How to be frugal and thrifty and live life to the full

meritaten

LameWolf wrote: »

:TWell said! Best thing I ever did was sign up as a host for a dog-sitting service; I get canine company, and I get paid for doing it! A win-win situation! We have a good network of "Redways" as they're called round here - pathways away from the city grid roads, for the use of walkers, cyclists, and people like myself who use mobility buggies to get about.

That struck a chord with me; I spent a good many years, during my first marriage, having to go without because there was no money, and now I'm no longer in that situation, I can't break the habit of saving every penny that comes my way; I can't even buy myself a pack of P010 mints without feeling horrendously guilty, so I just don't bother.
It doesn't help that I'm too ill to ever go out to work again; I was retired on medical grounds back in 2001, having been on sick leave for the previous 2 years.
The dog-sitting I mentioned above I've been doing for just over 5 years, and I've salted away every penny I've earned from that. I don't get a lot, just a few quid per night I have a dog staying; but I still don't spend any of it.
I guess you could say my hobby is collecting money!:rotfl:

Lamewolf - that made me so sad. tears came to my eyes. it reminded me of when we were sorting out a deceased great aunts house, and found loads of lovely things just packed away in old newspapers (some of them from the 1930s) and her niece said 'OH yes, she kept them for special occasions and never used them'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
made me so sad she never felt an occasion special enough to get them out and enjoy them!
its the same with your 'dog money'! FIVE years!!!!!!!!!!! honey, if you don't deserve a treat by now you never will, and someone else will enjoy YOUR money!

Oh and I was lucky enough that I 'inherited' most of these things by default - and I love them and enjoy them. They are on 'display' and I know that many of them are quite valuable.
I wasn't interested in GreatAunts money (good job as I didn't get any), but her 'things' give me a lot of pleasure.

sistercas

superrhinos wrote: »

My local Waitrose has a cafe and therefore with my card I can enjoy a coffee there for free. My four year old sees going to a cafe as a big treat and therefore this allows me to do it more often.

Think that's a lovely idea , sometimes you just need to get out and have a change of scenery and it's free too :money:

Horace

As others have said go walking - walk around your local park if you don't want to venture too far. See what free or low cost activities are going on in your local area.

Sometimes I go out for a meal when there is a 2 for 1 offer on and I take a friend with me and what we do is pay half each for the meal that has to be paid for so we both pay the same amount and neither of us feels guilty then.

You could try volunteering - it is free and you are helping your local community at the same time.

Visit museums, art galleries. Take a bus somewhere new or even get on a different bus in your city and see where it takes you.

purpleshoes_2

I had a relative who used to feel guilty about spending money, she would spend it on us, but not herself, however in her later years she did spend more, but that was well into her 80s.

People have their reasons for not wanting or being able to part with money, but if you have something spare, it doesn't matter if you spend 99p in a charity shop, or something new, if you have it and you want to spend something on you, spend it.

I don't have much money spare but I don't kick myself if I see something I like second hand and I buy it for example.

There's nothing wrong with thrift, but if people feel guilty about spending any money on themselves, try and let go of that.

There are lots of things you can do for free, but if some days/nights out mean a little spend, there's nil wrong with that.

My make up comes from superdrug, it costs me a pound an item. Its possible to treat yourself without it costing the earth. If I ever feel guilty about spending a little on myself I sit back and think there are people who spend in a week or even a day what I spend on myself in a year.