Meet a Frugal Girl Reader | Bee
Today, we're meeting Bee! She's a familiar name if you read the comments here, and I think you'll enjoy getting to know the person behind the name.
1. Tell us a little about yourself
I feel honored to be asked to share. I reside near the beach in a small community on the Atlantic Ocean in North Florida.
I’m 58 years-old and the mother of 3 adult children who are not at home any longer. I now live with my husband of 35-years, a calico kitty, and a rather large dog whom I recently adopted.
I retired from my professional career early —nearly 10 years ago. This was not exactly my plan. I thought I would take a sabbatical, but I left full-time work and never looked back.
(Long-term frugality allowed me to make this choice).
Since then I have made a little money buying and selling vintage items and antiques. I have had an antique booth, sold at vintage markets and utilized online platforms.
Recently, I started a related business and am working really hard to make it a success. This new career is an outgrowth of buying secondhand.
My leisure time is usually spent engaging in free activities. I love the beach and the water. I swim, walk, kayak, and bike. I participate in a book club and love my library. I am also a member of other groups in my community.
Whenever possible, I spend time with my family especially my husband and children who are my favorite people in the world.
2. How long have you been reading The Frugal Girl?
I have read The Frugal Girl on and off for 5-6 years. In the last year, however, I have become a devoted reader.
During the pandemic and the craziness of 2020, I found that Kristen’s positive outlook and discussion of normal things made everything seem better.
3. How did you get interested in saving money?
I began looking at frugality as an alternative to consumerism in the early 1990’s. My husband and I were a young struggling couple with small children and were in desperate need of guidance.
Nothing in our backgrounds had prepared us for the domestic pressures of family life. Although we were well-educated, we didn’t have any practical skills.
After seeing an interview with Amy Dacyczyn of Tightwad Gazette fame and reading about her tremendous success in Parade Magazine, I began to look at things differently and learned many of the money-saving skills that are still part of my life today.
4. What's the "why" behind your money-saving efforts?
The why behind my money saving efforts have changed over the years. Our frugality has allowed us to buy a house, educate our three children, and prepare for our eventual retirement.
It has also given us choices which we may not have had.
5. What's your best frugal win?
I have had several large frugal wins (and losses) over the years. It is hard for me to come up with just one.
However, I suppose one of my largest savings revolve around travel. My husband and I have paid for entire vacations — with the exception of food — using points.
Yet, I think that true frugality is a collection of habits that in the long-term yield tremendous results such as:
- cooking from scratch
- cutting food waste
- drinking primarily water
- meal planning around grocery store specials
- buying second hand
- utilizing the library
- learning to do things ourselves
- using a price book
- saving for major purchases
- regularly reviewing our household expenses
These activities have saved tens of thousands of dollars over the years.
6. What's a dumb money mistake you've made?
My biggest money mistake was having a 30-year mortgage rather than financing my home for just 15 years. We are throwing everything we can at the principal now, so it will be paid off when we reach 65.
Yet, if we had elected to carry a 15-year mortgage, our home would have been paid in full by now, and we would have saved thousands in interest. When we were younger, we were just too scared to commit ourselves to this larger payment.
7. What's one thing you splurge on?
I am almost embarrassed to admit that I splurge on this — I send my newly adopted pup to doggy daycare once a week.
I rescued an English Pointer — a bird dog — at the end of September. She is wonderful, but requires a lot of exercise.
My husband and I walk her an average of 4-6 miles a day. We take her to the dog park and allow her to run the beach regularly. She spends hours in the yard chasing lizards and eyeing squirrels.
However, this is not always enough.
So once a week, we give ourselves a break. She goes to the pet resort and plays for hours with other dogs. It makes her happy, socializes her and gives us a little rest.
8. What's one thing you aren't remotely tempted to splurge on?
I am never tempted by fast-food or designer handbags.
9. If $1000 was dropped into your lap today, what would you do with it?
If $1000 fell into my lap today, it would go into our home improvement fund. We have been in our house for many years. We put on a new roof two years ago which is a costly endeavor in Florida.
We are now saving for more energy efficient windows and to paint the exterior.
10. Share a frugal tip with other Frugal Girl readers
As an older reader, I have a little advice.
-Try to buy the best quality you can afford and if possible buy it secondhand. Quality will last longer, and it will be cheaper in the long run. It’s also better for the environment.
- Build relationships with the people that take care for you, your home and your finances. If you are always looking for the better deal, you often sacrifice trust and loyalty. Sometimes you may leave a little money on the table, but it’s important to have people in your lives that have your back.
- Don’t worry about what others think, follow your heart.
- Never, never give up.
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Bee, thank you so much for answering my questions and for sending in all these photos!
I enjoyed getting to know you better and my word, I love, love, love that photo from your anniversary trip to the Tetons. So beautiful!
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Hello Bee, I’ve read your post on several forms and enjoyed them. I find them thoughtful and interesting. It’s always nice to see a familiar name. Thanks for sharing.
Bee, I'm a big fan of yours! I think your comments are lovely and kind, and you always seem so serene. I've often thought, "I bet she's such a good friend to her friends!" Of course I loved reading about your life. Thanks for doing this feature - what a treat to read it!
BJS — I wish that I could say that I am always calm and collected, but that would definitely be untrue!!! I have found that it is easier to stay focused as I’ve gotten older and I’m not pulled in so many directions. Thank you for your kind words!
This was lovely and inspiring! I am a somewhat new reader and I am really enjoying this blog. I’ve started going into archives and reading posts from the early days so I can learn!
Bee- what is a “price book”?
A Price Book was something that was used by Amy D. of The Tightwad Gazette. You use a notebook to track the prices of grocery items that you buy on a regular basis in order to buy these things at the lowest price possible. For example, one of the grocery stores that I shop at has my favorite coffee on sale Buy one pound, get one pound once every quarter. I know I use about 3/4 of a pound a week. So I buy 10 pounds when it goes on sale. By doing this I save approximately $140 a year.
Amy D. used the price book in conjunction with the Pantry Principle that KD made mention of last week. It takes a little while to refine this, but it can save a great deal of money in the long run.
thank you! I ordered that book (from ebay) so I look forward to learning more. I have never paid attention to grocery prices so I will need to start from scratch observing what I buy and how it is priced at the handful of stores near me (Roche Brothers, Star Market, BJs, and Stop and Shop). Thank you!!
I echo what Bee said about Amy D and price books but add that when you have data to know when an item is at a rock-bottom price, it gives you confidence to buy deeply.
It was eye-opening to me when Amy D. suggested looking for alternative places to purchase food and household items beyond regular supermarkets: direct from a farmer, ethnic store, job lot store, etc.
For the past few years I have been keeping a spreadsheet of everything I purchase, the price, and a notation if it was on sale. This is part of my budget spreadsheet and functions as a price book. I also keep a separate tab for the frequency of discount coupons offered by my favorite local grocery store. These coupons are usually "$20 off if you spend $100." By tracking when they offer them, I am able to see the trends and start to predict and therefore budget for a larger grocery shop.
i informally do that, for my favorites, nice to know it is a thing
Hi Bee! I have a dog like yours (his energy comes from being part border collie), but we live in the middle of nowhere, so he can run as much as he wants. I think if I were dropping a dog off at doggie daycare, I would have a hard time leaving. Watching dogs play together is so fun.
I love it. You are an inspiration Bee.
I'm never tempted by designer handbags (or any other kind of handbag) either!
Thanks for sharing!
Nice to meet you, Bee! Sounds like we’re neighbors! (We’re also coastal north Florida)Your wisdom is nice to soak up as our children are still young and at home. It’s nice to be encouraged in this season and see what’s ahead in the next!
It’s nice to meet a neighbor! I hope you enjoy raising your family in NE Florida as much as I did.
Thank you, Bee! We love it here and our kids consider it home. As a military family there’s always a possibility of leaving, but we feel like this is our home. Definitely a beautiful place to raise and homeschool your children.
Hi, Bee, I'm so glad you are one of the featured readers! As a fellow Floridian (NW), I relate to a number of your weather/area specific comments quite well.
Amy Dacyczyn changed my life, too. We made a ton of mistakes over the years, but learning frugality has kept us from going under because of them.
I don't blame you for putting your dog in a daycare once a week. Really active dogs who don't get enough exercise usually get destructive, ask me how I know. Repairing and replacing landscaping, furniture and structures behind a large, strong, destructive dog is anything but cheap. So you are actually being quite frugal!
I think The Tightwad Gazette had a huge impact on people in the 90s. I think it was the first time that I understood that it wasn’t just how much money I made; it was also what I chose to do with it. It’s funny to read the books now. Some of her ideas are very dated, but some are just as pertinent today as they were 30 years ago.
Also, thank you for giving me a different perspective on doggy daycare. It is true that big, bored dogs can be destructive. I’m saving money right?
Bee, your answer to 10 is my favorite, but especially the second point.
Thank you. I actually feel very strongly about the second one on that list. It’s so easy to pick the cheapest alternative; but it is not necessarily the best choice. There have been many difficult times in my life that have been made easier by others who have done their jobs well and with kindness, consideration and empathy.
So nice to meet you, Bee. I think it's great that you're taking such good care of your dog. I so agree on buying good quality and second-hand. I think my own biggest money mistake is all the money I wasted over the years buying trendy and/or cheap clothing
I have wasted my share of money on trendy, new clothing in the past too. It is difficult to always buy high- quality inexpensively. Sometimes, there aren’t many choices. I once needed a blue cocktail dress for a special event related to my husband’s work. The chances of me walking into a consignment shop or thrift store to find a semi-formal dress that was in the right size and color AND looked good on me were pretty slim. I ended up purchasing a dress from a local store with a large formal section, but I did check Goodwill first.
Hi Bee! I love the idea of frugality as an alternative to consumerism. And I know what you mean about the 30-year mortgage - we refinanced several times, and really wanted to move it to a 15-year but were too nervous about being locked in to the extra cost. We finally did switch to a 15-year in our last refinance (which is great, but getting so close to that as the actual timeframe that I'm not sure it really counts! : )
I'm just wondering what a price book is. Could you answer that Bee, if you have a chance (when you aren't able exercising your gorgeous pup!
She is a sweetheart! I answered Lori C below. She also had a question about price books.
Such beautiful pictures and such a positive message throughout - thanks for sharing, Bee! I enjoyed reading this.
I'm really enjoying hearing everyone's backstory on their frugal journey. Bee, you sound really interesting. You should have your own blog! One quick question: being from FL, do you have any frugal tips for natural disasters/weather emergencies?
I would read that blog, for sure!
Thank you for your kind comments. I have been thinking about your question all afternoon. I think hurricanes are different than many other natural disasters, because we know they are coming. Hurricane season can be quite stressful, but I think you can alleviate some of the stress through preparation.
Of course, we know that we should have water, food and cash. However there are 3 things that I do every June.
1) I review my homeowner’s policy. If I have enough insurance and the right coverage I feel better.
2) I update my evacuation binder. It contains our passports, birth certificates, marriage license, vet records, insurance policy, a hard copy of our household inventory and thumb drive of photos. I also send copies of these to an out-of-state family member whom I trust. It doesn’t help to put them in a safe deposit box if the bank isn’t there any longer.
3) I make a evacuation plan —Plan A and Plan B - just in case the storm makes an unexpected turn.
The Red Cross used to have a wonderful disaster preparedness class.
Thank you! #2 is particularly helpful. I never thought of that. Fortunately we've never had many issues where I live, but every year the weather seems to get more unpredictable so this info is very helpful. Thanks again!
Bee! We stayed in Dubois, too, when we went to the Tetons! Did you visit the World's Largest Jackalope Museum while you were there? https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/13257 Sure, the Tetons are breathtakingly beautiful, but what's that compared to big jackalopes? 😉 Your pictures brought back happy memories. It's such a gorgeous area. Even if you are the worst photographer in the world, you can't help but get fantastic pictures there.
It was fun to meet you and get to know more about you.
Oh, we missed that! We only stopped in Dubois for coffee and a bathroom break. I have a beautiful photo of the Tetons that I took at a pullover along the Snake River. I tried to get the same angle as Ansel Adams. I will have to go back and visit the Jackalope museum. I really want to go back. We live in a beautiful country!
Hi Bee, so glad to meet you. I have been enjoying your comments on several frugal blog sites for awhile. When I see you have commented I think oh good, I wonder what Bee has to say.
Your comments are always so well written, thoughtful and kind. In your previous job did it involve writing?
Up until 2000, I did write on a regular basis in my work. I did enjoy it except when I had writer’s block.
Bee,
I loved reading about your frugal journey. I make relationships with the small business people who do work for me. When they come to work we talk and catch up on our lives. I also love to get second hand quality clothes. It's a win win and the clothes last.
Great to read your story. I am here to say DO NOT feel like having a 30 year mortgage is a mistake!
1. Don't forget that in this case inflation is your friend - meaning the value of your mortgage payment in year 29 is much less than the value in year 1 (say your mortgage payment is 1200 dollars - well, 1200 dollars bought a lot more in 2005 (when you took out your mortgage) than it will in 2035 (when your mortgage is scheduled to end).
2. Also, assuming the extra money that you did not pay monthly (you are paying less per month for the 30 year than you would have for the 15 year) is invested. it is likely earning more being invested than it would be costing to borrow, since for the last many years, investment income rates have been much higher than mortgage rates). In my case, I am borrowing money at 3.4 % but am making money in the index funds at 6-14% over the last 10 years.
So, it really more about what makes you comfortable, as right now mortgages are good investments! If I were going to suggest anything, it would be to think about refinancing, depending on what your current mortgage rate is. I just refinanced at 2.5% for a 15 year. I found this website helpful. https://www.hsh.com/prepayment-refinance-calculator.html
All great points especially in this economic climate. I just wish my mortgage was behind me!!! It will be soon... I’m determined.
Yes to all of this! People can be so scared of mortgages (admittedly, a 30 year loan can be daunting) but minimizing your monthly mortgage payment can be a great way to maximize your money over all!
Late to the party, but I came to say the same things that monica did. A little trick is every time you think about the mortgage, check your investment balances. Over time, you'll see they grow faster. It's an amazing feeling when your investments begin to earn more than you do. Compound interest is incredibly powerful.
If you really hate your mortgage, save and invest as much as possible. Eventually, it will grow and you can decimate the mortgage with a single blow. It's counterintuitive, but it really will cost you less in the end.
It is such a pleasure to meet you -- your comments are always so thoughtful and kind and I really enjoyed getting to know you -- and your pictures! And truly, doggie daycare sounds awesome -- he gets to socialize with other pooches and jump around and you get a little "mommy" break. Seems like a frugal win-win. Anyway, thank you for sharing -- lovely to know you!
My favorite question is always, "what's one thing you splurge on?" It's so interesting to hear what people value! I think doggie day care is a great thing to splurge on. It sounds like you've got a super happy pup, and a lucky one!
Thanks for sharing, Bee!
Bee: Loved your post! Great photos and words. So nice to finally "meet" you. When I started reading frugal blogs, your name was a regular and helped me feel like I could also be part of the community. Thanks for putting yourself out there!
Bee,
I enjoyed your interview. It seems to me that you have the frugal but wonderful life nailed. I love that people (family and other relationships) are a priority for you. I was especially impressed with Your Best Frugal Wins and and Share a tip...
It's wonderful to get a peek at some of the reader's lives.
Hello, Bee. I like the "collection of habits" part. I find that a frugal lifestyle really isn't about one win or fail. . . but all those little habits that add up.
Thank you for all the kind words! I wish I could answer every comment, but Rescue Pup wants a walk. It’s hard to put yourself out there, but there are so many wonderful people who real this blog. Until tomorrow ... wishing you all peace, health and frugality...
I love reading these! Nice to meet you Bee!
Sorry to be so uninformed, but what is a price book?
Hi. Susan. It is a notebook which you use to track the price of groceries at various stores. It also helps you track the sales and specials. This allows you stock your pantry and freezer at the lowest price possible.
When my children were home, I saved a lot of money doing this. I still use it for staples. I gave an example below of savings.
i think you can always pay extra on the mortgage whenever you want. mary hunt recommends one extra whole payment a year. i started with tighwad gazette newsletter. i didn't want to live check to check like everyone in my office. so nice to hear you backstory.
hi bee, i live in palm coast fl, so we are neighbors. i just paid my house off at 65, and my car later this year. i live by many of your frugal ideas, beautiful dog, i have 2
Thanks for sharing, Bee. I, too, am a big fan of paying for trips with points. I travel for work and am able to save up airline and hotel points for personal use. It saves us so much money on travel. Don't feel bad about taking your dog to doggie day care. It sounds like it's a good situation for everyone, and it's only once a week. It's important for dogs to be socialized, too, so that's a huge benefit.
I think it is great that you take your dog to doggy daycare. I'm a big believer in that. Dogs need other dogs and dogs can give feedback to each other that we can't b/c, well, we're not dogs. It sounds like you have a lovely balance with your dog exercise program and it is so lovely that you rescued this high energy pup.
I too love Tightwad Gazette. I was in college in the early 90's when it was introduced to me. I wish she was still producing content on her current life.
Your list inspired me to double down on my food waste issues and get cooking and food prepping today.
P.S. My husband and I are purchasing a home in Florida -but southern - so we will kind of be neighbors.
Chiming in late to say “yes, nice to meet you, Bee”! I enjoyed learning some things about your life and strategies. Many people try to save money by picking the cheap options, but as you pointed out, having people you can count on is very valuable, and may save money in the long run. I’m talking about mechanics/auto body, construction/handyman, repairs, insurance, banks, accountants, health care and beauty stuff, plant and garden centers...almost anything! Many of mine are friends after having relationships for years. They have my back in a crisis and want to keep me as a customer. I trust them and recommend them often. And as a business owner myself, I will definitely help out a good repeat customer over a stranger. Well, thanks again, bee and Kristen!
Hi, Bee. I'm another one who had the life-changing experience of finding The Tightwad Gazette. It was such a great antidote to the wealth-flaunting '90s for those of us who had no wealth to flaunt at all. 🙂
This feature has turned out to be a really neat thing to read. I am really enjoying these glimpses into other people's lives!
I am completely with you on traveling with points. Travel is my favorite thing to do with my husband but it can be a pretty expensive hobby! We have a couple points credit cards and we try to use them for anything we would otherwise use cash or debit for. It's money we would otherwise be spending and we can get hotels and/or flights for little or no cost.
This feature has become my favorite part of your blog, Kristen. I love all of your various sections so this is saying a lot!
Soo nice to meet you, Bee! Gosh, your pup story is a delight. And such a perfect photo to go with it because I can see his delight. So worth the "splurge."
Like everyone else, I’ve enjoyed getting to know the members of this community in depth. I come here for the uplifting tone of this group. Kristen's own style has attracted such a lovely group while at the same time being always informative. Unique!
What a lovely post! I'm really enjoying meeting all the readers. Bee, your photography is lovely. You've got a knack for capturing beautiful light. 🙂
I love your puppy store. I also have 2 bird dogs( standard poodles) and I take them to the dog park for an hour every morning. That seems to wear them out enough( they sleep all day). Then, an evening walk allows us to relax at night with out shenanigans from the boys( both 4). When we take vacations, its expensive to board 3 dogs( we also have a dachshund). Vacations are our splurge item( and we still do them frugally) I consider myself frugal, however I agree with buying the best you can afford and buying higher quality second hand. It pains me on trash day, when I see what my neighbors throw away. Cheap furniture, vacuums, etc. We bought some used furniture, painted it in a pottery barn style and it will last for years to come.