Frugal Five Meet Crystal

Crystal is a frugal mom with 3 kids ranging from from Pennslyvania


What is your financial life?

I am stay at home mom who also homeschools my 7 yr daugter and 6 year old twin sons. My husband works full time and makes a decent income, but in taking a new job this past summer he took a pay cut and we are struggling. We have a big mortgage that we took on before his job change, and we also have credit card debt, and some other debts that we are working on paying off. Six more months of disciplined payments and we will be OUT of credit card debt.
And we don't have any savings--at all. We need to start up dh's 401k, now that he qualifies again, and start setting aside a portion of each paycheck into our savings account.


What is your budget buster?

Those credit card payments!!

What is your favorite money saving tip?

Stock up on necessities only when shopping--no spending off the shopping list


If you had an extra $1000 what would you do with it?

Since I do not have a saving account, I am would put it towards that.

What is your best resource for frugal living?

"Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping" by Judith Levine. I found her book inspirational...she doesn't give practical tips, but rather points out some of the hardships that are involved in deciding what is necessary and what are not.