Many people think frugality means being boring, cheap, or missing out on the good things in life. That idea is far from true. Frugal living is not about giving up what you love. It is about focusing on what makes you happy and avoiding the stress, debt, and pressure that often come with overspending.
Frugal people are not stuck at home with no hobbies or joy. They are finding creative ways to travel, enjoy experiences, and live without constant money worries. Choosing frugality is not about having less. It is about living smarter and finding fun in the things that matter most.
Exhibit A – Me!
I’m choosing the life of frugality. This is also how I was raised. There was not much to go around when I was young, so my mom had to make ends meet. These habits stick with me until today, and I’m not planning on releasing them any time soon!
I’ve chosen to continue to live life like this. I’ve chosen to have no TV, I’ve chosen to live in a shared apartment, and every day I choose what I will or won’t spend my money on. This has led me to save over 60% of my income in January.
I don’t feel like I’m missing out. I have a life I enjoy, and I have amazing friends and family.
By living a frugal life, you will most likely have less clutter in your life, and you will have a simpler life that you enjoy. If you have material things, this doesn’t mean that you’re happier. Sometimes having more things can add more stress. The more stuff you have, the more likely something will happen; it can get lost, not used, or broken.
I also had this time in my life where I wasn’t thinking about my purchases, I was buying whatever I wanted just because it was cheap or just because I wanted to have it. Well, not the best mindset to be in. After I’ve realized that I haven’t enjoyed these items at all, I’ve gotten rid of them. It felt wasteful, and I felt stupid for buying these things in the first place.
Being frugal for me is about being thoughtful about your purchases, finding things that you enjoy, and buying things that enhance your quality of life. Spending money really on things you enjoy is a great feeling!
You’re not missing out
Some people believe that you’re missing out when you’re not having the latest everything. The latest phone, the latest TV, the latest car, and more. These are the people who believe that people who save money are boring. Well, I strongly disagree!
There is no reason to spend all your money in order to have the latest ___ – fill in the blank. You can live a good life while saving money!
If you’re a frugal person, you can live a good life while staying on a budget. You don’t have to live your life ruled by money. The amount of money in your bank account does NOT determine how much fun you have!
You can save money and have an amazing life at the same time! You can still visit your family, go on vacations, do fun things with your friends, and have nice things, all while staying within your spending budget.
One example that perfectly illustrates my point. When I was traveling in South America, spending all the money I wanted on everything I wanted, I spent about the same as when I was living in the Netherlands, just doing my thing. So I spend equal amounts of money whenever I was just living my life, versus me having the time of my life on another continent.
Everyone is different
Everyone has different needs – some people really need that $200 per month entertainment budget, while others can’t live without their car or enjoy eating out. It’s about spending your money on what you enjoy.
Personally, I don’t like to waste things. I think before I buy (mostly), which comes very naturally to me. If something is wasteful, I often won’t buy it. That’s me being conscious of not contributing to the waste problem we generally have, but also saving money at the same time.
It’s about buying reusables rather than buying things you only use once, like not buying plastic bottles or plastic straws.
Think about what matters to you and simply spend money on that. If something doesn’t add anything to your life, don’t consume it. For example, I find frugal and minimalist hobbies that I enjoy, to have some frugal fun.
Early Retirement
Because I am living frugally, I will be able to retire early. Many of my friends will work until they are 72 or longer. I will be able to retire at 35 if everything goes as planned.
I have chosen the path of financial independence. I’m choosing to save more money rather than spending it, I’m choosing to put in my efforts now so that I can lay back later.
I have the option of retiring early, which is super exciting for me. It’s all because I’m intentionally spending the income that I am earning.
I am saving a high percentage of my income so that I have the option of retiring early. Instead of working 45+ years, I’m being frugal, which means that I can move my retirement date back – a lot! I’m cutting down my working years so that I have more time to truly enjoy life!
Why are you frugal? Did you also encounter these biases about frugal people?
Founder of Spark Nomad, Radical FIRE, Journalist
Expertise: Personal finance and travel content
Education: Bachelor of Economics at Radboud University, Master in Finance at Radboud University, Minor in Economics at Chapman University.
Over 200 articles, essays, and short stories published across the web.
Experience: Marjolein Dilven is a journalist and founder of Radical FIRE, a personal finance platform, and Spark Nomad, a travel platform. Marjolein has a finance and economics background with a master’s in Finance. She has quit her job to travel the world, documenting her travels on Spark Nomad to help people plan their travels. Marjolein Dilven has written for publications like MSN, Associated Press, CNBC, Town News syndicate, and more.