Im curious how many of you on this site....

[Albies5]

im just curious how many people who frequent these sites are all into savings and cutting costs etc.. b/c they NEEDd to i.e cant even make ends meat and live paycheck to pay check or just either are financially are ok but just enjoy saving and finding good deals and stuff?
I alwyas love to look for deals and get the best prices- its just like a hobby that i cant quit and I love doing it- maybe im cheap who knows- but fortunately my husband and i both work - we're savers(we have savings adn cd's and stuff but when i mean savers i mean like on spendng things and coupons and making things from scratch) but i guess its not a neccesity. but i was just curious what the majority of the ppl on here are. if its not too personal.

[jmjj215]

We do okay, so I'm not here to just scrape by. But perhaps we would be just barely getting by if we didn't implement a lot of the great savings advice given here...chicken before the egg type of thing?

[Albies5]

ya i hear that- we do just off the air/heat when we leave the house-- thats been a big savings- i mean we prob dont have to- but whats the point if we can save ya know

[Broken Arrow]

I can theoretically get by without being as frugal as I am now. However, I also don't want to live paycheck to paycheck for the rest of my life. Plus, there is still much I would like to achieve in my financial roadmap. Nothing shocking though; just enough to pay for another car upfront when my current one gives out, and to save as much as I possibly can for a house downpayment later on. Currently though, I'm just attacking as aggressively as I possibly can at my student loans. Again, nothing I need to push so hard on to get by, but I don't want that hanging over me any longer than I need it to.

[boefixepa]

I started because I was living paycheck to paycheck. Now I'm more comfortable and always at least a month ahead of my expenses. Debt free except for my house w/ a second, and I expect to have the second paid off in 2 years max. I'm more 'comfortable' than I've ever been, but in my view, I still have many things I can learn and improve on. There's no way I'd ever go back. The stress would kill me.

[arg1211]

In the beginning, I saved because I enjoyed doing it. I was in college, and with a half-scholarship and loving parents paying my tuition, I didn't really need to worry about most things. However, I loved being able to brag about how much I saved at the grocery store, how little I could feed myself on, great deals I got on hobby supplies, etc. I considered frugality to be a badge of honor. I still do.

Then being frugal became a necessity when the business I worked for closed two years ago. My boyfriend (who worked at the same business, mind you) also took a financial hit involving his father at the same time we were laid off indefinitely, so as the "ship" was sinking we "jumped ship" together for a better chance at survival. After all, two heads are better than one, right?

We moved into a tent on his property together in order to save on rent (no, I'm not kidding) and lived comfortably that way for many months. We would probably still be there if the well pipes hadn't burst during a harsh cold snap during January of last year. Now the things I used to do just for the bragging rights are a means of making our little income stretch to its fullest potential. I guess saving is something I do no matter the reason. Its just a force of habit. *shrugs*

[Thrifty Ray]

We went from 2 paychecks to 1 last year when I left my job to care for my parents (and mine was the bigger paycheck of the two)...Although I did alot of planning ahead of time, I still was grateful for the advice on this site as it has helped us immensly.

We have money for the month-to-month stuff, and I have used a Freedom Acct for years for all the other stuff....but this site has helped me to stretch the money further and to make a little extra on the side.(rebates, trial offers, etc.)

[Roupey03]

I am 21 in college and live with my parents so money really isnt a problem now I just want to start off on the right foot as early as possible and this site is helping me realize what I need to do to aclompish that.

[Bookie]

In my case I'm semi-retired. While I could manage without the economies suggested by this site, doing so would significantly delay financial goals I've set for myself.

Also, I enjoy the game-playing aspects of frugality. After a while it becomes something of a sport to see how far I can trim a budget category or creatively meet a need with mnimal expenditure. I enjoy my little savings games and the way they progressively enhance my totals.

Last, though hardly least, I get a smug satisfaction from living well for less amid neighbors who are overworked, over-spent, over-committed, and overwhelmed.

[Ima saver]

I guess we are pretty comfortable, but I have been a saver for most of my life. I just know I don't need a lot of "stuff" to make me happy.

[kealina]

we're not living paycheck to paycheck or barely making ends meet but we could easily end up that way if we started spending... luckily we've both always been savers (with some room for spending) since we were younger...
and like bookie and probably others, we get a sense of satisfaction from living well for less...

[fultron]

We're doing ok, but when my wife quit her job to stay home with the kids we decided to look for as many ways to save money as we could. This forum is a great resource.

[notmadeofmoney]

I agree with Ima Saver...We don't need a lot of stuff to be happy. We're comfortable because we are frugal and being frugal keeps us comfortable.

[PennyPincher]

I am 30 years old, and have always been a saver...started with babysitting at age 12 and my own bank account. I even kept money logs when I was that young! (dork....) Then I became a math major in college...which fueled the fire...and then I became a Catholic school teacher, and had to stretch $17,000 a year. It became habit, and a challenge.

Now that I work for a developer in the 'business world', I earn more and have less of a NEED to do it. I've always believed in the inequality of spending less than you earn...and the larger that margin is - the better.

Even if I become wealthy (I wish)...I would likely not change. I'm still a frugal female at heart. I would have NO idea what it's like to go shopping and look at things that aren't on SALE! I limit my selection by just looking at sale racks...it all goes on sale eventually...and thrift stores are great. (I got a FABULOUS Liz Claiborne winter jacket for $4.00 last summer!!!)

I feel fortunate that I'm not living paycheck to paycheck, but being aware of your habits and making adjustments is the best way to ensure true change...

[debtfreeme]

It just makes me feel better to read and have ideas, people to bounce ideas and questions off for topics I know very little about (buying a house for example).

I could live really comfortably if I chose to spend my money but I am the one who prefers to save around 25% each month post tax and about 15% pretax, which totals more than 1400 a month. It is important for me to have a cushion, save for a down payment and save for retirement. I am also a contract employee whose job could end at any time (august anyone??) so I would prefer to have more in the bank than I currently have.

I also found this site not ling after I started this position and doubled my money. It was important to use it/save it the best way I could so that I got the best return, either by saving it or my choices in spending it. If that means I live in a town house with two room mates, share all utilities etc to save more money, gas, time, expenses then that is what I choose.

The choice I made when I was younger haunt me now and I don’t want to live with them forever. Another 2 years and I can have the life I want and hopefully the life that I am supposed to be living, cause the one I have right now is not it.

[34saving]

It's definitely a game for me. (I mean if I was RICH I'd probably still play because I like the challenge.) However, since I know lots of people who make a lot more than we do who live paycheck to paycheck, I think we'd be there too if it wasn't for the frugality.

[miclason]

I started because I couldn't even MAKE it paycheque to paycheque!!!....now I'm just "there", where at least I CAN make it paycheque to paycheque without cc's and, slowly getting to the point where I am even able to set something aside for expected expenses (like Alejandra's school!)...I have such a long way to go, still...but, at least now I'm off the denial path!

[jodi]

For me, it's definitely the challenge aspect. My DH cannot understand why I spend so much time saving a little bit of money here and there, but it's FUN. I'm sure there are many of you out there who can understand I really get a kick out of it.
When DH and I were first married, we were comfortable with a $500 cushion in our savings account. Eventually we got to where we felt better with $2k. Now I get nervous when it drops below $10k. So we are not living paycheck to paycheck, but visiting this site gives me new ideas, a fresh outlook, and helps in the burden of paying down our student loan debt.

[seaar2000]

I come to this sight to see how others save. I make around 16,000 to 18,000 a year. Since I am very frugal I really don't live paycheck to paycheck. Do have to be very careful or I will be living paycheck to paycheck. It will become pretty rough pretty soon when my oldest daughter child support stops. I have been aware of this so I have been putting extra money in the bank. When I received my tax check I paid off my dental bill and put the rest up knowing that I will have to be more careful with my money and this will help pay my house payment tell next March or April. Being a frugal is a hobby for me. I love to see how much I can save or where I can cut expenses. Like everyone else I hate giving Uncle Sam any more money than I have to . He takes enough out of our taxes. I started my 401 (k) about five years ago, have an EF, and have $100 taken automatically out of my check. Hearing how others save money, be frugal, and how others cut their expenses makes me motivated.

[zakity]

"We're comfortable because we are frugal and being frugal keeps us comfortable."

Yeah, what they said.