Freakin' Frugal

At last, we have money left over at the end of the month. We celebrated by spending some of it. It was fun to buy books and not have the nagging guilt of budget-busting to deal with. This bit of extra money doesn't mean we get to stop living frugally. Oh, no. That lifestyle will continue.

In part our interests and tolerance contribute to our frugal living.

*We don't watch TV. So there is none of that biggest, baddest, newest TV going on. No commercials to persuade us to buy things we do not need. I know MySpouse feels a little dweebish when the SuperBowl rolls around, but if he really cared about football he could follow it on the Internet.

*I hate cell phones. I don't know of any device that has made people behave more rudely. What I don't understand about cell phones is why people can't talk and drive at the same time. Truckers talk on CB radios without endangering the lives of others. Also I'm amused by people who think that it's more important to have a conversation than to prevent the accident that
they're going to die in.

*Gas engines. Way too loud for me. Neither of us is interested in boats, jet-skis, snowmobiles, motorcycles, ATV's, or 4-wheel drive vehicles. 4-wheel drive is mostly a yuppie status thing. Why do you need 4-wheel drive if you never leave the Interstate? If the only roads you drive on are paved? You don't. But you've helped to keep full-size American vehicles on the road. You've helped auto manufacturers make millions of dollars on vehicles with useless features.
Boats, jet-skis, snowmobiles, motorcycles, ATV's, are, I believe, a way to violate nature with sound and movement. I wouldn't call myself a tree-hugger, but these gas-powered toys produce too much noise for the little entertainment they provide. Like listening to a 5-year-old tell a joke they just made up.

*Addictions. Take a look at what you're spending money on. It doesn't have to be booze or drugs necessarily. You may be purchasing items to pass along to others; children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. I'm not preaching, folks. I'm currently in the throes of an addiction to Ruffles potato chips. Sounds kind of comical, I know, but as soon as I'm stressed about something I want Ruffles. It's a relief though, to want Ruffles rather than Wild Turkey.

*Credit cards and addictions go hand-in-hand, I think. Credit cards make it easier to spend money. Credit cards make it easier to spend money that isn't yours...yet. Look at the future; is that what you want to do with your money? If you're at the age that me and MySpouse are, early to mid-fifties, you probably do need to look at the future carefully. Who wants to be paying off credit card debt after retirement? Don't plan on filing bankruptcy. With the highest rates of bankruptcy ever, the laws could change any day.

Anyone who writes about frugal living will say exactly what I'm going to say now. Frugal, cheap, inexpensive doesn't mean devoid of fun. Just less expensive fun.

You want to eat out? Plan. Attend a fundraiser meal put on by a local service club in your community. You get to eat, socialize, and help out your community. Plus, donating to a charity makes the food you eat free of calories.

You want to take a break from winter? Go to a local greenhouse. February is when I feel the need to take a break from winter. It's so great to go to the local greenhouse. Green plants, moist air, the scent of wet soil, the promise of spring to come, are a distraction from snow, slush, and cold temperatures.

You're bored and lonely? Stop going to the local bar and see who calls you. Get out of the house. Go someplace where there are people. Join a service club, go to church, volunteer, attend a 12-step meeting.

Every community, but for the very smallest, has opportunities for entertainment.