My Frugal Life: Living on Love and a Little More

We are frugal not because it is stylish or in style. My husband and I are frugal because he works on a cotton farm and makes very little money, and I am on disability, a fixed income. Every month is a challenge to make it through the bills, the groceries, gas, medicine, doctor bills, and other miscellaneous expenditures that pop up.

Since we are paid only once a month, that is a challenge too. As most our bills are due at the first part of the month, that is the first thing we do is pay those bills up front. Then we put into envelopes the amount of money need for each individual bill that will come in later.

Second, we take 4 or 5 envelopes (depending on the number of weeks in the month) and put in the amount that we intend to spend for groceries each week. We know what basics we need, and use our grocery receipt from the week before to fill in our grocery list for the next week. We buy most groceries at a local Save a Lot store and fill in at the Dollar Tree for $1.00 items we can find.

Third, money is divided into 4 or 5 weeks of gas money for work. After that the little money that is left is divided again into those 4 or 5 weeks, and is our "what if" money. What if we need extra medicine during the month, what if a tire goes flat, what if an emergency occurs with family, etc.

Sometimes we are lucky or blessed that no "what if" happens, and we can use that week's money for a breather. We may get a hamburger out or rent a movie. This is our life every month. No, we don't get vacations and other luxuries but we have a good life. A good frugal life.

By Sandra Mercer from Wilson, AR

Do you have a frugal story to share with the ThriftyFun community? Submit your essay here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_myfrugallife.ldml