What is Frugal Living? by Rachel Sanfordlyn Shreckengast

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In simplest terms, frugal living is living within or below your means. There are many different facets to living a frugal lifestyle and each person who practices frugal living, does so for different reasons. Each person also uses different tools in order to live frugally.

One thing that most people practicing frugal living have in common, is that they make a conscious effort to live in this manner. The myth that most live frugally as a result of necessity is simply that...a myth. Another myth is that frugalists are deprived or are not happy because they don’t want or need certain possessions. Many people don’t seem to understand that living frugally is entirely voluntary. Though there are certainly cases of people turning to frugality out of necessity, those who stick with it are doing so as a result of wanting to rather than needing to.

Frugality can certainly be used as a tool to get out of a bad situation, but it is most effective when used as part of your lifestyle. Frugal living means just that...using frugality as part of your lifestyle. It’s difficult to lump all people who practice frugality into one neat definition. This is because the people who practice this lifestyle are varied, and they all practice frugality for different reasons.

Some people practice frugality in order to live a simpler lifestyle. These types of frugalists are often said to be practicing “voluntary simplicity”. Some frugalists use frugality as a tool to afford the things they truly want...whether it is a large family, travel, housing, education or artwork. Others use frugality because they simply don’t believe in the commercialism that runs rampant in society. Some want to live a frugal lifestyle in order to have more time to do things that are important to them. All of these reasons (as well as many more) are valid reasons for wanting to live frugally.

Best Wishes,
Rachel Sanfordlyn Shreckengast
04212002