Is a frugal lifestyle miserable?

The Porch

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confession--- I did splurge and ordered these for the grandkids, they are better for them

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Mini Horses

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I got the pun! 🤣

HUGE temptation today. Jobs in 6 grocery stores. 🥴. I always look at sales and markdowns. There they were...chicken leg qtrs, $.41 per #. 😵‍💫 What a buy!!!! I was strong, bought none. I really don't care for dark meat. Still....cheaper than cat food 🤔 and broth for me. Its haunting me. :lol:
 

Britesea

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One thing I've learned to do is, I buy the best quality clothing I can afford-- natural fibers and well made if possible. If I can find them in a thrift store or a yard sale, that's a bonus... but it doesn't happen often because we live in an area that has been financially depressed since I was in high school. I would rather have a half dozen good quality outfits (separates give me more choices), than 3 dozen cheap crap from WalMart that will either fall apart the third time I wear it, or something so butt-ugly it hurts your eyes, but lasts for 10 years (has anyone else noticed this tendency?) I'm trying to get better at sewing my own clothes, but it will take time. I would love to sew my own, and embellish them with embroidery/beadwork for dressy stuff. One of the most beautiful skirts I ever saw was a crazy quilt using velvets and satins, with beadwork. What a wow outfit for going out!
 

flowerbug

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One thing I've learned to do is, I buy the best quality clothing I can afford-- natural fibers and well made if possible. If I can find them in a thrift store or a yard sale, that's a bonus... but it doesn't happen often because we live in an area that has been financially depressed since I was in high school. I would rather have a half dozen good quality outfits (separates give me more choices), than 3 dozen cheap crap from WalMart that will either fall apart the third time I wear it, or something so butt-ugly it hurts your eyes, but lasts for 10 years (has anyone else noticed this tendency?)...

i'm wearing a t-shirt that we should have cut up and thrown in the rag bin. it's a light wimpy green color close to what i would call institutional green. i hate the color. we've said too often that we should take it out and put it on the driveway and bleach it and i've offered to buy dye to change the color because i really don't want to look at it another time, but i'll probably end up having this shirt for another 20 years unless i throw it away or cut it up. if it were bright green or dark green i'd be fine with it. hmm... i have some other white shirts i'd rather have green too... i'm going to do this sometime. what can go wrong? ... heeheehee...
 

CLSranch

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with all that said, everyone's needs are different but all should ask the question daily.
Is this ______ a need or a want?
A national finance advisor that I occasionally hear on the radio has a saying. Stop spending money on what you want and you'll have the money for what you need.
well I can tell you that my internet is a NEED so that I can hang out and get advice and feedback from all you lovely people!
Before I moved here and bought this house, I lived in a little valley where I couldn't get any tv channels, without the big antennas that used to be on the side of most houses. That is what I have now by the way. The truck was paid for, so minimum bills. I got satellite tv and internet. I kept it for years with the new house. (I did a lot more around the house and was less stressed then with no tv or computer or smartphone.)

Point I'd did some figuring on that bill alone. If that bill went to the house payment the first 3 years it would have been up to $10k in savings if you include the interest I wouldn't have paid. Although I wouldn't have put all that $$$ toward the house, it could have gone to other bills or helped in the dry times.

Quick math. 100 a month= 1,200 a year. On most payments 1st year is 98% + in interest. That's 1,000 you save every year in interest until halfway (give or take remember quick math) through the payment. Now that 1,000 saved can go to the next year, plus the original 1,200.
I did the math halfway through my mortgage. With no extra payments. I paid exactly the loan amount for the house.

Sorry for the unnecessary rant and unwanted math. And yes I do still have internet.:lol::hide
 
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