When I think of being frugal I usually see dollar signs but frugality goes beyond the money and works into our daily life too. Often times if we are more frugal with our time we are going to be more frugal with our money. This New Year I have some major goals I want to tackle and the first is learning to be fabulously frugal with time.
“I’m so busy” seems to be the refrain of my life and busy seeps into so many parts of our budget – “so busy” I didn’t prepare for dinner, “so busy” I grabbed breakfast or coffee on the run, “so busy” I forgot to grab gas when I was in the area it is cheaper. See? “So busy” being unorganized with my time that my budget suffers. No more! My goal this year is to be fabulously frugal with time and in turn, impact my budget one minute and dollar at a time.
Step 1 – Organize my daily schedule. I cringed at doing this. I hate spreadsheets and schedules. As I filled it in I bemoaned to my husband that I had filled every hour of every day and he reminded me I already do. I just didn’t put it on paper. Know what I found? I found that if I stick to the plan I made I will have 1.5-2.5 EXTRA HOURS in my day!! Why? Because I looked at everything that needs done and organized it to fit where it belongs and be more productive. Here are my printables.
Step 2 – Plan my meals.
Fabulously Frugal with Time means ~
- I have a set time for breakfast. No skipping it because I am “so busy” and grabbing something on the run – time SAVED
- I have time set aside to FOCUS on building my business instead of hodge podge grabbing time where I am focusing on too many things – time and money SAVED
- Dinner planned and time throughout the day to prepare it – no last minute unplanned grab a pizza or take out – time and money SAVED
- Set time to grocery shop and fill the gas tank without extra trips – time and money SAVED
- Buy EVERYTHING I need when I grocery stop – no extra trips to the grocery store – time, gas, money SAVED
- Have everything I need to prepare my meals and make sure we have dinner on the table – money SAVED
I know there are still so many ways I will be able to be fabulously frugal with time. This is just the beginning. What tips do YOU have for me to help me be more organized with my time, and ultimately, my money? I would love to hear from you.
I`m with the other ladies…some days I am amazing with time management some days it goes to hell in a handbag. I menu plan so that helps take the `what are we having for dinner`but I have to make sure to get to the store or it falls apart!
I`m still working on being frugal with my time.
a work in progress.
I’m HORRIBLE with managing my time – this needs to be one of my resolutions!
Sigh. I’m horrible at time management but I make a great effort! I try to make the weekends as offline as I can, so I can spend time with my family and on things around the house that need my attention. It’s a work in progress!
I need a lesson in time management – 5 kids, homeschooling, taking care of daily household tasks and blogging full time – I am burned out! Thank you for your encouragement!
You can do this! This is my desperation move – homeschooling 3, house, blogging full time, housecleaning others homes 3 times a month, and another part time job were swamping me.
I like the idea of being careful with time. Poor time management leads to a great number of disasters.
I’m definitely not one to be serving up tips for time management. That’s a total weakness of mine and something I’m going to be working on this year for sure!
Time management used to be a big issue for me until I started using a planner and To Do lists.
I need major time management help. Ever since I left my full-time marketing job for a freelance career, I have been a scheduling mess. I feel like I do everything at once and none of it well.
Incidentally, that receipt in your post (from GIANT) makes me smile. That’s the company I worked for for almost 20 years!
Haha. The photo is from my friend who co-hosts the linky. I shop there too though. 20 years is awesome!! It is much easier to be scheduled when you actually are not home but answering to some one else. When you only have yourself to answer to it can be much harder.
This is a really interesting concept. I have never thought about it this way.
I need to be much more frugal with my time so I have more to spend with my husband and daughter without so much stress
Me too!!
I am so bad with my time sometimes. I needed this!
I definitely need to improve on time management. I start off in the morning with a bang, but seem to get bogged down and go into a slump after lunch. I usually cannot refocus until after dinner. Thanks for the great tips.
I tend to be the opposite but NEED to be more the first. Although, I start off with a bang BUT the kids need taught and that gets pushed to afternoon if I focus on work in the AM and that is not when the kids do best so I have to re-train and live by the schedule.
Great tips and thanks! Time is one area I’m working on this year!
Gosh, I wish I could remember to get everything at the grocery store, and meal plan. however, my sporadic nature always gets the best of me.
I am buckling down and MAKING it happen. I have been so frazzled the last 3 months and cannot take it anymore.
Would it be fair to say I spend too much time on facebook? Sure! But how else can I read, comment and enjoy all of the fabulous blogs every day? So, I delegate my time. 30 minutes in the morning, and up to 2 hours at night (yes, 2 hours). If I can sneak in some time during the day, that helps a lot, but I can’t always do it. And yes, this is subject to change (I have to be flexible with this silly business of mine). That’s why you didn’t see much of me in December and you won’t hear from me from February 10 through 14). Time management is a BIG THING and I’m certainly not frugal with mine!
I couldn’t believe how much “free time” I was able to find when I scheduled it all out!! I am horrible at time management but cannot afford to be anymore.
These are really great tips! I also need to learn to be more frugal with my time!
We can work on it together.
Fantastic goals. Time is a good one to think of!
You are so generous to make the printables. I wonder if I could schedule my time this efficiently – what an eye opener it would be to track things for a few days 🙂
It took some time but I think it will be so good for sanity. I am scared to track what I already do. I much prefer to make a new schedule and just start following it haha.
I wish I had tips to give you… I am horrible with my time management… Hubby is always asking me to put down my computer and spend time with everyone
I hear you!!! This is so me. Blogging can consume you because it is just never all done – especially if you work full time or home school. It is all a juggling act.
I’m really bad at time managment. Your tips are great, sure will help me a lot!
Good luck! Let me know how they work for you and how you tweak them to work for you.
When I see frugality I always think of money as well. I have to say that I’m not frugal with my time either. I’ll have to keep your post in mind.
Me too! Then a friend said something that made me think about how it is such a trickle down effect.
Time management is a downfall of mine, I am so easily distracted.
I am easily distracted too. Learning discipline and steadfastness through this. Oh yeah, and organization!!