Guest Post: Mom's a Tightwad

Since completely changing the way we spend our money a couple of years ago, my attitude about shopping has completely changed. Why spend $1 a bag or more next year on these same eggs, when I can get them for 25 cents a bag now? In my mind, waiting to buy them at full price next Spring is a waste of money. Does that make me a tightwad? I think it makes me a good steward of our family’s resources.

Looking back at the “old” me makes me cringe. I could easily spend $50 or more in the grocery store on just a couple of meals worth of food. I did not coupon, shop sales, or even meal plan. Because of my lack of fore thought we spent so much money that we didn’t need to spend.

Both my husband and I worked, yet we could barely make ends meet, even with the help of food stamps and housing assistance. Most of the time we were completely broke. I cannot tell you how many times we couldn’t even put gas in the car. There was no extra money and certainly no savings account. We spent recklessly. We had no budget. We were foolish. I look back and am ashamed of how careless we were with our finances.

Look at us now! If I spend $50 at the grocery store, I’ve most likely bought at least $100 worth of groceries. We do not spend money without thinking about it first. And I mean really thinking about it. We keep track of every cent that enters and leaves our household. Guess what? Dan works and I am able to be a full time homemaker. We are buying our first “new to us” car to replace the 20 year old car we inherited from Dan’s grandma. We can pay our bills, eat better than we ever have, and still have extra money.

Our family does not receive any sort of government assistance anymore. For the first time, we are able to help those less fortunate than ourselves. No, Dan didn’t get a huge raise and we didn’t win the lotto. We simply altered the way we live. I cannot tell you how great it feels!

Now, I rarely pay full price for anything. Spending money on name brand when generic is less expensive seems incredibly wasteful. It is like my brain has been completely rewired. I look for every opportunity to save. I stockpile, which has been such a help. And while providing better for my family, I’ve been given the opportunity to give. I give blood glucose monitors, HBAs, and excess food stuffs to a local mission. I send trial sized and free sample items in care packages to our troops. I feel so blessed that I can help others, when before that never would have happened.