I've created a monster!!!

[everywoman]

I got home from work today, started to fix dinner, got everything in the pan and realized I had no aluminum foil. I said something out loud, and Jana said, "Hold on. I think I have some in my room." So, off to her room she goes, and sure enough, she comes back with foil. When I asked why she had foil in her room she stated, very seriously, "I was in the store the other day, and they had it on sale!"

 

[susiestar]

Too cool. She is paying attention to prices and maybe stocking up for when she is out on her own. AND she does not mind sharing stuff she bought with the family.

Jess would and does do stuff like this.

Wiz would want me to pay the cost of the entire roll of foil for the piece I used.

I don't even want to THINK about what Wiz would be doing with foil in his room.

Bleaching his hair in sections? Dyeing his cat's hair in sections? (Yes, his cat, Tommy, would sit there and let him do it as long as he kept messing with him and petting him. The cat has 2 goals in life. To be the fattest cat in the world and to move less than any other cat. he walks 20 feet and takes a nap. Then he walks to the bowl, eats, takes another nap. Sometimes he just lays down with his head in the bowl and eats while he vegs out. It is pretty funny and he is very healthy = just lazy!

Wiz might also be using to cover the windows so that no one could see in, or to wear as a hat to keep the aliens from reading his thoughts. husband would probably share the foil and help fashion the hats.

I finally bought a metal colander a few years ago because I was tired of them using the last of the foil. Now I only buy it cut into sheets. It is harder to make a hat that way.

No. I. am. NOT. KIDDING. about the foil hats. It was something of a fashion statement here at home for a while.

 

[everywoman]

LOL at the hats Susie.
She is quite the little bargain hunter---my little spoiled rotten princess. She uses coupons for her groceries (she buys her own lunches and snacks) and goes on her websites every week to download what she needs for the week. She will not buy it if it's not on sale or she doesn't have a coupon for it. She uses coupons to go out to eat too. Her boyfriend had several gift cards to some fast food places that he wouldn't use--so her gave them to her. She looked for coupons so she could get the most for her money. She even has a card for the gas station. If she purchases certain items, she gets so many cents off the gallon of gas. I get tickled watching her. She limits herself to $25.00 a week and the rest goes into to savings. Right now she has a considerable savings account---enough for the down payment on a house.

 

[susiestar]

WOW! She is certainly a very responsible young woman. That will carry her very far in this world. With all her frugality I could suggest some books she would enjoy.

the Tightwad Gazette (get her the complete one rather than finding the 2 separate volumes that are in it) by Amy Daczyian (sp?), Make a mix cookery (eliason et al), Cheaper and Better by nancy Birnes, and Frozen Assets by Taylor-Hough.

Tightwad has tips and hints to save on EVERYTHING. Absolutely EVERYTHING. There is even an article in the second volume (included in the complete version) that tells ways to cut the cost of feminine hygiene products. I couldn't use that suggestion, but many others are awesome! It also has great recipes.

Make a Mix has recipes for many of the mixes that we buy in stores. they take minutes to prepare for the most part and once you try them you will be hooked. My kids won't eat a mix cake anymore. The only reason we ever get canned frosting is because jess eats a spoonful or two when PMS gets bad. LOL!

The taco seasoning mix is out of this world awesome. MUCH better and cheaper than the packets you buy at the store. It is truly mind blowing when you see how much cheaper the mix stuff is to make yourself. AND how easy it is.

Cheaper and Better has homemade equivalents for store items. Chocolate syrup, Baileys Irish Cream, and so many many many more things. Many are very interesting. It even has recipes for some health and beauty items.

Frozen Assets will have ideas to help her plan meals and even put a month (or 2 weeks or week) of lunches in the freezer. Then she can take them out and let them thaw or microwave them when she is at work or school. It really is helpful.

Here is a link to the Cheaper and Better book. It is out of print but very very useful. http://www.amazon.com/Frozen-Assets...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251940342&sr=8-1

Tell her to look on abebooks.com for ANY book she wants. Even with shipping the books are so inexpensive that it just doesn't make sense to buy anywhere else. I got all of Jessie's textbooks last year for under $30 through abe. The same books our school was using too!

Enjoy the "monster" of frugality you have created and inspired. It is a very useful skill.

 

[KTMom91]

That's a great monster to have , though!

 

[klmno]

Ditto to that!! You must have taught her well, EW!!

 

[ThreeShadows]

A blessing on your frugal daughter! Susie and I could teach her how to get blood from a turnip!

My kids don't understand the value of a dollar. I'm just waiting for that ton of bricks.....

 

[timer lady]

Very very cool. Now is the time to be frugal, in my humble opinion. kt is learning to budget - wm has no concept of money.

EW, what I love is that you needed the stuff & she had it in her room & let you use it.

 

[mrscatinthehat]

That will carry her forward well. Frugal is a good thing. Can't get difficult child 1 to understand those types of things. easy child on the other hadn would squeeze the penny a little tighter if she thought she would get another out of it.