Frugal Habits -- stolen from Hermes Forum

IntlSet

IntlSet

Bonjour!
Jan 29, 2006
12,369
63
#1
Hello ladies! There is a great thread in the Hermes forum about how the ladies there save their money to afford bags... I thought we could do the same for Chanel! Plus, it never hurts to get a few new ideas from others along with sharing our own.

As for how I economize to afford my Chanels:

1. I don't get professional manicures or pedicures. I do them myself at home.
2. I rarely ever purchase coffee... only if I'm very desperate! Those $3 Starbucks drinks really add up.
3. I don't own a television, so therefore have no cable bill!
4. I shop around for trendy items... for example, I bought leggings from Target that were $4... compare that to the Juicy Couture leggings which were $60... and both were just cotton with spandex! :shrugs:
5. I resist buying dinky little things... cheap accessories, a random cute t-shirt, a pair of heels on sale. I almost never regret my most expensive purchases, but I definitely regret all the money I've thrown away on little things!

And your Chanel-savings methodology?
 
#2
I bring lunch from home and avoid take-away coffee.

I shop very carefully for work clothes at sales, ebay, charity shops, etc. In addition I sew basics using designer and vintage patterns and nice fabric (on sale!). When it comes to cosmetics, skincare, haircare, etc., I depend on old reliables and research new ones via makeupalley and samples.

The only thing I get done professionally is my hair cut. Other than that it is all me.

My only downfall is books and magazines. Must put that library card back to use.
 
#3
I do all my own landscaping and cleaning! I even chop wood. LOL If you add up 200. a week for a cleaning person, that is quite a bit of money. This also keeps me in great shape!
 
#4
I stopped buying soo many magazines, I can just go online. Also, since I had my baby I dont go out as much as it saves me £200 a month and then I don't buy as much clothes as I used to which saves me another £200. Also, I have learned not to eat out all the time, I have started making my own lunches, so at the end of the month I have saved at least an extra £500. So more money for Chanel:graucho:
 
#5
IntlSet said:
As for how I economize to afford my Chanels:

1. I don't get professional manicures or pedicures. I do them myself at home.

2. I rarely ever purchase coffee... only if I'm very desperate! Those $3 Starbucks drinks really add up.

5. I resist buying dinky little things... cheap accessories, a random cute t-shirt, a pair of heels on sale. I almost never regret my most expensive purchases, but I definitely regret all the money I've thrown away on little things!
Click to expand...

Same with 1
Never with 2. Its the one consumable that I'm always ready to spend on. However, a cheap but good coffee will always rank over any other.

MUST PRACTICE 5!! I know and I believe in that... but I can never keep to it. :shrugs: :cursing:

Also >>
a) Public transport - I get free time to listen to music, power nap, read a mag or notes and I don't have to worry abt car loans, rising oil prices, insurance, obnoxious or clueless drivers etc. Its not necessarily faster for me either.

b) I always eat in or pack my own food. I splurge on special occassions with friends or workmates but only because it makes them happy.

c) I've stopped hoarding makeup. I still have gazillians of unopened lip products, loads of eyeshadow I can never bother with. Doubles of eyeliners. Unopened mascara, more than a dozen of half used foundations ... I stop reading up on new products so I am no longer tempted.

d) Buy cheap clothes. Who needs expensive ones when a Chanel hoards all attention? (actually i do .. but that obsession will come later when I have more disposable income after my bag and shoes indulgences)

e) Stop buying magazines. Helps with pt c and d. Besides, there's nothing but garbage, recycled articles rephrased in other ways, and only 1 or 2 pages of Chanel ads.

But even with these savings, I always find it hard to part with a lump chunk of $ at one go on a bag. Its always so much easier to part with it in little bite size pieces of junk.
 
#6
Great Thread IntlSet!!! I do much of the same things.

IntlSet said:
.
2. I rarely ever purchase coffee... only if I'm very desperate! Those $3 Starbucks drinks really add up.
4. I shop around for trendy items... for example, I bought leggings from Target that were $4... compare that to the Juicy Couture leggings which were $60... and both were just cotton with spandex! :shrugs:
5. I resist buying dinky little things... cheap accessories, a random cute t-shirt, a pair of heels on sale. I almost never regret my most expensive purchases, but I definitely regret all the money I've thrown away on little things!
quote]

Also:
a) I only go out to eat if I am meeting up with someone. No solo takeout or drivethrough.
b) Go to ATM's w/o service fee (I know it is just few bucks, it is just a pet peeve of mine to pay to get my own money)
c) Find street parking instead of paying $20-30 to park in lot
d) Stay clear of Fav stores/mall during sale season
Click to expand...
 
#7
1) i like fast food so eating at fast food eateries is cheaper than eating at posh restaurants.
2) i won't buy small things, items that you spot at a shop and you buy but after that, it becomes one of the rubbish. only for admiration but not for use.
3) i get a lot of free high-end designer clothes so i save a lot of money on that!
4) i save water and electricity. money spent on these bills if you add up over time, you can actually buy a designer bag.
5) though i own a car, i often take the opportunity to ask my dh to drive me around. so i save a lot of money on petrol.
 
#8
1. I also have dropped my coffee habit
2. I pack a lunch most days, and buy lunch at work only 1-2 x per month
3. I also try to find street parking to save on parking costs
4. We have a great insurance carrier, and our rates are several hundred dollars less each for the same amount of coverage.
 
#9
OK this is going to be funny because I spend about $2 a day at most (saving up for a new Haute Couture dress whenever a hot one comes along!).

1. Rather than buy a newspaper, my firm gives me one for free (Financial Times cost $1.95 a day, 5 days = $10, 1 year = $520!). Also I am allowed a free subscription so I choose Harper's Bazaar and my friends choose The Economist, Vogue, Foreign Affairs or whatever and we swap when we get bored rather than everyone getting the same one.
2. Free unlimited San Pellegrino mineral water all day, so I don't buy any water.
3. Free coffee and frighteningly fattening biscuits all day. Though it does not taste as good as Starbucks, it will do.
4. Free lunch every working day though it has to be from the bank's cafeteria which is not too lousy since we have our own sushi chef.
5. Free public transport (1 year Travelcard on every London public transport mode paid for by the firm)

6. The most important: stop buying Chanel Cruise line clothes which gets worn about once and thrown away (actually I am being a hypocrite here because how often can you wear Couture clothes, LOL). A cheapo dyed chiffon sucker dress costs $1,400!
7. Even more important than the most important: don't buy Chanel bags because one costs $2,000+ and you get it for free if you buy the clothes!
 
#11
I have 2 kids (13 and 5) and husband of 20 years. I work full time. I do all the housework, cooking and drive kids to and from school. The only thing I pay for for myself are haircuts and haircolors. We do like to go out to eat and love to travel. After putting money away for retirement, kids' education, investments and travel fund, I then splurge a little on my favourite things which are bags and jewelry. It took us many years to start feeling comfortable in our finances and have some extras to spare. I didn't start purchasing expensive bags until two years ago. I'm now 44. The long wait makes me appreciate what I have even more now.
 
#12
I'm not as frugal as I used to be, but I try to incorporate some of the same ideas. I don't have my nails done, but do splurge on my hair. I don't work either, so I have to make sure every purchase is something I am really going to use and keep. But, I also have 2 little girls who I tend to spoil. I can't help it...they look so cute carrying their vera bradley purses and I know this is only the beginning.
I only really started purchasing expensive bags about 4 years ago. I could have never afforded Chanel in my 20's. It's taken my DH and I a long time to feel financially comfortable. And as bigbaglady said...I appreciate what I have even more now.
 
#13
Some great ideas -- but I can never give up Starbucks or professional manicures!! I live in NYC, so I try to economize by taking the subway rather than cabs. I love to cook, so I cook a lot rather than eating out. I travel a lot on business, so I save up those frequent flier miles for vacations and fun trips.
 
#14
I do these as well:

1. I don't get professional manicures or pedicures. I do them myself at home.
2. I rarely ever purchase coffee... only if I'm very desperate! Those $3 Starbucks drinks really add up.

4. I shop around for trendy items... for example, I bought leggings from Target that were $4... compare that to the Juicy Couture leggings which were $60... and both were just cotton with spandex!
5. I resist buying dinky little things... cheap accessories, a random cute t-shirt, a pair of heels on sale. I almost never regret my most expensive purchases, but I definitely regret all the money I've thrown away on little things!

I stopped buying soo many magazines, I can just go online.

Find street parking instead of paying $20-30 to park in lot

Here are some more:

I shovel my own snow! (Or my sons or husband will shovel.) We are the only house in our neighbourhood that doesn't have a service do it.

I also plant all my own flowers, shrubs, etc... I don't use a gardener to stick a plant in the ground. No one in my neighbourhood does their own gardening. (But I love gardening... so that is really the reason.)

I never had a nanny, live in or for the day. I raised my own kids.
 
#15
1. When I go to the grocery store, I make a list of things I need. It helps me from impulse food buys! I buy what's on my list and that is it!
2. Carpool with friends when we are going to the same place.
3. When I am saving up money, like I am now, I just don't go to the mall!
 
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