I find it’s not really all that hard. I’ve been on my own for a few months now, and keeping myself in check is just a matter of tracking how much I spend per month. The first thing I started doing was budgeting out various bills like rent, utilities, food, and gas. Beyond that, there isn’t much besides the occasional eating out for dinner or buying lunch and breakfast in my office building. It tends to be more frequent that I would like, but it’s not cutting too deep into my pocket.
I have also been paying off my student loans in large chunks. Although my savings take a big cut, it makes me feel better that I don’t have to worry about it so often every month. I also recently paid for oil heat (filled up a full tank from nearly empty) in one large chunk. It’s kind of nice not to have so many different bills to worry about every month, and it also gives me slightly more freedom to do what I want with my money.
I’m also saving up quite a bit with my 401(k) plan from work and my Roth IRA. Sometimes it feels like I don’t have enough money, but having a somewhat low amount (or at least what I percept) keeps me more in control. When I had moved into my apartment, I spent a lot of money on completely new furniture. I was getting tired of living like a cheap college student. I had enough money saved up so that I could afford nice things. It’s just a different lifestyle now than it was back then.
I also only have one credit card with a low limit which was something that was set while I was in college since I had no assets. I’ve kept it that low because I didn’t want to overspend, but I recently found out that I could totally boost my credit score if I had a higher limit. I tend to use a good percentage of my available credit per month anyway, but there isn’t any reason not to request a higher credit limit. I know I won’t go over my average amount per month because I’m mindful (fearful, really) that I couldn’t really afford anything higher over a certain amount.
I’ve noticed that household items meant for convenience are often more expensive and don’t work as well as manual labor. I have no problem manually scrubbing my bathroom with powder cleaner. It gives me something to do, and everything comes out way cleaner than any “easy” method could do by itself. Being frugal (and not cheap) doesn’t mean sacrificing quality either. It’s all about value. Sometimes buying the more expensive product does make a difference, but that seems to be more so personal taste.
Once in a while, I will make a “large” purchase which would be a treat for myself or something nice. I tend to be a practical person, and my apartment space is also limited so I try to make a splurge worthwhile without being careless. I know I could cut some things out here and there, but I’m good enough with what I’m saving every month even if it isn’t terribly high.
