| When people ask me about getting out of
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| | paying for it. I'm not saying that you
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| debt, they often ask "Doesn't it take
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| | should never eat out but, that if you do
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| quite a bit more time to be frugal?" Of
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| | it regularly, it will cost you a lot more
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| course, doing work yourself does mean you
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| | (in time and money). Is it really worth
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| spend more time doing certain things, but
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| | it?Example #3: Buying a car- If you buy a
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| it also means that you will spend a lot
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| | new car with $500 a month payments for 5
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| less time and money working to pay
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| | years, you pay $30,000. Let's say you
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| someone else to do it. Many people work
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| | earn $30,000 per year at your job. If you
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| more hours to pay someone else to do a
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| | assume 25% income tax, you must earn
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| job than it would take them to do it
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| | $40,000 to pay for your $30,000 car. This
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| themselves. Of course, if you make a
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| | means that you have to work 1 year and 4
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| million dollars a year and have no manual
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| | months for no other reason but to pay for
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| dexterity, this article is not for
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| | that car. Is it really worth working over
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| you.Here are some examples based on my
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| | one year just to pay for a new car? If
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| own experience with a family of 4.
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| | you decided to buy a $7500 car instead,
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| Because your household income is probably
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| | you could afford to take a vacation from
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| not the same as mine, some things that
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| | work for a year. Haven't you been saying
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| make sense for me will not make sense for
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| | you need more free time? (If you didn't
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| you. I suggest that you read my examples
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| | get that, get out your calculator and do
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| and consider your actual costs.Example
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| | the math. This is important.)Always
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| #1: Buying clothes- One great way to save
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| | consider the hidden costs, too. Would you
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| on clothes is to go to garage sales. This
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| | feel more inclined to buy a security
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| seems very time consuming to many people,
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| | system for that $30,000 car? How much
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| but it really isn't. In the summer, I
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| | will that cost? Are the parts more
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| usually spend 3-4 hours every 2 weeks
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| | expensive for the $30,000 car when it
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| (May - September) going to garage sales.
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| | breaks down? Trust me, your new car will
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| That may seem like a lot, but if you
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| | still break down almost as much as a used
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| compare that to how much time the average
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| | car. Ask my brother...Be very careful
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| person spends shopping at the mall, it
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| | when you start saying things like
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| really isn't any longer.Example #2:
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| | "Doesn't it take too much time to be
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| Meals- I usually average an hour and a
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| | frugal?" or "I can't seem to find time to
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| half each day preparing and cleaning up
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| | be with my husband or children" or "I
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| from meals. Compare that to going out to
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| | don't know where to start saving." Often,
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| eat: It takes the typical person 20
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| | those are excuses that you have created
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| minutes to drive to the restaurant and 20
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| | to ease your guilt. If you think about it
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| minutes to return home. That is 40
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| | and do the math, living simply will give
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| minutes. Then you spend 15-20 minutes
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| | you more free time. If you'd rather not,
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| ordering and waiting for your order. You
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| | you can always keep spending money and
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| are now up to one hour. If you plan an
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| | wishing you had more family time. It's
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| hour for eating, you are up to two hours
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| | your choice! But take heart- if you have
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| total. Don't forget the 2-3 hours you had
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| | read this far then you get and A+ for
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| to work to pay for it! This assumes an
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| | taking the first step and trying!Jill
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| income of $30,000 per year and a $40
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| | Cooper is co-publisher of a web site
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| family meal.If you go to fast food
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| | dedicated to teaching families personal
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| restaurants instead, you could cut your
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| | finance, frugal living and homemaking
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| time down to 40-50 minutes and 1-2 hours
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| | skills. She raised two teenagers alone on
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| working to pay for it.If you stay home
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| | $500 a month income after becoming
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| and cook, it will cost you 15-30 minutes
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| | disabled with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
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| preparing the meal and less than $5
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