Guerrilla Frugality - Saving You Money

Have you ever cleaned up after Christmas and asked yourself “Why do we need all of this stuff?”  And then as the credit card bills arrive in January you think “Is all of this stuff worth it?”  Well, it’s from those questions that a movement has started to grow around the world: Guerrilla Frugality.

Guerrilla Frugality is (to many) a way of life that involves cutting costs wherever possible.  As in any activity, some people take it to extremes, but most people who live a life of guerrilla frugality are simply trying to pay off debt, save for retirement, and live within their means.  The emphasis is on doing whatever you can to achieve those goals.  Some people embrace guerrilla frugality because of their debt load, and others because they have seen their parents retire without enough savings to support themselves and don’t want to have the same thing happen to them.  Whatever the reason, it often becomes a way of life instead of just a temporary thing.

The foundation of guerrilla frugality is weighing out what you need versus what you want, and trying to minimize the costs of both.  Needs are necessary (food, shelter, clothing) but you can work with needs as well ($20 jeans vs. $250 jeans)a s eliminate many of the want costs.  The following are some examples of savings the guerrilla frugalists embrace :


  ~ Having cable TV or just receiving TV over the air: cost savings of at least $35/month or $420/year.
  ~ Taking a lunch everyday to work vs. eating at a restaurant 3 times a week: cost savings of at least $18/week or over $930/year
  ~ Using a cloth to wipe up spills instead of paper towel: Cost savings of $5/month or $60/year, and good for  the environment
 ~ Baking your own meals instead of pre-made meals: depends on size of family, but could save at least $30/week or over $1,500/year, and you learn new skills
  ~ Reduce the heat in your home by one degree: Cost savings can be over $100/year

Now none of these seems like much, but if you did all of them, it would add up to a cost savings of over $3,000/year that you could apply to something else, like high priced debt, your retirement savings, or a vacation.  And there are many other ways to reduce your costs. (cell phones, reduce vehicle use, menu planning, tent vs RV…)

Now, you shouldn’t reduce your costs so much that you are miserable and living in the dark staring at the wall, but there a lot of things we spend extra money on purely for the sake of convenience and entertainment that cost us a lot.

It’s also important to note that the above items can be called penny ante items, in that each one is small, but they do add up.  The philosophy of guerrilla frugality emphasizes that we get what we need, and don’t overspend for needs or wants.  This includes large ticket items like vehicles and houses.  If you get a larger house than you really need, that means your mortgage payment will be higher, as will your property taxes, heating and electricity bills, and usually maintenance costs as well.  By buying a house that meets your needs, you could use the money saved to pay off the house more quickly so that more of the money you earn can be yours to use for other things than house costs.

There are a few websites you can check out to learn more about Guerrilla Frugality.

Stress Relief by a Simple Life
Fun Without Funds
Frugal Village

It’s not for everybody, but it is something to look at when you think you are working too hard and never seem to be getting ahead on debt or savings.