What frugal thing did you do today?

[Nectarineman]

Since frugality seems to be a way of life, what did you do today that was frugal?

As for me, worked out at the gym, but shaved and took an extra long shower there to save on my utilities.

[Doom&Gloom]

On Christmas Eve? LOL

[Nectarineman]

Didn’t think about the timing, but yes, pretty funny!

[Alexa9]

Since frugality seems to be a way of life, what did you do today that was frugal?

As for me, worked out at the gym, but shaved and took an extra long shower there to save on my utilities.

Frugal?!? You lost me at went to the gym.

[FrugalInvestor]

Made breakfast for ourselves instead of going out.
We're going to make up for that and more at the steak house tonight though!!
Yesterday I did replace our outdoor light fixtures myself.

[BogleBoogie]

Since frugality seems to be a way of life, what did you do today that was frugal?

As for me, worked out at the gym, but shaved and took an extra long shower there to save on my utilities.

The gym will pass that cost along in the form of increasing your gym membership dues. If you have locked in your membership dues, then they will cut a corner somewhere else to make up for that money. This may be in the form of not replacing aging equipment. I wouldn't consider the extra long shower "frugal", perhaps "wasteful."

[dpc]

I didn't buy a new car today (again).

[iskey]

I've been in bed sick for three days (flu) so I have spent $0.00 over that time period. My wife has made up for it though.

[Shallowpockets]

Being frugal should extend beyond your personal world. Maybe to resource use. So to take a longer shower purposely at the gym is not frugal at all. Frugal is about money but also about waste of a resource when it is not necessary. You don't do things because you can, you do them because you should.
I had to shower at the gym for too long a time this summer due to a too long bathroom redo.
When I saw others just standing there under the water for long after the showering part was over, I thought of them as wasters. I thought that at home they probably spent beyond their means. No thought to the future. Theirs or the planet.
There were teens there from the swim team standing under the shower from before I started unit after I left the locker room. You think they were taught frugality?
Maybe my definition of frugal eclipses the norm. But that is one way of looking at it.
Spending money unnecessarily, spending resources unnecessarily. Sound like one and the same.

[sambb]

its all relative. i drove my regular import car to work, instead of a more exotic option. Also had water at lunch instead of a soda. But could have saved more by not buying a sports car or not going out to lunch. I choose to live a little. Its all relative.

[Sheepdog]

Since frugality seems to be a way of life, what did you do today that was frugal?

As for me, worked out at the gym, but shaved and took an extra long shower there to save on my utilities.

Well, I did not take a bath or shave, nor did I use gas to go to a gym! Whose more frugal?

[B3GINN3R]

I park d an extra 10 minute walk from the theater to save 10 bucks

[Dottie57]

Since frugality seems to be a way of life, what did you do today that was frugal?

As for me, worked out at the gym, but shaved and took an extra long shower there to save on my utilities.

Nada as this is not the time of year for frugality. This season, I followed my budget, which isn't all that frugal.

[Luckywon]

This is yesterday but got an unsolicited mail from a charity with a dime and a penny affixed. Peeled those off and put them in my coin jar.

[littlebird]

I bought 2 Amazon Dots on sale for $30 each today and saved TWICE as much!

[TheHouse7]

Since frugality seems to be a way of life, what did you do today that was frugal?

As for me, worked out at the gym, but shaved and took an extra long shower there to save on my utilities.

Ate leftover joejoes from going out for lunch at work. (In breakfast eggs)

[Ruger]

Spent less than $20 at WalMart to buy some free weights to work out at home with. Saves on gym expense, and the time and gas driving there.

[carolinaman]

Yesterday, I was doing some last minute shopping. I bought my son a nice UA shirt which was regularly priced at $69.99. These shirts are rarely on sale and usually excluded from coupons. It was on sale for $39.99. I used 2 sale coupons for $20 off and paid $19.99 plus tax. I got 2 $10 off coupons when I paid. So I figured the net cost was $1.99 plus tax. Did I pay too much?

[KSOC]

Today I spent 1 hour cleaning our pool. Just like I have been doing for the last 14 years. So there's that.

Yesterday I went to the nearby thrift store looking for a second crock-pot. i had one that died over the summer. Found a nice Rival for $3.50. Used it last night for a test, and will use tomorrow for chicken broth. Pretty happy about it too.

[bob60014]

I shovled snow from the walk today instead of giving the kid across the street $5. Of course I'm paying for it with a little back pain, but I kept the $5!

[6miths]

Shoveled snow yesterday. Win win. No kid, no gym.

Big score was that I went to the bird store yesterday and for $4 per they had silver foil streamers about 8" long suspended from suction cups to go on windows to prevent birds from flying into them. We lose a few birds each year to this as we have glass panels on part of our deck. I figured come on, $4 plus tax. Made my own since we had all the Christmas stuff out. Foil wrapping paper, duct tape at the top (like the ones at the store) pierced and then hooked on a suction cup. Cha-ching!

[spectec]

Today the wife and I came home after church and ate leftovers from yesterday's family Christmas gathering, rather than going to a restaurant for lunch. Saved about $40 or so, and the food was more tasty & nutritious.

[flyingaway]

I used a $1 coupon to buy milk at Kroger. Could not buy it yesterday as the coupon starts today.

[DanMahowny]

I wouldn't consider the extra long shower "frugal", perhaps "wasteful."

Long showers are fantastic!

A long shower for me is typically about one hour.

Very relaxing. And cheap too- the cost of the water and gas to heat the water is small relative to the enjoyment.

Certainly not wasteful in my view.

[Isabelle77]

I didn't run out and buy my child the "one last gift" that he started talking about last night. Part of me wanted to though

[quantAndHold]

Since healthcare expense dwarfs everything else in my budget...I ate a healthy breakfast. I plan to also exercise today, and eat healthy lunch and dinners.

[annielouise]

Umm, reused gift tags that I made years ago.

Cleaning, doing laundry, and not spending any money. That's a standard Christmas Eve in our house.

[UpperNwGuy]

Is this the Bogleheads forum? I think I'm reading the Mr Money Mustache forum...

[DrGoogle2017]

Not today.

[MichaelRpdx]

Put another book on hold at the library instead of buying it from Amazon.

[bengal22]

My avatar may be the Grinch but even I know this is the season of generosity not frugality. Being a Boglehead for me opens up opportunities for generosity and is not so much about being frugal. Merry Christmas to All. Of course, watching the Bengals win has made me all giddy.

[basspond]

For about 20% of one ticket to an NFL game, took family of four to a high school state championship game yesterday.

[investing1012]

Since frugality seems to be a way of life, what did you do today that was frugal?

As for me, worked out at the gym, but shaved and took an extra long shower there to save on my utilities.

The gym will pass that cost along in the form of increasing your gym membership dues. If you have locked in your membership dues, then they will cut a corner somewhere else to make up for that money. This may be in the form of not replacing aging equipment. I wouldn't consider the extra long shower "frugal", perhaps "wasteful."

I disagree, since the cost will be passed on to the hundreds of members and he’ll likely see no effect or a tiny fraction of his frugality. While if he takes a shower at his house he’ll see a higher water bill at his house.

[freebeer]

Made french toast at home for family instead of going out to breakfast. Then rode bike to the store instead of driving.

[BogleBoogie]

I wouldn't consider the extra long shower "frugal", perhaps "wasteful."

Long showers are fantastic!

A long shower for me is typically about one hour.

Very relaxing. And cheap too- the cost of the water and gas to heat the water is small relative to the enjoyment.

Certainly not wasteful in my view.

I suppose it is a matter of opinion on this one. The one hour shower you speak of amounts to about 600 gallons of water. 600 gallons of water to clean one person, one day, one time feels wasteful and unnecessary to me. For you, it is wonderful.

[baconavocado]

Since frugality seems to be a way of life, what did you do today that was frugal?

As for me, worked out at the gym, but shaved and took an extra long shower there to save on my utilities.

Frugal?!? You lost me at went to the gym.

Actually, I would count a gym membership as an excellent investment in your health, so I would consider it being frugal. Compare the cost of going to the gym to the cost of getting stents placed in your coronary arteries every five years and then having bypass surgery after the third stent.

Which brings me to the point I wanted to make: frugality is relative, it's all in the eye of the beholder. My wife used to read a blog by a woman who preached that you should wash out all your plastic bags and save those little wire things that hold the bread bag closed. Turns out this woman had SIX CHILDREN. After I heard that, I stopped washing out my plastic bags.

[Plymouth56]

For the last minute run around shopping today drove my Nissan Leaf instead of my ICE car.
While at the local Hy Vee supermarket charged my Leaf there for free.

[Luckywon]

Since frugality seems to be a way of life, what did you do today that was frugal?

As for me, worked out at the gym, but shaved and took an extra long shower there to save on my utilities.

The gym will pass that cost along in the form of increasing your gym membership dues. If you have locked in your membership dues, then they will cut a corner somewhere else to make up for that money. This may be in the form of not replacing aging equipment. I wouldn't consider the extra long shower "frugal", perhaps "wasteful."

I disagree, since the cost will be passed on to the hundreds of members and he’ll likely see no effect or a tiny fraction of his frugality. While if he takes a shower at his house he’ll see a higher water bill at his house.

+1 on this. Let's keep things honest here

[BogleBoogie]

Since frugality seems to be a way of life, what did you do today that was frugal?

As for me, worked out at the gym, but shaved and took an extra long shower there to save on my utilities.

The gym will pass that cost along in the form of increasing your gym membership dues. If you have locked in your membership dues, then they will cut a corner somewhere else to make up for that money. This may be in the form of not replacing aging equipment. I wouldn't consider the extra long shower "frugal", perhaps "wasteful."

I disagree, since the cost will be passed on to the hundreds of members and he’ll likely see no effect or a tiny fraction of his frugality. While if he takes a shower at his house he’ll see a higher water bill at his house.

You disagree with my point that using any resources at the gym that cost the gym money will be absorbed by the customers at the gym? Yes, of course it won't be dollar for dollar with the shower. As a group they will all incur the costs.

[Gill]

Played a golf ball I found in the weeds.
Gill

[Nate79]

Cut my own hair. No more trips to Sport Clips for me.

[bubbadog]

Greased the drivetrain of my 2001 daily driver Toyota truck (199,840 miles).

[travellight]

Having lunch while charging at a supercharger.

[TierArtz]

Reused a foil gift-bag from an open-early Christmas gift my daughter presented to the family (a precious collection of hand-drawn favorite animal portraits). Then, we all ate leftovers for lunch.

[munemaker]

Used Movie Pass to watch the new STAR WARS movie. Pretty good!

[surfstar]

Washed our cars; ourselves.

[Broken Man 1999]

We went to oldest daughter's place and ate their food and drank their booze! Someone else's liquor always tastes better!



Broken Man 1999

[Gnirk]

My DH and I shared a Wendy's $4 meal deal. Exchanged the fries for chili, and I ate the chili and 2 of the pieces of chicken, and he enjoyed the bacon burger and 2 pieces of chicken, and the drink. (I drink water).

[GerryL]

Walked to the corner store (less than 1/4 mile) to buy the Sunday paper for $3.
Back last summer I finally cancelled my years-long subscription because the cost kept going up while the paper kept shrinking. And they wouldn't let me subscribe to just the Sunday paper, which is all I really want. Since then, each Sunday morning that I'm at home, I walk to the convenience store to buy a paper. Today freezing rain was just starting to fall, so it was the toughest decision I have had to make about whether I would get the paper since I started this new regime.

Homemade muffins and hazelnut latte and a very long time to lounge with the paper.

[hmw]

Got my gas at my local grocery store gas station (cheapest in town). Used a 2 for 1 coupon to buy 2 frozen pizzas at the same grocery store.