Too Frugal
Sometimes we can take the concept of saving money a little too far. We can drive those around us crazy and in the end not get any further because as a wise British sailor once said, "penny wise and pound foolish" or the lost explorer who could not "see the forest for the trees".
What is the point of ambitiously planting your own vegetable garden in the backyard only to either put way too much time and resources into growing the vegetables so that they would end up costing you more than store bought or buying from your local farmer or at a local farmers market? Or they may be of substandard quality, have insect or bird infestations....(unless of course you enjoy gardening, then it is part of a hobby and is great!). This type of treadmill creates alot of work and does not get you ahead. Cutting too many corners to the point of inconveniencing or worse hampering your productivity can actually be detrimental to overall growth, so make sure those penny and nickel saving ideas really are for the overall good and if so, then by all means save.- but don't overdo it, spend a little more time trying to make more money instead.
What is the point of buying 3 loaves of bread for a small family at Costco or Sam's Club only to have at least 1 loaf get stale and possibly even green.... Incidentally, although buying in these big box stores is great for lasting goods and you can save money (you still have to know your prices as not everything in those places is a bargain!), overloading on perishable goods is actually a waste of money in the end and fresh is always better when it comes to fruits and vegetables, and even meats and baked goods.
Watch out for so called "Fast Food Bargains". You may think you are cutting back by going for some of this cheap food, but not only are you not doing much good for your body, but they are actually not as cheap as they seem. If you look at some of these "deals" on a per 100 calorie basis you will be quite surprised by how much you are really getting for your money. For example, look at KFC's Large Popcorn Chicken. Normally chicken is the cheaper type of meat to begin with and sells for about two bucks a pound or about two-thirds the cost of beef. This popcorn chicken has 550 calories of which about 60% comes from fat. They charge you about a buck per 100 calories for this. Even the sacred McDonald's Big Mac is not immune to this price comparison. The Big Mac has 540 calories (48% from fat) but costs almost a buck per 100 calories depending on where in the world you buy it (Big Mac pricing varies widely around the world). It is still more expensive than say a Double Whopper.
Oh and what's up with the huge pop containers at fast food restaurants (a large portion of which are filled with ice). Especially in the U.S., these oversized drink containers are just not necessary to accompany a meal. Get the small or medium, it's fine. If there are refills onsite, get the small and refill it! But best to avoid fast food whenever possible and opt for eating at home instead. There are many quick recipes that are actually healthy and easy to make, it is just a matter of taking the time to add to your recipe collection and make some of these "Minute Meals". When the kids get old enough, let them help prepare meals, great education, quality time and as a wise carpenter once said, "many hands make short work".
Some "Too Frugal" Ideas
Well with the price of eggs these days, why don't you learn how to raise your own chickens in the back yard. There are actually many resources showing you how to do just this? (chickens don't wake up everyone at sunrise do they? and roosters don't lay eggs, so in theory it should work!). How to build a chicken coop
Planting up the backyard with a vegetable garden as mentioned above. Great in theory, poor for most people in practise. Some vegetables are very time consuming and the education needed to maintain them is also time consuming, so unless you enjoy gardening in which case this is great to get you outdoors in the fresh air and actually help make organic food, a vegetable garden may in the end cost more than just buying them from the farmers market or store.
You can implement some of these too frugal ideas if you want to, but just think through the results to see if it something that may help your particular situation or environment.