Frugality Does Not Have To Ruin Lifesty
You may hear
a lot of people talk about saving money and being frugal. But it has a negative
connotation for some people. Just because you adopt the frugal lifestyle
doesn’t mean that your life as you know it now will change.
We can all
tighten the belt and spend a little less for what we have. Let’s face it; if we
have the money, we often don’t make an issue of paying full price when we don’t
necessarily have to. This is a mindset. When you begin to live frugally, you
are changing that mindset - not your lifestyle per se.
Some people
equate “frugal” with “cheap.” This is by no means the case. With “cheap” you
get what you pay for, which is nothing. That is still wasting money. It’s the
same as if you had paid full price. Frugal means searching for another way to
do something or get a service that is of comparable quality but costs less.
Get the best
deals that you can on all things in every area of your life. There is nothing
shameful or wrong about that. Companies offer deals to earn your business. So,
let them work for your favor and let yourself enjoy the ride. You may even find
that frugal living is teaching you how to look at life in the long term instead
of just the here and now.
Think of it
this way. Someone that pays full price because they have the money is not
considering the financial ramification of doing so. If you can get a new
wheelchair for $500 outright but $250 by using Medicare or looking into your
private insurance, why not do it? It’s a little more legwork, but the savings
can be put towards something else.
Do you like
to travel? Even in a recession or if you need to tighten the financial belt,
you can still travel. What has changed or is trying to change here is your
mindset. Have you seen the commercials for places like Travelocity? You can
stay in four-star hotels and eat in fancy restaurants by taking advantage of
travel deals.
Living
frugally does take some research. Look at exactly what you are getting with
some of the discounts and deals that are offered for travel, clothing
purchases, rental cars, dining out and supplementing your income.
Do the kids
want money for weekends with friends? Hold a yard sale. They learn how to
organize, decide what is good and what is not for sale, sell products to
neighbors, friends and strangers and also how to value a dollar. You get a
cleaner home and they get the cash for a job well done.
Try frugal
living. It doesn’t mean that you are destitute or have to give up doing some of
the activities you are accustomed to. Now, you simply know how to do them
better.
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