Name:
Anna from Massachusetts
Forum Membername:
Cheap Yankee
Your Favorite Source for Bargains:
I'm an avid thrift shopper because you keep goods out of the landfill, save a wad of cash and keep your money in the local economy instead of shipping it off to fat cat CEO's or slave labor in China. The Salvation Army and a few local nonprofit thrift shops are my favorite bargain havens for clothing, craft supplies and other small goodies. The Salvation Army just moved their store to a department store-type location that is well organized, clean and easy to shop with kids (no more icky, dirty feel!). Once you get used to buying your kids like-new GAP and JCREW clothes for $2, it's hard to shop a regular store.
Your Best Money-Saving Tip:
Watch as little TV as possible. Keep a book next to the TV, and read it during the ads so you don't get brainwashed into buying things you don't need. Read frugal living and anti-consumerism movement (www.verdant.net) websites several times per week to give yourself the backbone to say "no" to the Joneses. Question everything people insist you "need" to buy, and ask yourself "how many hours in after-tax/after-day-care dollars will I need to work to pay for this?"
The Worst Money-Saving Advice You've Ever Received:
To Take equity out of your house to buy stocks because of "the time value of money." Would you believe they actually teach that garbage in business school and publish it in their business textbooks? Thank goodness I dug in my heels when hubby wanted to refinance the house to buy stock a few years ago or we'd be in deep doo-doo right about now!!!
The Craziest Thing You Do to Save Money:
If I see something dropped on the side of the road (or put out on trash day) I have no qualms about stopping, scrubbing it down and using it. If it doesn't fit or we can't use it, I donate it to charity. Even it it got rained on and muddy, a couple of trips through the washing machine or a good soak in bleaching water cures all ills.
What You're Doing Right Now to Save:
Our spending habits haven't changed much in the recession because we're already pretty frugal, but we've been making a point of explaining to our younger children about the choices we make financially.
Your Best Bargain of All Time:
K-Mart had bins filled with brand new underwear that had been taken out of the package 2/$.25. All sizes and genders were dumped together and nobody wanted to sort through and size them. Since I've never seen underwear go on sale this cheap, I sorted them and for $10 bought enough to last everyone for the next six years. We have tubs labeled "clothes that fit" and a contents list taped to the outside for each family member, so we don't forget what we have.
