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CTC Readers' Poll:
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"My
greatest weakness in being frugal is thrift
stores, specifically books. I love to read,
and love getting a bargain. I would
rather spend money on books than on food, so I
have to watch myself or I'll go way over
budget.
We are blessed
to have 7 really good thrift stores. Two of
them offer half-price books on Fridays so a
paperback is only 25 cents, a hardcover is 50
cents.
I only allow
myself to go 'shopping' every three months or
so. I just went, and found numerous books to
read, including several from my favorite
authors.
Once I have
read them, I can recoup some of the cost
by selling them at my annual garage sale.
Books were a hot-ticket item at my last sale
at 2/$1. I sold $67 worth." ~ Shaunna in
ND
"The kids
in our youth group eat out every Sunday after
church, as do several of our adult friends.
Often the only time we have to spend with these
folks outside of church services is lunch or
dinner afterwards. It can be hard to rein in the
entertainment budget when people we love are
asking us to spend time with them by sharing a
meal out." ~ Anne Marie
"My
biggest spending challenge is haircuts and
professional color. I have very thick hair and
just can’t find the same quality at a lower
price point because the hairdressers speed
through process, making my hair look very
choppy. Home color kits don’t work for me
because the color doesn’t look like it does
in the box, and I can’t reach all the way
around to do my highlights. Given I 'wear' my
hair all the time, I think it’s worth the
splurge." ~ Amy
"What
area do I find it hardest to control my
spending? Old books. I am collecting a series of
girl's annuals from about 100 years ago, and
when I see one for sale on the Internet, I think
this might be my only chance to buy it. I first
read one of these books as a child, and
regretted letting it out of my hands for 40
years. Last August I found one in a charity
shop, and have been collecting ever since. I
have 10 now and love them. It was such a long
wait. Does that justify my lack of
control?" ~ Julia Editor's Note: Thanks to these readers for taking time to write! |