Mind Set..

Many people think that being frugal means going without, which is not necessarily true. Being frugal is a mind set where you try to get the most value out of your money. Resources are finite, so you learn to make due with what you got.

You can accomplish this through various way, such as finding another use for an item. For example, we buy clementines in these little wooden boxes. Instead of throwing out the box once we're done with all the clementines, we find another purpose for it. We use one of the boxes to store our spices, which keeps our spice cupboard organized. Another box we used to keep the cat's food dish in, which helps keep the mess down. A third box we used to organize my children's arts and crafts supplies. These items are providing another service at no additional costs to me. As you can see (besides the fact we eat lots of clementines), stuff that was once heading for the trash may have another purpose.

Homemade items are better than you think. There are various of recipes to make items at home, such as sugar scrubs, soaps, tasty dishes and more! Before the grocery stores expanded their aisles to hold various merchandise choices, families were making stuff at home. Also, there is something rewarding about making your own stuff.

Find activities to preoccupy your time and fill your life. Life is not about stuff, yet we're a society that seems so focused on it. Life is about memories. The memories from my life do not revolving around stuff, but rather around doing things with friends and family. Taking walks, riding bikes, trips to the library, sitting around talking, creating crafts, playing in the snow... All of these are joyful memories that did not require expensive items.

Being frugal is not about missing out, it is about using creativity to find other uses and finding value in what is around you.