Frugal and Me

So, I've been trying to be more frugal of late.  This endeavor came about kind of backwards.  I am pretty ADD so I have lots of ideas but the follow through is greatly lacking because. . .well, I have another idea.  Anyway, I got really sick after years of not feeling very well.  The really sick period from October to March caused me to s l o w  w a y down.

 In slowing down,  I stayed home and did only the bare minimum in errand running. Like take son to school and do one thing -- replace the gallon of milk we needed, pick up a prescription or make a bank deposit. Then it was home and in bed for me.  By staying home, I had no need to run through the drive through for a diet coke (that can add up), no stops at Target or WalMart for "a few things" which ended up being $60.00 worth of stuff that we didn't necessarily need but was oh so cute, cheap, trendy whatever then stop in at a restaurant because I was hungry and hadn't planned to spend so much time out, hand nothing ready at home  s o o o o I'll just eat here or here or here.

We recently purchased a new car, I mean a NEW car with like 8 miles on the odometer when I drove it off the lot.  It was really hard to watch when the mileage turned over 100 miles, then 500 miles and now it is up to 1700 or so.  However, if I was not still staying home more as I learned to do when I was sick, I would have put SO many more miles on the car just aimlessly running hither and yon having fun running errands that really weren't necessary.

If anyone else has that, "I gotta get out of the house and do something feeling", you might want to look at how much money you are spending each time you go out.  You may very well be able to save enough money over the course of a few months to make a special and substanstial purchase you have been dreaming of, or you may be able to pay off a bill that has been hanging over your head, or start saving for retirement like you have been wanting too.  I know this has been a real eye opener for me.  While I am not glad I got sick, I am glad of some of the clarity that I gained during the time period.  Additionally, you know how much gas prices have gone up, I shudder to think I much gas I would have burned through!