Inspired by M’s post on Get Rich Slowly, here is a list of our frugal habits. Like M, our habits were formed with the idea that they would be sustainable in the long term and would not make us feel like we were depriving ourselves. Many of the items may overlap with M.

Food
1. Cook most food from scratch
2. Cut down on dining out
3. When we do dine out tip well so waitstaff will be extra nice the next time around
4. Pack breakfast/lunch everyday
5. Make coffee/tea at home
6. Experiment with different cuisines
7. Daily practice has made us “gourmet” cooks.

Clothing
1. We buy very few clothes. Neither of us are into the latest trends and tend to purchase new or used clothes when our existing ones look really shabby - about once every 2-3 years

Shelter
1. Live in urban setting where all our needs are within walking distance or accessible by bicycle or public transit.
2. Live with roommates or in small settings to save money. We currently live in a house in a ethnically diverse neighborhood, paying less than we did for a small one bedroom in the center of the city - the “downtown”.

Transportation
1. We don’t own an automobile, nor have we ever owned one. Nor do we plan to
2. We are members of a car sharing programs on the rare occasions (once a year) when we do need to rent a car (usually to move or transport a heavy item)
3. Rely on legs/bicycle/public transit

Entertainment
1. My spouse and I both enjoy reading more than anything, so at any time we have over 20 books checked out from the library
2. Don’t buy books. Moving them is a pain. If we do buy, buy used
3. No TV. We have a DVD drive and watch movies on our computer
4. Only attend concerts/shows if price is under $20 and is really worth paying top dollar for.

Education
1. I paid for most of my first (ongoing) degree out of pocket
2. Husband paid for his second degree out of pocket