Self-Taught Frugalitsta

On summer break from college, I found my Mom's copies of Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyzyzn. It proved to be more than light reading after mounds of homework. I started buying the newspaper and cutting coupons. Many everyday tips from the books were frugal, green and easy enough for me to do even at school. My Dad teased me, saying that when I start my career, I will make enough money and not need coupons. Well, as life often goes opposite our plans, I am now a stay-at-home mom of two, clipping coupons every week. Not that I would have it any other way... most of the time, j/k.

Another helpful guide was Ellie Kay's Shop, Save and Share. This book boosted my understanding to new heights. It was a tutorial for shopping smart. Different coupons work differently with store deals. And I learned to tell them apart and save 50%-70% of my grocery bill. I was still not using coupons that much because Tightwad Gazette gave me lots of recipes for frugal home cooked meals. Most shopping I did was at the perimeter of the store (veggies, meat, and dairy).

Fast forward 7 years later. My kids are out of diapers, I'm getting more sleep and my sanity back. I remember MSN asking me why we cancelled our dial-up Internet. Frankly, I told her, my kids keep me on the run that I check email only once a month if at all. That was five years ago! So now that we have Internet again, I've found these Frugal Blogs, and catapulted our savings to 80%-100%. Here are like-minded frugalista stay-at-home moms making the most of their talents for novice and veteran shoppers alike to learn and be inspired. They understood the hard work and payoff of bargain hunting.

So as you can see, I would have preferred to have someone hold my hand and take me frugal shopping. But as a bookworm by God's design, I learned from books and at my own pace. And God used other books like Your Money Counts and Total Money Makeover to draw me closer to Him. I didn't know more than 2,000 verses in the Bible talk about money. I had no idea God cared about our financial well-being. But does He ever! I have now learned to turn back to Him what these books have taught. And in return He has given me wisdom, understanding, and peace.

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints..." Eph. 1:18