There are tons of articles, blogs, and eBooks about frugal living but you have to admit they are oftentimes not as detailed as you want them to be. So to ease up on that a little bit, here are a few don’ts of frugal living so as for you to differentiate what you can do and what you shouldn’t do.
First off, do NOT deprive yourself. Frugality is about reducing your expenses, but not at the cost of sacrificing too much. While canceling your cable subscription may be a good idea for some, you should not do it if the TV is the only thing that keeps the leisure in your home.
Do NOT sacrifice too much. Sure, there are sacrifices to be made, but not to a point that you have to skip eating just so you can save a few bucks. Instead, opt for foods that cost less. If you have made it a habit to eat at McDonalds, make your own burger at home. There’s such a thing called frugal cooking, where you can indulge in whatever meals you like without costing the same big bucks.
Do NOT think of frugality is as a hard way of life. It is merely a simple way of living your life. What we have today – cell phones, internet, and a lot of other things – are merely luxuries that we can actually do without. If you have a car and you want to be frugal, don’t use the car and commute instead.
Do NOT hold back on the things you want, as long as you have enough for the things you need. If you want to travel, you can do so. Just make sure you plan for the cheapest trip possible.
Do NOT think that you don’t need money, because you do. However, you don’t need a lot of money – you simply need enough.
I read a little story once about a poor family that made it through with simple thriftiness. Their father had one simple rule in the dining table: eat as much as you want, but do not leave a morsel of meat uneaten. As long as he his kids go to bed on a full stomach, and they can finish their education, they can survive. If you can live without luxuries and set your sights on just living through the simple needs in life, you can get by.
Comments on this entry are closed.