I met up with a friend in NYC the other day and, in addition to filling my soul with joy, she reminded me of how we used to try to “out cheap” each other.
It made me miss her even more!
It’s hard, in this society, to ignore the constant barrage of advertisements, endorsements, and other things that make us think or say SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY.
I get a lot of flack at work for being cheap. I’d like to call it frugal, but it might look cheap to those who do not have the same priorities.
As explained previously, travel is my priority.
We all learn to be cheap in college, or “act like a college student,” but as soon as we get out of college, we suddenly have more bills, loan repayments, and the expectation of trying to keep up with the Joneses.
I have preferred to continue acting like a college student – there are some great skills that college students learn out of necessity with, usually, small paychecks.
And for students who are planning on studying abroad, being cheap and saving money at home is critical in order to afford all of those cheap flights whilst abroad!
How I Try to Out-Frugal My Friends
Money is an intensely personal topic, but I work well under self-imposed structure for money.
I keep a budget that includes a little flexibility, but try to keep my expenses low so that I can spend money on future gratification.
Things That Might Seem Cheap:
Roommates
Many people have the dream of living alone – having a place to call their own has many perks, including individuality, privacy, and independence.
I have three roommates, and because of that, I spend less than 25 percent of my take-home pay on housing. Because I live in the DC area, I have the opportunity to spend at least 50 percent of my income on housing, but… that makes me want to weep.
In a perfect world, I would live alone, have an entire refrigerator to myself, have everything be set up the way I want it to be…
But then I hear my passport calling my name and none of that matters as much.
Clothing
New clothes are fun, but let’s be real – if we choose right, we can blow our entire budgets on new clothes, shoes, and new things in general.
I prefer the lightly used clothing option. Clothing swaps with friends, consignment clothing, and thrift store shopping benefits me (low or no price), the environment (reusing items means less raw materials being used), and still looks as good as new (if you choose right).
Win-win!
Transportation
I hate paying for a commute. For most Americans, the impact that commuting has on our budgets, environment, cars, and souls is significant.
For two of my previous jobs, I was actually required to have a car in order to be employed. Not that I had to have a car for commuting, but I actually had to own one as a condition of my employment.
Currently, I am fortunate in that I have multiple options for my commute. I can either bike, take the (free) bus, or drive. Because I bike, I get a workout while commuting.
I know this isn’t an option for everyone, but reducing my transportation costs to work has enabled me to reroute those funds to things that matter (like flights out of the US).
Food
As a college student, I would jump on free food like white on rice.
Now, as an “adult,” I still jump on free food opportunities.
Need volunteers? Maybe. Lunch will be served? I’ll be there.
If this reduces my food bill, and I get to meet new people? Everybody wins.
When I’m not reaping the benefits of free food, I try to eat at home every meal, or look at menus in advance to plan out my meal if I know that I’m going out.
Haircuts, manicures, pedicures, or spas
I love do-it-yourself spa activities, since I haaaate spending money on them. I will pay for a haircut no more than once a year… maybe.
On the bright side, there are so many tutorials for all personal care needs, so I just defer to that for inspiration.
Since my hair is pretty long, I have used YouTube videos on many occasions.
I haven’t screwed it up. Yet.
Sales
I love the word “sale.” However, I know that it’s normally a brilliant way for vendors to sucker us consumers into spending our money on things that we want, and maybe even need.
For this reason, I have a Google Doc on which I have my list of “wants” and “needs.” Then, I have separate columns for “want soon” and “want later.”
It’s a little crazy.
However, if my “needs” and “want soon” coincide with great sales and space in my monthly budget, I will jump on them.
By having everything written out, it is easier to prioritize before committing to anything. It did take me six years to finally buy a bike, after all…
Working Out
I love the environment of gyms. The pumping music, the variety of televisions, other people… It’s a positive thing for me.
But those prices though.
I have been fortunate to have access to free gyms through my work. Even though the free gyms aren’t the prettiest, they are – in fact – free. Between the free gyms, biking, and the YouTube channel BeFit (as well as the channel Yoga with Adriene, which I love!), I am pretty covered with my workout needs.
Things That I Splurge On:
Car and Bike Repairs
A car is useless if it cannot run. In the United States, it is almost impossible to live without a car if you live outside of a major metropolitan area.
Because of this, many of us in the United States either own or lease a car. I own mine, and I refuse to pass up any opportunity to fix it (after getting a second opinion on some things that seem shady, though).
My car and I have an understanding that if she needs something, she asks politely instead of getting sassy. It works out well for both of us… most of the time.
Transportation for Travel
In order to leave the United States, unless we are driving to Canada or Mexico, we need to fly. However, for anyone living abroad, cheap transportation is a huge perk. Between planes, trains, buses, and car sharing, it’s super cheap to get around in other parts of the world.
With that being said, I am willing to spend up to $600 on my international flights. This price range has gotten me to South America, Central America, through Asia, and to Europe (even Eastern Europe!) many times between 2006 and today.
I know I will need to spend more money in the future, and I am willing to do that, but not until I have to.
When Traveling
I am very willing to spend quite a substantial amount of money when I am traveling. There is a lot to be said for spending money on experiences that are unparalleled.
By being cheap at home, I have the delayed gratification when I’m traveling.
Some things I have willing spent quite a bit of money on while traveling:
- Climbing the Harbor Bridge in Sydney
- Touring throughout Iceland, including a Puffin Tour
- Taking a multi-day trip through Turkey to see far-flung places… and then paying top dollar for a day in the Turkish baths to recover
- Joining a day trip to a national park in Thailand
- A fjord tour through Norway
- Visiting the DMZ in Korea
And many more.
While I may be cheap at home, the delayed gratification of being able to have fulfilling experiences while traveling greatly motivates me to keep up with my frugality.
What are ways that you try to be frugal? Do you believe in delayed gratification? Share in the comments below!
Related Posts:
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The One Thing All Students Need to Do by the Time They Go to College
10 Ways to Save Money While Living Abroad
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My $1,500 Trip: How I Keep My Costs Low When Traveling