How to get started on the frugal life
Recently a reader emailed me with the following question.
HOW does one get started being frugal? I stink at it, but know that God's wanting me to be a much better steward.
I'm overwhelmed and have no idea where to start.
-CM
Normally, I would say that in order to have a frugal transformation, a person needs to have a changed mindset. Trying to live frugally when your heart is still in spendthrift mode is awfully hard. But, you, dear reader, sound like you've already got the itch to live frugally and are just wanting to practical where-to-start advice.
So, I'm going to share my top ideas and then I'm going to ask the rest of my readers to chime in with their top five beginner frugal activities!
1. Cut back on eating out.
Eating out is insanely expensive. This was brought home to me on vacation when a sit-down meal for the six of us at a mid-priced chain restaurant cost over $80 (I did have gift cards, never fear!). In a pinch, I can feed all of us for an entire week for $80, and we spent that on just one meal at a restaurant. Yikes.
Takeout food and fast food, while not as expensive as sit-down food, are still far more pricey than eating at home., If you want to save money, cooking and eating at home is one of the most effective ways to accomplish that.
Here are a few tips to avoid eating out.
-plan a menu. Keep it simple. If you plan difficult meals, you'll want to eat out.
-make a grocery list and stick to it.
-do a little dinner prep early in the day. (get meat out from the freezer, chop some veggies)
-if necessary, buy some convenience foods at the grocery store. They'll likely be cheaper than takeout.
If you want to start cooking dinner, check out some the main dish recipes I've posted. A lot of them are very easy, and my family and I think they're all delicious.
2. Don't shop unless it's necessary.
Unless you've got tons of self-control, stay away from malls and department stores. Only go there when you've got a specific purpose in mind (taking a frugal person with you is a good idea for accountability purposes!).
3. Switch to a cash budget.
I personally use credit cards (I pay them off every month and only buy things I'd buy otherwise), but if you're having trouble controlling your spending, consider switching to cash only. This will keep you from splurging at the store and from online shopping sprees.
4. Explore the second-hand market.
Of course, buying second-hand stuff willy-nilly won't save you money, but when you need to buy or replace something, consider looking second-hand before you buy. Freecycle, half.com, Ebay, Craig's List, the Pennysaver, flea markets, and thrift stores are all good places to find gently used items. And if you've got kids, hand-me-downs are an awesome thing...put the word out and let people know you'd be happy to be a hand-me-down recipient.
5. Hang out with frugal people either online or in real life.
I've written before about the power of positive peer pressure, and I'm still convinced of its value. Being with people who are trying to be careful with their money will likely inspire you and help you to be careful with your money.
If you have frugal friends in real life, make it a point to hang out with them so that you can learn from them and be encouraged to carry on! And by the same token, if certain people in your life tempt and encourage you to spend, it might be wise to limit the time you spend with them.
If you don't know any real life frugal people, though, don't give up! Read some good books on frugality (The Tightwad Gazette
*, which you can probably find at your library, is a good place to start) and subscribe to frugal living blogs (you can find some of those on my list of favorite blogs)
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To that list of 5 things, I'd add that you should not give up when you experience a frugal living setback. The goal here is progress, not perfection. I've been living the frugal life for an awfully long time, and I still chuck my menu plan and order pizza sometimes. Don't throw in the towel if you order takeout or overspend at the grocery store...just dust yourself off, pick yourself back up, and keep on going!
Readers, what are your top 5 suggestions for a frugality newbie? Also, please do share your favorite frugal living blogs so that CM can get herself surrounded with like-minded people.
*Amazon affiliate link
Today's 365 post: Joshua vs. Mr. FG
Best idea ever is to track every single cent you spend for a week or two. Definitely puts where your money is going into perspective. That's how we got started. We then developed into working out our total annual bills spent, and putting the fortnightly amount aside each pay week to keep our cash flow regular. Ditto for things you want to save up for - work out when you want/need them by, how much you need and divide by the number of pays you're going to get between now and your goal and put that amount aside too. We're not always 'frugal' per say but we do live within our means and are alot better about not wasting money and achieving our goals now that we started doing these small things. It's a flow on effect, having the goals and being able to see ourselves getting closer to them makes it easier to resist having a major blow out, and because we have better control of our budget and cash flow we can also factor things like date nights and weekends away in without it being a big deal.
Use the library. Books in abundance, computers to use, DVDs to rent, activities for the kids....etc.
Love the library!
My first step into the frugal world was reading The Complete Tightwad Gazette and I still go back and reread it when I need some frugal inspiration or get stuck in a frugal rut! The first time I read it I thought some of the ideas were something I would never, ever do but as time went on I could see myself adopting more and more of her ideas and her mindset. Reading frugal blogs like this one and others is a great way to have a "community" of like-minded folks esp. if those around you in real life are not very frugal.
I also second the idea of not throwing in the towel if you have a frugal slip-up or even a serious of them (or even a few months worth!). Rather than thinking oh well, I just can't do this; you can jump right back in and try again.
I have found that once a month cooking helps us enormously. It cuts down on our going out because if we have had a busy, crazy day, we can just pull a tasty meal from the freezer. I would also recommend having a good variety of frugal blogs (like this one!) to read from that can inspire you and give you new ideas.
1. Focus on being thankful for what you have. I like to give thanks for dirty dishes because it means we have plenty to eat. And it makes me happy to think of the many meals we have prepared in our pans and eaten from our plates.
2. Make the best use of the items you have in your home. If you want to redecorate, move some furniture or take out a framed photo that has been stored in the closet.... This saves me from shopping for "stuff".
3. Buy the best quality you can afford. I would rather have one item that lasts for 20 years than 4 cheaper items that only last 5 years each.
4. Host a potluck for your friends instead of going out. I keep meaning to do this, but with two young children, time keeps slipping away from me.
5.
I got called away to baby-related duties before I could write my fifth tip... Which is: share. For example, we have a collection of baby clothes and equipment that keeps circulating amongst my husband's siblings as they have babies. Each person simply adds items as they can, and passes everything on when the next baby is born. Unless the babies are really close in age, there is no need for multiple baby bathtubs, or exersaucers or bouncy chairs.
Great idea! My best friend and I did something similar. Her oldest is 15 months older than my oldest - so she passed all her baby items to me, and when her next baby was born 9 months after mine I gave it all back. Everything passed to her niece and another friend before my next baby was born 2 years later. Saved storage space and money on items you only use for a little while. The plus side was all baby showers after her first one were diaper showers!
I'd go to the library and get Dave Ramsey's books. He uses a cash budget but more importantly he shows you how to do it, examples of people who have done it, and clearly explains why your income is your greatest wealth generating tool. I am not the spender in my marriage, his books were able to convince my husband to live debt free without feeling deprived. Definitely worth the read.
Don't beat yourself up if you have a bad day or a bad week. We are human and not perfect. If you have a bad day and feel like you need to get some takeout to save your sanity, do it! 🙂
The first thing I did was stop buying paper towels. We'll buy 1 roll that will last us over 2 months. We use hand towels and bath towels for everything else. That actually started to save me some money up front. Also, I cannot stress enough the power of menu planning. I'm trying to convince my sister-in-law that this is a wonderful tool in her arsenal, but she's convinced it wouldn't work for her because she's such a "mood" eater. *sigh* I'm still trying to work on her though! This has brought our meal budget down from around 150$/week (for 2 people and a baby) to around 75$/week for us (the baby is now a 2 year old). I do things like buy several pounds of ground beef while it's on sale, decide how it's going to be used and cook it all one day. Use what little I will out of it, separate it out and freeze it. Then whenever I planned to make spaghetti or chili, some of my prep time is cut down. Also, if you cook onions into or whatever, you only have to worry with it once. And it cuts down on potential food waste.
I'm still working on being more frugal, but those are the first steps where I saw an immediate return.
Ask her if there are some main dishes that she cooks...most of us tend to have 10-15 or so favorites ...see if she'll try to buy the ingredients when they are on a good sale ...and then budget so much for her mood days...regardless there are main ingredients we all use over and over...it's a thought ...
1) Plan ahead, no matter what the subject. We often gave ourselves too many excuses to avoid planning ahead for things such as holiday gift purchases and spent way more than if we had planned ahead and shopped throughout the year.
2) Cook meals from scratch (or mostly). The result is rewarding to the pocketbook and waistline.
3) Utilize devices in the home to save time, money and frustration. A slow cooker or rice cooker can make healthy, frugal meals with very little prep time. This helps us avoid the temptation to grab fast food on a hectic day.
4) Frugality does not equal deprivation. As a Christian, I equate stewardship with frugality. We attempt to be conscientious in our spending to allow us to help others and enjoy the little of luxuries of life.
5) Be joyful! We need to be careful not to get so bogged down in our worries about finances, family needs, and so on that we forget to find joy in our lives. We were created to be joyful beings! Sometimes we just have to stop and make ourselves find that happy, peaceful place. It helps us to embrace life choices (such as frugality) and truly live it, if it is done with a happy heart.
The Tightwad Gazette is an incredibly valuable resource for those of us who simply don't know a lot of "frugal" people (which is probably everyone... it seems like most people are willing to spend an arm and a leg on anything these days).
On top of these awesome suggestions to get started, I would also begin considering making my own doughs for pizza or weekly bread, my own sauces, and anything else that is considerably cheaper to make at home in a few minutes (well, bread takes longer obviously, but you can do other things while it bakes).
Also, create a budget and STICK TO IT. It's easy to create this perfect, awesome, amazing budget, but sticking to it is another story. I still sometimes struggle with this, because it takes constant *watching* for you to make sure you aren't accidentally going over-budget. If you're an emotional/impulse shopper (which I sometimes am) this can be especially hard, but it's all about learning how to control yourself. It takes time to get better at sticking to your budget, and I think a lot of people expect to be "good" at it overnight. That's simply unrealistic; you can't curb years of a spending mentality in one day.
With frugality often comes wanted a simpler lifestyle/home. I'm in the process of going through each of the rooms in my house and taking things out that I simply don't need to live with to be happy. That is easy for me, but for others it's more difficult, especially if you have a tendency to place emotional valuable on physical objects. However, this has the added bonus of making you a little money. You can have a yard sale, sell things on Craig's List, or even take things to consignment shops. Whatever is leftover can be a donation to Goodwill since you already decided you don't need it anyway. The most important step here is to make sure you DON'T replace those items with more junk.
Things I did to get started.
1. Put the ATM card away. Stop using it for eating out, buying coffee, or the $20 here-and-there withdraws. Get money out once a week or better yet go into the bank to get money.
2. Get out a box of envelopes and label them for your needs. (Groceries $100, coffee & treats $10, fuel $60, etc) If you don't have it in the envelope you can't purchase it. If you need more in your fuel area you'll figure it out very soon and can adjust accordingly.
3. Make a wish list. Never make an impulse buy. If you see something in the store you "must have", resist. Put it on a list and post it in view. (I used to have mine taped to the kitchen cabinets.) If you still MUST HAVE that item a week (or two weeks) from when you posted it, get it. ...But before you purchase it look in the places Kristen mentioned to see if you can get it for less.
We started out by asking ourselves about everything, "Do we need this?" We asked not just for new purchases, or eating out (and the answer was almost always 'no'), but for things around the house as well. We were able to stop a lot of unneeded spending, but also clear out a lot of unwanted stuff around the house because it was stuff we no longer needed. It's amazing how many impulse buys that simple question stops, because once I ask myself that question, the answer is almost always 'no.'
Ditto what others have said on using the library, making a menu, shopping from a list, using cash whenever possible, buying secondhand.
Once you get started you may be surprised by how many frugal things you are already doing that you never thought about, and that you can build on.
1. Read the Frugal Girl
2. Read the Frugal Girl
3. Repeat
4. Repeat
5. Repeat
Just reading the Frugal Girl is saving me $400 a month, or $4,800 a year. That's frugal enough for me 🙂
1) Be inspired and ecuated by those who have walked and are walking the path of frugality. There are some Great (including Frugal Girl) blogs out there for both inspiration and education.
2) I hate deprivation. I try to stay in a place of abundance - gratitude for what I have always shifts my thinking away from what I WANT to what I already have.
3) I do better at getting/achieving things than I do giving them up. So, I try to focus on feeding my family the best possible meals on a budget - not about cutting things out. Then the monetary savings is a bonus. For example, I focus on making homemade bread for my family - what a treat - AND I saved money. Instead of cutting out movies and theater treats, I focus on my kids and their/my friends getting together @ my house for a Netflix movie and making yummy snacks. I've not yet felt deprived of someone elses child screaming through a movie as I at-will rewind to catch bathroom breaks, sip on local apple cider and munch on home made carmel corn on a floor pillow - and never had to stand in line to do it either.
3) I agree - stop shopping.
4) Always ask - do I REALLY need it. I ran out of moisturizer 2 months ago and thought I NEEDED it. I was looking through my cosmetic tray when the lightbulb went off that all those small tubes/bottles were free samples that I had collected. I haven't bought moisturizer yet - although I am running out of the samples soon. At which time, I will ask again - do I really NEED it? Or can I make do with something I do have?
5) Reframe time and stuff - especially around holidays, families, gift-giving, etc. A lovely older lady I know is in Assisted Living. I KNOW that she enjoys our cookie-making days and the cookies she takes home with her more than a crappy little tsotchkie that I could buy and she could dust. Rather than have the "perfect" Christmas tree that would cost $$ and time, my kids really appreciate the tree-decorating Saturday when each can invite some friends and supplies for making decorations are available and everyone gets to help decorate our tree. It'll never get in the window of Macy's but we sure have fun doing it. It really is the time and memories that are important and when I reframe my expectations to reflect that, I can embrace frugality and it becomes something I WANT.
Tammy, I love your #5.
Oops - just noticed - I have two #3's. My bad. Or - maybe I should reframe it and call it a 20% bonus!
I'd be curious to hear more from CM to find out why she thinks she "stinks at being frugal". What areas of spending does she think she's out of control with? What kind of life style is she currently living and what is she striving for? What areas would she like to spend less in?
1. I cash my grocery budget out of each paycheck ($100.00 a week that feeds six of us. Two adults and a 17,14,11, and 8 year old). I shop the grocery sales and use coupons for items that I use regularly. I stock up on pantry items that are on sale cheap to get us through until the next sale (usually,3 months worth). If you like convenience items make your own. You can make your own mixes and make your own hamburger helper. Store in ziploc bags (that can be reused) or store in plastic containers in your cupboard (check out "Make Your Own Mixes" from the library).
2. Turn the heat down a couple of degrees in the winter and up a couple of degrees in the summer. I closed the vents in the bedrooms and added extra blankets to the beds. We all have slippers and sweaters we wear around the house in the winter. In the winter on sunny days I open up all the blinds to let the sun help heat the house. In the summer I close the blinds on the sunny side of the house to keep the heat out.
3. Go to the library and check out books on Frugality. "The Tightwad Gazette" by Amy Dacyczyn is a must read. I ended up buying a used set on Amazon (but I see them at thrift stores sometimes,too). In fact, I use the library a ton. It's a great source for cookbooks and DIY books. It's full of free entertainment! When I have cabin fever and need to go out, I pack the kids up and go to the library. It' must cheaper than window shopping!
4. Keep on top of your budget. Write down expenses and review it weekly ( with your spouse if you are married, so that you are both on the same page). Build up an emergency fund for unexpected repairs and purchases. If you are tempted to buy something ask yourself do I need it, or do I want it! I always try to think of the cheapest (or free ) way to solve a problem (repair it versus new, do with out, recycle something else in it' place). It's amazing how resourceful you will become.
5. Don't beat yourself up if you slip up! It takes awhile to become a total Frugalista. Baby steps are the best. Pick one thing to work on and set goals on how to achieve it. Once you feel comfortable with that concept, start on another. Take pride in your accomplishments!
I totally agree with "Take pride in your accomplishments!". Who wants to continue doing stuff that results in self-abuse for less than perfection? Not me. I'd rather keep trying and celebrate when I come near my target.
We have always lived well below our income but I always knew we could do better and remember what works for others may not work for you so you have to find what does. I could never use the cash system as some suggest I spend cash like water, I also could not do the credit card for everything and pay it off each month as I wasn't seeing the amount come out of my account ASAP so we would spend more. I use my debit card only and check my balance every other day to know what we have left, I also use Mint.com to track expenses. Here are my suggestions.....
1. Start small, don't try to do everything at once and overwhelm yourself of you will give up almost as soon as you start. Then when you feel comfortable with one change, add another.
2. As everyone else said Cook at home. Find meals that work for you and your family and get a 3 ring binder to stick the recipe's in so you don't have to hunt for them again and again. Start small and work your way up. Two great blogs for step by step recipe's are http://www.annies-eats.com (she has the best make ahead put in your freezer pizza dough recipe) and also http://www.crockpot365.blogspot.com (over 365 crock pot recipe's she used her crock pot everyday for an entire year). Also the cookbook Feed Your Family for $75 a week is my favorite!!!!
3. Use what you have or borrow what you need don't just run out and buy it.
4. Always look for deals, I was done Christmas shopping for my kids toys in July when Target does a 75% off clearance of their toys.
5. Your freezer is your best friend. Plant a garden and freeze the produce.
Don't get discouraged you CAN do it!!!
Start small. Do you know where all your money goes every month? If not, find out by saving receipts or charge slips, etc. Does your spending meet your budget or are you using credit cards to spend when you run out of cash. IF so get your spending under your income level.
If you are already living under your income, but want to do better, I would pick one area a month as your focus, and as that area gets better/ easier, pick another to work on as well. Having a focus on where that savings is going to go can be a big motivator, wether it is an emergency fund or vacation fund.
And keep in mind that everybody has different ideas of what frugal is. Some say that if you have a certain amt of income you can't be frugal. I disagree. I define frugal as wise spending of what God has given me. He has given each of us different things in life. So wether you make $20,000 or $50,000 or $100,000 we can each be wise managers of the gifts he has given us.
LIve under your means.
Budget to meet your families immediate needs, and a few wants
Budget for later needs, like retirement and college
Save for wants like a house, new car and vacation
great list--thx!
I'd advise staying out of supermarkets/grocery stores if you can help it, as this is where you can get caught offguard. I don't like shopping - I never have - but have to buy food. So I shop online, I do a weekly plan (like Kristen) but then order online and it's delivered. Now some may say that the delivery charge isn't frugal and that I'm not shopping around for the best deal! It is when you compare it to the magazine that you buy, that extra bar of chocolate that does nothing for you than put an inch on the ole hips, and that impulse purchase that cost more than the saving you would have made by shopping here. UK supermarkets are full of clothes, stationary, toys etc and lots of promotional things just too good to miss for a bargain hunter. The impact of which is on the pocket, waistline and cluttering up the home. I know what I am going to spend before I log on and that's what I spend, and that's what we eat and hopefully end up with very little waste. My first weekly plan is going online tomorrow, and it'll be packed full of simple and nutritious home cooked food - frugal and efficient leaving me time to do other things rather than shop - which did I mention? I don't like doing haha!
I'd say before jumping into any menu plans, grocery lists, huge home cooking projects or anything else, the best place to start is at the beginning.
And by this, I mean sit down and make a list of the things you need vs. want. Needs should always come first monetarily. (And I feel as though I should note that emergency savings should go in the needs category. A few years ago, my family went through a 6 month job loss without any emergency funds in place...and we almost didn't make it.) Wants can wait, and are actually more satisfying after you've waited and purchased them when you could afford to do so. This is the first step to creating a budget, but it is almost always the most daunting task in becoming frugal overall. Once you've finalized your list, then work on a budget. THEN do meal plans, grocery lists, etc.
Trying to do too much at once or too much out of order is as counter-productive as doing nothing at all.
CM - is your goal to spend less money or to preserve natural resources? Because my answer differs depending on which one you want.
I think the most important thing is start with small steps. Don't let yourself get overwhelmed by trying to do everything at once. Step by step you can walk around the world but you cannot do it in one big jump. Don't let the perfect get in the way of improvement - focus on the advances you make over time and don't get discouraged by thinking "so and so's doing it better." Being frugal takes practice, give yourself time to learn.
OPTION #1: Spend Less Money.
First thing, start simple and start small. There are some things you can do right off the bat. Here are some of them:
- Use rags instead of paper towels for most uses (I don't use rags to clean oily messes).
- Use lidded containers instead of ziplocs, tin foil, saran wrap.
- Reuse ziplocs unless they're oily (oil is almost impossible to get out.)
- Brown bag your lunch (and breakfast, if you buy that as well).
- Go grocery shopping with a list and use only that list.
- Eat less (or no) animal products.
- If you can take public transit to work, see if your employer offers transit subsidies.
- No recreational shopping.
- Drink tap water. If you want a bottle, reuse one.
- Drive at a steady pace and no jack rabbit starts and sudden stops.
- Don't buy extended warranties. Never, never, never.
- Read the Frugal Girl archives. Don't worry about doing everything in there at first, just see if anything looks easy for you right now.
Then there are things that will save you money but take more work or prep or learning:
- Cook most/all of your meals.
- Plan menus. Advanced option: plan menus around grocery sales and coupons. The website moneysavingmom.com assembles a lot of coupon and big-chain sales info.
- When you need to buy a big ticket item, research the hell out of it. Think about how long you're going to use that item and be prepared to spend accordingly. If it's something you can use for years, buy long-lasting quality and not just the cheapest. See if you can get/use a second-hand version. If not, price shop the hell out of it. Negotiate, use coupons or membership discounts (AAA, ask for a military or law enforcement discount, etc), price match.
- Mend clothes.
- Line dry your clothes.
- No impulse buying. Wait a few days or weeks to give yourself time to decide if you really need/want that item.
- Check out freecycle.org. Free stuff.
- Check out craigslist.
- Make your own cleaning supplies. BTW some are dirt-easy to make, others not so much.
The biggest thing you can do to spend less money is BUDGET. To make a budget you need to know what your income and expenses are now. So track everything you spend for a month, and add in recurring expenses that don't happen every month (some life insurance is paid annually, for example). I find this easiest if I pay cash for everything and get a receipt. Keep your itemized grocery bills for later examination. Once you know how much you spend on what, you can move on to creating a budget. About which others can help you much more than I.
OPTION #2: Preserve Natural Resources.
This is easier since you don't have to consider price as a factor.
- Buy local food, ideally from farmers' markets (ie, markets in which the grower is also the seller). Make sure your farmers' markets aren't just the same trucked-in food your supermarket sells.
- Go vegetarian or vegan.
- Eat at restaurants that specialize in local food.
- Buy second-hand, vintage, antique. Don't buy new.
- Take public transportation.
- Take vacations by train.
- Get things fixed instead of replacing them.
- Avoid disposable anything. (Caveat: cloth diapers may not be less consumptive than disposable; it depends on cleaning methods and costs. And it gets very complicated very quickly.)
- Recycle and donate.
I'm not sure that NEVER buying an extended warranty is a good piece of advice. I bought one with my car, and when my transmission died 2 years after the original warranty was gone, my extended one picked up the $2k tab for a new one and labor. Even subtracting the $300 I spent on the extended warranty left me with a $1700 savings in that case.
Amy, the issue is one of statistics - how likely is a product to break before the extended warranty expires, and is the repair going to cost more than the warranty price?
An extended warranty is a bet: is this product going to break before the extended warranty expires, and is the repair going to cost more than the warranty price? But the manufacturers have the data to slant the bet, and they do so.
Here's the explanation. Manufacturers have voluminous data about when and how their products break and how much they cost to fix. They use these data to determine the balancing point. The balancing point is when they make more money off the warranty than they pay out. (The math is really easy - it's a common homework problem for a first year statistics student.) So you can see that, by design, the extended warranty is not a good deal for the average consumer.
Also, your credit card company may offer you an extended warranty on anything you buy with the card. For free.
In your case, your transmission died at a statistically unlikely time (and you have my sympathies for that). In a sense you got lucky - some luck! - but your case in unusual.
Hi. My husband is a mechanic and we have always bought a car warranty on every new car from the maximum years/mileage available (7 yrs and 100,000 miles is the current max I believe). We do not buy the warranty when we buy the car, we wait until the car is near the end of the 36/36 warranty that automatically comes with the car. It is much easier to pay that off, and we even got installment payments at no interest. Do not buy private warranties. Buy the manufacturer's (GM, Ford, etc.). Otherwise you, the dealership, and the warranty company are all fighting each other.
My husband could do most of this work himself if he had the right equipment at home, or finagle some arrangement with somebody he finds who has a private garage. But that dealer warranty gives you an edge in arguing if the job is not done to your satisfaction. An engine overhaul or replacement can cost you two to three times the cost of the warranty. Sometimes penny-wise is pound-foolish.
First, BUY the blue book of "The Tightwad Gazette". It contains all three books plus more. It will pay for itself even if you pay full price (but you probably won't if you can find it at half.com). You will want to OWN this book. I re-read it every year, usually in February when I am on my cash diet. (Buy nothing, not even food.) Sometimes I just leave it on the counter in the bathroom for quick bits of inspiration.
Second, I read frugality blogs DAILY. TFG is my favorite, but I also enjoy The Simple Dollar, Get Rich Slowly, Frugal Dad, Wise Bread, and Early Retirement Extreme. Once you are on these websites, follow the links until you find your own perfect blend of blogfull inspiration.
Third, track your progress. Little things will add up fast.
Fourth, Kristen is so right about staying out of stores! I retail as little as possible. I'm going to a colder climate this weekend and thought I needed something new to wear. I decided to go shopping in my closet with a fresh point of view and sure enough, I figured out a combination that I'd never thought of before. Voila! My "new" outfit was free.
Five, make it a game. Don't think of it as deprivation, think of it as enhancement. How do I get the most "bang" for every buck I have? How do I make my life better without spending more? If you saw my home or my car or my wardrobe, you'd never know I'm a life-long frugal girl, but you would as soon as we became friends!
Diane, I would LOVE to read about your cash diet.
All of these ideas are great at becoming frugal, but here are a few more to help in the household expenses like utilities and home and auto insurances.
1. Buy a programmage thermostat with weekends separate from the weekend days. They are not very expensive (around $50 or less) and easy to install. Then if everyone is at work or school during the day set your thermostat up (for the summer) and down (for the winter) to conserve energy. Also set it down in at night in the winter and snuggle under the covers :-)!
2. Set your thermostat lower (in the Winter) and higher (in the Summer) than you normally would. For every degree the thermostat is adjusted you can save up to 3% off your utility bill.
3. If you have an ELECTRIC (not gas) water heater, then buy a Off/On timer for it. If you stop and think about it how often do you use the hot water. As for me I use the hot water in the morning before work and in the evenings for dishes and laundry. So I have my timer set two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening (only 4 hours per day) and have never been without hot water! If you stop and think about it why should you pay for heating your water 24/7 when you don't use it that much!
4. Call up your utility company and get your average monthly payment over the course of a year and budget that amount in your budget each month. Some months (like Spring and Fall) you probably won't use the entire amount but in the Summer and Winter you probably will go over but the overage should be covered by the months you didn't use all of the money. Also, if your utility company will set up a fixed monthly amount you pay each month based on the average that could help you even more in planning your budget.
5. If you pay your car insurance every 6 months, then call your insurance company and have them set up monthly payments instead. If that is not available, then divide your 6-month payment by 6 and save that amount every month so when you need to pay the 6-month bill it is there.
6. Take a look at your car and home insurance deductible and see if you are a low deductible. If so, then talk with your insurance agent and raise your deductible to a higher one to save you money. Now instead of spending that savings put it in a savings account and eventually you will have enough to cover that higher deductible in case you ever have to file a claim.
I hope these ideas and all the other ones too get everyone in the frugal mood because it's a wonder feeling to have money when you need it!
grocery shop with list in hand. Use what coupons you can, if they make a sale price even better. I don't go down aisles that have things that aren't on the list. The only not-on-list things that go in my cart can only be forgotten ingredient items that are marked-down. Sometimes I do a 'trade': If there's anything in the cart that I don't "truly need," I can put that back for another time. I consider "put-backs" to be paperless coupons.
1. Figure out where you can downsize or cut back on something and still get the same "benefit". For instance, Date Night. Is the purpose to enjoy a fancy meal, or is the purpose to enjoy time alone with your spouse? For us, Date Night lately has been a 2nd-run movie at a cheap theater, along with a walk, just driving around, or finding a quiet place to park and talk. It achieves the purpose of having fun together plus having some "connecting" time.
I generally buy my clothes at Goodwill because the purpose is to have attractive clothes, and at Goodwill I can achieve that for less cost.
2. Don't go shopping any more often than is absolutely necessary. It takes an incredible amount of willpower to go to the grocery store for a gallon of milk and not end up spending $20 on bananas, a loaf of bread, and something that was on sale "for a really good price." If you shop for relaxation or entertainment, try "shopping" at the library instead. You still get that thrill of finding a treasure, but you don't have to part with any green stuff when you check out!
3. Pay cash. There is some sort of psychic pain that comes from parting with actual dollar bills that doesn't come when we use plastic. Plus there's the fear of getting to the register and being embarassed by not having enough cash, that is a great impulse-buy deterrent!
4. Cook your own food rather than eating out. It is so much cheaper, and generally healthier too. If you aren't fond of cooking, figure out a repetoire of 5-12 meals that you are comfortable with, or that your kids or husband can help with, and rotate through those. Eventually you'll start branching out and expanding your list.
5. Check out Flylady.net. Her main purpose is to help people declutter and keep their homes tidy, but I've found that lots of her ideas have helped me to buy less, waste less, and take better care of my finances.
6. Keep reading Frugal Girl. It will soak in over time. I used to blissfully throw out wasted food. Now I cringe. I still have food waste, but less of it, because she is making me aware.
7. Pray. If this is something you feel God wants you to be doing, He will give you the strength to do it.
I don't think anybody ever arrives at being 100% perfectly frugal. But we can all keep doing better, if we keep trying.
Here's my 2 cents:
Make a list of all the frugal things in other lists above that you want to incorporate into your life, then list them in order of your priority, of which you think you would be most successful at tackling first (example: drinking tap water only from a reusable bottle at work). Then use the ideas ONE AT A TIME, until you are comfortable with putting that idea into practice. Then you can move on to the next item on your list. Perhaps in a month or two, you will be ready to tackle more than one strategy at a time. I found it difficult trying to use all the strategies at once, and I think I made more failures than having positive results. But I kept at it, and eventually even my family began following in my lead. I still have more to learn, and more strategies to implement in our lives, but I am getting better at it. As a bonus, our savings account actually has money in it to prove these things do work!
All good suggestions! I'd repeat starting with tracking your spending so you know where your money is going. And although you may be all excited to try everything at once, it works better to pick one or two areas to start changing habits in, and when those become routine, add something else. Trying to change everythings at once can quickly lead to burnout!
Great post! We do almost everything everyone has mentioned. Not sure if anyone has mentioned this though, when you grocery shop, buy the majority of your foods from the outer perimeter of the store. If you look at a grocery store, all your basics, meat, produce, dairy and the bakery are in the outer perimeter. We only go down the aisles that we absolutely need to go down. When you do go down those aisles, know that they generally put the brand name and most expensive items at eye level. The store brand and generic items are usually on a lower or higher shelf. We rarely buy any brand name items because we've found that, with most brands, we can't tell a difference (there are some exceptions to this, like for us, Heinz brand ketchup). Why buy the brand name mushroom soup for the casserole when the store brand is half the price?
The book "Your Money or Your Life" by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez literally changed my life. When I was looking for first steps on the road to frugality, this book taught me how to *walk* by changing my thinking in a fundamental way. Your local library probably has a copy... And while you're there, peruse the books around it. Becoming frugal is a learning process -- educate yourself and watch your savings grow!
What worked best for me was reading Your Money or Your Life - they suggest an exercise in which you track ALL your spending (every penny!) for a specific period (I think if was a couple weeks). Afterward you examine whether the purchases were aligned with your values - whether that meal or sweater or car or whatever was worth the time & energy it took to earn the required funds.
It sounds silly but before this exercise I wasn't particularly intentional in my efforts at frugality and with my shotgun approach at cutting back I was attempting to eliminate items/experiences that I really do value. Now I recognize that I don't value or enjoy new clothes or fancy haircuts or jewelry or make-up and eliminating those items or purchasing them second hand was a simple transition. I do however value & enjoy travel and live music and eating out at ethnic restaurants so I budget for those expenses and enjoy them when they occur.
This exercise also helped my spouse & I realize the expense of two cars. I obtain NO enjoyment from gasoline purchases so eliminating as much of that line item from our budget (one scooter & a waste vegetable oil car) was an easy goal to set.
A phrase that I've found helpful whenever I'm trying to make a life-style change is "Progress not perfection".
The first step is setting goals for yourself. *Why* do you want to be frugal? Is it to save money to pay down debt? To make additional charitable contributions? To reduce your carbon footprint?
Once you define your motivations, it will be a lot easier to stick to a frugal lifestyle. Also, when you determine your motivation, set some goals for yourself. Make yourself accountable. For example, "For the next 3 months, I will put $100 into my 401(K)" or "I want to spend $100 on groceries for the next two months" or "I will ride my bike to work three times this week." It's easy to track and will give you a boost when you meet or exceed your goal.
However, before you set some hard money goals, you will need to track your spending. You can't reduce your expenditures without knowing exactly where the money is going. I rarely use cash (personal preference) and it is easy for me to go back in time and see where I spend my money by looking at old credit card statements and check registers. Once you know where the money is going, you can see what areas of the budget you can (and want to) cut.
i took dave ramsey classes & it helped us soooo much.READ HIS BOOKS! we have paid off over $20K of debt in 1 year. we are now on a budget.
1. if you have a spouse, you have to sit & budget together. b4 payday, we write down all of our bills & we use his envelope system. we always pay cash! most people (unless you are really good, like FG) spend 12-17 % more w/ debit cards. you really stop & think about things hard when paying w/ cash. knowing that when you run out...it's gone
2. have a $1000 emergency fund ( real emergencies ie. car troubles) and work on paying off debt smallest to greatest.
3. have a GOAL for why you are saving!!! i was starting to get the deperavation feeling after being a tightwad when i used to go and spend $180 a pop at T.J.Maxx. we are now going to be buying another house (from my sis & bro inlaw) and i have had great focus since. keep your goals in mind.
4. choose which areas you like to splurge in & set an amount aside ea. month for that little extra. make sure it's really worth it. sometimes when you have the cash saved, you realize you can go without it. we splurge on coffee. NOT brewed. we buy a lb. for $12 and we get it freshly ground the next day & it's awesome. when we first started the budget, we tried to go more frugal & buy cheap, but we are real coffee snobs. we just budget a bit extra for coffee. but we don't stop at starbucks very often at all. (or as Dave Ramsey say's "5Bucks".
5. i believe that God really blesses you when you decide to be a good steward. my husband now has a great job that pays more & the Lord has really given him favor. i'm sooo very thankful.......O, and thanks frugal girl for your awesome advice. i now make my own bread & bake alot more 🙂
*deprivation oops 🙂
Becoming more frugal does not have to mean a life of deprivation. You can begin by simply cutting back on whatever it is that you spend money on now. For instance, if on your daily trip to your local coffeehouse you usually buy a medium coffee for $1.30, try buying the small one for $1.00. You've just saved 30 cents which is a 23% gain in your spendable money and you have not deprived yourself of a favorite activity.
Little things add up to huge savings:
Make small adjustments in the amount that you consume of anything like your laundry detergent, your shampoo, your bathwater, your toothpaste, your house temperature, your gas for your vehicle, etc. until you reach the level at which it feels like deprivation, then step it up a little to what feels more comfortable. If you manage to cut anything in half, congrats thats a 100% return on your investment. Try finding that kind of return in the stock market.
Such good ideas - for me the very best idea is to make frugality a game. One thing to remember is that coupons are tax-free money.
These are all great ideas, as a twenty-something, single person, I'd like to share what's helped me since being let loose by mom and dad 🙂
Disclaimer: The year after I graduated college my total income was $6,000, no joke. I was a raft guide and ski bum and that's all the money I made. However, I accrued no credit card debt, paid my rent on time, bought new skis, etc. I got very creative with how I spent my money. Now as a teacher, I make what seems like a fortune to me, so I feel like I've added little upgrades!
1. Spend only cash. I allow myself $100 per week. This is to cover food (both eating out and groceries), entertainment, gas, EVERYTHING. I go to the ATM on Sunday afternoon and withdraw my cash and stick it in my wallet. Whatever cash I have left over the next Sunday goes into my "rainy day" fund!
2. Plan your menu. I fought this for so long but truly it is a lifesaver. I look through my pantry/cabinets/refrigerator and come up with my meals and then make a list of whatever else I need. Usually, fresh vegetables are the main culprit. I don't eat meat which saves an immense amount of money!
3. Live in a town without Target, a mall, Costco, a nail salon. hehe obviously this isn't always possible but my word it's a lifesaver for this girl who could spend the rest of her life shopping for sport.
4. Make the library your best friend. Incidentally, bring the librarians baked goods, they will in turn help you find really fun obscure stuff and sometimes put your name at the top of the hold list for new releases. 😉
5. Have a wish list with prices and date of purchase goals. Shop around, to me that's half the fun of buying something new, is knowing you got the best price. I love competition and especially if it's against myself!
5.5 Arrange it so that all of your bills are due shortly after you're paid. I am on a monthly pay cycle so I receive my paycheck the 27th of each month. I have auto transfer on most of my bills so the money's gone before I even know it's there. That helps to look at your bank account and not have false hope about the money you have!
I am a huge fan of the library! For me, it was easier to quit clothes shopping completely until my credit cards were paid off. I needed to break myself of the shopping habit. Once I did that, it was much easier to stick to a shopping budget because my old habits were gone. Sometimes nothing for a while can help you appreciate something in moderation.
My favorite blog is mine. 😉 http://www.homeownerby30.blogspot.com.
Thanks it is about survival. I need all the advice I can get in today's hard economic times. Take care.
These are all great suggestions! We love the library - haven't spent $ for books or movies in a long time, unless of course, you count overdue fees - a weak area for me 🙁 As someone who liked to shop, I found that I was shopping because I was bored or down, or it was a result of lack of planning. (I had lots to do: taking care of babies & preschoolers, but I was restless in a sense so I tried to fill that gap & get out of the house for sanity. Of course, it really backfired financially. I've since learned a lot!) Most of the shopping were little things and all of those little things really added up. I still like shopping (grocery, thrift, Ikea 🙂 ), but now we have a clear budget & make little incentive games for us and I really ask myself: do I NEED it? It is incredibly freeing to stick to a budget and see your resources grow. Plus, and more importantly, knowing that you're being a good steward to the Lord (for it's all his to begin with), really is rewarding.
Hello CM!
I'm just starting on my journey to frugal land! Of course my goals are to stop useless spending and save for a house with my boyfriend, I'm far from frugal yet! Feel free to visit my blog for moral support! I know I could use some encouragement as I start my own cut backs!
Susi
spendthriftsanonymous.blogspot.com
The first thing to do is decide what your goals in life are. Do you want a big house, a large family, do you want to chuck it all when you are 45 and travel the globe? Goals keep you focused. The second thing is to be mindful. Live purposefully. Don't be careless about your belongings, your safety, your health. Society today seems to be careless about everything. People making $30,000 or less seem to be entitled to manicures and massages. Decide what you need to exist. Two cars? Dental cleaning twice a year? Haircuts? Life insurance? Evaluate your present debt. School loans should be addressed with a fixed payment plan. Frugal doesn't always mean cheap. Be respectful of other people. Have decent clothes or better for weddings, funerals, church and the like, Don't be stingy, but don't waste money on meaningless gifts. Have an agreement with all your friends and relatives that purchased gifts are not in your budget. Don't overindulge your children. If you are really strapped, most schools and activities have scholarship funds for children who need them. Use them if you have to, but don't waste money on smoking, liquor, wine, or exercise equipment. Buy health insurance. Those people that have insurance through their company still have to pay a lot for it. Dental insurance pays for nothing. Do the right thing. It will give you peace of mind and that will relieve your stress. There is nothing wrong with saying I can't afford it. Be proud for being purposeful. I have a lot of money and assets, but I have always saved and lived within my means. Educate yourself, and not necessarily with college courses. You are responsible for your destiny. Good luck.
One of the best web sites that helped me get started was http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com It helped me get a handle on my grocery list,what is real leftovers. With that information my family never knew many of their meals were leftovers.
1.) If you're like me and pay for everything with your debit card, go online and download your last 3 or 4 statements and see how much you are really spending on what. Identify areas that could be reduced.
2.) Something that makes being frugal much less stressful is allotting a certain amount of money as "blow money" for yourself. You can spend it on anything you want. That way, even if you are no longer getting starbucks coffee because it's super expensive, if you still wanted it, you could use your blow money for it. Or next month if you wanted a video game, or whatever. This helps reduce the "I can't have what I want because it's not in the budget" syndrome.
3.) Make sure you include everything in your budget. Using the forms in the back of Dave Ramsey's book makes it easier. A lot of times people don't understand where their money is going because they forget to budget for things like property taxes or clothing or Christmas shopping and then they are scrambling to come up with extra $$ to pay for it.
4.) The key is self-control, not self-denial. You are allowed to have nice things and to eat nice food, but you have to be responsible about it. Don't buy something just because it's on sale if you don't really need it (same with coupons). Don't buy something just because your friend got one and loves it. Try this: Set a $$ amount that you won't go over, say $25. If something you want is more than that amount, wait 30 days and decide if you still want it or if you can't find it for a better price online. Making rules for yourself really helps reduce impulse buying.
5.) Negotiate for better deals. This can be everything from electric to cell phone to insurance to credit cards. It never hurts to ask, and spending an hour one day could save you a LOT of money.
I never use a debit card. If I don't have the money for it then I didn't need it. I exchange with family for items. Just exchanged a 5 qt brand new slow cooker for a small one. The one I swapped was a gift and too big. I also let people know what I'm looking for. My neice came this morning with 3 pairs of tailored curtains I can use. She is moving and they are wrong color. While she visited she said she needed bath towels. I had extras in the storage closet. so they found a new home. My way of saving is letting people know I'm cutting back. My neighbor was organizing his closet space and complaining about how many t-shirts he had. I said I'll take them if he really wanted to get rid of them. Bingo 20 great t-shirts for the grandchildren sleepover. I gave him a Richard Petty poster since he loves Nascar.
So my motto: open your mouth and save. With all the exchanging I saved $100. in curtains .
I don't know if this is really a frugal tip or not but it's something I use...
My weakness was always clothes shopping, and I wouldn't shop at second hand stores. I wouldn't blink about dropping around $35-$40 on a pair of jeans.
Somewhere along the line, I got my eyes opened and started thinking about it this way- in order to pay for that $40 pair of jeans, I need to work 2.5 hours to earn that money!! WoW!! That makes me think twice.
Now I love it when I can go to the consignment shop (that is within walking distance of my home-no spent gas money) and find the same jeans (sure they may have been worn a few times but that's what the washer is for) for a fraction of the price. And my hard earned money can go to a much better use, like getting our mortgage paid off!!
We have been frugal for our 50 years of marriage. Now, we watch our children doing the same that we did.
First we have a budget. We keep track of what we spend each week.
We have had a wonderful marriage, so we never felt the need to buy material things for happiness. Also, who wants an over loaded home. Just more to clean.
Raising our children, we always shopped toys at garage sales. Our kids had better than their friends. We still have the best toys for the grandchildren.
We always had used cars for many many years. They were always keep clean and well maintained.
Entertainment was game night every Friday night. We loved the bookmobile and picnics at the park or beach.
Every year we go over our insurances, cable, phone,newspaper etc. and shop for the best deals. We have negotiated hospital bills that insurance did not pay. We were very surprised that doctors and hospitals, are happy to make a deal.
The children stayed home going to community colleges and then the state university for the bachelors. So, we were able to give them that gift. They paid for their own grad schools.
I still use coupons and two for one dinners. Just this week i bought $80 of beautiful yarn for $6.00 at a yard sale. I will never stop being wise with our money.
Knowing you have enough to live comfortably in retirement makes life soooo peaceful.
Our frugality was born out of medical necessity, and although I know Frugal Girl (whom I admire greatly!!) manages to cook from scratch and spend an amazingly low amount of money to not only buy her groceries but toiletries and cleaning products, the first thing I did was learn to use coupons. I learned to use them to get free food, toiletries and cleaning products. Not all coupons are for highly processed and unhealthy food altough a lot of them are, so pay close attention to the things you can get that are healthy like frozen fruits and veggies (for things not in season) and salad in a bag. Also look for your food at places other than the grocery store if you have the time. For instance, you can often get eggs, milk and bread cheaper at Walgreens or CVS than the grocery store. If you learn to shop at those stores effectively you could get not only your personal items adn cleaning items free but free food too. All of that depends on how much time you're willing to spend. You can e-mail me kristinbrianne at yahoo dot com if you want pointers. i had a blog but i have a bone infection I'm fighting now so I had to shut it down until (hopefully, God willing) I get better. I'll be glad to help w/ couponing questions.
Also look for ways to entertain your family cheaper. Rent a Redbox movie instead of going to see one in the theater. I can't tell you the last movie we went to see, an we used to go several times a month because people in wheelchairs get in for free at our local theater. We were still paying for my husband, and we always at least got a drink. Now the thought of paying for a $3 or $4 drink sickens me lol.
If you, like me, don't have any nearby really good thrift stores, shop end of season for the next year and buy basics that won't go out of style. I've had better luck buying end of season clothing for $3 or less brand new than I have at our local thrift stors but you have to know when to go. Get on every store mailing list you can for coupons to add to those savings. Don't buy new clothes because they're wanted, buy them because they are needed. Buy a size bigger coat than you think your child will need for the next year because they can always grow into it but it's too late to take it back if it's too small.
I have so many frugal tips I've learned, and a lot of them have to do with saving on health care. Like I said, feel free to e-mail me if you want/need more suggestions. One last thing: Don't give up! There will be days when you slip up and spend money when you don't need to, but you can always bounce back. Responsible use of credit cards is a wonderful thing (a la TFG!!) but I can't trust myself not to overspend so we do not have them in my home. Establish an emergency fund if you don't have one ASAP so that you dont have to rely on credit cards for survival if the need arises. Also, never take insurance for granted!! Don't go overboard but don't go without.
Sorry, Kristen...I get "wordy"! I miss my blog but this is one of those rare days where I'd have the energy to post, and I guess I took advantage of that here!
Hi Kristin (there are a lot of us on this blog:)
I couldn't agree with you more on the coupons, there are so many coupons out there for non-prepackaged foods, you just have to do a little looking for them. CVS in my area has milk almost $2 cheaper then any grocery store and there is a coupon for pretty much any toiletry item out there. My rule is that I never pay more then $.50 for shampoo/conditioner/styler. Toothpaste/brushes/deodorant/floss/floss picks/body wash/mouth wash/lip care/monthly products have to be free so won't pay for them. The amount of money to be saved on toiletries alone is unbelievable! Even following my rules above I just today donated an entire shipping box full to the top of the things above to my daughters school and I paid NOTHING for any of it! Not a single store in my area double's Q's so I know it can be done anywhere!
There's a couple of things I like that help me save money.
1. Make my own bread. It's SUPER cheap, super easy (even if you're baking incompetent), and actually kinda fun. 🙂 Same goes for pizza dough, etc. The awesome recipe I use can be found here:
http://cheapsinglechick.blogspot.com/2010/11/make-your-own-super-yummy-bread-for.html
2. I stock up on items when they go on crazy good sales (usually with the help of coupons). I'm a one girl (and one dog) household, so I don't need crazy amounts of groceries-but when I see something I like that's on an AMAZING sale that will stay good for a while, I stock up. I got about 30 cans of Rotel last year for about 4 cents a can. They're usually over a dollar a can!
3. I don't go grocery shopping weekly. I try to eat out of my pantry as much as possible. I get creative and try using up most of what I have (except for some staples that I keep stockpiled) until my next trip to the store. Really helps decrease impulse buys.
4. Have fun nights in. I'm a social girl, but hate paying to go somewhere with my friends. So, what do we do? I have tons of board games, movies, etc. We make a big meal together (for cheap), have some drinks (liquor/wine bought on sale- which is WAAAAY cheaper per drink than going out), and play some games. it's amazing how nice it is to not feel pressured to have to spend money to have fun!
5. I read lots of Frugal blogs, like this one, and spend my money when it makes sense. I buy when things are at crazy low prices so I don't have to pay full price for things when I run out. I have enough shampoo and body wash for the next year, that I bought for next to nothing!
Good luck!
I was so encouraged by Marc Cuban's advice mentioned in Get Rich Slowly. The fact that a billionaire would say one of the best things he can do with his money is to stock up on things when they are 30 - 50% off is such a boost to my motivation. I mean, I knew that was the case, but just didn't know just how important it was in the big scheme of things. Well, I knew it was important, but just didn't figure billionaires thought that way. Maybe I have a millionaire mind after all....!
Here is a tip for you: do a no buy month! I Di this every so often when I feel like I'm getting too "consumer-y". Everyone sets their own rules for a no buy month but mine go like this. Things that aren't allowed:
- shopping for clothes or housewares
- going out to eat or going to bars
- paying for entertainment
- I don't specifically limit grocery shopping but I make an effort to plan meals from the pantry
- spending on travel
This exercise always makes me aware of how prevalent the urge to buy is in my mind! And it doesn't hurt that at the end of the month you'll probably have saved a chunk of change!
Also try making extra money online via surveys or special offers. Swagbucks does an excellent job combining these methods, plus you can earn money for just searching on the internet! It's free to sign up and use. You can redeem for a variety of items and gift cards. I like the amazon and paypal rewards card myself, but there's also nike, ll bean, sears, jc penney, lowes, kmart, apple, and lots more.