Reuse those plastic bags, and more frugal living tips

I got a taste of frugal living while in college, and the lessons I learned stick with me to this day.

Like many of my college peers, my desk and bookshelves were made of cinder blocks and plywood. I bought day-old bread and snacks, and I used both sides of the tablet notebook paper right down to the last sheet.

Later in my professional career, I took my frugal lifestyle to a different level. I mostly shunned going out to lunch; instead I made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, ate at my desk and reused the plastic sandwich bag for a week or two before tossing it.

I also used the public library to check out books and movies, saving a bundle. Spare change went into a Mason jar.

Was I cheap? Hardly. I was watching my pennies, stretching my paycheck and trying to make good choices so I could spend money on things I considered more important. I also learned to discern between needs and wants.

Living frugally is a learned habit, and it doesn’t come easily for teens and twentysomethings. How can you instill a more frugal lifestyle in your kids? I asked some financial experts who deal with kids and money issues to share some examples of how they practice frugality.

“I ask for a discount at the store for items that have a small stain or tear. I can usually tell if I can get the stain out and am also adept with scissors, needles and thread.”

— Krista Cavalieri, the owner of Evolve Capital, a Columbus, Ohio, financial planning firm

“My favorite saying is ‘Nickels and dimes make quarters.’ So I save and repurpose the Ziploc bags prescriptions come in. I haven’t bought a pen or pencil in decades — I only use hotel pens and pencils. Scrap paper is also courtesy of the hotels I stay in . ... All of this saves me nickels at a time and well. Before you know it you have quarters, and four of those is a dollar!

“For me, being frugal is a fun challenge. I like to see just how much I can save using things that are put in my path.”

— Susan Beacham, author and owner of the Money Savvy Generation in South Carolina

“I purchase my organic veggies at Aldi because they have the best price for quality produce. I never purchase anything online without a promo code, and I always save coupons. I keep the lights off during the day to keep my electricity bill down. I don’t buy coffee during the week. I make it. I read the magazines that still come to my apartment from the previous tenant.”

— Allison Beacham, co-author with her parents of “O.M.G.: The Official Money Guide for College Students”

“I have used the plastic grocery shopping bags to dispose of garbage instead of the standard kitchen trash bags. Yes, it meant more trips to the main garbage can, but I was saving money and getting a little more exercise.”

— Lionel Shipman, Lutz, Fla., 20 years in banking and financial services

“I shop regularly at The Dollar Store. Everything is truly $1. When I drink tea, I reuse the tea bags. I carry a travel cup in my car and ask for water — for free — with meals if I eat at a fast food place.”

— Patrina Dixon, owner of It’s My Money, a financial education consulting firm in Connecticut