THE FRUGAL CHALLENGE

There is a line in a 90’s song by Semisonic called “Closing Time” that “every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end”.

As one year comes to a close and another one looms on the horizon, that line especially rings true as the New Year comes closer and closer.

Recently, Old Mother Frugal was reminded of New Year’s Eve’s that were spent in Times Square. Back when my feet and hands could better tolerate cold weather and three layers of clothing.

Then I began to reminisce about other frugal activities that I used to do but have not done over the years. Instead of buying blankets and quilts, I’d make my own with knitting needles or a crochet hook or scraps of fabric.

I was an avid reader until my college days, when my joy of reading was replaced by endless hours of studying everything that I read. When Mother’s Little Helpers arrived, reading for pleasure morphed into children’s stories with as few words on a page as possible.

Jigsaw puzzles were another source of frugal entertainment as one puzzle can last for days, weeks and sometimes months. Although they can be expensive to purchase as new, that is my guilty pleasure. Thrift store puzzles typically lacked an essential piece. There was nothing more frustrating than spending countless hours poring over 1000 puzzle pieces and having only 999 of them.

Twelve months ago, the year was a new beginning coming from the end of another. How quickly the New Year will be here with the ending of that new beginning. Here is to new beginnings… and a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle for the upcoming year!

SOUND THE BUGLE! Today’s tip: Resolve to establish one frugal thing to do in the New Year. Maybe it’s an old frugal thing that you let slide and need to jump back on board with or maybe establish a new frugal thing to do. Take the “frugal challenge” for yourself or with a friend or embrace the entire family.