Frugality is more than just buying cheap stuff or being a
penny-pincher. Sure, I may always pick up a penny off the ground if it happens
to catch my eye because I can still hear my Grandmother, Mimi, saying “A penny
saved is a penny earned” but that doesn’t mean I’m constantly scouring the
parking lot for loose change. Like everything, frugality is a way of life that
extends far beyond that of just physical money.
Frugality and leading a frugal lifestyle can be found in
every aspect of your life from diet, exercise, work, family, future, time
management, and even your hobbies. Behavioral studies show that people who are
Frugal have the tendency to acquire economic goods or services in a patient
manner in order to achieve a long term goal. While I wholeheartedly agree this
is true, we love to save money for that nice new shiny trinket we’ve wanted
since we were 7 years old, be it a laptop, car, house, massage, cruise
vacation, or whatever your amazing mind can dream up, I believe that frugality
is a mindset that transcends mere economic and spending tendencies.
We can extend our frugal tendencies into our diets, for
example. Being frugal is what defines us. We can forego the McDonald’s $5 Big
Mac and settle with two $1 McChickens instead. But why even stop there? Why not
skip the drive-through entirely and benefit
from a fast?
We have the ability
to wait a week or a month, maybe even years and go without a T.V. in order to
buy the biggest and best. But we don’t stop there, no, we research our big
purchase, we wait… Until just the right time and we pounce. We chase what we
want with such fervor that nothing can get in our way. If I were an animal, I’d
be a Cheetah, waiting, watching, enjoying the sun, then at just the exact right
moment a chance to get nice big juicy antelope would present itself.
We feast.
We love getting the biggest bang for our buck. We are
disciplined. Frugal folks and families like us don’t follow the crowd. We don’t
mind hanging on to that old suit we had when we were fat or stopping to look at
the dining room chair on the side of the road, so what if it has a tear in the fabric?
I don’t care that someone shot me a funny look or grimaced.
It’s the end of the month and it’s your uncle’s birthday at
the Ritzy Restaurant where you can only choose between Filet Mignon and Pan
Seared-Salmon none of the main courses are under $25. It’s ok, I’ll settle for
the house salad, soup, or split a plate with my brother, we’ve got bigger plans
in the works.
We are contemplating and calculating but not devious or mischievous,
that would not make us frugal. We do not need to lie to get a better deal. We
will happily tip the waiter more because he gave us outstanding service. We don’t
complain or argue because this would be a senseless waste of energy.
Whether or not we believe in a higher power, one entity or
many, we find happiness in our way of life and we feel more virtuous for it.
Frugal philosophy extends into our work life. We make great
managers and leaders. We are patient and forward-looking. We help cut costs and
save the company money, but we aren’t brutal or cold. For us, just like any
corporation, maximizing shareholder wealth is important. We are the shareholder’s
in the happiness of our lives and the lives of those around us.
We are frugal and we are happy. We are free. We care about
money and it is important, yes, but it is not main focus of every second of our
lives. Because hey, we are Frugal, and we’ve already researched this and know
that spending too much time on any one thing will ultimately lead us to failure.
For us, frugality comes naturally, even though we sometimes
have to work at it. Check out [url=http://thepathtofrugality.blogspot.com.es/]
The Path to Frugality [/url] if you are interested in more ways on making the
lifestyle change to that of a more frugal one.
What do you think? I want to hear your comments about what
being frugal means to you.
