I’ve never been a “good consumer”. I confess up-front that my shopping habits will not fuel the economic recovery.
My dad was a teacher; in our family of eight, money was always in short supply. “New clothes” meant hand-me-downs; a “vacation” was visiting the cousins.
Flash forward to 1994. I was newly divorced with four kids, worked two jobs, and still barely made ends meet. I’d grown up in Fairfield County, but had recently returned from ten years in South America. I was re-immersing myself into US culture.
All of these factors contributed to make me frugal (although my three sisters insist I was born with the “thrifty” gene-i.e. cheap). In addition I’ve been blessed with a practical nature, and a large allotment of common sense.
Today my kids are grown and out of college. I’m remarried and financially comfortable. Still, my thriftiness lives on. I wince at a $100 price tag on an article of clothing. I can’t fathom buying a direct-from-the-dealer new car. I am an inveterate yard-saler.
I’m not a home economics expert; I’m not a coupon whiz. There are many who can stretch a dollar further than I can. But I am frugal.
