"I think, currently, our generation is not that frugal. One thing that's of importance right now is saving, and I think there are a lot of youths who need to understand the value of saving, especially looking forward to our retirement. In a couple of years our Social Security won't be worth anything, and we spend our money on frivolous things.

"I am very particular about how I spend my money. I've set a weekly budget, and I plan out ahead of time what I eat. ... I have boxes of pasta and vegetables, stuff to make sandwiches with. I have the necessary things at home, and if I'm on the go I'll stop at home. Sometimes I'll bring stuff with me to school, as opposed to going to one of the fast-food restaurants up the street or something like that.

"I think people misconstrue frugality for just looking like a hobo. There's nothing wrong with being cheap. When shopping in a store I look for sales; clearances always look better than [thrift clothing]. I've bought very nice outfits for under $50 -- that's shirt, shoes, purse, everything.

"I think that goes with setting a budget for yourself. If you set a budget, then you will find things. If you go into a store without a budget, you're going to spend more than what is necessary; you're going to leave there spending like $120.

"I pay my own car note, insurance, rent, all that stuff, everything. In order to have all that, I've made sacrifices, but it's well worth it. I have my own freedom, and that's priceless. It's a big thing, having and managing your own funds."