How We’ve Enjoyed Nine Years Of Marriage With Frugality As The Backbone
Mr. Frugalwoods and I celebrate nine years of marriage this month. We got married young–at 24–and reflecting back on the people we were when we met at age 19 during our second semester of our freshman year of college, I realize we’re quite different now. The languid unfurling of maturation that awaited us at 19…
You Can’t Buy Your Way To Green: How Frugality Is Environmentalism
One of the many reasons I love frugality–beyond, you know, the money it saves me and the financial independence it brought me–is the fact that its application in my life has made me a more environmentally conscious person. I’ve always respected natural resources, been a fan of mother nature, and loved the outdoors, but it…
19 Reasons Why Frugality Is The Best Thing That’s Ever Happened To Me
What does the word “frugality” conjure for you? Perhaps a mirage of miserly discontent with no worldly comforts and a tin of beans at your side as your only solace in an otherwise cheerless existence? If so, then you’ve come to the right place! Frugality gets a horrendous rap, primarily from those who peddle the pricey products we’re…
Moving? Wait Before You Renovate
Moving into a new house is surrounded by as much consumer fanfare as a new baby. There’s a temptation–and a goading by the likes of HGTV–to buy all new furniture, renovate immediately, and deck every wall in a trendy palette. But this urgent wish for everything to be precisely perfect is detrimental to both budgets and longterm…
How Barter and Trade Enhances Frugality and Community
Barter and trade is not dead! I’ve long touted this unconventional system as a fabulous way to circumvent paying for services, but I’ve sensed hesitancy to dive in from many of you. And so, today I bring you tales of other people (not just weirdo me!) utilizing the ethos of barter and trade for everything from…
Tractor Filters And Other February 2017 Expenditures
February was a rather inexpensive month, by which I mean you can tell we spent most of the month either sick or clearing snow, or both at the same time. It was a simple month–comprised mostly of flu followed by croup followed by bronchitis followed by a double ear infection–but as I shared last week,…
How We Turned Our City Home Into A Rental Property
As long-time readers are aware, Mr. Frugalwoods and I own a rental property in Cambridge, MA, which is one part of our diversified portfolio of assets. This is the very same property formerly known as our first home. We bought this house in 2012–for the lowest purchase price per square foot for that buying season…
Our Low Cost, No Fuss, DIY Money Management System
So exactly how do frugal weirdos manage their money? I get this question a lot and it makes me realize that, despite the fact that this is ostensibly a “personal finance” blog, I don’t discuss the precise machinations of my personal money management system very often. And the reason for that is quite straightforward: Mr….
How Planning Ahead Saves Us Serious Money
Perhaps the single greatest tactic a frugal weirdo can employ in the campaign to save money is… drum roll… planning ahead. Yep, planning. Not fancy apps or bizarre investing schemes or diets consisting solely of tuna fish. Planning ahead. There are different categories of planning ahead and different ways to apply this deceptively simple strategy to your own…
Our Complete Guide To Frugal, Healthy Eating
Without a doubt and without contest, the absolute most frequently asked question I get from readers is: “how do I save money on food?!?” And it’s a darn good question! Food is a necessity and it’s not like we can eliminate it from our budgets in one fell swoop (a la cable, haircuts, or coffees…
Uber Frugal Month: The Ultimate Guide To Saving More Money Than You Ever Thought Possible
You can sign-up for the Uber Frugal Month Challenge any time! We take the Challenge as a group every January and July, but you can start it on your own whenever you’d like. Sign-up in the box below to join the January 2024 Group Challenge! By taking the UFM, you’re joining hundreds of thousands of…
Date Night! And Other November 2016 Expenditures
November was a month of merriment. From hosting Thanksgiving to lots of snow, we’re loving winter (ok technically late fall) on the homestead. Date Night! Since my fabulous in-laws were here for the whole Thanksgiving week, they graciously offered to babysit Babywoods one evening. And so, Mr. Frugalwoods and I went out for our very…