Meet a Reader | Gina from Austin, Texas
Gina sent me her interview questions back in August, but oh my goodness, my email inbox is such a mess, I had somehow skipped right over it. Thankfully, she emailed me in December to double-check and see if I'd gotten her emails.
Whoops.
If you have sent in a set of questions and I haven't published yours either, could you please email me, or leave a comment? I don't want to miss anyone! I'm hoping to clean up my inbox this semester (no classes until fall!), but in the meantime, let me know so I can go do a search.
Here's Gina!
1. Tell us a little about yourself
I am an empty nester, married to my college sweetheart until last summer when he passed suddenly. We raised four kids, ages 31, 30, 26, and 23.
I have worked as a (mostly pediatric) X-ray tech in Austin, Texas for the last 28 years. I went back to college for radiography when my first two kids were 3 and 1 years of age, then had two more kids after I started working as a tech.
I write for my own blogs (Cannary Family Blog and Cannary Mom) as well as for a Texas wine blog.
I love cross stitch and sewing, as well as working on my house and yards. For the past year Kristen's "you don't need whiskers for that" has become my mantra as I navigate various fix-it projects!
2. How long have you been reading The Frugal Girl?
I started our family blog back in 2008, so it couldn't have been too long after that. I remember her kids were smaller than mine, and she home-schooled, whereas I did not, but I liked her conversational and practical posts!
I also remember her practical Christmas posts and thought: yeah, we should make Christmas simpler here, too.
3. How did you get interested in saving money?
Hubby and I made some MAJOR mistakes very early in our marriage, sending us into financial ruin and trashing our credit score. It took years to repair the damage.
My going back to school was very hard financially, but luckily my mother stepped in and said "If you want to go back to college, I will pay your tuition and books". She was also an x-ray and ultrasound tech, and that's how she was able to single-parent my sister, brother, and me with no child support.
For two years, Hubby and I fed the kids lots of cheap food, bought nothing new except for things they needed, drove beat-up cars, used coupons, and didn't take vacations...all so I could finish school and make a positive impact on our finances!
4. What's the "why" behind your money-saving efforts?
I am very careful with what I spend on everything now that I don't have my husband's income. No one talks about the financial losses after your spouse dies, but they are HUGE.
I want to stay in my current home as it is actually cheaper for me to pay a house note than afford rent in Austin, and it's a good investment. So right now, that's where my focus is.
5. What's your best frugal win?
When my kids were little clothing all of them could be a huge expense - I bought all of their clothes second-hand or on sale and was always proud of myself that they always had what they needed.
I also learned how to cut the 3 boys' hair, and Hubby's, just by watching the Supercuts lady a few times. Hubby bought me a cheapo clippers set and I must have saved us hundreds of dollars in haircuts over the years. {4 heads x $15 x every six weeks = $$$}
6. What's a dumb money mistake you've made?
Credit card debt 100%.
It took years before we could even qualify for any type of credit. Nowadays, I put everything on my credit card and pay it in full at the end of the month. I earn cash back, have a great credit score, and credit cards are a safe way to purchase goods.
I'm not even remotely tempted to overspend - a bankruptcy is a terrible lesson.
7. What's one thing you splurge on?
Wine! Hubby and I whittled our wine clubs down to three, but at one point had 6 or 7.
We very much enjoyed the beautiful scenery, live music, fun pick-up parties, meeting people, spending time relaxing together, helping the farmers harvest grapes and bottle wines...just everything about it.
Most wineries in Texas are owned by families or couples and it is a $13 billion statewide industry! I don't drink wine every day, but I love quality Texas wine.
8. What's one thing you aren't remotely tempted to splurge on?
Pedicures or manicures! I can DIY that. (:
9. If $1000 was dropped into your lap today, what would you do with it?
I need to replace the floors in both bathrooms and would pay someone to do the job right.
If it were cheaper than $1K? Into savings the rest would go. I know I should anticipate having to hire someone to fix what my handy Hubby would have been able to.
10. What's the easiest/hardest part of being frugal?
Easiest? I'm a fairly low-maintenance lady and don't just spend indiscriminately - I can easily talk myself out of something for me.
The hardest? For the longest time, I haven't had to worry about juggling when to pay bills because there were two people contributing.
Now I sometimes play a game of Jenga so as not to pay late fees - I CANNOT STAND paying a late fee and will do whatever I need to avoid it!
11. Is there anything unique about frugal living in your area?
There are loads of parks and natural places to go for free in Austin, among other things. We have a neighborhood pool and a nice library nearby.
When my kids were smaller, I took them to all of the free things I could find in a 5-mile radius from my house! We took our own water and snacks and none of them ever complained. I drove a van and everyone was comfy.
12. What frugal tips have you tried and abandoned?
Coupons - way too much work for so little savings. Even the virtual ones now. Pass.
13. What single action or decision has saved you the most money over your life?
Contributing to my 403B faithfully, even when I thought I couldn't afford it. When pre-tax dollars get skimmed off, you won't notice, so DO IT.
14. What is something you wish more people knew?
You don't need the latest version of anything unless yours is broken and you just have to replace it. That includes cars, phones, things for your house. Good enough is good enough.
15. How has reading the Frugal Girl changed you?
I regularly get an idea or two from one of your readers in the comments section! There's almost always something I hadn't considered doing or trying. It's such a great community of people giving each other tips!
16. Which is your favorite type of post at the Frugal Girl and why?
Lately, I've been loving the ones that I'm sure are your hardest to write.* I feel a little less alone in my sadness and always get some kind of philosophy from them that helps me. But I also love the WIS/WWA posts.
*a sampling:
- What do I even title this (a hard life update)
- What's the point of decorating a temporary rental?
- Tips for starting over
- How a knife block purchase started a pity party
17. Did you ever receive any financial education in school or from your parents?
My mother did things like write all of her expenses in a giant bank ledger - and she still does that today. But she never really explained to me what she was doing or how. My first experience with a checking account was a major disaster.
18. Do you have any tips for frugal travel or vacations?
What are vacations??
___________
Gina, my favorite thing about your post is the story about how you and your husband worked together to get you through school, and also how your mom helped as well. What a wonderful example of a family pulling together!
Also, I am very glad to hear that me sharing my difficulties has been helpful to you. It is interesting that even though there are a variety of ways a marriage can end (there's my flavor of ending, then there's you as a widow, or A. Marie as an Alzheimer's "widow" even though her husband is still here), some of the struggles we face are similar.
And that means that some of the ways we cope are similar too.
Hi Gina, I very much enjoyed your interview and I like it comes with your face - and a very friendly one that is. I can very much relate to what you are saying the death of your husband implies - not only emotionally but also moneywise and and having to deal with about anything on your own now - including house maintenance. Oh my, but life does go on and beautiful things happen like the birth of grand-children etc and everything you do get accomplished even when on your own.
As you describe it - this blog helps, Kristen helps by describing in great honesty and openess what is hard and missing in your life and still you continue, you keep looking for the good and try practising gratitude. Readers like A. Marie help with their sense and humour.
I wish you a very good and satisfying new year. Good you were "persistent" in inquiring what happened to your mail from August. Persistence is another tool of getting along and things done! Keep it up! All the best for you.
Hi Gina, It's been fun getting to know you a bit - thanks so much for giving us a glimpse into your life and sharing pictures. I like your pragmatic, hands-on approach to life and daily challenges. You should be proud of what you've accomplished!
Hi Gina! We just drove past many of the Texas wineries on our road trip. It was my first experience of the Texas hill country, and I can see why you'd love spending time there.
@kristin @ going country, The Texas Hill Country is definitely on my bucket list.
It is nice to meet you. I want to thank you, Kristen and the other readers who share their hearts online and on this blog. So often people only post the good stuff. However, life is always filled with challenges. We all experience sadness as well as joy … the pain of loss and loneliness … the pride of achievement... the frustration when the deck is stacked against us … and the shortfalls of human nature. By sharing the good, the bad and the ugly, it really helps other to face life’s challenges. It has helped me.
So enough of the serious stuff, I did not realize that the wine industry in Texas was so large. I’m curious. What types of wine are these vineyards produce?
Happy New Year to all!
Hello Gina,
I’ve started following your blog in the past few years. I enjoy your writing and problem solving skills. You are honest about the finances and emotions with the sudden loss of a spouse. Thank-you for being the first Meet a Reader of 2023. I think it’s serendipitous 🙂
Hi Gina, I know from reading your blog about your love of wine, but I never realized the size of the Texas wine industry. It's funny, I don't necessarily think of Texas as a wine state. That sent me checking stats and I was surprised to learn that Texas is fifth nationally in production and number of wineries but third in economic impact. That's pretty impressive even for a teatotaler like me. I enjoy reading about things other people are passionate about so I can gain perspective on things I don't know much about, so I enjoy your wine adventures.
Gina, I just found your blog last week when you included the link in your post here. Now I'm hooked!!! One thing I love about Kristen's "village" here is the wonderful variety of people and our life experiences. Your outlook in the face of your loss is wonderful. I hope this year will be good for you and your family. (By the way, my sister was an xray/ultrasound tech. She passed away 5 years ago at 58 from a stroke so I have a soft spot in my heart for others in that profession.). Thank you for sharing your story.
@Plaidkaren, I love your name.
@Lindsey, Lol!! A friends kid named me that years ago because of my love of plaid!!
Very nice to meet you! I am sorry about the death of your dear hubby…
Hi, Gina! I have a question. What was your college major pre-radiology?
I love all the aspects of wine making. It is fascinating how different factors impact the grapes. I've thought how interesting work as a sommelier could be. I've visited the Niagara region in Canada, the Finger Lakes in New York, and the Geneva/Ashtabula area adjacent to Lake Erie in Ohio, and do I wanna go to wine country in France. Think I should add Texas wine country to my bucket list! I'm going to check out your blog.
It was very nice meeting you!
@Molly F. C., Thank you and yes, do add Texas to your bucket list! I have a BA in Journalism/Advertising, and I like to say it qualified me to go to XR school. (:
Gina,
It was a pleasure to read your "interview". Thank you for sharing your story with us. Hugs to you as you continue to navigate widowhood. It's a lot and I'm sorry you are suffering financially as well as other ways.
I peeked at your family blog and it is a treat. Congratulations on all that you have accomplished in life and I wish you the best going forward.
Great to meet you, Gina! Like you, Kristen's most personal posts help me the most, though Thankful Thursdays is right behind them.
Hi Gina, Happy New Year and may it be a year in which we all thrive! Thanks for your lovely interview, very enjoyable and real. Kudos to you for all you and your sweet husband have overcome to raise a wonderful family of 4 kids, wow. And, what a super nice gesture from your mom.
I have a question about the Texas wineries, which I didn’t know about. Our DS and his wife have moved to Austin (what a fun place to visit, btw). They have just bought their second home (keeping the condo to rent out, a big frugal win, as you mention how high the rents are).
After hearing you say what they offer, I’m thinking a membership in one of the wineries would be a great gift. Do you have a recommendation or advice on how should I look into researching them? How far from Austin are they? Thanks for your advice and thanks for your positivity in general! It made my day.
@Erika JS, oh gosh! There are too many wonderful ones to list. I would start out in the general Burnet, Texas area - I have a soft spot for 7 Creeks, Perissos, Flat Creek, and Torr Na Lochs. All family owned with some stellar wines!
@gina,
These look wonderful, thank you! I can’t wait to gift one to our DS and go, too!
Gosh, it is a joy to meet you and to hear your story of navigating some severe times with massive courage and joy, equal parts. Pulling for you in every way!
Oh, I love seeing all of those Hill Country Fare groceries, Gina! H-E-B has been the greatest revelation of moving to Texas. I cannot get over the quality of the store brand foods - even EconoMax and Mi Tienda are outstanding. And let's not even talk about Creamy Creations...(Lemon Cookie ice cream is my jam). My fridge and pantry are full of Hill Country Fare foods.
Hi Gina, I didn’t know Texas wine was a thing! Another thing to add to a future trip to Texas bucket list. I also love to cross stitch and sew, but it is difficult to be frugal with those hobbies. Any tips?
(Long time reader, first-time commenter!)
@Melanie, I find a lot of "abandoned" sewing items and half-finished projects at thrift shops, so I scoop them up! Also, JoAnn Fabrics has great sales. Start small!
@Melanie, Check out eBay.
Hi, Gina,
What fun to hear from you! I am so impressed that you and your husband made such fantastic progress coming back financially from the dark, sucking swamp of debt. I admire how you are still managing even without him, and I'm so sorry for your loss.
When DH went into assisted living, then skilled nursing care, it took his income from me as well, and that's quite an adjustment, as you said. Congratulations on managing as well as you have on your own, and I hope this new year brings you - as well as Kristen and this whole blog community - many blessings!
P.S., your mom is great!
Hi, Gina. I'm sorry about the loss of your husband, which I knew about from your previous comments here and from occasional peeks at your family blog. I think all of us who have experienced the end of a marriage, regardless of how it happens, would agree that it's devastating--personally, financially, and in every other way.
In my own Meet a Reader last year, one thing I didn't specifically mention was the loss of DH's employment income after his cognitive difficulties forced him into early retirement in 2013. That was a big hit--as was my going first to 2/3 employment and then into full retirement a few years earlier than I might otherwise have.
And then, of course, there's what I call the "This is not my department..." reaction I have every time I have to deal with a problem that DH would ordinarily have solved. But I just remind myself that I have to get my @#$! together and deal with it myself--as I'm sure all the rest of us are doing too.
Gina, nice to meet you! I love the picture of you and your mom together and am glad you have had her in your corner through the rough stages of your life. You sound like a fighter, and I like fighters!
Add me to the list of people who didn't realize that Texas was a wine-producing state. I live in Michigan and there is quite a wine industry close by Lake Michigan--the lake produces a microclimate which is good for fruit (including grapes). I'm nerdy about things like climates that allow for produce to be grown and am curious about why the Texas climate works for wine production. 🙂
@Kris, Texas is a BIG place, but so much of the grape production happens in West Texas, which is similar, I think, to Spain as far as terroir. Where there were cotton fields as far as the eye could see are now vineyards!
Thank you so much for sharing with us, Gina! I'm sorry for the loss of your husband.
I, too, buy my kids clothes secondhand or on sale and do the haircuts for my husband and son. I appreciate the encouragement from hearing that you did that as well! And your comment of "I can DIY that" made me smile. I love your attitude and love having you as part of this community! Best wishes to you for this upcoming year.
I also lost my husband several years ago. I was fortunate to be financially ok afterwards, mainly because I live a fairly simple life by choice. For me the biggest difference (outside of the loss of companionship) was not having someone around who could take care of all the odds and ends of home ownership. I have learned to do a lot of things on my own, but it was nice to have someone right here who could handle all those things.
@Lisa S, Exactly. And even if you're not the one doing the actual work, you still have to call the plumber and stay around for the plumber and oh yes, pay the plumber. Gets mighty old.
What a lot of good thoughts; thanks for sharing your story! It's smart that you prioritize making room in your time/money budget for fun things, like your wine clubs - the picture of you looking so pretty and happy after 5 hours of picking shows what a great investment it is! I have trouble remembering that for myself sometimes, so that's a good reminder for me.
Hi Gina, thanks for letting us get to know you! I love your garden, I like the flowing lines in your landscape design.
How does a winery subscription work? Do you get discounts for the wine once you help harvest? I have one grape in my garden, against a garage wall. It makes me feel very meditarrenean to sit beneath it with a drink - mostly tea though.
@J NL, wine club memberships definitely have their perks, but you don't have to join one to volunteer at harvest, or just take a picnic and enjoy wine there for an afternoon. Most of the wine clubs we were members of had anywhere from 15-25% discounts, but you are required to purchase wine quarterly and it works a little differently at each one. I ended up dropping all of mine at the tail end of the year, but I can always start back up again when and if my situation changes!
Hi Gina, I feel like I know you because of your comments here and I too have read your blog. I really like your writing style.
One thing I have mentioned before is not only the practical advice I get here but the overall subliminal lifestyle advice.
What I mean is between you and Kristen suddenly being on your own and having to do everything shook me up. I am married and over the years let my husband take over a lot of jobs I used to do, mainly our financial affairs. Well I am changing that. Frankly it has been a little bit of a struggle but now I am back doing a lot of it myself.
I had to explain over and over it was not him but ME who needed to relearn for my sake. So thanks Kristen and Gina for being honest, you have helped many in so many ways.
@karen, good for you. More wives need to learn to do things that husbands usually do in traditional marriages, and more husbands need to learn to do things that wives usually do in same, so that the spouses left alone aren't left high and dry when the @#$! hits the fan.
@A. Marie, I dunno, I kind of like the idea of my ex being left high and dry when the @#$! hit the fan. ha! For example, I did all the financial stuff, including taxes. He never, not once, filed his own tax return. Even when we were seniors in college I did it for him.
Hello Gina ~
Loved your grocery haul, and seeing all the HEB branded items. We recently had HEB open in the Dallas area and I'm very excited. Three of our four children live in Austin, and I've been schlepping groceries back monthly 😉 I'm so sorry about the loss of your husband. Wonderful getting to "know" you. Take care, Donna
Hello Gina, Thank you for sharing about your life. I love your philosophy of not needing the latest model of any product. I share that philosophy. My cell phone is 6 years old and my stove and refrigerator are from the 1980's! They were included with my house when I bought it back in the late 90's. I will use them until they break. The new refrigerators just don't last that long anymore, so I am dreading the day that I will need to buy one.
Great interview. Thanks for sharing! We made big mistakes early on and had to recover from them too, so I can definitely relate to much of what you’re saying. My first marriage ended in divorce, and I can’t even think about the bomb it dropped on my finances without feeling anxious. In a slow, painful process I went from being a three-time homeowner to paying 3 grand a month for a small rental and being what-looks-like-forever locked out of the housing market. I haven’t read much about the impacts of the various ways of losing the benefits of marital income, however it happens, but it’s an interesting topic to explore.
@Jem, It's fairly well known that after divorce, men's incomes go up, while women's plummet.
Gina:
I am sorry about the unexpected loss of your husband. I remembered reading your blog along the way and that post. As you bring up the part about loss of income and other readers comment too about loss of an income. It is why we chose not to use my income in applying for a mortgage. I worked all through our marriage so that income was always there; but what if one of us couldn't work, what kind of effect would that have on our children. There are many reasons how there could be a loss of income. Our society is so wrapped up in wants and have to have and that all costs money. A simple life is so much more relaxing and peaceful.
I didn't even know Texas did wine! Thanks for taking the time to introduce yourself.
Glad to meet you, Gina. Congratulations on meeting so many life challenges so well--four kids, bankruptcy, going back to school, and home repairs for starters. By sharing your life, you and Kirsten and other readers are helping the rest of us be better friends and helpers to others and ourselves. I was single for a long time before I married, so the home repairs would not be as hard as the loss of companionship if anything happened to my husband. But I know a number of women who were unexpectedly widowed and I felt so helpless. Life's roses have a lot of thorns...
I love needlework too and have found great bargains at thrift shops. The secret is to visit regularly to find projects and supplies. Sometimes people abandon a project after they start it, other times give away the whole kit, and other times give away the scraps from a project. While threads do not last forever (if you can easily break a thread, don't buy it as it is dried out) you can use the canvas backing, cotton and wool, needles and hoops or stretchers for many projects besides the original kit. Most companies that sell supplies have sales or specials periodically, a bonanza for a patient shopper. If and when you do buy supplies for a project, or a kit, make a point of finishing it. It may be a rare discipline but so satisfying!
Best wishes to you.
Kristina
OH MY GOODNESS am humbled and in tears at the kindness shown to me today from your readers, Kristen...I answered as many questions as I could in a short break at work and to all of you, a heartfelt thank you from me for all of the words of encouragement. Thank you so much - it gives me a boost and little extra courage to keep going!
@gina, No worries, we're all meangirling you somewhere else!
I KID, I KID
@Rose, Lol!!!!
I am kind of happy to see the mentions of wine. So many frugal bloggers/influencers always say don't spend money on alcohol. But really a wine tasting is a cheap and fun date night or group activity, and many vineyards are located in beautiful locations that are a pleasure to visit.
I am above average interested in wine but did not know Texas produced any. Very cool!
hi gina, i feel as if i already know you from reading your blog. very sorry for the loss of the love of your life. great tips that you shared thanks. it always amazes me that so many people have to have the latest and greatest new phone, car, tv, house etc. i do the manicure, hair thing but mostly nail shaping because i have a hand tremor. in high school i read a magazine called young miss. it said your hair is your crowning glory. so i have always tried to maintain mine.
Nice to meet you Gina. I will definitely be visiting your blog as a fellow Texan and wine lover!
i'm 76 and over the past 40 years i have helped my daughter, grand kids and great grand kids. My daughter was single for a long time and I felt i had to help, either that or have her live with me (no thank you) so my credit cards are up bc of helping over time. i feel like i'm overwhelmed. i don't even buy for myself so can you give me any advice as to how i can get help from maybe those companies that advertise all the time. are they good. thank you so much and best of luck to you.