One of my topics of recent interest is frugality. I heard this amazing line somewhere that I keep reminding myself whenever I feel like I am denying myself of something that would be good to have:

Frugality is about optimization, not deprivation.

Reminding myself of that mantra, the decision becomes easy, the want less, and things come into focus. What really is important here:

(A) I have this thing that would be nice to have, but I am not in love with it and it wont really add any value to my life. 

Or

(B) that I will keep my pennies in my pocket and not have one more thing to think of, take care of, store, and my life will go on the same as ever.

Of course I don’t verbalize these thoughts every time, but the essence of it is there in the back of my mind. And with these directed questions, it becomes very easy to say “no, thank you”.

I feel like we all have different ways of being frugal. Based on what’s important to us and what our values are, we are ok to cut corners and make do with less or of lesser quality in some realms but not others. Which means frugality has a different flavor for each individual, each family etc. And that variety and diversity makes frugality an interesting topic to talk about. It gives us a little peak into someone else’s life and thinking. It may inspire us and give us ideas of new ways of saving. Maybe we don’t even realize we are over-spending in some realm of our lives, till we see someone else doing something smart about it. 

There is definitely a lot to learn. And with excessive stuff all around us- the choices, the turnaround of new designs, the ease of getting almost anything we can think of…well, frugality has definitely become an important need for us if we are to save our resources, and our sanity. 

And I must say, to me it has become a kind of a game. When I walk away from something that my heart was getting set on, or walk out of a shop full of very enticing things without getting anything extra- I have this smile on my face, and an inner dialogue of commending myself for being strong. What can I walk away from, and actually feel happy about it- that is the game here. What can I convince myself that I didn’t really ever need? I come home and tell my family of my conquest of greed and desire- bragging rights I definitely earned. 

Anything to get those dollars to stay with me rather than flying away for things I have no space for in my simple life.