My Frugal Roadmap

Ten things I do (or don’t do) to save money:

1. No gaming. I do not own a Playstation, Wii, Gamecube or XBox. I do have my original NES from the ’80’s; since it lives in its original packaging and I took care not to abuse it, the system survived my childhood with nary a scratch. If I MUST play video games, it comes out of the box.

2. No soda. Even without this item on my diet, I manage to spend far too much time with my dentist. The smallest amounts of sugar just deteriorate my teeth. I never cared for soda to begin with, and this is a good reason to avoid it altogether. Water is better for you. And it doesn’t cost anything at restaurants.

3. Speaking of restaurants, I rarely eat out anymore: it’s expensive and not ideal for those who need to stay healthy. Although I’m not a stickler for counting calories I must have at least a ballpark estimate, which is impossible when I’m not cooking the food.  

4. Limited gadgetry. My needs aren’t numerous: I have a nice cell phone, bought to replace the free one that fell apart on me, and an old iPod. I’d love to get rid of the latter, but I can’t stomach getting $20 for a device that originally cost $300.    

5. I take advantage of some great deals at CVS, but try not to haunt the store every week. If the item in question isn’t a necessity I won’t buy it, even if it’s free after rebate. 

6. I use coupons, but only if and when it makes sense. If generic cereal is $2, I won’t use coupons on a name-brand item that still costs $3 after the “discount.”    

7. I use the library. This cuts down on clutter and, as a student, this saves me a bundle every semester. In the event that I must purchase a book, half.com is the place to go. Paperback Swap doesn’t always have the best selection.

8. I know how to entertain myself by putting the items I already have to use. 

9. I don’t patronize movie theatres. The seating is uncomfortable, refreshments are stale and overpriced and there is no pause button for bathroom breaks. I have Netflix instead.

10. I question the item’s longevity before I buy. And whether or not it is essential.