I’d like to introduce you to another Kristen – Kristen Gregory. Kristen and I met in Cincinnati, and within two years of each other, found ourselves moving to Fort Wayne for the men we loved and married.

Kristen is a great source of information for all things natural and organic, and does a wonderful job staying home with her two little ones. Take a look at the beautiful family picture, just hours after Marta was born!

I hope you’ll be encouraged by Kristen’s words and her perspective on frugality.

Tell us about yourself and your family.

My husband and I live with our daughters, Mary and Marta, in Fort Wayne. We attend St Paul’s church, where he is the associate pastor. Our first daughter, Vivian, died at 5 1/2  months. We will welcome as many children as God gives us, so we don’t have the option of living decadently. Our family is more important than our “stuff.” I am a stay-at-home mom.

Who’s more frugal – you or your spouse? How so?

My husband is far more frugal than I. He would never, ever spend money on anything if given a chance. I would happily buy anything I wanted at any time if given a chance–espeically gifts for friends! We have compromised by doing the “Dave Ramsey” cash/budgeting system, which means we designate how much money we will spen each month, and we don’t spend what we don’t have and haven’t agreed upon together ahead of time. We haven’t owned credit cards for three years (and yes, we still got a great loan). It was a very hard transition for me, but helped us to keep spending in check.  At the beginning of every month, we have “Gregory Family Budget Meeting” and allot where our funds will go.

Were you raised to be frugal? If so, how? If not, what made you become this way?

I was a little spoiled growing up – I got whenever I wanted whenever I wanted it, so learning discipline has been a hard thing. It gets easier as time goes on (and our mortgage shrinks…). We realize that if we want to be able to keep me at home with our children and live on one salary, then we (I) needed more discipline in our spending.

Who (or what) has had the most influence on your frugality?

I have a dream. When we pay off our home, my husband and I are going to travel together in Italy. It keeps me excited and focused on not overspending our budget. We also pay out-of-pocket for our home births, so we have to be disciplined about sticking to our budget.

How does your faith influence your frugality?

As a Christian wife and mother, I am a steward of my home. I have to spend wisely, which is hard because we eat really healthy. We don’t eat any food with MSG, or corn syrup, or anything processed, which means most coupons don’t apply to me. We also make a lot of meals for people and entertain a lot; hospitality is very important to us.

What is your biggest frugality challenge?

It’s getting easier to write that huge check at the beginning of the month for our tithe. I imagine how much faster we could pay off our house or buy better food without that. Yet my husband never flinches; and God has blessed us abundantly with good gifts, so I have no reason to withhold or complain.

What’s your best frugality tips?

Each month, we feature an interview as part of our “Meet a Frugal Lutheran…” series. The interviewees share how their faith has shaped their frugality. If you’d like to participate, simply send me an email at joyfullythriving@gmail.com and I’ll send you a questionnaire!

Welcome back to my Meet a Frugal Lutheran series! Somehow, January slipped by without me sharing an interview, so I’ll make it up with two in February.

This week, I’d like to introduce you to Amy Sanders. Amy is a teacher at Concordia Lutheran School in San Antonio, Texas. While I have been away from San Antonio as long as the Sanders have been there, my cousin has been known to baby-sit for their adorable girls.

I am pleased to share Amy’s perspectives with you, because her determination to eliminate debt is truly inspiring. It’s not easy – as we all know – but with wise, frugal choices, we can all do so.

Tell us about yourself and your family.

I am a second grade teacher at a Lutheran school and my husband, Jeff, is a teacher, coach, and Athletic Director at a Lutheran high school.  He coaches football in the fall, girl’s basketball in the winter, and I coach softball in the spring.  We have been married for 9 years and have 3 beautiful daughters.  Maya is 8 and in second grade, Rachel is 6 and in first grade, and Leah is 3.  She attends the childcare center at our church.  I am so blessed to have each of my girls about 100 yards away from me at any given moment!

Where do you live? What’s your home church?

We live in San Antonio Texas and attend Concordia Lutheran Church.

Who’s more frugal – you or your spouse? How so?

I would have to say that I am more frugal, although to be fair, my husband rarely spends any money!  I do the grocery shopping and shopping for our house needs.  He might stop every once in a while to grab a sandwich after a game, but it is rare that he spends any money at all.

Were you raised to be frugal? If so, how? If not, what made you become this way?

Yes and no.  I did learn that if I wanted something, it probably was not going to happen until my birthday or Christmas.  Rarely did my parents buy me things “just because.”  There was usually an occasion attached to it.  My mom has always been a coupon user and definitely shops the sales and clearance racks.  We would always take our own popcorn, soda, and candy to the movies, and I grew up thinking that Ziploc bags were a luxury item (rather than the fold-over sandwich bags).  However, I never felt like we did not have things because we could not afford them- I just think my parents were smart with their money.

Who (or what) has had the most influence on your frugality?

Once I moved out on my own after college and had to spend my own money for rent, groceries, and other things, I learned that bills pile up quickly.  It was too easy to “buy now, pay later,” and I purchased items such as a computer and furniture on one of those “easy payment plans” thinking it would work.

As a newly married couple, we accumulated a chunk of credit card debt the first few years.  It costs a lot of money to have children!  I am the one who pays all of the bills and balances the checking account, and I was becoming overwhelmed with the cycle of not having enough to cover our expenses.

So one day we just decided “no more credit cards.”  26 months ago, I stopped using credit cards and have been paying off the balance on a 0% interest card ever since.  We are slowly watching that debt decrease, but VERY slowly.  Most 0% credit card offers are only good for 12-18 months, so I have had to transfer the balance to another card for a 2%-3% fee, but it is still nice to see the number going down instead of up every month.  I hope to have the entire balance paid in full in 2 and a half years.

How does your faith influence your frugality?

I refer a lot to Matthew 6:31-34 where it says, “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

What’s so appealing about being frugal?

Sometimes it’s almost like a personal challenge to me…how much under budget am I this month?  How much is left in our checking account before payday?  I also know that I am teaching our girls life lessons about money.

What is your biggest frugality challenge?

Now that my daughters are getting older, it is getting harder to avoid “trends.”  Also, I can’t pass up a good deal.  If something is “only a dollar” or if it is on clearance for 75% or 90% off, I really have a hard time passing it up because I tell myself “you never know when you might use this.”

What’s your best frugality tip?

I keep a very detailed spreadsheet every month that tracks our every expense to the dollar.  I break down each and every receipt and put the $$ into the appropriate category on the sheet (groceries, house expenses, toiletries, medicine, etc.)  I check our account every other day to see exactly where our money is going.  I don’t know what I would do without that spreadsheet!

Any final frugal thoughts to share?

• My biggest tip is to NOT go shopping until necessary.  It’s amazing how many “extras” you can throw in the cart.  By not even going to the store, it cuts down on that tremendously.
• At restaurants, we order water and take powdered drink mixes (like lemonade).
•  I do use coupons, but am not a fanatic. I only use them if it is something I am going to buy anyway.  I like that at Target you can use one of their coupons and a manufacturers coupon.
• I do NOT go to a store to use a coupon “just because I have a coupon.”  Even if I save $10 off of a $25 purchase, I am still spending $15!
• I stock up on holiday coupons at fast food restaurants. Our McDonald’s sells Trick or Treat and Valentine’s Day coupons where you get 12 free items for $1.  I recently bought 10 packs and am able to take my girls there for a special treat after school. Taco Cabana had similar coupons for Halloween.
• Thrift store shopping!  I buy 90% of our clothes at the thrift store.  I also find books and games for my kids and my classroom at rock bottom prices.
• I am a Sonic junkie.  At the beginning of the month, I put $20 on a Sonic card to use and when it’s gone, it’s gone!  This helps curb my addiction a little.
• I use the Target 5% debit card.  It’s a free way to save on all purchases!
• I only go grocery shopping once a month for major items, then go about every 10 days for milk and fruit, etc.  I have a VERY detailed grocery list that I print off and highlight the things I need.
• I buy generic whenever possible.  Our grocery store does not do double coupons, so even with a coupon, generic brands are often cheaper.
• Right now, Wal-Mart and our grocery store gas stations are offering 10 cents off every gallon of gas if you use a gift card.  That adds up!
• We are content eating basic meals.  Usually it’s the main course, a bread, and a vegetable- nothing too fancy or expensive!
• I have learned to keep a wish list all year for myself and the kids.  Then when it comes time for a birthday or Christmas, I have practical ideas already in place.
• I buy birthday party gifts all year long by shopping on the clearance rack.
• I set a budget for Christmas gifts and stick to it.
• We only buy 3 gifts for our girls at Christmas- a gold (“big”), frankincense (Christian), and myrrh (practical gift or gift of time) gift as well as some stocking stuffers.  This takes the pressure off of “do they have enough?”
• I take advantage of holiday gift card specials, such as buy $30, get $10 free, on places that I will shop anyway.
• I check my bank account every other day and write it down on my budget sheet so I know EXACTLY what I am spending each month and where the money goes.
• I try to plan ahead for things such as car insurance, HOA, sports fees, etc., by paying a little bit each month when possible.

Thanks, Amy, for sharing your life and heart with us! Next up, Jolene Whirrett!

Each month, we feature an interview as part of our “Meet a Frugal Lutheran…” series. The interviewees share how their faith has shaped their frugality. If you’d like to participate, simply send me an email at joyfullythriving@gmail.com and I’ll send you a questionnaire!

Even as my 31 Days to Joyfully Thrive series continues, I also want to continue with my Meet a Frugal Lutheran series.

Today, I’d like to introduce you to my witty, younger sister, Liesl. We’re both frugal – in some similar ways and some different. You can read her perspective below!

Thanks, sis, for sharing with everyone!

Tell us about yourself and your family.

My name is Liesl. I have 2 beautiful daughters and a handsome husband whose work has brought us to Okinawa (the “Hawaii” of Japan), where we attend the only Lutheran church on the island. The very first family we talked to had a random connection to us, which makes the whole Lutheran circle look like the size of an eraser head.

Who’s more frugal – you or your spouse? How so?

Jose is more frugal when it comes to everything besides food. He will go without or come up with crazy ideas to make me not buy something that we probably don’t need anyway. Our house would be bare except for the fact that he loves me too much to say no to meevery time I want something! He just handmade a kite to fly with our daughter, he refuses to pay more than $5 for a shirt, and he once went an entire summer using only a spoon and a microwaveable bowl as his kitchen utensils. He also tells me that if he wasn’t married to me, he would be a millionaire because he would sleep in the back of his truck and shower at public facilities.

Were you raised to be frugal? If so, how? If not, what made you become this way?

I thought everyone was raised like me. I thought the kids who ate Oreos for lunch were rich, because we never got Oreos. My siblings and I thought my parents were splurging when they took us to Pizza Hut for the free personal pan pizzas we’d earned through Book-It. Not only that, I seriously remember them just sitting and watching us eat our little pizzas and then going home, where they would eat their own dinner. You know you were raised to be frugal when you don’t learn restaurant etiquette until you start working in one in high school. Jose has made me more frugal. We have spray painted old furniture (but it’s pretty ) and all the art on our walls is homemade as of now.

Who (or what) has had the most influence on your frugality?

Even though we have so much more than we need, thoughts of our children’s education and ways we could be better using our money to help others keeps me saving. Yes, we can afford a new shower curtain to tone down the unflattering tile, and we could even afford to replace the government couches so it feels more like home, but we don’t think that buying everything just because we can will help to instill the values of hard work and humility and generosity in our own kids. And although we are expecting all our children to get huge scholarships for being geniuses, I’m sure we’ll still have to contribute a bit to their college tuition. Those 2 thoughts keep me from forking over more money for the new season’s adorable palette of coordinating plates, bedding and storage bins from Target that I don’t really need.

How does your faith influence your frugality?

God speaks right to me in 1 Timothy 6:6-8 “Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.” I want to be content, and I want to be a cheerful giver, and being frugal gives me even more to give back to God. I try to keep in the front of my mind all the good that my saved pennies can accomplish.

What’s so appealing about being frugal?

Even though it takes time to be frugal, I think in the end it helps to simplify your life by bringing your focus back to your core values. Frugality means living more simply and cutting back to me – cutting back on the clutter, the time spent purchasing and organizing and cleaning your possessions. We had a possession “detox” when we moved to Japan because we couldn’t bring much, and that has helped make my life simpler. I couldn’t even clean out a closet now if I wanted to, because everything we brought, we use! Frugality also leads to lots of awe-inspiring talks by Jose to his co-workers, who are incredulous of our frugal ways. Also, it’s cool to use a bent wire coat hanger to hold up your Christmas wreath. I don’t think that’s tacky.

What is your biggest frugality challenge?

Right now, I have lots of them. I’m realizing how cheap things are in America, and I miss it. I can’t make use of sales in the grocery stores and doubling coupons or comparison shopping, and the cheapest place to buy clothes is not nearly as cheap as Ross. Aside from going on big shopping sprees when we come back to the states for a visit, I can’t find a way around buying over-priced clothes for the adults in our family. Buying clothes online for myself is too much of a pain with the sizing and shipping charges to send things back. On the flipside, I’ve been more frugal here because I can’t impulse shop at Target and Wal-Mart every week, and the yen rate and clothing choices out in town keep me from doing much purchasing other than groceries!

What’s your best frugality tip?

If you live far away from humongous, awesome stores like Kohl’s and Target (Yes, I kind of miss it!), get in tune with the seasons. I recently snatched up tons of $2-3 great quality kids clothes online because it was the end of the season. I didn’t realize they actually dump merchandise off the online “rack” like that, but it sure beats going back to the store every week to see the new sales! To make sure your savings count, buy as much as you need to get free shipping so you don’t negate the savings with horrendous shipping charges. Then explain to your husband when the large package arrives how you actually just saved him a lot of money. (But really, I do always aim for free shipping!)

Any final frugal thoughts to share?

Yes, actually. I can’t speak yet to whether the Japanese people are more frugal than myself, but it is a fact that they have smaller houses, less space to call their own. Many of their rooms are true multi-purpose rooms. The less space you give yourself to accumulate, the more frugal you can be by spending less to fill and maintain your space. That’s my hypothesis, anyway! I almost don’t want to get back all the stuff we have in storage, because we are still living in plenty without it. I hope that as time goes by, I can raise an even more frugal family so that our joy may increase as we learn to get the best out of life, living with less.

Each month, we feature an interview as part of our “Meet a Frugal Lutheran…” series. The interviewees share how their faith has shaped their frugality. If you’d like to participate, simply send me an email at joyfullythriving@gmail.com and I’ll send you a questionnaire!

I am excited to announce a new monthly feature on Joyfully Thriving. Welcome to “Meet a Frugal Lutheran!”

One of the reasons that I write this website is to be an encouragement to others in their frugal journey. I started this website because I knew I had a unique perspective on frugality as a Lutheran school teacher.

Lutherans are a frugal bunch – whether we’ve grown up in church work or not. Whether we serve in church worker or in another vocation, we all have frugality ingrained in us. Lutherans know the art of hospitality and we know how to stretch every penny. Lutherans are rooted in our frugal heritage.

I am the daughter of a Lutheran pastor and his Lutheran teacher wife. I am the granddaughter of Lutheran pastors and their wives – on both sides of my family. I have been raised by generations of frugal Lutherans and am who I am because of them.

There is much to learn from others. My perspective on frugality is only one perspective. As part of Joyfully Thriving, I would like to introduce you to other frugal Lutherans. I would like us to travel to different parts of the country (and hopefully world) to learn from what we can from others.

Of course, one doesn’t have to be Lutheran to be frugal! Whether you’re Lutheran or not, I hope that you will continue to learn from and be encouraged by the frugal stories I share.

It is my hope and prayer that we can share our frugality just as we share our faith.

I’ll begin the series officially next week. I have several interviews with wonderful frugal Lutherans lined up already. If you are interested in being part of these series, please email me at joyfullythriving (at) gmail (dot) com. I’d love to feature a wide variety of frugal Lutherans.

Are you as excited as I am? I hope so! Let’s meet some frugal Lutherans!