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Why I Kept A Frugal Food Budget

By Frugaling 16 Comments

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Frugal Food Budget at Le Pain Quotidien Photo
My grandfather and I sharing a not-so-frugal, but delicious, meal after 6 months of meticulous calculating.

In January, I decided to engage in the most cliche thing ever: I created a New Year’s resolution. December had been jam-packed with semester finals, travel, and holidays. Throughout that busy time, I wanted to track my food expenditures. It was an expensive month, as food expenses climbed well over $400.

Admittedly, it wasn’t the first $400-$500 month for food. I was a notorious spender in this category. It was a weak point. With the rationale that “everyone needs to eat and spend money to do so,” I let myself off the hook. I wondered, “If I spend $7+ on a Subway sandwich, how much could I really save by making my own lunch?” I didn’t think I could save that much.

Something clicked over the new year: I suddenly knew I could do better. Moreover, that savings could be redirected towards investments and savings. With December’s balance calculated, I set an extreme goal for January: $200. That number would include food and drinks — anywhere, everywhere, and for any reason (e.g., even birthday parties and celebrations).

I reported my results and efforts for six months. Each month was less than December, and I got exceptionally close to $200 in February. I cut back on meats, dairy products, and consumed more rice than ever. After that restrictive month, I realized that $200 might be more ambitious than I originally thought. It was challenging to publicly share that “failure” to reach a stated goal. I’m not one to leave a goal unaccomplished. But in trying so hard to reach this number, I briefly lost the original purpose.

A more frugal food budget was never supposed to be painful. I never intended to eat only basic staples mixed with a few veggies for multiple meals a day. Regrettably, that’s what happened. While I was getting closer to the $200 number, I was definitely feeling the hurt of this lifestyle change.

Cutting back on my food spending was to live simpler, save more, and reflect on the change. Both at the start and now, as I write today, I can realize these goals. But I needed to get some perspective before I could actually analyze what I learned.

Before I committed to reducing my budget, I had little appreciation for how much each swipe cost my budget. A $7 sandwich, $8 burrito, and $15 dinner with tip all seemed strangely equal. It was sustenance. Why care about one purchase?

Meticulously tracking my spending and putting the receipts into spreadsheets changed this thinking. I could (with terror) see the cost. While individual purchases had been necessary, the total spent was alarming. Creating a formal food budget and tracking balances allowed me to feel, see, and read that disconnect. It was a game changer.

See, when I started this journey, I had no appreciation for the “feel” of a food budget. How many sandwiches can I get and still maintain my budget? How much fruit can I buy? Can I afford the sparkling juice? After I had calculated these totals, I realized what, for instance, a $250 food budget actually looked like.

Today, I can self-monitor and reasonably predict my monthly total. I know what I can and can’t buy — what will regularly put me over the edge. It took three stages to get here:

1. Track a balance for a month
2. Create and live with a new budget for 6 months
3. Pause and reflect on the new balance

Those three stages can be applied to any budget desired, but were 100% necessary for food. It took time to actually get the feel. I thought it would be easier, but old habits die hard. I’d recommend that if you want to revolutionize a budget that you carefully track yours for about 6 months, as well.

For your entertainment, I’ve conducted an interview with myself to reflect on the process:

Interviewer: Hi Sam, thanks for joining me today to talk about your frugal food budget!

Sam: Happy to be here.

Interviewer: So, did you ever reach $200?

Sam: Sadly, no. I got really close in February. Otherwise, I was able to keep it under $300 quite regularly.

Interviewer: What was the hardest thing about cutting back?

Sam: Eating out feels convenient. Heck, oftentimes it is convenient. And I love trying new restaurants! There is a powerful trade off though, and that comes in sacrificed dollars, and ultimately, more time spent working to afford a larger food budget. That’s the vicious cycle I want to avoid. I’d rather not have the convenience of eating out with additional work. It’s important to build relaxation into my schedule, and if I eat out too much I actually hamper that effort.

Interviewer: Interesting!

Sam: Very.

Interviewer: Could you do better next month?

Sam: You know, that’s a good question. Just because I’ve decided to end the regular reporting of my food budget doesn’t mean I’ve ended my own efforts to save. Frankly, I’m interested in living well, under $300 per month, and being able to have the freedom to go on the occasional date and get a drink with friends, while still saving about $200 more per month than I used to.

Interviewer: Yeah, but if you’re spending nearly $300 on food some months, are you really frugal?

Sam: Ugh, I hate that question. I’m a work-in-progress. I’m hardly perfect. Frugality is a philosophical journey, and in my mind, has no destination. There is no final frugal line or defining organization that sets standards. You are your own standard. I believe I’m far more frugal now, but could always do more to save. Frugality comes in the lack of contentedness. I don’t want to accept that I’m financially set; rather, I’m eternally under construction.

Interviewer: Phew! Thanks for spending the time today, Sam.

Sam: My pleasure.

Filed Under: Save Money Tagged With: Budget, Food, food budget, Frugal, frugality, Meals, spending

5 Common Myths Of Frugality

By Frugaling 8 Comments

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American Airlines Airport Las Vegas

The word “frugal” is frequently synonymous with an unflattering list of words. The most common one I’ve heard is “cheap.” But what I’ve noticed is that when words like that are thrown around, they often represent a stereotypical idea of frugality. People who’ve adopted a frugal mentality might balk at those descriptors because they tend to discount, under-appreciate, and confuse this philosophy around money.

Every now and then I like to revisit the definition of frugality, as it bears repeating. This time, I figured I’d address a snapshot of the many myths I regularly hear regarding this way of living. The following are five popular assumptions/myths that people tend associate with frugal living.

Myth 1: Buy the cheapest products possible

If someone has a surface-level understanding of frugality, they tend to assume that I shop for the cheapest everything. From shampoo to razors to coffee to cars to bikes to phones, the myth is that frugal people scour the world for the cheapest option every time.

In reality, I tend to shop for the top and work my way down. I try to understand what the “best” products are selling and see if I truly “need” what they’re offering. Similarly, I search for similar abilities in more affordable products. Who wouldn’t want to save money and get the features of a more expensive product?!

Also, cheaper products don’t always pay off in the long run. Various problems can occur from poor resale values to early failure. I have two examples that come to mind. In both of the following instances, long-term planning pays off better than short-term savings.

First, disposable, plastic razors are one of the cheapest ways to shave upon looking at the face value. But these razors don’t last as long, rust quicker, and do not shave as closely. In total, that actually results in spending more money over time. How anti-frugal!

Second, a cheap Windows laptop might cost $400 to $500. Again, on face value, this seems cheaper than an Apple laptop for $900. It takes a critical eye to parse apart the savings. For starters, an Apple computer is more reliable and powerful than the ~$450 Windows computer. You’re paying for that though, so not very frugal yet. The real cost savings comes with resale value. Because of the power and dependability, Apple computers retain their total value for longer periods of time. That $900 purchase price degrades at a lesser percentage each month.

Myth 2: Never pay full price

This one is tricky. No one wants to pay full price for anything. Sales, deals, coupons, and special savings entice us. I promise, they affect my buying and likely sway you, too. Grocery stores and malls are full of these opportunities. Heck, some of us wait for weekly ads to make our purchases!

In the end, we hate paying full price so much that we will spend countless hours over our lifetimes scoping out deals. But the frugal person doesn’t necessarily focus on the sale to buy a product. The key is buying it consciously, with intention, and through savings — not credit. Being a frugal consumer means avoiding purchases because of sales. Sales shouldn’t be the catalyst for purchases.

When you focus on a new item for purchase, it’s important to consider the place it has in your household. New shoes might be vital to your job. Rather than focusing on the “savings,” concentrate on the value. What shoes will stand the test of time, be comfortable, and limit future purchases?

Like before, the full-priced option may actually be better than the sale deal. Evaluate sales carefully. End of year or last year’s models might actually be a great deal, though. The point is, this myth is reductionistic and oversimplifies the complicated task of staying frugal.

Myth 3: Avoid adventure

Personally, I never want my frugality to be boring, limiting, or burdensome to trying new things, experiencing cultures, and developing a greater appreciation of the world around me. While yes, travel tends to be expensive, there are ways to adventure and take advantage of the world around you.

Perhaps it includes attending a free concert or talk at a local university/library. Perhaps it means taking a long bike ride around your city. Perhaps it means strategizing a bonus miles credit card to reduce ticket costs.

Regardless of the method, travel and adventure can be made more frugal. It takes forethought and planning. While many people buy tickets on a whim or whenever they’re gearing up for a flight, frugal people tend to find dates earlier on and book tickets then. The savings is often greater further away from a flight date.

Even more, the frugal philosophy necessitates a new definition for adventure. It seems that many people associate spending money with “fun.” The reality is far easier. We needn’t spend money to enjoy life. Adventure is right out your door — all it takes is a perspective change and appreciation of the world’s natural offerings. Hike, run, read, walk, chat up a future mate — whatever!

Myth 4: If you must eat out, tip poorly

The more brutal stereotype of frugality states that we tend to cut costs everywhere we go. If we eat out, we’ll likely tip poorly because that’s an opportunity to save.

Frugality needn’t be at the cost of others. In fact, that’s an ethically dubious version of this cost-saving and life-affirming philosophy. Savings shouldn’t undercut another way of living or punish others. If you’re a poor tipper and don’t recognize that servers don’t make much as an hourly wage, you should avoid eating out altogether because that’s the more frugal option anyways.

Most of the time, I tip about 15 to 20 percent for good service. If it’s bad… Well, all rules are off. Eating out is a treat for me — rare compared to the amount I eat in. When I do treat myself, I try to be respectful to those serving me, as well.

Myth 5: It’s hard to maintain

We are not born into a world that advocates for frugality. Choosing this lifestyle takes years of relearning and backtracking. Surrounded by advertisements and marketing for products we likely could avoid or go without, we are not accustomed to avoiding purchases. In that sense, it can be challenging to initiate frugal living.

Once you’ve started living with less, reduced spending becomes more habitual and quotidian. It’s all about relativity. When spending is reduced gradually over time, the cuts are less effortful. Then, when you reach a basic level of spending, maintenance can occur.

This stage requires less consideration for purchases and decisions. Maintenance doesn’t require rethinking spending patterns, reformulating grocery lists, etc. All you need to do is continue at the same rate and frugality will be yours!

Every now and then, opportunities to buy something will crop up despite your maintenance, and you’ll feel the pull to purchase. When that occurs, it’s important to recognize what motivates your frugal life. Why did you start living frugally in the first place?

Frugality is a philosophy and way of living. And many of the myths and assumptions that people carry about frugality are wrong and/or exaggerated. It’s bigger than simply spending less. It is a conscious philosophical decision to save money where you can to enjoy what you love.

Filed Under: Save Money Tagged With: adventure, cheap, flying, Frugal, frugality, living, myths, philosophy, Products, Travel

Frugal Articles of the Week

By Frugaling 2 Comments

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Reading Nook Photo

Every week I like to feature a few frugal articles that caught my eyes. Curl up in your favorite reading nook and enjoy. Hopefully these encourage you to live frugal lives!

How to have a great first date when you’re broke or frugal by Martin Dasko
Boy can I relate to this quandary! Martin tackles the challenging topic of dating when you either don’t have enough or are on the frugal path. Either way, it requires changing your dating approach.

Appeal of Savings Bonds Wanes in Ultralow Interest Environment by Ann Carrns
The Federal Reserve has maintained very low rates for borrowing and it’s prevented savings and bonds rates from becoming more attractive. Unfortunately, that has dire consequences for those who might need it most. This article provides a nice review of the current financial offerings.

The radical political implications of spending time outdoors by Chris Mooney
What if I told you the secret to saving money was simply walking out your door? Could it really be that simple? Would you care for the environment, spend less, and save big? Potentially!

How A Year Of Extreme Frugality Changed Us by Mrs. Frugalwoods
In a fun, important review, Mrs. Frugalwoods catalogues her adventures in frugality. She cut back on everything and found a way to enjoy it! Along with saving money here and there, Mrs. FW made goals and planned for a more frugal future. That’s a wicked combination.

Filed Under: Save Money Tagged With: Accounts, adventure, articles, dating, Frugal, frugality, outdoors, Savings Bonds, week

Congregation Without Consumption

By Frugaling 31 Comments

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Mall of America

I often felt lonely growing up. Sometimes it was by choice, sometimes by consequence. Whatever the case, that aching feeling would hit me – I’d want to move, do, fix, and solve the discomfort. Isolation and loneliness prompted me to go out – to frequent places with people.

Unfortunately, people tend to congregate at locations of consumption. You can see it in families taking weekend trips to the mall to walk, eat, and shop. The window shopping and actual shopping make people feel purposeful.

When I’d be down and out, I’d find comfort in the smiling faces of store clerks and fellow shoppers. People were happy to be buying and selling products. The light shined brighter. Smells of candied nuts and pretzels wafted around. And hip music reverberated through the stores. I felt happy for a moment.

From the outside, it seemed like everyone won. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Conspicuous shopping and browsing can lead to debt, overdue bills, and lessening credit scores (not to mention great environmental harm). There’s a psychological cost to this repetitive reinforcement, as well. The visit makes us happy, and we want to return to duplicate and relive these positive feelings. The purpose is in the purchase. Without the purchase, who are we? Without the mall, where does positivity stem from?

When I first started saving money and becoming more frugal, I didn’t notice my removal from society’s consumptive catches. There was this new purpose to live within my means. That seemed to be enough. I was able to share my journey on Frugaling, too. But over time, I started to feel this lump in my throat. The social outings to spend money at restaurants, go to movies, and frequent trips were severely reduced.

That feeling of loneliness crept back in. With each effort to save, came losses in social situations. As much as I tried to build in free time with friends that was actually free, I realized that it was challenging.

We all want to consume and spend and travel and adventure. There’s excitement and energy in all these activities, but too frequently, there are direct costs associated.

We each need to establish a balance in our lives where we are spending within our means, while achieving our needed social connection with others. To sacrifice the latter may mean suffering greatly and failing to maintain long-term frugality. Suddenly, the endeavor is unintentionally punishing.

To combat and bolster our social support, connection, and integration, we must embrace congregation without consumption. These are the moments circled around a board game, watching a movie at home, cooking at home, biking, running, swimming, etc.

If frugality is a philosophy and way of life, we must define our methods for staying sane and healthy. It should never stand in the way of healthy psychological functioning and connection with others. To say “no” to social gatherings that need money is a tremendous way to save, but costs something more than dollars and cents. There’s a social factor that cuts deep – for both parties involved.

Staying connected and frugal requires proactive planning. The initiative is on you – for better and for worse – to suggest events without a price tag. We are all in this together, but someone needs to start the trend. Longer term, our society must find new homes for purpose and energy with others – something beyond the brightly lit walls of malls.

Now, the important question becomes, Where will you spend your weekend?

Filed Under: Minimalism, Save Money Tagged With: America, Consumption, Frugal, frugality, Mall, Psychology, saving, Social, spending, Support

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