Meet a Reader | Elisabeth from Nova Scotia
Oh man, I love it when readers include a bunch of photos with their submissions! If you feel the same, then today will be a treat because Elisabeth sent in so many lovely photos.
1. Tell us a little about yourself
Hi! I’m Elisabeth - a work-from-home mom living in Nova Scotia, Canada with my husband and two kiddos (a 9-year-old son and a 13-year-old daughter).
I work part-time as a program coordinator at a local university and I also handle communications for the business I co-own with my husband. He travels frequently for his job, but we try to carve out plenty of time for family adventures.
We especially enjoy visiting lighthouses and have explored dozens in the last few years! Most of them have been right here in Nova Scotia.
I may be biased, but I think it’s one of the most beautiful places on planet Earth (bonus: there are lots of free things to do!)
If I’m not working, adventuring, mothering or sleeping…I’m probably writing. I started a blog during the pandemic and the hobby stuck.
2. How long have you been reading The Frugal Girl?
About six months - late to the party but glad I arrived!
3. How did you get interested in saving money?
Frankly, I didn’t have a choice. I was the daughter of a rural pastor who made very little money.
My mother was a nurse (a wonderful profession, right Kristen!), but she made the decision to only work one evening shift a week so she could be a stay-at-home-mom to her kids.
Although they were constrained financially, they put a high value on postsecondary education. My parents knew they couldn’t afford to cover college tuition for their kids, so when we were growing up every dollar we earned went into an education savings plan.
They also encouraged us to apply for any and all scholarships on offer. I was fortunate to finish my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees with money in the bank - and zero debt or loans - which I credit to my parents.
4. What's the "why" behind your money-saving efforts?
Frugality is all I’ve ever known!
I’m a Christian and view money as a gift from God that should be used wisely.
Also, I like it! I find frugal living fun. I enjoy discovering deals and looking through sales flyers and shopping for my clothes at thrift shops.
5. What's your best frugal win?
Paying off our mortgage in seven years (this happened last week, so a recent - but big - financial milestone).
We bought one of the most undervalued homes for sale in our town - at a price far below what the bank was offering to lend us - and when we could put additional money against the mortgage, we did.
6. What's an embarrassing money mistake you've made?
Not investing effectively. My husband and I (especially me!) are risk averse.
The thought of navigating the investment landscape - and worrying about stocks or mutual funds crashing - overwhelms me, but we need to make our money work harder for us!
7. What's one thing you splurge on?
In a way I feel like everything I buy that I don’t truly need is a splurge…but my favourite indulgence is to spend money on take-out sushi for an at-home date night with my husband.
It’s not very expensive (~$20 each time) but it feels positively decadent. Growing up it was very rare for me to eat out or buy pre-prepared food - in fact, I still get a thrill every time I buy an ice cream cone!
I’m most tempted to splurge on home goods. I could spend all day in HomeSense and want to buy every item in the store. But I almost always leave empty-handed.
8. What's one thing you aren't remotely tempted to splurge on?
Can I list more than one?
Luxury handbags, high-end clothing, fancy hotels, expensive restaurants, elaborate makeup. I want things in my life to be clean and functional, not flashy.
9. If $1000 was dropped into your lap today, what would you do with it?
This is the only question that stumped me. What would I do? It depends.
If I’m telling the truth, it’s likely a boring answer: I’d put the $1,000 in the bank. If I was forced to come up with a “frivolous” plan, then I’d use it to go to NYC for a long weekend just before Christmas to see all the holiday storefront displays and the tree in Rockefeller Center.
Catching a show on Broadway would also be a must!
10. What's the easiest/hardest part of being frugal?
Being frugal comes shockingly easily to me.
But it can be a double-edged sword. Feeling afraid and/or guilty when I spend money can take some of the fun out of life.
I might be enjoying a lovely restaurant meal but then look at the food and think: I could have made this for a quarter of the price at home! Or I’ll go to a yoga class and think: I shouldn’t be here! I could be following along with a free YouTube video.
Another way my engrained frugal ways negatively impact me is a feeling of obligation to find the absolute. best. deal. (I am what Barry Schwartz would call a maximizer.) I might save a few dollars but it’s not always worth the stress or time.
For years after we were married my husband and I lived with meager earnings. We were bootstrapping two start-ups and had two small kids. Those were lean years early in adulthood, which fed into the fear/guilt about spending money that stemmed from my childhood.
Thankfully, as we gain more financial independence, I have less guilt. It’s always there, but it’s starting to speak in a gentler voice.
11. Is there anything unique about frugal living in your area?
Second-hand clothing. Nearly everyone I know finds at least some of their clothes at thrift shops.
I do not own - aside from underwear, a travel outfit and four pairs of shoes - a single item of clothing that is not second-hand.
All my bras, coats, pants, shirts, sweaters, pajamas, bathing suits, hats, sunglasses and dresses are thrifted.
12. What frugal tips have you tried and abandoned?
Reusing teabags.
I would steep my tea, put the teabag in a container in the fridge and when I had collected a few used bags I’d put them all in a mug and add hot water. It resulted in tepid, stale tea. Blergh.
Apparently, my husband knew a millionaire when he was growing up who claimed to reuse his teabags. I did it for well over a year before deciding I would rather skip being a millionaire and enjoy a mug of FRESH tea.
My husband likes to reuse plastic Ziploc bags and I loathe rinsing them out and drying them. When he’s not looking, I sometimes slip them into the plastic recycling.
13. What's your funniest frugal story?
When my husband and I were trying to launch a small business, we had to come up with creative ways to make ends meet.
I started responding to study participant requests at a local university. I used probiotics for months and went in for frequent mental acuity assessments (results: probiotics didn’t make me smarter, but they did improve digestion).
We rode on stationary bikes multiple mornings a week for a HIIT study in the Kinesiology department.
But the most lucrative was our several years spent being regular panelists in a taste-testing lab. We evaluated flax flour (I got paid extra if I tried to make flax-flour bread at home - so I rolled up my sleeves and made bread), different cuts of beef, maple syrup, salad greens, cheese spreads and stroopwafels.
We were usually “paid” $15/hour in grocery store gift cards and managed to make $1,000s over the years.
Since we had a young daughter at the time, we would try to schedule different testing slots so the other parent was free to cover childcare. But if our time slots overlapped, she would come with us into the food lab.
14. What single action or decision has saved you the most money over your life?
Enjoying being frugal and, when possible, treating it like a game. I genuinely like to get things second-hand.
It makes items feel less precious (I don’t get as upset if my kids ruin a pair of sneakers in a muddy puddle if I’ve bought them for $3.99) and I think of it like going on a treasure hunt. It’s satisfying to find something I need for pennies, rescue it from a landfill, and give it a new life in my own home.
I also think that it helps to realize how seemingly little actions add up. I cut my husband’s hair once a month at home. He hasn’t been to a barber in over a decade which has surely saved us $100s - if not $1000s - of dollars. One haircut at a time, the savings add up!
15. What are some things about frugal living you wish more people knew?
To check flyers and shop sales at the grocery store. Sales dictate what we eat for the week.
The thought of planning a chicken dish, for example, on a week where chicken isn’t on sale is ludicrous to me (though chances are I’d have some in the freezer, purchased on a recent sale)! Still on grocery-saving tips, see if stores have a points or rewards program. Some grocery stores have special deals for members, or a cash-back system.
And consider buying reduced food! We regularly get bread 50% off and put it directly in the freezer, taking out slices as we need them. We buy bananas 50% off and use them for banana bread. It’s also a great way to reduce food waste. Win-win.
Second-hand items can be beautiful. Because we purchased an older home, the rooms were quite dated. Last year we got around to doing a bedroom makeover for our daughter and sourced many of the items second-hand.
Art (we have purchased most of the art in our house second-hand), her duvet, lamps, bookends...all was second-hand.
It looked great for a fraction of the cost.
Use warranties. I have managed to get so many items replaced under warranty! Winter coats, boots, a mattress, broken luggage, kids mittens, frying pans.
16. Which is your favorite type of post at the Frugal Girl and why?
Five Frugal Things! I love the little vignettes of her life and I get so many good ideas from the various ways she saves money.
17. Do you have any tips for frugal travel or vacations?
Yes! I absolutely love talking about frugal travel.
Our family took a 2-week trip to Portugal this August (for fun I broke down what the trip cost - just under $6,000 USD for a family of 4 for 14 vacation days + 2 travel days).
I did the same cost analysis for trips to Rome (~$1,850 USD for 2 people for 5 vacation days + 2 travel days) and Barcelona (~$2,900 USD for a family of 4 for 6 vacation days + 2 travel days, though with some persistence and a bit of luck it ended up only costing us ~$330 USD.
Yes, you read that right - $330 total for a 6-day trip for 4 to Spain!).
How do we save money when we travel?
We travel on points! This is a great way to get affordable plane tickets. In Canada, the best program is Aeroplan (Air Canada) with Star Alliance partners. I think Southwest has some great rewards for inter-US travel.
We also try to prepare our own meals. We make use of every mini-fridge we have access to; we generally eat breakfast in the hotel - buying cereal, milk, fruit, and yogurt at a grocery store - and we bring along snacks and/or sandwiches for lunch. It saves a lot of money…and time.
Research what days museums or other attractions have free entry. When we were in Rome we knew the last Sunday of every month the Vatican was free. Guess when we chose to go?
Many art galleries and museums have one day a week (often Sunday or Monday) where entry is free and that can provide a big cost savings!
While we aim to spend – and travel – conscientiously, what an incredible privilege it is to see the world! I am trying to live by the motto it costs what it costs.
I’ll always try to find ways to cut corners and save money, but not at the expense (pun intended) of a great vacation.
Instead of buying souvenirs that will collect dust at home, take lots of pictures and make a photobook of your trip.
Favourite experiences on a trip often cost nothing. Perhaps the best night of my entire life was spent watching the sun set over the Eiffel Tower.
Obviously getting to France required money, but the evening sky didn’t cost a penny.
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Elisabeth! You live SUCH a cool life. Thank you for sharing a peek of it with us.
I love love love that you and your hubby did the participant requests to get grocery gift cards. That has to be one of the most unique frugal activities I've ever heard of!
Also, I 100% understand the judgmental frugal voice inside your head. Mine is slowly calming down now that I'm not paying lawyer bills. Ha.
I was gonna ask where you got your fun stripey rain jacket, but then I realized you probably thrifted it. But...what is the brand, in case any of us want to search for one on eBay or ThredUp?
Readers, the floor is yours!
P.S. Here's Elisabeth's blog, Optimistic Musings.
Thanks for hosting me today, Kristin.
Another frugal side to those taste-testing panels? We got a free lunch out of it too! All those food samples were enough to leave us full by the end of the hour.
The striped coat is one of my favourite thrifted purchases ever! I bought it at a local consignment store but it's Helly Hansen.
It's great to have access to so much second-hand clothing (Bras? I've never seen a bra, ever, here in NYC, at any kind of thrift store. In fact, the stores here do not take underwear. And you can't even donate new, unworn underwear to thrift shops here, many of which are helping to clothe immigrant families and others with no resources.)
You mentioned that it's commonplace for folks in your area to buy thrifted clothing. Makes me wonder how much stuff hits the thrift shops from the "first" owners (as opposed to folks who may be re-thrifting?). Are there enough people who buy new clothing and then thrift? If not a lot of people buy new and then donate, I can't understand how there is enough stock in most thrift shops (or do you go online to ThredUp and StitchFix (SP?)?
I admire how committed you are to not spending more than you have to, but I hope you have learned over the years that your time is money, too, and that you can waste a lot of it looking for a bargain (Example: Airfares. Yes, there are times when things are cheaper and yes, there are times when you can use your miles/points and times you cannot. If you don't have much flexibility in your travel times it's better to budget in advance rather than get desperate about fares. People waste hours and days sometimes seeking lower fares. The airlines and their algorhythms can't be beat though.
Do you think you would be as thrift-oriented had you been in a situation growing up where money was in short supply? I often wonder how limited resources affects different people as they grow up and enter various careers. By the way, I love how your parents had you all putting your money into education from the early years on. I hope you are doing the same with your two children. It's a real gift to understand the power of "investing"/saving your money from the get go.
Thanks for sharing your story. Nova Scotia seems like a really great place to live.
(How are housing costs today? Could you afford the house you bought all those years ago as it has, hopefully, appreciated over the years?)
@Irena, so much to respond to!
- I'm not sure where all the thrifted clothes come from that I find at the store. I donate all my thrifted clothes back to thrift stores when I cycle through them so I'm sure I'm buying things that have previously been thrifted as well.
I mainly go to one specific store (there are a few other stores I go to occasionally). My favourite place is small and perhaps a diamond in the rough, but I have a system of how I go through it. Most things are $3-5/item. All the clothes are in bins - aside from dresses and jackets which hang - but the store is quite small so I can look through the things I'm interested in in less than an hour. I've never bought anything on eBay or ThredUp or StitchFix so am not sure how those work. About once a year I buy a item from a consignment store (that striped jacket is one of my favourite consignment finds; those items tend to be more expensive - the jacket was $42; if I found something similar at my thrift store it would be about $6).
Bras are everywhere in thrift shops here (even underwear at one place, but that's a step too far for me). I even get lots of socks in like-new condition.
Housing costs are high (for the region, still much cheaper than major Canadian cities) where we live because we're in a university town. It took years of living in a very small, subsidized apartment before we could afford to buy. We were fortunate to get an excellent deal on an undervalued house. It is worth double what we paid for it today, only 7 years later. During the pandemic, housing prices where we live went through the roof because people were looking to move out of cities to more rural places. We were fortunate to buy before that spike in prices.
My husband travels frequently for work and we have airline reward credit cards for our business and personal spending (which we pay off each month, but it gives us great flight rewards) so it is always much, much cheaper for us to spend the time sorting out how to fly on points. We base our destination around what is on sale at a given time. We debated going to Portugal in March, but Spain was a fraction of the cost/points...so we went to Spain. In August, flights to Portugal on points were very inexpensive, so that's where we went. We've only just started travelling with our kids post-pandemic, so air travel is a new addition to family adventuring.
I will forever be thankful to my parents for teaching me the power of hard work and saving...but I will admit that I wished so desperately as a kid to be able to have money to spend on things I wanted. When I say I had to put literally put every dollar earned into education savings, I mean literally. I realize that scarcity and "must save everything" mentality that was a must for my family growing up has really impacted how I view and treat money as an adult. I'm trying to take a more balanced approach with my kids. Our kids both have RESPs (registered education savings plans; if you set up an RESP the Canadian government also gives money annually toward their education savings). We also start giving them a small allowance at age 10 (where 10% goes to a charitable organization, 20% goes to savings, and 70% is for them to spend how they want).
I think it would have been so easy for me to go "the other way." Because we lived without a lot of material things when I was growing up, I can see wanting to compensate by excessive spending as an adult. That hasn't happened! I'm also tremendously fortunate that my husband is on the same page (though he does not feel guilt about spending money).
We are fortunate to have enough space for a small chest freezer. I don't buy a lot of back stock. If chicken is on sale I might buy one package to use right away and one to freeze, but having a place to store leftovers or reduced items that need to be used right away etc, is a huge advantage. We have a small fridge freezer because our home actually only has an apartment-sized fridge. So most freezer things are in our laundry room in the chest freezer.
Yikes. Mistakes in what I typed before. Meant to say do you think you would have been as thrifty had you grown up with more available financial resources? Where money wasn't so tight? I know a number of folks who grew up where money was tight. Those who invested in education and got into lucrative careers, while careful with spending, greatly enjoy having the option to buy stuff they could not have afforded growing up...and many had a need to own a lot because of what they went without.
I envy folks who can buy huge quantities of food on sale and have a freezer to put that stuff in. There is no way we could have one of those big freezers in our apartment (either space or electric wise). And the freezer in our fridge is average but that doesn't hold much at all even when we try to keep eating down the freezer!
@Irena, I've written a response but - true to form - I've been long-winded. It's pending and I assume Kristin will have to approve it because it's so long, but answers are coming 🙂
Elisabeth,
Thank you for sharing your abundant life. It seems you are great at living in the moment and also preparing for the future. I love "I want things in my life to be clean and functional, not flashy". I think that's a very liberating attitude.
Thank you for sharing.
@K D,
Liberating and frugal! I think about this a lot with accommodations. I want my hotel room to be clean and function but beyond that, I'm hardly going to spend any time there! Why would I need bells and whistles and fancy furniture?
Hi, Elisabeth!
I love it when the blogs I read intersect!
I enjoyed the taste-testing lab take- how clever to make money and get fed at the same time.
@mbmom11,
Hi! *waving from Nova Scotia*
It's great to "see" you over in this space!
This is lovely-- such a rich life.
Thank you Elisabeth for sharing your life. An adventurous one at that too! We've been to many of the vacation destinations you spoke of. Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and PEI are on our bucket list! But then again so are the central provinces as I have been to British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. I really want to drive through the central provinces to see the beauty -- in the summer that is!
@Maureen, I highly recommend Nova Scotia. I lived in New Brunswick for almost a decade and my parents still live there. It's lovely, too but (shhhh: don't tell), not nearly as lovely as Nova Scotia. PEI is a fabulous destination as well, especially if you like Anne of Green Gables! The great thing about the Maritime provinces is how close everything is so you can see all the top sights without having to drive too far.
The best way to start Monday morning is to wake up to one of your favorite bloggers doing a guest post on one of your favorite blogs!
ELISABETH CONGRATS ON PAYING OFF THE MORTGAGE!!!!!!!! I did that for my single gal house and to this day I go back and forth over whether I would have come out ahead financially by investing the money instead BUT also I remember sleeping so peacefully at night once I paid it off, so it was worth it.
I love to squeeze a buck but I gave up on reusing teabags very early on. My mom recycled all ziplock bags and I made it through something like 10 years of adulthood on the two gallon ziplocks that I left home with...and then I had a complete shift and decided that if a the bag needs washed it is time to move on.
@Birchie, How do you do it? Literally every time you leave a comment you end up making me feel special. (Every single time.)
Paying off the mortgage was a big milestone and we're so thankful to have had the financial means to to do this relatively quickly - especially as housing prices, taxes, and interest rates are going up. We're also fortunate to have purchased our home before the pandemic home-price surge so our house was MUCH more affordable than it would have been just a few years later.
Our accountant perpetually discouraged us from paying it down quickly (in lieu of investing), but as interest rates go up, he's changed his tune. For me - and I know Lisa is the same - it's a mental game more than anything. Plus, my husband works in an industry where job security isn't super high. Owning our home feels like a good investment for the future.
I'm with you on the Ziploc bags - I try to use reusable/washable containers instead. I wash just enough bags to keep my husband satisfied, and then surreptitiously recycle the rest.
Such an amazing post and a new blog to follow! Our state university sponsors taste test sessions and they usually pay $30-$40 for a 30 min session. As soon as I see the email arrive regarding the new panel open up, I click on it. They fill up and you don’t want to miss out. 100% of those earnings go to a pair of needed apparel or shoes for the family. Regarding travel food, I agree that simple meals in a hotel or take away meals is the only way to go. It is all worth it in the end!
@JDS, Wow, I need to visit your state school! $30-40 per half/hour. That's golden.
For one-off sessions it was the same for us; everyone would scramble to respond so I would try to sign up immediately. Some of the tasting things (flax, beef, salad greens) were months-long affairs so once you were selected you had dedicated times each week to go in. All the panelists got to know each other etc. It was a fun and unique experience that I would never have pursued if we didn't need money to put food on the table!
I'd say our food budget when we travel is half of what it would be if we ate out for all our meals. And when we do eat out, we try to buy local dishes and/or quick food. We're not a fancy sit-down restaurant kind of family.
She's the Queen of Thrifting! So many great ways to save money (I draw the line at washing out ziplocs, I'm with you on that one!)
@Nicole MacPherson, Kristin in the Queen, but I'll take Princess?
I want to draw the line at Ziplocs, too, Nicole...and mostly now I do! Though washing out Ziplocs isn't as bad as drinking stale tea!
How do I get into a taste testing gig? Lol
Going to check out your blog Elisabeth, this was a delightfully lovely post
@Natasha, I miss those taste-testing days. It was a lot of fun and we got to try some delicious food.
Thanks for the kind words.
Goodness, you are just adorable! I love your style.
The area you live in is beautiful. So many pretty places and landscapes.
Congrats on paying off the house! Major frugal win!
@Marlena, Aww. Thanks. We're so fortunate to live in such a naturally beautiful spot. I think Nova Scotia doesn't get nearly enough publicity about how stunning it is - especially wonderful if you like visiting lighthouses like we do!
Yes, Elisabeth you are the Frugal Queen!!! I'm always astonished/envious at all your amazing thrift store finds. I liked all the frugal stories from your past- but I'm VERY glad you no longer reuse tea bags. Do not compromise on tea!
@Jenny, When you visit me (when - see what I wrote there!), I will take you to my favourite thrift shop. Deal?
You know how important a good cup of tea is for one's mental health. That was taking frugal a few steps too far.
This was such a fun meet the reader! I so much enjoyed reading about your life. I am not someone who enjoys looking for deals as I dont like shopping and just want to find the thing so I can cross it off the list and move on. That means I try to buy carefully and then keep as long as possible.
@Ally, Buying quality is one of the best ways to practice frugality! It can really pay off in the long run (and, chances are, the item will work better than a cheaper version, too).
Thanks for showing us your Nova Scotia life! I'm down south in ON and only have visited NS briefly in the winter (I was in and out of Halifax in under 24 hours) but even the limited amount that I saw was lovely.
@Meira@meirathebear, You'll have to come back to NS (late summer/early fall is the best time to visit in my opinion)! My in-laws live in Ontario and it's a beautiful spot as well (they're in Kingston, but as much as it is a "tourist trap" Niagara really wowed me too). In general, Canada is just stunning!
Aw, these are the two blogs I check every morning! ❤️ I have read The Frugal Girl for years, maybe starting in 2018, so this was a fun read! 🙂 I’m so envious of your thrifting experiences. I love thrifting, but most of the stores in my area don’t have dressing rooms, so it’s kind of a hassle.
@Katie,
Hi Katie! I'm with you on dressing rooms being a must. The chain of thrift stores my husband likes (Valu Village) no longer has change rooms - phased out during the pandemic - and I buy almost no clothing items from there (plus, they're more expensive, too). My go-to store has change rooms and that makes all the difference when buying second-hand.
How fun to see my blogging worlds collide! I'm a frequent reader but infrequent commenter on Frugal Girl and Elisabeth is one of my favorite bloggers! I'm envious of the thrift store she has access to. There is a consignment store close to our house but things are not nearly as cheap as the items at Elisabeth's store. My boys nearly exclusively wear hand-me-downs or things I've purchased at Once Upon a Child. It's a big source of savings for us. And now there is a younger boy on our block whose family is happy to take our hand-me-downs. I often hear moms say that they buy more expensive clothes for their kids because they are more durable. But most of our boys' clothes are cat & jack brand from Target! And yes, some of it wears out but most of it doesn't.
@Lisa's Yarns, For years and years we had oodles of hand-me-downs and I found a lot of the kids other clothes at consignment shops. It's quite hard to find preschooler/elementary-aged clothes in thrift shops because kids tend to be very hard on clothes so there aren't as many items in good condition. Now that our daughter is in adult-sized clothing, it's much easier for her to shop as she can use both youth AND women's sections!
What a fun and frugal life you have made for yourself! Congratulations on paying off your mortgage. Well done!
You have brought up interesting questions :
1) What are the negative and positive aspects of frugality?
2) How does one’s childhood impact? money choices
3) How risk-averse are the frugal among us?
I wish you the best on all your frugal adventures ahead.
@Bee, I think we all have a unique relationship with money and how we're shaped by our environment growing up can be to conform or to do a 180. I'm thankful that my frugal-ness has stuck because I think it's a net positive in my life, but no doubt my childhood and my parents habits with money played a huge role in how I've handled finances as an adult.
And it's not necessarily all positive!
One last point that I really should have made in my original post: when I referenced finding frugality fun or a "treasure" hunt means I have more than enough money to cover basic needs. I get to CHOOSE to be frugal now, and I want to acknowledge that is a huge blessing when so many others have no choice and have such difficult financial situations.
@Bee, I agree with you on all counts, especially the three interesting frugal questions. In fact, I greatly admire Elisabeth's whole post, especially the wonderful photos and the frugal travel tips. And now I'm off to explore her blog; I'm always delighted to discover a new frugality blog!
I also hope, @Bee, that you, @JD, and all our other commenters in all the areas devastated by Hurricane Helene are starting to work on getting life restarted--although I know that this is going to take a long while for many. Parts of lower Appalachia seem to have been hit as hard as Florida, if not more so.
@A. Marie,
Thank you, A.Marie. I find the psychology of money to be most interesting.
On a serious note, the devastation in the Southeast is widespread. My son lives in one of those Western North Carolina towns that was impacted. In his words, “It’s wrecked, totally wrecked.”
The majority of the people in the Appalachians were not prepared for a storm of this magnitude. Challenges abound as search and rescue efforts are underway. Please keep the people effected by this storm in your hearts. Many lost everything and resources will be stretched to the limit. If you are able, please help in some way. From Florida to Tennessee, there are thousands and thousands in need.
@Bee,
I've seen the news footage on television and it's just so awfully bad. There
is really no way to fully prepare for a huge disaster like this. I am sorry your son is one of the many thousands of folks who were hit hard. Ditto, all our Commentariat members who got slammed. Praying for all of them! I will be donating to Salvation Army's disaster relief fund for Hurricane Helene, and I know they will use the money wisely to help the most people.
Hi Elisabeth; thanks for sharing and for all the great pictures of your family and lighthouses! It's a gray day here so I'm enjoying your brilliant blue sky pictures. I think I would visit Nova Scotia for your jewel of a thrift shop alone; those are great finds and prices. Some areas have great second-hand options and others don't; we should petition to get realtors to include that info on house listings. It would definitely register with me when I look at houses : )
What is that pretty stained glass looking art piece in your daughter's room? I love how it has light behind it so it throws off even more color! I'll have to go visit your blog - you probably talk about it there!
@Suz, I have been to some skeeettcchhyy thrift shops in my day; they certainly are not all created equal.
It's actually a painting ($5 at a thrift store) that we just have leaning against the wall on her closet shelf. The reflection you see is a kaleidoscope lightbulb that throws multi-coloured light around as it rotates ($1 at a garage sale and one of the coolest things ever!)
@Suz,
Great idea -- getting realtors to include thrift store/secondhand/outlet mall/consignment store info.
Maybe you can write to a city's Chamber of Commerce and request the same information. They'll get the message!
I draw the line at reusing tea bags too. But still throw veggie ziplocs in with a load of towels. I stopped rinsing by hand. Too many other things to do.
I have always found historical sites are free or at least less expensive than more entertaining attractions.
Thank you for introducing us to your world.
@Amy cheapohmom, Yes! Historical sites can be a great place to visit. Public libraries as well - often gorgeous architecture (and as an author friend recently pointed out, generally nice free bathrooms!).
It was so fun to read this post! I have been reading Elisabeth's blog and admiring her frugal strategies for a long time, but I had no idea she did taste testing to save/earn money! What a smart (and fun???) idea.
@Suzanne, It was born out of necessity, Suzanne, but ended up being tasty and fun. We did it for years. It was actually a big part of our lives for a while and in a way, allowed us to eventually buy a home. It freed up any money we made in other side-hussles to invest in our business, and we had grocery gift cards to cover food!
I greatly enjoyed your visit with us! Welcome to the Commentariat!
Absolutely love your cheerful frugality, so you are definitely in the right place with Frugal Girl and the rest of us!
First of all, three cheers for you, and a standing ovation! Cue the confetti and the fireworks! Paying off a mortgage in only 7 years is a gold medal frugal win! Congratulations! You must be head over heels happy! (BTW, you're going to get super spoiled not having to make a monthly mortgage payment! And knowing that, no matter what happens, they can't foreclose your property is priceless!)
The photos of your home and your daughter's bedroom -- I can't believe the house was "undervalued". It looks fantastic! (Ditto, you and your family.)
I loved all the scenic photos of lighthouses, landforms and famous sites! I read in Woman's World Magazine that just looking a pretty scenic photos is (mentally) like taking a mini-vacation, so thanks for the world tour! (Esp. since we didn't have to pack our bags or deal with overcrowded airports, LOL. ) And once again you are a money genius to travel so inexpensively. (And buy groceries with gift cards, and....)
Never mind the fun stripey jacket or the ice cream cone in that photo -- where was the location of that ornate door you were standing in front of ? Also, which college did you attend? Loved the old building in the background; was that the science hall, with a greenhouse attached to it? And your Eiffel Tower earrings in front of the real thing -- that is a great photo.
Speaking of...the photo book idea is pure genius. I'm at the age where someday I may have to downsize. How I wish I'd made photobooks or scrapbooks instead of collecting all the cool souvenirs I may have to donate/give away when I move. That will be painful.
I still have one burning question: what are stroopwafels?
@Fru-gal Lisa,
We are so thrilled to have paid off our mortgage.
The house had great bones, but needed a lot of upgrades which of course we tried to do well but frugally. I would never want to buy a home that needs renovations again, but it has paid off financially since we could do renovations a bit at a time over the last 7 years. It's also a bungalow, doesn't have a garage, has a dated kitchen etc. I think a lot of people in our demographic wouldn't look at it because it doesn't have all the amenities you find in a newer neighbourhood.
The ornate door is in Rome! Such a beautiful city and we had gelato every single day (no regrets).
I attended Mount Allison University. It's a tiny liberal arts college in New Brunswick, but it's consistently ranked the #1 undergraduate school in Canada (and has per capita the highest number of Rhodes scholars of any school in the world, I believe?). All that to say it was an AMAZING school. And yes, that was the science building. I majored in Biology and spend many, many hours in that building over the years (and yes that's a greenhouse attached).
@Elisabeth, I'm delighted to learn that you are a fellow Mount Allison University alumna of one of my all-time favorite cartoonists/graphic artists, Kate Beaton!
Also, one of these days I'm going to have to make it up to Nova Scotia, if for no other reason than to visit Cape Breton (home of Kate Beaton and of many, many musical Beatons, along with all the musical MacIsaacs, McNeils, and others who make up the astonishing Cape Breton Celtic music scene).
@Fru-gal Lisa, Oh and I forgot to answer about stroopwafels. They're a traditional sweet in the Netherlands! They're like two very thin, crispy waffles held together for a thick, creamy sugar.
@A. Marie, I had never heard of Kate Beaton. Wow she's accomplished! She graduated while I was attending university, but I don't think our paths every crossed?
Cape Breton is beautiful!
@Elisabeth,
Oooh, sounds yummy! I think I gained 5 pounds just reading your description!
But I now have a new word in my vocabulary!
@A. Marie, are you also a fan of Natalie MacMaster?
Thank you for sharing a peel into your frugal, beautiful life, Elisabeth!
Fantastic and wonderful post, but would we expect anything else from Elisabeth?! I feel like I know so much about Elisabeth from reading her blog but managed to learn new things here and really loved this deep dive into frugality. I also loved your comment about needing things to be “clean and functional, not flashy”. Liberating mindset indeed! 🙂
@Kae, Glad the clean and functional line resonated, though I've just admitted on my own blog that I'm not overly clean. So maybe I should have lead with functional 😉
My husband and I just traveled to Nova Scotia from North Carolina for our 30th Anniversary. It was an amazing trip and we would include it in our top 5 trips! We went to Wolfville, Digby, Yarmouth, Shelburne, Peggy's Cove just to name a few. Of course it was not frugal to travel there but the hikes were free entertainment!
@Diane A, That sounds like you took a great tour of what Nova Scotia has to offer (I live in Wolfville).
Peggy's Cove is our absolute favourite lighthouse and we go annually. I do hope you're doing okay in the aftermath of the hurricane. I know NC got hit especially hard. My sister lives in SC (Columbia) and they're still getting flooding from the swollen rivers 🙁
Nice to meet you, Elisabeth! Loved reading your Meet a Reader! I can identify with many of your frugal tendencies 🙂
Nice to meet you Elisabeth!
My husband's old job used to have safety meetings in places like New Orleans, and spouses could come along, so I went with him one time. He and I met two other employees who were based in Nova Scotia, and their description of their homeland had us fired up to go there. Well, we never made it, but now I'm fired up about it again, so it's on a list of places to go.
I loved the earrings and the photo of them, by the way - so cute.
Loved your post, thank you!
@JD, It's a great destination!
My daughter bought those earrings for me before we went to Paris. She found them at a seaside craft store and bought them with her own money without me knowing. So they were EXTREMELY special to me!
Thanks for sharing your life, and all the pictures! I had never heard about the taste-testing panels, which has to be the most unusual way to earn money (and save on lunches) that I have ever come across.
Isn't it? I loved that story!
@Lindsey, I think it's a niche opportunity based on location (but another commentor said she also does it at a local university - so if you live handy to a college, it might be worth poking around if you're interested in some cash and a free lunch!!)
So nice to meet you, Elisabeth!
Fantastic photos and I love your budget travel pics.
Congratulations on paying off your mortgage! It is a fantastic accomplishment.
@Blue Gate Farmgirl, Thanks! It's been fun to travel more as the kids get older.
Elizabeth, thank you so much for sharing with us! I thoroughly enjoyed reading your interview!
Hello, Elisabeth! It was lovely to meet you. I am asking specifically for tips on visiting Nova Scotia. I have longed to go there for years. I hope to go in the summer of 2025. The most expensive and crowded time to visit, but it is the most convenient time for us. We would likely drive from the States. It would take us two days so we'd stop halfway. I very often book an Airbnb so we have more space for a better price plus we can prepare meals. Any frugal tips you'd care to share? Thanks!
@Molly F.C., Well, the good news is coming from the US your money will go a lot further. The Canadian dollar is quite weak, so things will cost you significantly less.
In terms of frugal experiences - there are lots of free places to visit and see in Nova Scotia - lighthouses, beautiful hikes, and even the wineries are free to visit and they offer spectacular views. It really depends on your interests. (https://optimisticmusings.com/travel-3/) I have written about some of our favourite destinations in various posts on Nova Scotia. My top pick would be Peggy's Cove Lighthouse. It really is stunning. But there are lovely beaches, historical sites, shopping, wineries, surfing - just about anything you could want to do...you can do in NS.
Accommodations are definitely pricey in the summer in; unfortunately, I don't have many tips for that since we live in NS...but if you could do the shoulder season (like September?) things would definitely be cheaper. I also assume booking early will make things cheaper? And staying inland. Anything on the coast will cost more because of proximity to beaches/the ocean. If you know where you want to base out of, look at surrounding areas to see if the prices are cheaper. Even a short drive away from the coast is likely quite a bit less expensive.
I would like to sign up to her blog posts but for some reason I can’t. Pls help
Elisabeth thank you for a lovely meet the reader.
A long time ago my Mom wanted to visit Nova Scotia. Her and Dad were pretty much ready to go when the doctor told Mom that she would need air conditioning in the house for summers. Mom had COPD. So two huge in the wall AC units were installed and Mom called them Nova and Scotia.
Thanks for the ideas of doing foreign travel frugally. Hubby is recently retired and wanting to go overseas. I want to go to Portugal and hubby wants to do other countries. He's been to quite a few on business trips and we both went to Singapore when our son got married.
I'll be checking out your blog.
@auntiali, Wow - that's such a touching story about your mom. It's pretty hot in Nova Scotia in the summers now, but being called AC definitely fits with our winters. Brrr.
Portugal is lovely (and less expensive than many other European countries).
I have family in Nova Scotia, and visit there every year. I agree, it is likely one of the most beautiful places to live. Is the first lighthouse at Terence Bay? I’ve kayaked there! And I’m impressed at your frugal trips - thank you for sharing links to the blog posts!
@Clara B, Wow, you really do know Nova Scotia well. Yes, that first lighthouse is at Terence Bay! It's such a cute little lighthouse and not as well-known as many of the other more "iconic" spots in NS. We've been to that lighthouse 3 or 4 times, but most recently we took our own family pictures there for our annual Christmas photocard! (The nearby High Head Trail is lovely as well.)
Nice to meet you and thanks for sharing! I appreciate your thoughtful perspectives. Is there a way to subscribe to your blog so we can get emails when you post?
@Heather Mar, If you scroll down to the comment section on my blog, there is an option to opt in to "notify my of new posts by e-mail." I do think it requires you to leave a comment first? I don't have a subscribe via e-mail button anywhere on my blog, though that's likely an oversight and I should look in to that!
What a fun post! Congratulations on being mortgage free; that is awesome.
I also love using points, but man, do I forget about warranties. I gotta work on that!
@Suz, I sometimes forget about warranties too! The biggest one - a replacement mattress, I didn't even know applied to our product until we went to replace it and the saleswoman told us it might be covered under warranty. And it was!
Just a few weeks ago we got a replacement suitcase; it had a lifetime warranty but two of the wheels had cracked. The old one is still useable, so I'm going to "upgrade" to that and re-thrift my thrift store one that's quite a bit smaller. But my husband - who travels multiple times a month - now has a brand-new suitcase!
My husband and I just came back from our second trip to your area. This time we visited Cape Breton and the south shore. Previously, we spent time on the north shore and PEI. Your home has my heart! Thank you for sharing!
@MH, The south shore of NS is absolutely stunning. (I'm on the north shore side). Cape Breton is gorgeous as well. The Cabot Trail offers such spectacular views!
I can identify with buying thrifted clothing. I bought and sold through consignment shops while I was going to school to get my teaching license. When I got my teaching contract, it was hard to walk into a store and consider buying full price!
@Daisy, I agree - paying full price for any item of clothing...hurts. In general, it's only shoes these days (and I try to get most of my shoes second hand but I have big feet so it can be a bit trickier to find second-hand).
I am a long-time reader here but rarely comment and it's so fun to find Elisabeth guest-blogging here today. I've known a lot about her thrifty ways from reading her blog (and love how mindful and smart she consumes) but I still learned a thing or two that I didn't know. One is paying off her mortgage. Woohoo! That's a huge milestone, indeed.
I also love that she's approaching frugality as a game or treasure hunt - you can make it fun without it feeling depriving, and what a skill to score a great deal!
Great post, Elisabeth!
@San, Thanks for meeting me in this space, too. I think you might have been the one who pointed me the The Frugal Girl, so a full-circle moment.
This was a fun post to read. I have been following Elisabeth for a couple of years and knew how frugal she is but there are so many good ideas here. I will also have a closer look at your blog Kristen as I am totally new but the topic speaks to me.
@Tobia | craftaliciousme, Hi Tobia! Thanks for joining me in this space and for being such a dear internet friend <3
I loved this meet a reader. I actually do read Elisabeth's blog (I'm not sure how or where! Maybe SHU box?) and love her frugal adventures.
My favourite part of this interview:
"Thankfully, as we gain more financial independence, I have less guilt. It’s always there, but it’s starting to speak in a gentler voice."
As an enneagram 1, may my inner critic speak in a gentler voice.