What helpful traits/habits did you have before you found MMM?

[pachnik]

This is something I mull over once in a while and I would love to hear some of yours. 

Here are some traits/habits that I had before I got here that are helpful:

I don't like shopping.  To me shopping for clothes especially is a chore not a form of entertainment.  I started going to thrift stores about 10 years ago so this is a money saver too. 

I don't like clutter.  I have mostly lived in smallish apartments (500 sq. feet or so) and had no space for it.  Plus, grew up in a clutter-free home so that is my standard.

I have a strong dislike of debt - especially credit card debt.   

I liked the library and stopped buying books unless they are a gift for someone.  Some interest in personal finance - read a few books by David Bach, watched Gail Vaz-Oxlade's shows. 

[norvilion]

I agree on the shopping, if I was going to go shopping it would be specifically for purposes of entertainment. That being said it was and is occasionally fun to go through shopping areas just to walk around and chuckle at the silly things people buy (just wish there weren't so many redundant overpriced clothing stores)

Before getting into my current job I worked as a waiter at a local restaurant, so we had to deal with quite a low income. Once I got the job my wife and I decided to try to keep spending the amount we were as single-income waiter and save the rest to help build up a good buffer/pay for our schooling. There was a bit more drift than I would have preferred, perhaps going from 12-14K to 18K expenditure, but once I found MMM we re-evaluated a lot of our spending habits and got it back down to a reasonable level (though it's still a bit hard to keep it low with once-in-a-blue-moon expenses constantly coming up).

Being able to see exactly what we were spending money on in Mint helped out the most.

[avonlea]

I don't like shopping.  To me shopping for clothes especially is a chore not a form of entertainment.

I don't like clutter.

I have a strong dislike of debt - especially credit card debt.   

I liked the library and stopped buying books unless they are a gift for someone. 

Same for us on all counts. 

Our financial lifestyle hasn't changed much since finding MMM, so I guess we had some good traits on that front for a while.

My attitude toward biking has changed.  My husband has been commuting by bike for a few years now and had been encouraging me to try it, too. I felt comfortable sticking to very small journeys to nearby parks and trails, but that was it.  This blog helped convince me that I could (and should try to) commute by bike around town, especially since I live in a fairly bicycle-friendly place.

I like the ideas that MMM shares, and I LOVE that I have found this forum.  The people here are awesome.

[smalllife]

-Minimalism (less now than before ironically, but I also didn't have a house before)
-Environmentalism - made my own beauty products for the health benefits, but also cheap!  Ditto for cleaners, packaging, buying used, and buying less
-I.hate.clutter
-Long term planning
-Good math skills
-Introspection about my goals and desires

[ZiziPB]

- strong dislike (fear) of debt of any kind
- strong emotional need for financial safety and self-sufficiency
- hate clutter
- love of cooking (going out to eat is a giant waste of time and money for not much in return)
- liked and used the library all my life
- reuse, recycle and no waste type mindset

One trait that I have been working on since finding MMM is the fact that I like to shop...

[lentilman]

Never expecting any corporate loyalty.  My first experience with restructuring was in my first 30 days after being hired!  That was a pretty good wake-up call to start saving.  Since then I have been shuffled, aquired, divested, transferred, sold, pension frozen, retransferred, and reassigned.  Currently in the position where my site is in the process of being broken up.  Being FI allows a certain "detachment" through the changes.

[MoneyLifeandMore]

Before I found MMM I was in decent shape compared to the normal American. I didn't believe in buying stuff just because everyone else (the Joneses) had it. I believed in saving more than the average American for retirement and I believed in destroying my wife's student loan debt as fast as possible. Could we be doing more now that I found MMM? Definitely, but there are some things we're not willing to give up yet. Maybe time will change that.

[expatartist]

Interesting thread! Pre-MMM I had a few frugal habits.

When socializing:
* Coffee with no sugar or milk, never any fancy drinks. Maximum savings, relatively healthy, etc.
* Ordering food OR drinks, never both at the same time

Debt:
* As a teenager I chose to go into debt for an impractical degree at a public university ($20K), and decided I would never own a car until the degree was paid off. Many years and a few international moves later, I've saved many many times that, and still have no plans to buy a car.
* Cut up and paid off my credit cards years ago and haven't used them since

[Zamboni]

Another chime for minimalism.

My first car was a used Corolla; probably due to nostalgia from the freedom that gave me, I've always like little but cheap cars.

Attachment to "trusty old" stuff in general.  I don't have much, but what I do have I prefer to keep around.  I will fix something if it's fixable, and replace something that is shot with an absolutely identical item if I can find it cheap.  I still have a wood panel digital alarm clock from junior high.  For clothing, it helps that I work in a field where "ancient but serviceable" is always "in style."

For years I took the same thing to work for lunch every day:  PB&J on wheat with either an orange or a cup of yogurt.  Boring, I know, but cost effective.  More than one co-worker mocked how little PB was on my PB&J.  I even recycled the same paper bag for weeks at a time (a habit I learned from one of my elementary school friends.)

[Caoineag]

I don't pay interest on any debt above the low single digits ( I nearly died of shock when I discovered that people actually pay interest in the double digits and not always the low end)

Didn't bother with a car until I needed one more often than once per month (fixer upper house changed the need for a vehicle) then bought a beater with cash.

Strived to live on only one income (the lower one) because life can change in an instant.

Kept my mandatory monthly spending to a minimum because too much on necessities makes life more difficult.

[Katnina]

here are mine:
-extremely debt-averse
-prefer small space living
-love thrift store shopping & making my own clothes from recycled fabric
-fan of the library from toddlerhood on (thanks, parents!)
-mystified by 'luxury' brand consumerist culture and why anyone cares about that stuff
-environmentally conscious
-childfree
-vegan/vegetarian for the majority of my life (better for environment + cheaper = win!)
-general dislike of being the same as everyone else
-not really a habit or trait, but i have a sexy frugal husband who finds my frugal habits endearing & we reinforce each others values of time & love > money
-into gardening (hard to do in a studio apartment, but i grow herbs & peppers inside)
-love my 2001 manual corolla that I bought when it was 5 and am not giving that thing up until it croaks!

[Left]

loving to buy old tech and seeing how far I can push it, old phones/computers and putting new OS on them.

I'm driving my 1st car (camry) still. I haven't been driving that long 11 years and while I dream about buying a subaru (personal preference), and I shop around for one. I never pull the bullet because I want to see if I can't get another 5-10 years out of 15 year old car and make it a 20+ year old car. And I like seeing the odometer keep going up.

I won't say I'm the best mustachian but before finding this place, I just never liked buying new. This one thing has kept me from spending my money. I didn't try to "save" it but I just never "spent" it because consumerism didn't mean anything for me. I bought/buy what I wanted but since I didn't care for the newest and shiniest things, I ended up not spending as much and put the money away into savings, now investments.

[Frankies Girl]

I haven't actually changed much at all, but it's nice to have a label for what I was mostly already doing. ;)

Already frugal
Always spend less than I earn
Save large portion of pay
Buy used or on sale, fixed things that broke, maintain things to optimize their useful lifespan
Rarely went on shopping trips, and if I did, it was when there was a definite need, and buy for long term use
Saved up for large purchases
Used credit wisely and never pay finance charges
Cost comparison shopping (I use a calculator at the grocery to figure cost per unit)
Rarely use disposable items
Don't buy the latest gadgets and don't try to keep up with friends or neighbors' "standard of living"
DIY on home repairs if possible

I also have always been pretty proud of not being part of the herd mentality - I have never had cable (as an adult on my own) and up until recently didn't even have a cell phone. And I will never be the type of woman that cares about brand names or labels in my clothes or purse.

[Cromacster]

I had some good habits before MMM.

Efficient cars:  I always thought it was crazy that cars had below 40mpg.
Retirement Savings:  Always maxed Roth and put 15% (not maxed though) into 401(k)
Don't eat out or hit bars very often:  I go out nearly the same now as I did before, once a week is normal.
Married an instinctual mustachian, probably the best decision I made towards living a more mustachian lifestyle.

I wish I had found MMM a little sooner.  Right out of college I had no debt, little expenses, and a high paying job.  I was able to save at a high rate for a non mustachian, 30%, but I did find myself using the line "it's ok, I make enough money" quite frequently.  Now that I have a house and higher expenses compared to then, my savings rate is still around 30%.

[aj_yooper]

Saving comes easy for me
Good math skills
Good skills with business calculator
Environmentalist
Not into shopping or clothes
Frugal shopper
Careful with all possessions



And, I am very lucky that my wife and I share same values.

[ace1224]

i hate shopping. a lot.  i don't care what kind.  department store, thrift store all of it.  that's pretty much it.

[olivia]

I'm not into cars and sold my own car the second I could, well before I found MMM.  I convinced my husband to sell his car too after finding MMM, and we're saving tons of money because of it.  I hope I never own a car again.

I don't care about tech stuff, and had my first laptop (Apple PowerBook) for 7 years before I finally had to get a new one.  And next time I'll probably get an inexpensive PC or even a tablet because I don't have much use for a fancy computer.

I also was in the process of convincing my husband to cancel cable before I found MMM...I don't like TV enough to pay $100+ a month for it.

I also dislike shopping in person, although I'm a fan of online shopping, so can't claim to not be a shopper.  But avoiding online shopping hasn't been too difficult for me, and since I never go into stores or go to the mall, I don't get tempted very often.

[KatieSSS]

This is something I mull over once in a while and I would love to hear some of yours. 

Here are some traits/habits that I had before I got here that are helpful:

I don't like shopping.  To me shopping for clothes especially is a chore not a form of entertainment.  I started going to thrift stores about 10 years ago so this is a money saver too. 

I don't like clutter.  I have mostly lived in smallish apartments (500 sq. feet or so) and had no space for it.  Plus, grew up in a clutter-free home so that is my standard.

I have a strong dislike of debt - especially credit card debt.   

I liked the library and stopped buying books unless they are a gift for someone.  Some interest in personal finance - read a few books by David Bach, watched Gail Vaz-Oxlade's shows.

Same here with all of these. Except my dislike of clutter isn't because I grew up in a clutter-free home, it is because my home had TOO MUCH clutter!

I hate malls. I go in them only if I absolutely must.

I don't have a desire to acquire "brand-name" things. I remember looking at girls in high school who had to have the best brand name clothes or purses and I just thought that was all ridiculous. I couldn't care less about Gucci or Prada, etc. I value well-made things that are affordable instead.

I hate wasting food. Only buy/eat what you need. Think of the starving kids in Africa, people.

I've never been into cars. They get me from A to B safely. That is all I have ever needed/wanted. My family never had brand-new cars, so this is probably a result of that.

[scottydog]

- I used rewards credit cards, but always paid monthly amount in full (I still can't believe the interest rates they charge).
- I ate lots of PB&J until my student debt was paid off.  Some colleagues teased me for it - one even followed up with something like, "but damn he's nearly paid off his student loans..."
- Until we planned for kids, we lived with roommates in a place where rent increases had been controlled for over 10 years.  Our rent was about 1/4 of what most of our colleagues were paying for rent.  We had a lot of fun too.
- Kept the heat down - in our former place, we wore toques (a.k.a. winter hats) to bed because sometimes it would get down to 8 degrees C (46.4 F) by morning.  This was purely to save money because the rental place was very poorly insulated and we paid for our heat.
- When we bought a place, we purchased close to public transit so we wouldn't need two cars.  Now I'm biking instead of taking public transit, but the location is still helpful for reducing our clown car trips.

[ThatsMyOtter]

Treating debt as an emergency (only debt was $9k loan from my parents to buy a used car after I graduated college. I paid off about 600/mo, while also putting a couple hundred a month into an emergency fund, while making 25k a year)

Biking to work-though not in the winter

Using library for entertainment

Cooking my own meals and eating leftovers for lunch (and sometimes eating plain oatmeal, no sugar or anything, for breakfast to keep the grocery bill low. Occasionally splurged and bought bananas to put in my oatmeal)

Avoiding shopping

Not having cable

[ScienceSexSavings]

I  grew up in what I like to call the rural projects, so I have plenty ;)

Growing vegetables
Making own jams, pickles, etc.
Sewing clothes
Second-hand shopping
No cable
No consumer electronics that don't provide a service I can't function without (1 computer and 1 phone are fine)
Never been interested in video games
Wore clothes till they fell apart, then redesigned them
Entertained myself with nature, books and music
Deep-rooted fear of cheap and new products (my alarm clock is also old school - cubic, with a casette player!)
Hatred of debt
Minimal interest in shopping
Using as little as possible of everything - cosmetics, food, etc to stretch it out
Hardcore meal-planning and panicking about throwing food out
Vegetarian
Don't drink alcohol, soda or coffee
Ability to do basic math does not disappear when a dollar sign appears in front of the numbers

[cbgg]

Just normal stuff. 
 - I've always been a saver and have enjoyed saving money
 - I've always seen debt as something for emergencies only (mortgage excluded...although I don't think it's out of my ability to pay cash for a house).  And of course I've always had a healthy emergency fund so I've been fortunate to never have to take on debt.
 - I've always made intentional sacrifices keep my fixed costs low to make saving easier - ex rent
 - I try not to be an "upgrader."  If I have something and it works, I try to stick with it instead of upgrading to something nicer/newer (for example, kitchen wares, clothing, shoes, furniture, etc).  I do my best to wear something out before buying something new.
 - I hate clutter and I like living in a smaller, simpler space (apartment for the win!)
 - I have a small, fuel efficient car that I maintain well and will use as long as it's reliable.

[chicagomeg]

I think my biggest natural advantage was growing up in a small, rural town where very few people had much money. My parents have never made $50k/year combined, but we were definitely fortunate compared to many of my classmates. I have a different perspective on "needs" versus "wants" than many people who grew up in nice suburbs and the "best" public schools, and financially, that's served me well.

[crazy jane]

I started bicycle commuting in 2006. Always lived beneath my means. Now I live happily way beneath them.

[ScienceSexSavings]

I think my biggest natural advantage was growing up in a small, rural town where very few people had much money. My parents have never made $50k/year combined, but we were definitely fortunate compared to many of my classmates. I have a different perspective on "needs" versus "wants" than many people who grew up in nice suburbs and the "best" public schools, and financially, that's served me well.

Are you my neighbour? This sounds exactly like my life!

[chicagomeg]

I think my biggest natural advantage was growing up in a small, rural town where very few people had much money. My parents have never made $50k/year combined, but we were definitely fortunate compared to many of my classmates. I have a different perspective on "needs" versus "wants" than many people who grew up in nice suburbs and the "best" public schools, and financially, that's served me well.

Are you my neighbour? This sounds exactly like my life!

Based on your spelling of neighbor, I'd say no. :)

[Zamboni]

Ability to do basic math does not disappear when a dollar sign appears in front of the numbers

:-)  This is an excellent one.

[ScienceSexSavings]

Based on your spelling of neighbor, I'd say no. :)

Haha, Canada, eh?

:-)  This is an excellent one.

I even made it my signature! It's really bizarre how many people who are normally the logico-mathmatic type completely lose it all when it comes to money. Example: a grad student in sciences with a lump sum stipend told me how much she got. I immediately said "Oh, that'll give you about $x/month, that's pretty good!" She looked shocked and horrified.

[lizfish]

Shopping was never a leisure activity for me. I find it stressful and unrewarding. I do like having nice things, but find no pleasure in aquiring them. I even used to feel like I "wasn't a proper girl" because I've never liked it that much, and don't find interior decoration that fun either. I know better now that I should cherish this trait like it were gold! I'm not that into makeup or haircuts either.

Never had a credit card in my life. The above helps.

Always bought second-hand cars for cash. My current car is over 10 years old, small engine and gets serviced by friends in return for my DH's IT skills.

Never had student debt and didn't go to university. In fact I'm sure a large part of reason that I didn't go was because I didn't want to get into debt and my mum wouldn't have been able to help me out. I get really annoyed at "graduate only" jobs but that's an argument for another day!   I studied accountacy while working leading eventually to a career as a self-employed bookkeeper. Sometimes I regret not having the bragging rights of a degree but I know full well from friends that having one has never guarenteed a job let alone a well-paid one.

I love travelling by train. granted this doesn't save as much money in the UK as biking would, but its step in the right direction. I travelled by train to my regular client on Monday and Tuesday this week, where I normally go by car and get stressed out. Not much in it cost-wise for fuel but if you factor in wear and tear, as well as the 3k walking each day (up a steep hill!) and the fact that I can knit on the train and de-stress rather than get road rage - the benefits are endless!

DH has made lunch for work almost every day since I've known him. Partially because of allergies I suppose (you try finding a commercial sandwich without mayo!) but also then it's done and you don't have to faff buying it. I used to buy some lunches when I was employed but now I work from home mostly it's not a problem. The alcohol & restaurant consumption for both of us went up when we each had jobs where a lot of people (including us) commuted by train. It was great socially but I shudder to think how much I spent on it.

We've always been good with reducing bills where we can for utilities etc, thinking carefully about mortgages, saving up for our wedding, holidays and home improvements. Cancelled our cable when out provider lost out favourite show and never went back. The public TV in the UK is pretty good (for the £12 a month TV licence) Our challenge now is not to be complacent. Before we would still spend the money because we had saved it. Now perhaps we realise we can just save it, cut our spending and retire early! :-)

[kt]

i have always been curious, loved reading/researching and questioned the status quo. which means i come across interesting people like mmm and am also happy to act on the advice!
but i was already anti-shopping (bar a few years in early teens), pro-experience rather than stuff, tending towards minimalism and pretty frugal.

[Rural]

Finding this forum hasn't changed anything for me in terms of daily habits, but it's been wonderful having like-minded folks to talk to. It's also been a real boon in figuring out the ins and outs of various investment account types. I was particularly fuzzy on 457s before coming here, and folks both helped directly and pointed me in the right direction in my research.

[avonlea]

I was particularly fuzzy on 457s before coming here, and folks both helped directly and pointed me in the right direction in my research.

I am still a little fuzzy on that actually.  Should more go into the 403(b) or 457?  The only retirement vehicles we max are the IRAs. Guess I need to use the search feature... 

[Rural]

I was particularly fuzzy on 457s before coming here, and folks both helped directly and pointed me in the right direction in my research.

I am still a little fuzzy on that actually.  Should more go into the 403(b) or 457?  The only retirement vehicles we max are the IRAs. Guess I need to use the search feature...

Check out Investor Alley if you haven't.

[Exflyboy]

Extreme hatred of debt.. I have like OCD when it comes to paying off debt.... Food or an extra debt repayment?.. well I'm not quite starving yet so thats another 4 shekels off the mortgage.

Don't even talk to me about CC debt or a car loan.. I'd slash my own wrists before I indulged in either.

Always bought cheap cars and learned how to rebuild them.

Have since built two airplanes from scratch (the 220mph fully aerobatc beast I just sold for what I built it for.. yes even so, not very MMM I know)

I doubled the size of our house hiring only a concrete contractor and rebuilt every car I've owned.

Paid off house back in about 2005, using the two rentals on my property.

MMM convinced me to retire next April..:)

Have sinced minimised monthly expenses, $10 cell plan, killed the landline and cut internet down to $30 a month.

And yes I'm an engineer.. of course..:)

Frank

[Petari]

An anti-conformist streak.

I could say my natural tendency towards saving, or discovering the awesomeness of biking, or my love of cooking, but I think in a way the greatest trait to enable Mustachianism is a willingness to do something that's different from what everyone else around you is doing, as many of the people around us (and indeed, society at large) are not at all on the same wavelength, and I think some people are definitely less comfortable with that than others.

[steveo]

My helpful traits are:-

1. Living below my means.
2. Living close to work.
3. Being healthy
4. Knowing how to cook

My negative traits were:-

1. Not realising that early retirement was possible.
2. Lifestyle inflation. For instance I have a couple of tailored suits and a nice stereo.
3. Spending big at times - wedding & housing predominantly but also car.
4. Having 3 kids.

Being honest though I don't regret the expensive purchases or having 3 kids apart from the wedding. I fail to see how the wedding added anything at all to our marriage.

[Ms Betterhome]

I had a big awakening regarding my finances about 9 years ago, and started on the road to Badassity then. My partner & I were both raised in comfortable, but non-wasteful middle-class households ...teachers, engineers, academic researchers and librarians seem to be a frugal bunch, and our families are full of them.

I did a Permaculture Design Certificate a few years ago, that really emphasised the importance of systems thinking in everyday life, in order to reduce waste and produce a yield. In addition to the obvious benefit of helping me design a productive garden, it has contributed to my thinking on a lot of other issues. For example, the area where we bought our house is officially suburbia (defined locally as being more than 10km from the city centre), but we're a short walk from public transport, small shops and schools. We're a slightly longer walk ( about 20-30 minutes depending on the heat of the day) from major infrastructure like the local technical college, hospital, and large shopping centre. So while I don't bike ( I find it terrifying), I was already well prepared for the notion that your choice of neighbourhood can either support or undermine your financial/ lifestyle goals.

We already were doing things like shopping in bulk ( and infrequently) for groceries, cooking and eating at home, taking lunches and snacks to work, and minimizing use of the car - my partner runs a small web design business from our home, and I commute to my job by public transport. The first thing we did when we bought the house was install solar panels and rainwater tanks, and we use rainwater & grey water to keep the veggies, trees and lawn happy, so our utility bills are very low.

So basically, I was well primed for Mustachianism before I got here, but I do enjoy the cameradery... And the sweariness.

[HokieInPa]

Debt averse - paid off credit cards shortly after college and never carried a balance in 20+ years since. Only debt is mortgage and that will be gone in 1 yr
Living well below means
Saving the max in 401k and Ira
Married a similar thinking person
Hate re occurring billing on anything

[Moomingirl]

here are mine:
-extremely debt-averse
-prefer small space living
-love thrift store shopping & making my own clothes from recycled fabric
-fan of the library from toddlerhood on (thanks, parents!)
-mystified by 'luxury' brand consumerist culture and why anyone cares about that stuff
-environmentally conscious
-childfree
-vegan/vegetarian for the majority of my life (better for environment + cheaper = win!)
-general dislike of being the same as everyone else
-not really a habit or trait, but i have a sexy frugal husband who finds my frugal habits endearing & we reinforce each others values of time & love > money
-into gardening (hard to do in a studio apartment, but i grow herbs & peppers inside)
-love my 2001 manual corolla that I bought when it was 5 and am not giving that thing up until it croaks!

Wow. You are me!
Except I'm not yet happily retired. Trying to get there as fast as I can though. :)

[RachelNicole]

-I put most of my purchases on an Amazon rewards credit card, which I pay off in full every month.  I use the rewards points to buy birthday/Christmas gifts for my family.
-I make my own lip balm, laundry detergent, body scrub, face wash, etc.
-I eat very healthy and I cook everything at home.
-I hate spending money.  When I do buy things, I do a lot of research and buy quality items that will last a long time.
-I love gardening!  I planted raised beds in my backyard this summer.  One of them is 4' x 8' and filled with 3 varieties of heirloom strawberries.
-I pay extra on my mortgage every month.
-I like checking out my local estate sales.  The second day is usually garage sale pricing with free leftovers at the end.

[sunshine]

~ being very frugal

~ being out of debt

~ having a healthy love affair with saving money

[vern]

I'm extremely debt averse.

The house and vehicles are paid for and I've never paid a penny in credit card interest in my life.

[Melody]

Student friends :)

[Elaine]

It's so interesting to see the similarities, here are mine:

Positive Traits I had Prior:
-always enjoyed questioning status quo/unconcerned with fitting in
-Minimalist- I moved a lot growing up, stuff to me became "stuff I will one day have to pack and unpack", I love the feeling of a clear, minimalist home.
-small space dweller- I've always lived in small apartments
-Never owned a car. I've always lived in places with good public transit.
-Always had an aversion to being dependent on parents or significant other.
-Not into most "stuff", designer things, gadgets. More interested in things I can use.
-I always cooked at home and did thrifting for furniture,dishes, etc. 

[NinetyFour]

non-conformist, interested in fitness--had already been biking/walking to work for 15 years, environmentalist (had already been hyper aware of minimizing packaging, plastic, etc.), composter, vegetarian, had already grown to detest fake food (I call it "phood")

[golden1]

I was already a big fan of Craigslist before reading MMM.  A lot of the furniture I scored from CL very cheap. 

I was also a big life optimization junkie, but more focused on time than on money.   I feel like a lot of things that people do that they consider "normal" just wastes time and energy, like elaborately made beds for example. 

[Zamboni]

I love and frequently listen to free, non-commercial radio.  As in over the airwaves, college style.