Finding Financial Freedom: Frugal Living Without Feeling the Pain

Many people don’t understand the connection between limiting their spiraling spending habits and creating financial freedom. If you’re having trouble getting started, here are some easy ways to spend less and save money.

Hate Convenience

Convenience is the killer of savings because it always comes with a premium. Think about it – when you go out to eat, have someone do your laundry, have someone dye your hair for you, have someone clean your house, or have someone make your coffee for you, it always costs more than it would if you did these things yourself.

Fix Up Your Old Stuff

Stuff wears out. But, that doesn’t mean you should throw it away. Fix it up. When your car’s seats are looking a little shabby, throw a cover on them from Shear Comfort Ltd.. When your walls are looking dingy, throw some paint on them (or, just clean them).

When things break, fix them.

Say No When You Can’t Afford It, Even When You Think You Can

When your friend wants you to go out this Friday, say “no” if you can’t afford it. It’s OK. If he or she is a real friend, they’ll understand. A real friend will find a way to accommodate you – not be angry.

Make Things Last Longer

If you take better care of your stuff, it will last longer. And, you’ll save money by the sheer fact that you won’t have to replace it as often. Did you know that air and water are really what dulls razors, for example? It’s true. So, take care of them by shaking the water off them when you’re done. Dry them, and put them somewhere dry when you’re not using them.

Take care of your books, computers, mobile phones, your beds and bedding, and everything else you own. Air dry your clothes – they’ll last longer because heat from the dryer tends to be more damaging than simple air drying. Dryers are a convenience and conveniences are expensive.

Use Everything In The Bottle Or Jar

Use the last drop of toothpaste, don’t leave a small amount of milk in the jug or carton, and use a spatula to scrape out the last bit of jelly from the jar. Sound a bit extreme? It’s not. And, it’ll save you a lot of money in the long-run because you’ll be using more of what you already have, so you won’t need to buy as many of your consumable items.

Do this for your makeups, all your canned goods, ketchup, mustard and other condiments, and pretty much anything that comes in a tube, jar, or bottle. You’ll be surprised by how much remains in the bottom of a jar or bottle.

Pay More For Quality

It’s easy to cheap out on things, but you shouldn’t. Yes, you should save money. No, this doesn’t mean you should buy the cheapest blender on the planet, sneak into movie theaters for a free showing, or do something else equally sketchy.

Always be willing to pay more for quality, and have a plan before you make those purchases. There are a lot of things you can spend money on, and a lot of expensive things that companies want you to buy. But, most of those things aren’t worth the money you’ll pay for them.

If you do a lot of cooking, for example, it might make sense to shell out $300 for a Shun (it’s a pro-grade knife) or a Blendtec or Vitamix blender.

If you hate cooking, or you’re just not good at it, it probably doesn’t make sense to spend so much on these kinds of things.

Likewise, if you travel for a living, get yourself a nice vehicle (it doesn’t have to be new). Spend money on a brand that’s known for its reliability and longevity. You may pay up to 20 percent more for it, but it’ll be worth the extra.

Editor’s note: Aimee Pearce is a freelance writer with a passion for living a green, frugal life with her 2 teenage daughters, husband and menagerie of pets. She writes on a variety of topics from parenting to finances.

photo credit: the kind of week it is via photopin (license)