{"id":42254,"date":"2025-05-12T23:17:09","date_gmt":"2025-05-12T23:17:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/isafespend.com\/?p=42254"},"modified":"2025-05-12T23:17:10","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T23:17:10","slug":"32-reasons-to-be-frugal-besides-saving-money","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/isafespend.com\/?p=42254","title":{"rendered":"32 Reasons to Be Frugal Besides Saving Money"},"content":{"rendered":"
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I\u2019m frequently asked why I choose to be frugal. Is it all about saving money? My answer is always, \u201cNo, it\u2019s not all about saving money, although that\u2019s a nice side effect.\u201d Saving money tends to be the driving reason behind why many people turn to a frugal lifestyle (and it was for me, in the beginning). But after being frugal for a while, most people find that there are additional reasons to stick with this lifestyle, beyond the monetary savings. So what are some of the other reasons people pursue a frugal lifestyle? If you\u2019re thinking about going frugal, here are some of the additional reasons to consider.<\/p>\n

It simplifies your record keeping<\/h2>\n

When you\u2019re not overspending and incurring tons of bills, it\u2019s less paperwork to keep up with, less bills to pay, and less time you have to spend tracking your money.<\/p>\n

It simplifies your cleaning<\/h2>\n

When you\u2019re not drowning in clutter, it\u2019s much easier and faster to clean your house. You\u2019re not always trying to clean around and between things you don\u2019t even use.<\/p>\n

It makes you healthier<\/h2>\n

Chances are that if you\u2019re on a frugal plan you\u2019ll eat healthier and exercise more as you stop eating out and do more for yourself.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s better for the environment<\/h2>\n

When you\u2019re frugal, you generate less waste and consume fewer resources. The planet thanks you.<\/p>\n

Frugality inspires an attitude of gratitude and contentment<\/h2>\n

Frugal living makes you appreciate what you have and helps you to realize that you are blessed to have it, even if it\u2019s not the newest luxury what-not. This makes for a far more content life, rather than a life spent straining and whining for the latest thing.<\/p>\n

You gain a better perspective on what \u201cenough\u201d really is<\/h2>\n

Frugal living teaches you that \u201cenough\u201d is not the newest luxury car, but a functional car (or no car at all, if you live in an area where that\u2019s possible). \u201cEnough\u201d is not the latest gadget, but a loving family and food on the table. It helps you realize that you probably have \u201cenough\u201d and that there are a lot of people who don\u2019t.<\/p>\n

It might make you more generous<\/h2>\n

Once you realize that you have enough, and you\u2019re grateful for that, you might find yourself more willing to help those who aren\u2019t as fortunate, whether it\u2019s through donations of money or time.<\/p>\n

The thrill of the deal<\/h2>\n

Beyond the money you save, there is a thrill you get when you know you\u2019ve gotten the best price on something or, better yet, scored something for free.<\/p>\n

It equips you to survive<\/h2>\n

Truly frugal people do a lot for themselves. What they don\u2019t know how to do, they learn. They learn to fix a car, repair a leaky roof, cook, garden, or sew. Many of these skills are forgotten or deemed unnecessary in today\u2019s world, but should there ever come a time when you have to do for yourself (job loss, another depression, disease outbreak, etc.), frugal people are better prepared than most.<\/p>\n

You learn a lot<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re doing a lot for yourself, chances are you\u2019re learning those skills as you go along. Learning new skills keeps the brain active and gives you a feeling of accomplishment.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re teaching the next generation<\/h2>\n

If you model a frugal lifestyle for your kids, chances are they\u2019ll go on to live a more frugal lifestyle and teach their kids the same. You can\u2019t beat giving your kids a head start on good money management skills at a young age.<\/p>\n

You become more creative<\/h2>\n

Making do with what you have and reducing spending requires you to more creative to get the most out of what you have. Can you reupholster that chair instead of buying new? Does that glass jar have some other use? Can the kids make craft projects out of that box?<\/p>\n

You become more social<\/h2>\n

As you detach from \u201cthings,\u201d you may find yourself moving more toward people. You may reduce your cell phone or email use and talk more in person. You have more time to go out because you\u2019re not tied to TV. You get more involved in your community.<\/p>\n

It reduces stress<\/h2>\n

Your \u201cto do\u201d list is likely to get smaller when you get off the consumer treadmill. You won\u2019t \u201chave to\u201d go out to eat. You won\u2019t \u201chave to\u201d take the kids to fifteen different activities if they\u2019re having fun in the backyard. \u201cYou won\u2019t \u201chave to\u201d work extra hours to earn enough to cover your wants. You won\u2019t \u201chave to\u201d go out and buy new clothes every season. With less to do, you\u2019ll find your stress level decreasing.<\/p>\n

It puts you in control<\/h2>\n

When you do more for yourself, it puts you in control of the result. If you fix your own car, you know the mechanic isn\u2019t charging you for stuff he didn\u2019t do or wasn\u2019t necessary. If you cook at home or garden, you know what\u2019s in your food. If you handle your own finances, you know exactly where your money is and how much it\u2019s earning.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re more comfortable<\/h2>\n

I don\u2019t know how many times I see people here go out in the foulest weather because they \u201chave to\u201d go to the movies or the mall for something to do. I\u2019d much rather stay in my climate controlled home with my frugal entertainment than sit in a cold movie theater (that I had to drive in the rain to get to) listening to the jerk behind me yak on his phone.<\/p>\n

You can be lazy \u2014 to an extent<\/h2>\n

Frugality frees up time that would otherwise be spent driving, working, or shopping. With that extra time you can take an afternoon nap on Sunday, stay home and read the paper, or just stare out the window and daydream.<\/p>\n

You have more options, flexibility and even freedom<\/h2>\n

When you\u2019re not servicing the consumer debt machine and constantly worrying about making it to the next paycheck, you have many more options in life. You can choose to work more hours or not, or even change jobs, as your desire allows. If you\u2019d like to live somewhere else or work somewhere else, you have the freedom to look into it without feeling trapped by \u201chaving to\u201d stay at your current job. You can choose to have an additional child\/pet (or not) and base that decision on more than money. You can choose to retire early or work through old age, if you want to. Frugality opens up your choices.<\/p>\n

It saves all kinds of time<\/h2>\n

You spend less time in traffic. Less time cleaning. Less time standing in line and waiting. Less time dealing with unhelpful sales people. Less time shopping and running errands. Less time on the phone straightening out a financial problem. Less time paying bills. Less time dealing with the daily crap that clutters so much of our lives.<\/p>\n

It satisfies a moral or religious edict<\/h2>\n

If your faith or morals dictate that you do more with less, frugality is the only way to go.<\/p>\n

You want to make a political statement<\/h2>\n

If you want to rebel against consumerism and make a political statement about the evils of spending, frugality is one way (and the most authentic) to do it.<\/p>\n

You believe in social justice<\/h2>\n

Some people become frugal out of a sense of social justice. In other words, they realize that they are taking more than their share of resources and that doing so depletes the availability of resources for others. They also realize that many goods are made with questionable practices and that to forgo some goods might help better those circumstances. They become frugal in an attempt to balance the scales.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re an animal rights activist<\/h2>\n

Many frugal people are also vegetarians. Eating less or no meat is a frugal choice that some people make because they don\u2019t care for the ways farm animals are treated. Many frugal people also refuse to wear fur or leather because of animal rights\u2019 issues, but it also saves money.<\/p>\n

You want to lose weight<\/h2>\n

Frugality entails eating less\/healthier foods and exercising more (walking to work, doing your own yard work, etc.). All are great ways to lose weight.<\/p>\n

It beats therapy<\/h2>\n

Stress, depression, feeling out of control, and anxiety are all hallmarks of the consumer-driven lifestyle. Frugality reduces stress, increases your feelings of contentment and gratitude, reduces anxiety associated with money concerns and puts you in control of your life. Yes, you could see a shrink or take a pill to accomplish the same things, but it\u2019s healthier and cheaper to eliminate the lifestyle that\u2019s causing the problems.<\/p>\n

Frugality honors your culture\/heritage<\/h2>\n

Maybe you come from frugal parents and grandparents and were raised to be frugal yourself. Maybe your race or ethnic group honors frugality and being a spendthrift isolates you from those core beliefs. Some people go frugal to honor those who have gone before.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s fun and challenging<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s fun to find great deals, to learn new things, to find new ways to save, to do for yourself, and to meet others who share the same goals. The more you work at it, the more fun it becomes.<\/p>\n

It gets you away from the media machine<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re worried about the effect that constant advertising has on your brain or your kids\u2019 brains, frugality is one way to separate yourself from that. Less exposure to advertising teaches you that most \u201cneeds\u201d are manufactured by Madison Avenue. You start to think for yourself again.<\/p>\n

It teaches the art of compromise<\/h2>\n

Frugal people learn that you can\u2019t always have everything you want, but you can have some of what you want. The daily compromise between buying store brand ketchup and name brand, or between buying a new bedspread and mending the old one, all so you can have more money for something else, teaches us how to compromise to get more of what we really want.<\/p>\n

It puts you in touch with nature<\/h2>\n

Being frugal puts you back in touch with what \u201cnatural\u201d really means. You\u2019ll probably spend more time outside, buy or grow organic food and fabrics, and become less dependent on artificial \u201cstuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

It improves your sex life<\/h2>\n

When you\u2019re not strung out about money, you can have a more fulfilling life in the bedroom. When you\u2019re not cramming your life with artificial entertainment, you have more time to play in the bedroom.<\/p>\n

You want to sleep better<\/h2>\n

Rather than lying awake at night worrying about their money crisis, frugal people sleep better knowing that, whatever else goes wrong in the world, they\u2019re able to care for themselves.<\/p>\n

You can see that there are many reasons why people choose to be frugal, other than saving money. Saving money is a nice byproduct of these actions, but it\u2019s not always the entire reason why someone chooses frugality. Next time you meet a frugal person, ask them why they choose that lifestyle. You might be surprised by the answer.<\/p>\n

Image courtesy of consumatron<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n