Frugal + Thrift

Being frugal requires effort. It doesn't mean you have to live poorly or do without. It means you are being wise with your income. It requires looking into your finances and changing the way you spend. In our little cherry house we have 3 set criteria when making purchases.

Need
Want 
Save.
Do we need the item?
Do we want the item?
Would the money spent be better off as savings.

Trimming down on excess is a big key in saving you money.
Do you need to watch 60 reruns of your favourite TV show on fox tel? $100 a month
$100 a month x 12 is $1200, sounds like an end of year holiday to me!
Do you need that extra Internet bandwidth that you never use? $20 a month
$20 a month x 12 is $240, a smart weekend aways worth.
Do you need new clothing every month? $400 a month
$400!! That x 12 is $4800. Maybe an overseas holiday?

Being thrifty requires investing.
Buy the larger pack of toilet paper.
Buy yourself a sewing machine.
Buy the bigger packs of meat.
Learn to cut your pets hair yourself.
Buy bigger packs of washing powder on special.

Being frugal and thrifty requires thought
How can you get around receiving a massive electricity bill every quarter?

It's simple. Find your last bill, Divide it by 12 (weeks), round it off to the nearest 10 and have centrepay or bpay extract the amount weekly. Not only will your bills always be paid come due date, you will be in credit!

Make your own cleaning products

1. I cup of vinegar
2. 1 cup of water
3. 5 drops of washing liquid.

I used to think wow that wouldn't clean a thing. But it is possibly the best multipurpose cleaner i have found.


Make your own washing powder.


My kids are allergic to some brands of washing powder and the ones they were okay with were costing a fortune.
So i make my own. Not only does it stretch alot further but smells divine and is soft and gentle.


1. 1/2 bar of soap (preferably unscented or sunlight)
2. One cup of bicarb soda
3. One cup of washing soda (find this in the laundry section at the supermarket)


Grate the soap into granules, Add the bicarb and washing soda's. Just double or triple mixtures for however much you would like. And because it doesn't foam it is perfect for front loaders too.


Being frugal requires planning

I set my Sundays as my baking and cooking day. I make large batches of biscuits and muffins. Half of these get frozen to pull out and cook through the week. The other half i make up for the following few days.

I make meals and freeze them in chinese containers for nights we cant be bothered cooking. Using off cuts and bones you can creates soups and stews, stretching your money further.

Where is your money going?
If you use eftpos alot or incur alot of bank fee's it might be best to change to a bank that has a no monthly fee or a flat rate.

Are you paying monthly late fees? by direct debitting the smaller amount weekly you could be saving over $100 a year.

Being thrifty and frugal is beneficial for family life, especially whilst living on one income. It does take effort but the rewards absolutely pay off.

When cheap is enough

In my parenthood discovery i have found this whole diverse world on how much and how little parents pay for things and what other parents define as a bargain.


My children have only ever worn designer pieces of clothing if they are bought second hand or a rich (rich peoples kids wear designer wear) family/friend has given them to us. 


Here at The Little Cherry House, we have no choice but to stretch our dollars as far as we can. This is why i have a few criteria's on picking up a bargain when I'm shopping.

1. I only buy children's clothing when it is on sale or under $10 a piece ( i have 4 kids and a small bank account balance so come on!!)
2. Although i stick to point 1 most of the time, i will purchase expensive items IE: cartoon character clothing as gifts,  birthday and Xmas. But never exceed $20 a piece.
3. If an item is on sale i will purchase 1 or 2 of the next two sizes up 
4. I regularly shop in thrift stores. Kids grow way too fast and you can usually pick up clothing in fantastic condition for half price or less than what you would pay brand new.
5. I buy expensive shoes when they are on special

Stores like Kmart and big W are fantastic for shopping for kids clothes on a budget. Kmart often has shirts and tops for boys and girls for around $4 a piece, perfect for daycare or at home. They also have discontinued sales often through the seasons and have amazing post season sales. I pick up alot of my chillies clothing for the next year in these sales.

When it comes to furniture i am a bit of a recycler. If it doesn't look crash hot slap a tin of paint on it. If it isn't very sturdy, fix it up!
When it came to my children's nurseries most of the furniture was hand me downs or thrift shop/eBay bargains. You would be amazed at what a dash of paint and a touch of decal can do for an old cot or wardrobe!


I have always believed that one persons trash is another persons treasure. Why throw things away when they are perfectly good? There are plenty of people out there who would gladly accept the gift of something you no longer want.

kids won't put their skateboards away

Your Husband leaves his beer bottles around and you need somewhere for your books

Saving money is something we can all do with a little creativity.


 $200 off the lounge suite bought at the correct time can go into a bank account for a holiday! I'd much prefer a holiday full of lasting family memories than a gold plated couch.

Mum's who love their wine

Give it a try, for 3 months only buy things on special or from a thrift shop - Then see how many $$ you have saved!!