The House of Not Spending

In the quest of frugality, I think one thing that is most often forgotten...the best way to be frugal is to simply NOT SPEND MONEY.

Seems simple, but hard to do. A little bit here and there...candy bar, soda machine, book to read, gum, pair of shoes...

I have been doing really well at not spending. The problem for me is - if I am in a habit of spending, it's hard to stop. And if I am in a habit of not spending, sometimes I just get the urge. It's all too easy to pick up a book (or two!) at Borders. We've been pretty good at going to the library instead, but sometimes we get tempted by the bakery next door ($15 later for a butter ring...)

Today I am home sick. I made a quick trip up to the store to buy Comet. My husband cleans the toilet with it and reminded me that we are out. (I have a good husband.) I was so tempted up there...by Starbucks, the sandwich shop, the bagel place, the ice cream stand...but I left with just my $1.07 container of cleanser. Starbucks would have been $4. A sandwich or a bagel, $3 or $4 easy. How many pounds of beans or rice could I buy with that? Besides I had a can of soda waiting for me at home.

...then I came home and started baking cookies. I have to have some kind of outlet. And it turns out, I made 46 cookies for only $3.05...less than the price of a frappucino. Which, if we were good, would last us two weeks (one cookie per person per day). But that's not likely, unless I freeze some.

I often try to have some nice "treat" foods in the house. So that I can remind myself I don't need an outside treat. Today was going to be a hotdog day at Costco (hubby and I have a monthly date to buy diapers). It's a pretty cheap "treat" at $1.50. Alas, home sick. Instead I treated myself to some good leftovers, and had some crackers and cream cheese (and of course, the cookies!)

But boy, it's a hot day today (90F!), so maybe that wasn't the best idea.

...on the other hand, I just had one, and they are tasty! And only 7 cents per cookie.