Beginning the Frugal Life

Living thrifty is often equated with boredom and misery. This doesn't have to be true, though, because even the thriftiest individual can derive true happiness from life; they don't have to be a stingy scrooge. A thrifty person tends to live debtless with money to spend and the freedom to do so.

The truth is that frugal people are not stingy, they are wise. They have learned to spend their money in the best way possible. The years have taught them to be thrifty and to look for the best deal or bargain. Experience has shown them to be patient and wait for the sale or to purchase when the time is right. Most importantly, frugal people have learned to save as many pennies as they spend.

Living thrifty brings a plethora of benefits, the first being financial security. Instead of blowing money, they wait to go on vacation, buy things they want, and otherwise spend money wisely so that they always have savings to fall back on.

Spending less money means that a thrifty person doesn't require the same income to sustain their habits that a less frugal person would. That leaves them freer to enjoy life. Their work schedule thus is less restrictive, possibly even allowing them to work from home in pseudo-retirement.

Buying with cash continues to be the best way to negotiate large purchases in your favor, a fact known very well by the frugal buyer. A thrifty lifestyle allows you to save up cash for those big purchases in life instead of just making a rash decision to spend large amounts of money. Making high cost purchases with cash in hand and a well thought out plan will let you dominate negotiations over price.

Living thrifty does not have to be difficult. It is easier, however, to become frugal with the help of family members. Talk to your family before you start making changes towards a thriftier lifestyle.

Eliminating credit card dependency is the first step in making yourself a more frugal person. Buy with cash instead. Don't buy anything without first sleeping on it. A twenty-four hour purchase waiting period will help you make sure you aren't buying something just out of emotion.

Thriftiness can be associated with a happy life filled with freedom, security, and a true sense of appreciation for the things you have been able to acquire.