It is a rare woman who is happy to save money and live within her means. Cutting coupons is nice, but the main thing is not worrying that she will blow the week's paycheck on a dozen pairs of shoes, purses, makeup, or any of the other useless status symbols females try to show off.
Frugality seems like it is something that is learned at an early age, and cannot be easily taught later in life. People that I know who seem to be poor all the time, usually have a collection of things they rarely use, and will buy expensive pre-packaged food. Impulse control may be a better term than frugality.
As with the marshmallow experiment, impulse control is better taught to kids by keeping your end of the bargain. You tell your kids to save up for a trip to the water park and you will pay for half, but you don't follow through, you just taught your kid to spend now and get what he can when it is available. Keep those commitments, and make them happen. Reward your kids for disciplining themselves.
When looking for a wife, look at their spending habits. Are they in college (presumably going into debt) and still buy the name brand crap? She is not thinking of the future. Is she taking vacations she cannot afford, or requesting you take her to the fancy dinners? Probably better to move on. Take her to a thrift store and see her reaction, take her to a quality clothes store, and see her reaction there. If she insists you buy her a Kashmir sweater, you are a walking ATM.
When you are married, go through finances often together. I will update our budget spreadsheet nightly, asking her what this or that purchase was, and we will sit down and discuss money issues at least twice per week. Staying on top of it ensures money isn't being wasted frivolously, or hidden. More importantly, it ensures you two are on the same page financially and reduces the bickering.
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