How Frugality Super Powers Doubled My Savings
It doesn’t bother me when people poke fun at my frugal ways. I know for a fact that I get more for my money than most because of them. For example, my friends give me a hard time about always searching online for coupons on my phone. I also notice people shaking their heads as I use the calculator on my phone to add up all my purchases while shopping. I never enter the checkout lane unless I know how much my bill is going to be. These two habits combined give me frugality super powers and recently saved me some extra cash.
My wife and I were shopping at a party supply store for an event we are hosting. Before entering the checkout lane, I searched the internet for a coupon and found one:
- $10 off a purchase of at least $50
- $15 off a purchase of at least $75
- $20 off a purchase of at least $100
“How much does our stuff add up to?” my wife asked.
“About $280” I replied.
“Sweet, we’ll get $20 just like that!” she explained as she snapped her fingers.
“We’re going to get more than that,” I stated, “Go get another cart.”
I transferred just over $100 worth of items into the second card, and put some back on the shelves as well. I then found the same coupon on her phone and headed for the cash register. My wife and I both bought enough products to kick us over the $100 threshold to save $20.
By breaking our purchase into two separate transactions, we were able to save an extra $20.
People may make fun of my frugality superpowers, but they definitely save me money. Searching online I found a coupon that I could use to save money.
By adding up my purchase as I go through the store, I knew how much my items added up to, and recognized a way to put that coupon to full use. People may laugh at my methods, but nobody would laugh about having an extra $20 in their pocket.
How about you, Clever Friends, do you have a frugal habit that your friends poke fun at your for? Have they ever started doing the exact same thing once they realize how well it works?
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Brock is a software engineer by day and personal finance blogger at night. He is a fitness junkie and enjoys grilling and smoking meat. Married with two children, Brock strives to improve his skills as a husband and father, and is always on the lookout to stretch his family’s budget as far as he can.
I used to feel weird about taking out my coupons when grocery shopping or stuff like that, but after a while I realized I shouldn’t care what strangers think of my “frugal methods”.
Also, I do have a weird frugal habit. Whenever my other half and I eat out, I almost never buy anything to drink. Or if I do, I buy plain water.
I’m sure many think it’s because I don’t want to spend money on drinks, but the real reason is… I really want to avoid looking for a bathroom! Especially if after dinner we go see a movie!