I’m a longtime lurker – first time commenter, and I’m writing because after 6 months of avidly reading your blog, my (only!) New Years Resolution this year is to be more frugal. I like the way you live – frugality in certain areas where the lower-cost substitution won’t be noticed, so you can spend/achieve in other areas that give you more joy – your camera, working part-time etc.

So I am writing to ask for advice: Where do I start? I have drawn up a budget with four categories – bills, grocery money, entertainment money and savings. I am have been through each category and am trying to cut the inessentials, with a view to whatever I save gets to go into the savings category. I intend to re-read your series on the emails you sent to your husband RE finances, as I think that might be a good goal for me to see my progression each month.

But any tips as to things you do – or things you wish you had known earlier in your frugal journey? We are a little different – I mean I’m realistic – I’m never going to be the type to make my own yogurt and as a single person there is no point in baking my own bread (I buy one loaf a fortnight – maybe less), but nonetheless I am feeling very strange 10 days into my new frugal life, and whilst I want to stick with it I have this awful feeling that if I don’t give myself enough ‘slack’ I’ll give up entirely – but then again, too much slack and there will be no achievements…..

I’d be grateful for any advice?

Your children are so precious!!! Its so cool seeing them in the pics.

Thanks,as always,for sharing.

And yeah, my son and my older daughter are much more camera shy than my younger two, so they just don’t get to show up here on my blog as often. I really do love them as much as my younger two! lol