I recently received a letter from Joan in Ohio: “Dear Karen, would you please consider writing about how to be frugal? You claimed in your book that you are 'the most frugal person this side of the Mississippi.' I need your advice on how to be more frugal and not sacrifice good quality and style. Thanks!”
Dear Joan,
My kids could answer this letter for you, “She NEVER buys us full price clothing! We only get to eat cereal for which she has double coupons!” But since they’re busy washing and drying the dishes and gallon ziploc freezer bags from dinner, I’ll answer for them.
Of course, I can’t give away all my super secret Bus Stop Mommy Frugal Tips, or I’ll risk jeopardizing my current reign as Mrs. Frugal North Carolina, USA. And I so do love my tiara! I wear it to the discount grocery store where you have to bag your own groceries with your own bags. It’s so cheap. My kids know I’ll never say no to the giant tub-o-choco-swirl ice cream. I have the prices memorized in case there’s a lull in cocktail party conversation — “Skim milk is only $2.89 this week! And let me tell you about their canned peaches….”
Besides being willing to bag your own groceries, I guess I can share B.S.M. Frugal Rule #1: Never, ever buy trash bags. Why buy the bags when retailers give them to you for free? They won't care if you smile at the cute bag boy and ask, “May I please have a few extra bags?” (Bat eyelashes.) Or, just take them yourself. Honestly Joan, they're teenagers. They couldn't care less how many bags you take as long as their paycheck isn't in one.
All throughout our diaper years, we only had one of those white vinyl-coated metal grocery bag holders mounted on the inside of the cabinet door under our kitchen sink. Trust me, it holds A LOT more trash than you think. It rivals the Diaper Genie and you're never without the magic refill roll! Besides being free, these bags are small enough for little kids to carry outside to the large trashcan. Trash is hidden, which means not only less smell but less chance of the dog eating trash and barfing all over the new living room carpet 10 minutes before your in-laws arrive.
I never buy Yard Trash Bags either. My garbage guys must love seeing me in my tiara, because all it takes is one little phone call and they deliver free city-approved bags to my front door!
Here’s an extra frugal bonus about these tall brown paper bags: cut out some eye holes, let the kids decorate and voilà! Halloween costumes! But please don’t tell the nice garbage guys.
Karen Rinehart is a syndicated newspaper columnist, public speaker, and creator of The Bus Stop Mommies™. Her book, Invisible Underwear, Bus Stop Mommies and Other Things True To Life, is a popular read in book clubs, school pick up lines, and soccer fields. She enjoys hearing from readers across the States and as far away as Australia, Japan, and England. You can read more at www.busstopmommies.com. Karen lives in North Carolina with her two kids, two dogs, and one husband, where they attend St. James Catholic Church. (Well, they leave the dogs at home.)
