What does Frugal Living mean to you?

frugal living means reducing by recycling, shopping at thrift shops, buying stuff at garage sales and the like. donating things to thrift stores, just generally being careful with your money, thats what it means to me.

Frugal living to me means living within my means, not getting into a lot of debt (too late for that but I trying to pay it all down ASAP) Saving as much money as I can and not buying anything too unnecessary and not over spending. I'm a pretty cheap person by nature so for me most if it is not very hard.

To me frugal living means living within my means, prioritizing my needs so that I never have to borrow to buy unnecessary items, saving for the rainy day, splurging once a month and taking a vacation once a year.

For me when I first embraced frugal living I felt like I was depriving my self of things that I could otherwise have. Now I understand the joy so much more. I use everything to the fullest, I plan for my future and keep my spending under control. I live well for less and I have fun doing it. I cant even begin to count the ways it has blessed my life. I have less to deal with so I have more time for me, my family and doing things I want to do. I feel good about the impact I leave on the earth and the impact I have on the economy. I have made so many great friends on this journey and I have loved every minute of it . I cant wait to see what new saving tip I will descover next.

For me, frugal living is living and spending within my means, and avoiding extravagance. If there is something I do not really need and I can do without, I will not have it, even if I have the money or resources to acquire it. There are things that I use over a long period, as long as they are still in good and usable condition. One case in point is an oven toaster (a kind of mini-oven for heating food) that I am using. I have been using this for more than 20 years. It has not spoiled and I find it a waste if I get rid of it and upgrade to a new and modern one. I also believe in recycling efforts. Everyday, I recycle my unwanted papers, newspapers, magazines, plastics and bottles. Our earth is being plundered, and each of us has to do his/her part to save it for future generations.

Frugal to me means saving money. Reducing, recycling, and reusing can save money. Like creating a pot scrubber from on onion net bag. Many people throw out the net bag and buy a pot scrubber. Or like washing out the inside of a potato chip bag and turning it inside out to use to give a gift in. Most people throw the bag away or if they can, put it in recycling, but if you reuse it, then it's not in the landfill. With any luck, someone will save it and give it back to you with a gift in it. If your gifts and bags don't match, then cutting the silver or gold or shiny colored bag into pictures, designs or shapes and then glueing them to things, you can remake thems as stickers. We have fun trying to figure out how many ways to reuse an object. It's like a wonderful saving game to us. Take care.