Buying My Freedom: Why Frugality Works for Me

For me, frugality started with a goal.

I always knew that I wanted to live alone at least once before I married. I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it, if need be. I wanted to have time to reflect, to be by myself, to do everything without somebody there to help me. I did not anticipate getting married so young- I thought I had lots of time!

Enter my engagement during my junior year of college. The wedding was set for just after my graduation. To attain my goal, I would have to live alone during my senior year of college. My favorite roommate ever was graduating anyway, so it seemed extra appealing to not do roommate roulette again.

My parents were not as keen on the plan as I was. They did pay my room and board in the college dorms, and said they would help me find an apartment as well, if it did not exceed the cost of the dorm. (Dorms are very, very expensive, so that was not hard.) After doing some research, they said that I could live alone if I could do the following:

1. Find an apartment within walking distance of campus. (There were no single dorm rooms at my school. We were so overcrowded that people were living in the study lounges.)

2. Find an apartment for $350 or less. (Which was the going rate of a room in a shared house or apartment in that area.)

3. Pay my own utilities.

4. I had to pay the deposit and such by myself.

These things seemed impossible. I worked every summer, but my money always started getting low by the end of the school year. I had no loans, and had to buy my books and pay all fees, etc out of my money. Apartments in my area were not cheap, and in walking distance of the school? Very hard. My mother suggested that I find a roommate and just have my own bedroom. I reminded her that this defeated the purpose of living alone.

I was determined.