There are lots of tips available online for the best way to live a frugal existence. They range from something as simple as turning out the lights if you leave an area to making your own food or natural beauty products. You will find forums available on the internet where people talk about the various ways they collect and use rainwater to complete different tasks from watering gardens to flushing their toilets.
How frugal you are is dependent upon your way of life. In my opinion, what is needed to be frugal is looking for cost effective alternatives before purchasing something, or creating them yourself. You might simply lower the heat at night to save energy and money on your utilities or recycle cans for cash. You might look for store sales or purchase cheaper generic brands. Or you take the time to ask yourself if you really need something and think about it before buying.
Being frugal is not only about washing out zip lock baggies and re-using them. It's not necessarily about grinding your own wheat or gathering rainwater. It is not even about passing up that shirt you really wanted. It's more about thinking about things before you decide to spend money on them. It's about conserving the things you have and coming up with other options for things you might need. It's about spending less and controlling your money.
And each household has different finances. All people have different goals for frugality. It might not look frugal to you for my family to possess a $75,000 truck. However, when we need it to haul cattle back and forth to the market, it becomes an essential part of our lifestyle. We make up for that cost in different ways. We buy our cattle feed in bulk and store it until it is needed in order to save cash. We take proper care of all our equipment to ensure that it will last longer.
The fact is that each individual household needs to take a deep look at their own situation and determine the areas in which they want or need become more frugal. Living a frugal lifestyle doesn't mean you have to do without necessities or even luxuries. You still have the things you need but you are more aware of ways to save money and create alternatives.
Frugal people are typically more careful than the average person. They are more concerned about their finances and expenses. They learn to be happier with the things they have and enjoy finding new ways to spend less while keeping a fulfilling lifestyle. They take the time to create wiser choices and uncover strategies to stretch their dollars further.
Frugal living is mostly about reducing consumption and purchasing of things you don't need, living within your means, fixing things instead of throwing them out, and being wise with your money. It's about making better financial goals and working to achieve them. You can be frugal and still be happier than your neighbor who spends all his money on stuff he doesn't really need.
Take time to consider the way you spend. Your investing and saving is much more essential than your earnings. You might make $1,000 but if you spend $1,020 to do it then you are in grave danger. It will ultimately catch up with you. You have to spend less than you are making, which is exactly what being frugal is all about. Getting more use out of what you have.
It is better to spend less and create more. And it's a heck of a lot better to be frugal than it is to juggle credit cards and loans. Find the frugal living techniques that work best for your family members and start using them today.
Author Resource:
Janessa Cartier prides herself on living frugally and helping teach others to do the same thing. One of her favorite ways to save is by using organic lip balm instead of commercial brands. Visit http://www.jenuinelypure.com to see all their natural products.