Plentiful rewards for your Frugality
Frugal living saves money and you can enjoy life more
I could just sum this up with two words, "Vive la difference", but I won't because a). It's not as simple as that and b). It won't fill up a decent page size !
Being frugal isn't about buying the cheapest and going without. It's about being thrifty, keeping your eyes and ears open and living a more cost effective and satifying life.
It can be used in nine things about your life to reward you with the tenth. Like, if you really want a great holiday for whatever reason, being pampered and having a fling, it can be achieved by frugality in other things rather than getting out the Credit Card and paying for it over the next five years (if you're lucky). Just a savings plan if you like.
Frugal Self satisfaction
There aren't many times where you come back from the Shops with a smile on your face. But if you've really looked round, weighed up the costs and got exactly the item you want - that's good news!What greater satisfaction than opening up the back door, walking down the Garden and returning with your daily vegetable needs and if you keep chickens as well, it could be your whole days food without a glance at the Supermarket.
Seeing your rewards
It's a rpoud moment when you tear open your Energy bill and find it's 20% less than the previous one because you turned down the thermostat, fixed the draughts in the doors and changed to Energy Saving Light Bulbs etc.
Finding your hidden talents
By building things, such as bookcases, Garden Benches, Shelf Units from recycled materials (stuff in your Shed for the last ten years or a Skip)
The future in your hands
I find it quite healthy to have something to worry about, especially finances. It keeps you on your toes and makes you more aware of the natural and waste resources there are around you.
If you've downshifted from a larger Company situation - how often have you worried about the forthcoming re-organisation, the financial affairs of the Company, whether you will still have the job in a years time?
These vanish. Fair enough they are exchanged for a newer set, but they are in your own hands.
It's like some people find it hard to be a passenger in a car. They';d rather be driving themselves because you have more control.
You become your own Master and Slave. Your future in finances, lifestyle and family maters are in your hands.
As an exercise, at the end of each day, write something you spent money on which you didn't really have to and things which you may have purchased at a lower more cost effective price if you'sd have spent a bit of time looking around (right down to the Kit-Kat you brought for 55p, when you'd have got it for less somewhere else.
Fair enough, not all of us want to be like this, some may like some of it but not all of it.
The thing is that by being frugal, this will bring about more competitive prices in shops, be better for the environment, but most of all - better for you and me !
You may think that having less money will be stress, but strangely, it doesn't work like that. You have worries, but not the same - makes sense, probably not! Alongside your newly found frugal talent comes other skills as well. I call them ducking and diving ! You learn how to handle money in a whole new way.
Money is like manure; it's not worth a thing unless it's spread around encouraging young things to grow. Thornton Wilder
