts, goat cheese and whatever else looks good in the fridge.</p>