Learning to be frugal the Spanish way

Unemployment here in Spain is close to 25% and is expected to rise in 2013. That’s scary. Jose and I are both working, something we know makes us lucky. The situation could change at any time here and we are trying to be smarter about money. We have a lot of friends who are out of work and we see them struggling. I think we are both pretty responsible in general when it comes to our finances but since we have been saving for the down payment for our new apartment (another story with its own complications, read about them here), we have been looking for ways to cut corners and save money.  We also want to be able to afford a visit home to the States this summer without being strapped for cash. We are trying to be more frugal since last year we had a lot of big expenses with two weddings, me moving and the honeymoon to end all honeymoons. Reading blogs to get suggestions has helped a lot but I have had to adjust some things to life here in the south of Spain.

Just living in Europe has opened my eyes to ways to save money since for a lot of people it is a natural part of their lifestyle. Here are 10 ways I have noticed we are living more cost effectively:

1.       Gas in INCREDIBLY expensive here in Spain where they sell it by the liter. Right now the price is around 1.4 euros/liter which works out to roughly around 8 dollars/gallon. We have one car. Most families make do with one vehicle (though this is changing) and we are lucky enough to live somewhere with good public transportation. This makes a HUGE difference I know, having grown up somewhere that had none. Here we walk, ride bikes, take the bus and carpool. Some days it takes a lot of planning but we make one car work and don’t plan on investing in another ride for a while yet.

2.       We don’t have a dryer. Not a lot of people here do (at least in the south of Spain). We line dry everything. Crunchy towels are no fun but we save a ton on electricity. This is something I would consider changing in our new place since there are days (like the last few) when it rains and clothes start to get funky. It is definitely a trade-off and again takes planning. If I have a certain outfit I want to wear and it needs to be cleaned, I have to think ahead.

3.       Many women practice homemaking which equals savings since they are able to do things around the home that others (like me in the past) might pay for. For example, I am thankful to have a mother-in-law who knows how to sew and is a pretty handy seamstress. She can find clothing on the cheap and adjust it to fit. She fixed my wedding dress and sewed our curtains. I am sure in the new apartment she will be a godsend when it comes time to decorate. She is a sewing rock-star besides being a great cook. I am hoping that she will be able to teach me a few things soon.

4.       We unplug things when we aren’t using them to save energy. My husband is kind of obsessive about this. I never used to unplug my coffee maker or the internet router when I wasn’t using them but here we do. Almost all appliances get unplugged at night except the fridge. If I don’t, I am scolded. I have learned a lot from my husband about the “right” way to live ; ).

5.       Though this might seem like a no-brainer it took me moving here to learn: we take care of our clothing so it lasts longer. When Jose and I first started living together I noticed how he always carefully folded or hung up his clothing when he changed out of it. I was (and often times still am) the kind of girl who would just throw things on the bed and worry about it later. This is another constant battle between us and I do have to give my husband credit. If you take care of your clothes, they look better and you can wear them longer. People here in Spain pay attention to fashion and their appearance a lot (sweatpants outside of the gym is a BIG no no). If they are investing their money in clothes they want to make sure they last a long time. 

6.       There are no coupons so people save money on groceries in different ways. First, some people shop at local markets, stands and shops. They build relationships with the vendors and get the highest quality meat, fish, bread, etc. for the best prices. Second, we tend to shop for things that are in-season. In fact, often times it is impossible to find fruits or vegetables that are not in-season (or you pay an arm and a leg for it).  Third, we usually shop the so-called “marcas blancas” which are the off-brands produced by each grocery store. (I have learned to live without a lot of American brands anyway since they are not available here in Spain. It is easier than it might seem). The last thing we do to save at the grocery store is paying attention to the weekly flyers to see what is on-sale and then planning meals around that. I wish we could shop less often to save money but look at the size of our fridge. It's small (and covered in magnets from our travels). This is typical!

7.       Think about alternative energy and ways to conserve. We use solar energy to heat our water. This works since it is sunny most days.  We don't have a bathtub so we are forced to shower. People also take shorter showers to conserve water. They tend to turn the water off while they suds and scrub, switching it back on to rinse off. Not only does this save money, it also conserves water which is important in an area that has suffered from droughts. Here in Spain they are also famous for their windmills (think Don Quixote) and you can see giant windmills dotting the landscape throughout the country taking advantage of windpower.

8. Though this is changing somewhat, Spain is a cash culture. Except for very large purchases, we pay for everything with cash. People would look at you like you were crazy if you tried to pay for a coffee with a debit or credit card. In fact, I am not sure you even could. Somehow paying with cash makes us more conscious of our spending.

9. Keep it simple. Typical and traditional Spanish recipes tend to use simple ingredients and are wonderful. They come from a time when people couldn't afford a lot of expensive food and are pretty easy to make. Many are vegetable or rice based. Spanish people eat a lot of fish and white meat. For dessert they have yogurt or fruit. They use fresh ingredients. As an added bonus, these types of food are healthier as well! Much better than processed food. As a result, people in Spain live for a long time. Jose still has all four grandparents! I would like to do a web series on Spanish recipes soon. Check back!

10. Don't be shy to accept food, clothes or help from others. Here in Spain people seem to show they care through food. Family events revolve around it: lunches, dinners, desserts. When we visit Jose's extended family we often come back loaded with leftovers, fresh fruit and vegetables, conserves, olive oil, a cake that I once mentioned I liked and that his grandmother makes for me each time we come out. If we were to reject these offers his family would be offended. It is another way they show their love in a culture tied intimately to food. These people remember what it was like to live without and want to share. It took me a while to adjust but now I accept with a smile. This idea can translate to other situations as well. If people offer to help, chances are they sincerely mean it. Take them up on it and try to think of a way to reciprocate or pay it forward.

So there you have it. These are 10 ways we are cutting corners here in Spain where the economy is terrible but where life is still good. As I think of or observe more ideas I will be sure to post them. On that note and with all this thinking about money lately I have decided to write a blog series about frugal travel (one of my husband and my passions and something we refuse to give up). It will start on December 15th and go for a month. I am calling it 31 days of frugal travel tips and I hope you will enjoy it as well! Check back!