There is a sense of assurance that comes with being able to manage money vs. being managed by money. For some people frugal living is temporary until they are able to get back on their feet or it can be a day in day out necessity to make ends meet. For others (like myself) it is a voluntary decision.
For me living frugally is seeking efficiency and being careful and diligent in how I use my resources, including money, food, knowledge and skills. In many ways frugality is about moderation, knowing what and how much you need, living without waste and making the most of everything you have.
I feel thankful to have grown up in a home where I was encouraged to be a resourceful individual; today it is mostly second nature. I use coupons, shop sales, grow my own vegetables (in the summer months), shop thrift stores and consignment shops and reduce and reuse as much as possible.
However, please do not be misled, there is a difference between being frugal and being cheap. Living frugally allows me live more fully on less and treat myself without guilt. I am a person who appreciates quality more than quantity and I never sacrifice quality. I have a closet full of name brand clothes which I paid pennies on the dollar for and I still use name brand products. I feel it is important to note that there is a time and place to invest money. For instance, I have a hard time spending more than $10 on a top, but I will pay $100 of a pair of jeans no problem. In this example I see the cost of the jeans as a cost per wear situation. I live in jeans, so for me investing in a pair of jeans I love is smart.
I am frequently ask by my peers how I am able to shop and save the way I do. I understand that for many people frugal living sounds more like a chore than a source of entertainment. Couponing takes time, shopping sales takes planning, gardens are hard work and when your free time is limited it's difficult to justify the time it can takes to dig through racks and racks of clothes at the thrift store to find something worth buying. Since finding the best deals is my hobby and passion, I am willing to commit the time and effort to it. However, I do not feel the need to get every deal, sometimes a person can only do so much, and there are always more deals ahead of you. Also, I don't have children or pets that need taking care of so all of my free time is at my disposal to use as I wish. I fully understand that everyone is not in a similar situation. It is important to remember to figure out what works for you and do that because every little bit counts. Don't compare yourself to other women and men, they may look like that have it all together all the time, but I promise you, NO ONE does!
Many other blogs and money saving tutorials boast about how you can save thousands of dollars with this trick and that trick. Many of these tricks are great, but realistically who has the time to shop four or five different grocery stores per week, make multiple runs to the drug stores daily or sit on the computer waiting for the exact moment the next freebie will be release just to make sure you get one? Not me! There are simpler, easier and less time consuming ways to save money and lead a frugal lifestyle that won't consume all your free time and leave you burned out.
Some of the best ways to save are to set a budget and stay well-informed about local circumstances as well as both market and product/service realities. Know what's in season and locally grown, learn which stores consistently have the best prices, sign up for email notifications for local deals (this way you don't have to go search for them, they come to you), subscribe to a blog that finds the deals for you, and embrace cost-free options.
Developing frugal habits takes time. You are not going to start savings hundreds over night. Remember that every experience is a chance to learn. Living frugally helps us learn financial wisdom and develop discipline. Don't be discouraged if you make mistakes, we all do!
