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Few days back my car was serviced, after dropping it in, we headed for a festival we planned to attend. It was just a regular servicing with oil change and tire rotation and inspection. The guy from the service center called me an hour later to let me know that the wiper blades need replacement.
It was nothing I didn’t know, it was long pending, I always wanted to do it myself. Don’t know what happen in that exact moment, I agreed that they should replace my blades.
Problem here is, after reading on many blogs, and myself pitching for fixing your small problems with car or home yourself. I did agree for them to put a new wiper. When I returned to pickup my car in the evening, it was a hefty $25 charge on the invoice!
Two years back when I did replace wipers on my own, it costed me $8 for the pair at Wal-Mart. How did I miss on this occasion? If I think, problem is broader, it is difficult to stay frugal.
It is comparatively easy to stay frugal when you are living frugal to survive, than when you choose to be frugal to be rich.
If you are in debt, but not under a threat of bankruptcy, you struggle to stay frugal, you let occasional splurge or easy of living take over your frugal wishes. In case of my car wiper, I chose to let the service center do my wiper work because I thought I need peace of mind and I do not have much time to replace the blades myself.
So what happens to the frugal plans, the saving goals and path to financial freedom? I have no debt, I earn handsome salary, why should I waste a couple of weekend hours to save just $18 on wiper blades? I wasted just $9 per hour, not bad!
Replace me with a man with a paltry income and high debt, would he let $18 be wasted? probably he wouldn’t, in fact he shouldn’t.
I was reading a blog (I couldn’t remember which blog was that, it was in blogger domain) where author mentioned loosing weight is so simple, yet, people struggle to lose weight. Unless a danger is imminent, we human beings, don’t put enough attention or enough will power in to following a difficult path, which deviates from the usual way we live in.
Our solution then, lies on the adoption of frugality in everyday life. Give me one answer, how people become successful? let me answer that, people become successful by pursuing their goal relentlessly. An Olympic champion becomes a champion after intense practice under scorching heat while we guys are spending time in AC rooms.
Hence, we might have found our answer to the question, how to continue to focus on frugality? it is by way of relentless drive, sacrifices and hard work. Like a successful person in any other area, in order to become successful in saving money, getting over debt etc , we need intense hard work, self-control and end-less perseverance.
We read blogs everyday by dozen, almost every one says the same thing, save money by doing this or by doing that. It’s presenting same thing with different packages, we read because we want to save tons of money, but, do we really think to the core of the issue?
Do you correlate your ‘would be’ action while you read a blog pitching for saving money? Do you practice frugality or just read it?
Better you start doing that, and do not waste much time in reading blogs just for the sake of reading. Reading blogs is just gathering requirements and getting guidance on design. You have to plan and execute your financial plan yourself.
Do you have time to plan and execute your financial future? Remember, the best way to become rich is to find time to be rich. Even if you have a plan for future, do you know what you should do tomorrow to save a few cents more than today? Is every day laid out in your plan, like an athlete has a plan of daily exercise and practice target in order to get an Olympic medal?
In my example I didn’t have plan for that day, hence I succumbed to the trap of living trouble-free ‘Now’ and sacrificing future ease. I forgot I am young now, I can do all the hard work today, post retirement I probably can’t do these.
The sooner you realize, the better it is for your future and post retirement life. Make frugality your daily routine.
| Food for thought: Perhaps you have plenty, so you don’t bother paying more and living lavishly, but think of billions of people struggling to get day’s food. If you consume more, in global economy, price of commodities will increase, putting those people at higher risks of starvation and deprivation. Be a better human being, live frugal! |
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You’re right. It’s easy to slip up if there are minimal consequences. That $25 you paid doesn’t mean much to you, but it may mean 6 meals to folks in need. I am guilty of occasionally slipping up as well. It’s difficult to be vigilant all the time.
exactly same thing happen to me as I explained,I didn’t care about $25 one time cost, but when it adds up it is huge. It’s natural to feel guilty.
frugal living is hard when you’re not used to it. but as you become used to it, it just becomes habit. i think when you’re habitually frugal, it’s ok to take a break from it now and again but only if you remind yourself that it is only temporary or a one-off deal.
putting $5 or $10 or even $50 into perspective is a good way to get back on the frugal train. as retire by forty said, $25 can provide many meals to people in need.
right, getting used to living frugal is the key, we should make it a system and a practice to save consistently
You make a very good point. It can be so difficult to stay frugal, especially where time in concerned. We can get lazy and feel as though we deserve a break, and then spend extra money. This isn’t always wrong, but we still should try our best to avoid these slip ups often.
you are absolutely right, laziness is one of the biggest enemy for frugal practices. We need to make it a habit to save money every day
My husband changed out a burnt out tail light for $4 today. He was quoted $50 to have it done at a shop! A few minutes and Google saved $46. Those things certainly add up, and it would have been easier to have someone else do it but it wouldn’t have been frugal.
We can fix many things on our own and save money. But the actual problem is we are afraid of more work. Soon we get over this attitude , better our future will be
This is why I have a written budget, I can decide now where I want my money to go and I avoid the lifestyle creep and continue to save/invest my money. We may have $480/month that I could spend but I would much rather continue increasing my investments and my EF.
yes, budgetting is so very important, I can’t agree more
It’s true that being frugal is harder to maintain when you do not have the time to keep up with it. When your time becomes too valuable to exchange it for 9 bucks you can no longer be as frugal as you once were.
it’s a game of priority. We need to choose our own priority at every step. If we choose short term goal as priority then we sacrifice long term goals of becoming financially sound
I like the statement that you have to FIND TIME to be rich. You’re right, achieving wealth or financial freedom is like achieving anything else (losing 10 pounds, running a 7-minute mile) … you have to find time to do it everyday.
In order to achieve what you want to achieve you need to find time to give it a priority. becoming rich is no exception. you need time to work towards being rich. Thanks for your comment
Living frugal is not easy way, Its really difficult.. especially when you live like rich. It’s true that being frugal is harder to maintain when you do not have the time to keep up with it. Thanks for sharing me this way…
For me living in frugal way is a matter of self control. When your time becomes too valuable to exchange it for 9 bucks you can no longer be as frugal as you once were.
Frugal habits come in handy not only during hard economic times. They will help anyone not to get into debt by spending money wisely and by learning to live happily with what they already have.Very Valuable blog..Thanx!!