Frugality simply means to abstain or go without, but it can also mean living a simpler less wasteful life and keeping within our personal finances without getting into debt. More and more people are starting to see the benefits of living this way, especially as prices of basic utilities and food are on the increase.

The most basic areas of our lives where living a frugal lifestyle can benefit us by helping us save money and reducing our impact on the wider environment are:

In our day to day shopping habits

In our use of gas and electricity

How we spend our holiday time

Gift giving and celebrating major yearly holidays such as Christmas and Birthdays

How we care for ourselves and our property on a day-to-day basis.

In all these areas we can not only reduce our spending but can also reduce the stresses of modern life by leading a more simple existence.

Often the main reason people turn to a frugal lifestyle is the desire or need to save money and so one of the first things that needs to be accomplished when first embarking on the a frugal way of life is to plan your finances. To do this you will have to look at your existing yearly budget. Then analysing every area of your budget to find where money is being wasted and how you can reduce those costs for the coming year. Finding cheaper suppliers for things like gas and electricity, telephone services and even grocery shopping is the first area to target. Once you see your spending written down it makes the whole process of reducing costs and wasting less a much easier and dear I say even pleasurable and freeing experience.

 

Living a simpler life of course does not mean going without, it just means taking a look at what you like to do and buy and perhaps looking for cheaper ways of doing and buying those things. A lot wasteful spending can simply arise from habit, like always buying the same brand of beans when the cheaper can next to it is just as good, or by not being aware of sales and offers, which could save you money in the long, run. Often living a frugal life is just a matter of making yourself more aware of the way you live and of the many opportunities around you to help you change for the better.

Apart from the desire to want to save money, a lot of people are turning to the frugal lifestyle to reduce the stress in their life. A lot of this stress stems from all the things we have in our lives, cluttering up our homes and creating more things to worry about. Clutter has often been sited as a cause of stress and by clearing the decks of all the things we don’t really need, helps to also clear our minds and rid us of worries and stresses.

Over all frugality is a positive way to live our lives, even in these modern times of technology and excess. You can still live in the 21st century and benefit from all it has to offer but you will be happier for not being in debt, less stressed and will be helping to keep our planet green and healthy for the next generations.

By Kate Tilmouth