Tuesday

Frugal Lady vs. Frugal Diva

Since New Year's Eve is coming I'd like to share my resolution with you.
Everyday I teach myself how to be more and more frugal.
Truth is times are tough and there was a time in my life when for three years I was super broke and could no longer afford the little and big luxuries that I once did.
Here is my story . . . 

Before I became a Frugal Diva, I was a Frugal Lady.
Now let me tell you the difference between the two.
A Frugal Diva is the woman who has experience being frugal, she has mastered the art of frugal. You can not fool her. She remembers the store policies and has a copy of it in her smartphone or in her folder... of her giant super mommy handbag. 

A Frugal Lady is one who is shy, she is a newbie to being frugal. She has a coupon in her wallet and if she doesn't she'll buy the item anyway because hey, at least it's 15% off. Where as the Frugal Diva will not stand for it! She has multiple coupons and the store's loyalty/frequent customer/rewards card. To the Frugal Diva the 15% discount is a rip off. There is no way she is going to pay $200 for a coat that she can easily buy at the cheap store in the ethnic-hood for $60. The only reason she is buying it at this department store is because of the style and fit. Sometimes brand names also don't want to go wholesale so they'd rather just sell their merchandise for much less. But be aware and imprint this in your brain: 
NOT ALL DISCOUNTS, COUPONS or SALES ARE A GOOD DEAL.

Let me give you the perfect example, last month for my husband's birthday I had wanted to buy him so very tres chic clothes that made about seven outfits at Macy's. I'm a very loyal customer of the department store. I've got the Elite Card to prove it (which I share with my mom & that's a different blog entry) and Macy's constantly sends my mom and I coupons. The problem is, that 90% of the time these coupons aren't that great. Back to my example, the items were already on sale and I had my Macy's card which gives me an additional discount (good but not a dramatic WOW! difference). The lady at the register scans everything and towards the end I give her my $20 Off coupon. Now it used to be that when you use this coupon $20 would immediately be taken off each item. THAT WASN'T THE CASE. Some things had $3 taken off, some had $10, and... See my point??? I WAS BEWILDERED! 
It's like driving all the way to your favorite store and planning the best gift ever for your husband and you think to yourself "Hah! What bad economy when you've got these great coupons!" and then you're disappointed.... because there's BARLEY a discount. JUST LET ME PAY $20 LESS! YOU'RE A $1.7 BILLION DOLLAR COMPANY! 


See that's a Frugal Diva moment.
When you've been broke and struggling financially you tend to be... frugal.
When you've been broke, struggling financially you tend to be super frugal because you know darn well that you've worked hard for your money. And let's be honest how many people do you know that actually enjoy their jobs!? How many people or how many times have you had a day when you just cried while you were getting ready and said to your sobbing "But I need to sleep!!!! I can't do anymore overtime!!! Damn you bills!!! WHY!???" or just the opposite when you're the super mom who works at home, not from home but at home: you reread your mail, reread your billing statement and make sure there is no error, make your child(ren) breakfast and begin cooking lunch at the same time while planning dinner for children + husband and possibly if you have a dog/cat, you need to take care of them as well. You do the laundry for the entire household. Then you begin to wonder "Is little Tommy's exam today or tomorrow?" You organize everyone's schedule and have the entire week planned, hour by hour. Your friend calls you to make sure you have a playdate scheduled. etc.... Yes . . .  You are SUPER MOM! 
Oh & how about the mom's who have full-time/part-time jobs and once they come home they have a second job: being a mom/wife/friend/therapist/dry cleaner/cleaning lady/chef/chauffeur/foxy lady/time manager/homework helper, etc.....

Well yeah. That's why the Frugal Lady becomes a Frugal Diva. 
There are too many responsibilities and being wise about your money is number one!



Stay tuned because from this day forward I will include entries on How to become Frugal.

It's not easy but it will change your life forever!

Psstt.... Here are some videos that will enlighten you:
Economics of the USA
SNAP: Myths & Facts






Happy Holidays!
Hope your New Year's Resolutions Come True!

x o x o
Amela Sandra

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