Thank You

The Frugal Diva would like to thank her family who taught her how to make the most of every dollar. This lesson was not always appreciated. As a teenager nothing is more important then fitting in and not listening to your mom. You really, really, really want the same sweater the most popular girl in school is wearing and you want it now – not when it’s on sale, not in the cheaper version, and certainly not in another color that is not at all cool. My youthful wailing in no way got me the sweater because the truth was we could not afford to spend the week’s food budget on an item of clothing. My teen brain could not hook up the relationship between money, what you could afford, and what you had to do without. It took about twenty years for me to mature and use the lessons learned in childhood.

Now everyone is concerned about scarce resources, turning the lights off when you leave the room, and how to organize meals around less animal protein and more veggies. Growing your own isn’t just for certain substances, if you are in an apartment put some herbs in a pot and use them to liven up meals. If you have a garden try out some vegetables and maybe a small lemon tree. My grandmother composted scraps from the kitchen and used them to help grow the biggest and best blueberries around.

Right now the two biggest food trends are vegetarianism and eating only animal proteins. Let the twain meet with balanced meals – a bit of protein, veggies, don’t be afraid of a few whole grain carbs, and luscious fruits for dessert. Give my aunt a chicken and she would give you back at least two dinners and a delicious soup.

Think about your work or school week expenditures. Multiply them by five and then by fifty and see if the amount justifies the spending. Is that $500 better spent on coffee or as an addition to your wardrobe, a short vacation, or into your bank account? My mother was good at seeing the big picture of how small changes added up to big savings.

Be an original, when everyone is buying the same clothes see what’s out there at flea markets and vintage shops. If you like the mainstream just wait three weeks and it will be on sale. My aunts could turn themselves into glamour queens just with attitude.

Every time my dad told me to turn out the lights when I left the room, I silently screamed.  Why? I will only have to turn them on later when I reenter. It seemed like so much work to my teenage self. Now the only important news is about global warming, care taking our limited supplies of everything, and making sure to recycle.

Let everyone  know your favorite tips from another generation that you use today on The Frugal Diva Facebook page  today!