MY OWN LIFE MY OWN RULES

Since I was a very small girl I have always been just a bit stubborn. Ok to be honest that is completely an understatement. I am probably one of the most stubborn people that I know.I grew up in a family of 9 children raised in a one income family. We had what we needed but did not always have a lot. My grandmother did a lot to help us out when I was growing up and I always looked forward to bargain shopping with grandma.

My childhood

Growing up I always lived by my own rules and I fought conforming in so many situations. This was at times a good thing, depending on the context and the situation at hand. I can remember as a little girl how I loved certain shoes and clothing and would insist on only wearing the ones I loved. My sisters who were just a few years older than me would often be embarrassed by their little sister, who insisted on doing her own hair, wearing that same outfit again or those same shoes. I actually feel sorry for them, when I think back on this situation. I am pretty sure that my favorite shoes no longer looked or smelled good after wearing them so much. My hair probably also looked embarrassingly crazy, as I wore every barrette and bow proudly on top of my head. In fact my sisters probably deserve sainthood for putting up with me and being seen in public with me.I can tell you that over the years a lot of things have changed and yet a lot have still remained the same. I no longer own those same shoes, obviously. That same stripped skirt and shirt no longer fit. What has stayed the same is I am still so very stubborn and determined in every area of my life. I know what I want and what I like and I go for it with extreme determination.

My frugal ways

I am still very frugal and stubborn both of these traits are things that I picked up from my Grandmother. I learned to love saving money and couponing, thanks to my Grandmother's influence in my life. I used to drive my sisters crazy stopping to pick up every single shiny penny I found on the ground. I would also stop at every phone booth or vending machine to check for change left behind. I can even remember shopping trips with my mother to Aldi's, where I would collect carts left behind by customers and return them for the quarter that is automatically given back on return. These may be slightly extreme frugal traits and slightly less beneficial as I grew older. I do think that the young Andrea Joy is not too much different from the grown version. There are a few things that have remained very consistent over the years. I am stubborn but I am also a fighter in everything I am passionate about in life. When I believe in something, I go all in and I will reach that goal somehow or die trying. I have many similar frugal characteristics, to what I learned growing up. I still save my change and pick up change I find on the ground. I no longer check every machine as I go by, but I get the urge to check one, haha 😂 I just might!I still find a pair of shoes I love and I will wear them until I absolutely know it is time to part. My favorite ECCO brand shoes are usually purchased every three years for work. These shoes may be a bit pricey but with this quality and value they last me over three years. Well worth the more expensive price tag if you ask me.So now you know saving joyfully, just slightly more than you probably wanted to. Imagine the child collecting change off the ground and out of the machines, the child wearing those same worn out dress shoes from her aunts wedding, over and over again. Imagine that same little girl determined to make her dreams come true despite everything that would try to weigh her down. If you can do this successfully, then you have just discovered this little girl who created Saving Joyfully. The girl whose goal in life would someday be to spread joy and help you stretch your budget in more ways than picking up lost change.Interested in learning more about my finance story and what inspired me to help others with money. You can check out these postsMy worst college money mistakes & Learn from my money mistakes