I’m catching up on few of my favorite blogs after being offline for over a week. Always more to learn from and reflect on.
The Simple Dollar wrote about
48 Things Frugality has Taught Me
. I would agree with many of his lessons. Here are my personal reflections on my favorite:
4. Young children are usually more interested in the free packaging or other freebies than any item you might buy them.
So true, we try to stick to simplicity with our gifts. Less is often better. Our kiddos b-days are in January, and we typically save a “Christmas” gifts for another month just so they aren’t overwhelmed.
5. A tall glass of pure water is the best first line of defense for many ailments.
Water, plus a neti pot and some tiger balm.
8. Fixing a toilet isn’t nearly as scary as it sounds.
I’m not afraid to say that Hubby has called me “toilet lady,” because I’m the first one to fix any leaks. In case you’re still intimidated, here are some easy instructions on fixing a leaky toilet.
10. You disagree with your spouse a lot less if you don’t have a pile of debt stressing you out.
As parents of young children, we know there’s enough stress already, why make life any harder?!
11. YouTube and a pile of old newspapers can entertain a four year old and a two year old for several hours.
Our kids also love sending/getting e-cards, way more fun and interactive than paper cards.
15. Every time I let go of something I used to like, I have more room for the things I enjoy now.
Note to self…purge closet!
21. Our city’s parks and recreation department has more fun stuff going on than our family has time to participate in.
We are park fans, and this summer has been packed with urban park adventures. Swim classes are our favorite and we love being able to walk five blocks to the pool.
22. Netflix streaming (at $9 a month) combined with free over-the-air digital television provides better television viewing options than a $50 monthly cable bill.
Absolutely, not having cable is worth every penny.
35. Getting rid of stuff you don’t use can be painful, but it feels exhilarating once you’ve started doing it.
This makes me want to purge more things, particular baby stuff that it no longer useful to us, but could bring others joy. Now I just need to find the time to go through it all…
38. Cloth diapering isn’t as scary as it sounds.
Really! It becomes just as routine as disposable diapering, although like all parents we are looking forward to being done with
diaper duty
.
40. The less activities you jam into a vacation, the more enjoyable and relaxing it usually is.
Going with the flow and relaxing is really the point of it all.
41. The more you talk to children about money and wise money decisions, the more they emulate those decisions with the money they have.
Money hang ups begin early and are hard to change, and I hope to share sustainable skills.
44. Used paperbacks and books from the library are just as fun to read as new books from the bookstore.
After college I had a new book fetish, but I’ve gotten over it. I also don’t feel the need to hang on to more than a bookcase worth…need to purge some.
48. Most of the things that genuinely make me feel good – exercising, playing with my kids, holding my wife – don’t cost anything at all.
So true. I try to remind myself every day of all the free family fun we can make together.
What has frugality taught you and your family?
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Sustainable Family Finances
The story of a family creating an abundant and sustainable life.
