I feel like I've forgotten my frugality lately. I'm not much of an example for those who are new to saving money.
My husband is making decent money now. My Mom left me with some inheritance that will help us pay off our mortgage. Money just isn't that much of an issue lately because we've become lazy and comfortable. I've bought more stuff online in the past year than I ever have before. I think it's because of my deep sadness over my Mom's death and also to enjoy spending freely in a manner that I never have been able to before. Those boxes of goodies that show up on my porch give me about five minutes of real happiness. And then it fades. It doesn't matter that I used coupon codes and got money back. The happiness is temporary. The stuff is just stuff. And the money is used up.
My goal is to have a paid off mortgage, money saved for the kid's college fund, and a tidy pile saved for retirement. We haven't accomplished that yet. I need to remember that.
I don't need new stuff to make me happy. Today I am wearing a sweater that I bought at a New Orleans thrift store in 2001. It makes me happy in a way that a new sweater can't. This morning I ate a slice of scratch pumpkin pie made from last year's jack o' lanterns. It was way better than any store bought pie.
Frugality may not be as fun or as easy as spending money on new stuff. But, it is way more satisfying.
No comments:
Post a Comment