We started living a frugal life because we have 7 children, and I wanted to stay home with them. We did not want to be saddled with debt. I planted a garden, raised chickens, and beef. 
I shop a lot of bent and dent stores and Amish bulk food stores. I really try not to overbuy. I use coupons and shop sales only. I have had family members make fun of me.
Now that I have 2 grandchildren who live 2 hours away, it is nice to have the money to be able to go see them. We kept our thermostat set at 62 until we could afford a wood furnace. We don't take money from the government.
Our first 3 children paid their own way to college with no government aid and no debt. One is a nurse, one a lineman, and one a mechanic. Our next son is planning on starting Tech school in the fall. They have taken many jobs and worked very hard. I thank the Lord for what we have.
By Jilly
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Wonderful, your kids will appreciate what they have down the road if they don't already. We appreciate what we have when we have done all the hard work ourselves, you go girl.
A parent who doesn't expect much of their children get very little too. We've seen it too many times not to believe that when children know the value of money and respect it, they are far better equipped to meet the world than those who've had everything handed to them. That could be a lot of what's wrong with our country right now.
I thank God that my parents taught me to be responsible, and I passed those lessons on to my own children. I watched then as they sometimes had to fight with spouses in order to teach their children those same lessons.
We just watched our first grand-child graduate from a university yesterday, and she worked all four years and got her first year towards her masters at the same time she took her senior year of the BS degree. I don't know how she did it all, but we cheered her on every step of the way. She graduated 5th in a class of over 900.
We are so very proud of her. I hope she reads this. :-)
I love to hear about other young people who are happily taking their place in the world without being a burden on their future or their parents now or later.
God bless you! Those family mambers who made fun of you probably wish they'd followed in your frugal footsteps to save money!
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