Hi! Welcome. I'm doing something a little different today. First of all, introductions: I'm Kelly, and I blog for Grocery Outlet.
In my posts over these last 6 months or so, I've been striving to give all of you useful ideas on how to live both frugal and creative lives, because I strongly believe that not having a lot of money doesn't have to make you give up everything you want. Personally, this belief has really hit home for me lately, because my husband got laid off two weeks ago.
It's interesting: I've always been a discerning shopper. I like bargains and I rarely pay retail, which makes me a good fit to be Grocery Outlet's in-house Bargainista. However, my purchasing philosophy was made out of a personal sense of values, and these days, my purchasing decisions are crafted by necessity.
This layoff has been tough. I have to think about everything: what I buy, how I buy it, which item I prioritize over another. What can we afford? Are we sure? I have a further layer to my already deep respect for anyone who is in this position. It's really hard.
However, I do think I have received an enormous benefit out of this: I take a lot less for granted. I really appreciate what I do have (a wonderful husband, a fantastic job, and a charming cat) and I'm making better choices about the things I need.
I might not have had to do that if this economy hadn't tanked. I probably would have continued to be frugal and creative, but I never would have realized how handy those qualities could be. I never would have realized how privileged I am. I wouldn't have discovered that I can do this—that with a solid budget and sound buying decisions and some creativity, we can make it through and survive. That's pretty amazing.
So along with my "live your most frugal and fabulous life" posts, I'm going to include some stories of my own economic journey. I'm right there in the trenches with you. Let's do this.