How a Strong Community Becomes a Frugal Family's Heaven

We’re lucky to live in our neighborhood. A walk down the street that should take 5 minutes is stretched out to 20 with all the “hellos” and “howyadoins.” We watch out for each others’ kids, and yes, we rat them out when needed. But a strong community does more than provide a sense of security and togetherness. Strong communities help frugal families save money in the most pleasant way

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Shared Tools and Help

At least once in any neighborhood stroll, someone will mention a project they have going on at the house, and someone else will suggest talking to another neighbor who has just what they need to do the job. Before you know it, you have a weekend project, and five neighborhood volunteers arrive on Saturday with beer, tools and smiles ready.

Free Second Hand Stuff

Nearly every piece of furniture in my home came from a neighbor and the same is true for most of the others in what we jokingly call, “the hood. “ My son is a tall kid, so his clothes are handed down to his friends. Other clothes find their way to my house for my toddler.
 
There is a constant exchange of used goods from house to house. When someone has a baby, another neighbor is ready to help get everything set up before the new one arrives home. Anything the new mother needs is handed over from mothers who don’t need baby things anymore. Word gets out and we’re all scrounging through our closets to see what we might have to contribute.

 
Child Care Cooperation

The people in my neighborhood share parenting work too. We shuttle each other’s kids back and forth from after school programs, take turns watching the kids when school is out and set up play dates for the little ones. When one of us has an event to go to, there’s always a babysitter on hand. And when we are all gathered together, watching the kids is a collective effort among us all.

 
Give and Take

When the neighbor across the street needed help tuning up his lawnmower, my husband was there. The next day, a box of the unbelievably juicy hamburgers our neighbor sells showed up at our door. That weekend, that box was shared among the neighbors who were at another neighbor’s house, helping to clean out the attic. Many of the things that came out of that attic ended up in another neighbor’s house as free second hand furniture.

 
Growing a Community

This kind of strong community does not build itself. Through a combination of luck and persistence, we have cultivated it like a garden. It takes several like-minded individuals with the same goal. Everyone has to want the kind of neighborhood where there kids can roam freely, and they know other parents are keeping an eye out. We have to be willing to take that call informing us of our child’s bad behavior without taking offense. We must all give up our time for someone else, with the understanding that what goes around comes around. You can’t keep score and you can’t hold back.

 
How We Did It

For us, building a community started with just the will to do it. The first step was to set up a homeowners association, which I ran with my husband and a few other couples ran. Although our association only lasted two years, the friendships we made in running it are still strong today. We still have a Labor Day cookout every year, and we try to have an annual spring yard sale. When one person makes a strong effort, others follow suit. Most of all, we just make it a point to stay in touch. Facebook helps a lot, and so does getting out of our cars at the bus stop to talk.
 
Those early friendships have widened into a larger circle of friends who are always willing to welcome someone new into the fold. Open minds are a prerequisite to building community because one mother’s idea of parenting is another’s idea of running a concentration camp. One father’s definition of harsh is another’s concept of healthy discipline. So, we accept each other as we are, even when our values collide.
 
But there is one thing we all have in common…a desire for community. We’re a self-proclaimed bunch of “working-class slobs,” just trying to get by. And we help each other do that in so many ways. Not only does a strong community give you a sense of home and belonging, it’s a frugal family’s heaven.