When we set out to be a one-income family more than 10 years ago, we thought a lot about sacrifice: what can we live without that we're used to having around? As we thought through that idea, we made a list that included the daily newspaper, cable television, dining out frequently, going to movies, renting movies, frivolous shopping trips, unresearched purchases, you name it (there's a list on my website at http://www.AtHomeParent.com/expense.htm that lists most of the items we cut from our budget at the time).

One of the first things you should know about me, personally, is that I abhor shopping. Going to the mall and looking for bargains on sales racks, or, worse, paying full price, does absolutely nothing for me. I can't stand "shopping."

Having lived through 11 years of budgeting and frugal living, I've come to think of it more as a spend-less game than as living a life of sacrifice: How can we spend the least amount of money for the things we need ... and the things we want?

The answer? Thrifty shopping!

First, "needs" always come before "wants." Always.

Need clothing items? Try consignment shops and thrift stores. If you like shopping, these are fun options -- there is such a variety in thrift stores. You can go retro, you can go mod, you can choose from an array of items you won't find at a department or specialty shop that only carries "new" things. Examples of "thrifty" purchases: like-new navy chinos for the boys for school... instead of $25 at a department store, I've found them at the thrift store for... $1.99. Brand-name (expensive brand!) jeans for me... not $70, but $5. You get the picture. Garage sales and clothing "swaps" are also good considerations.

In the market for furniture? This is one area I suggest buying the best quality item you can afford. If you want something that lasts, that's the only route to go. If you know it's something you don't really want to last, then by all means, buy cheap. (We bought an inexpensive couch/sofa set when we knew we were going to have children all over them -- spills, jumping, bouncing, climbing, illnesses -- we knew they'd be replaced.) I do, however, suggest you check ... the thrift stores!

Looking for inexpensive electronics? First, investigate your options. What are you looking to buy? What is the least you need from it? (An MP3 player with 512Mb memory... or one with 1G?... Do you really need 5G?) What brand? Look into the brands offered, check into consumer ratings and opinions on that item. I like to look online for opinion ratings -- there are plenty of sites that offer them; my favorite is Amazon.com! Then, figure out where you can get the item you want for the least amount of money. Check into e-bay, half.com... look into local discount stores and online stores (beware of scams).

If it's food that is costing you more than you would like to spend, reconsider your buying practices. Do you only buy brand name items? Consider buying the store brand instead. Do you find yourself buying a lot of expensive, pre-packaged convenience items? Think about making more from scratch, or doing without those items, or even half of those items, each week. (Instead of fruit cups, substitute a real apple, for instance.) Do you shop at specialty stores for specific items? Contemplate using another brand. If your family eats a lot of cereals, cut it out of their diets a few times a week: instead reach for eggs, toast, fruit, yogurt, oatmeal, or homemade muffins.

Other ways to be thrifty is to consider where else you spend money on a weekly basis. Do you always swing by a coffee shop on the way to the grocery store? Don't. Have a cup of coffee at home before you leave. Do you usually go to a donut shop after church each Sunday? Consider making a "coffee cake" or pancakes at home instead. If you spend money on a magazine, or more than one, at the grocery store each month, consider getting a subscription instead, which will save you money. Or get the magazine at the library -- it's free!

My favorite entertainment place is our local library. (It helps that I work there part time now.) I know some libraries aren't as plentiful in the items they offer as ours, but our library has CDs, DVDs, video tape movies, audio books, regular books, magazines, children's puzzles, computer games, book club sets and more... all free to its patrons. Want to learn a new language, but don't want to spend money on a class? Try an audio book set or computer program from the library.

Sometimes it amazes me what's "out there" free or for very little cost -- you just have to look and think thrifty.

Wendy Lomano now works part-time at her local library, maintains the www.AtHomeParent.com website, substitute teaches at her children's school and loves to read.