Most people who know me will tell you that being thrifty seems to come naturally to me. I am never quite clear on whether they mean this as a mere observation, a compliment, or a critique, but I accept it as quite accurate.
The fact is that I honestly do not know any other way to live. It’s a simple truth that I derive satisfaction from saving money the same way others derive a thrill from spending it.
You would even be right to say that I cannot help myself.
What that means is that I don’t have a long list of wants. I shop only when I need something, and then I do it very purposefully and very quickly to get it over with as soon as possible.
I can easily turn a deaf ear to even the most insistent of advertising campaigns. And I also do not find it terribly difficult to stick to a budget.
So, yep, frugal is moniker that fits. And it's a trait that has enabled me to save tens and even hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years, savings that we have been able to use for our children's education and our retirement fund.
But it's not as if I am genetically wired to behave that way any more than anyone else is.
I simply have had a lifetime to nurture the careful habits that I first learned from my frugal parents. And that's something anyone can do, if they have an interest in doing so.
The fact is that I honestly do not know any other way to live. It’s a simple truth that I derive satisfaction from saving money the same way others derive a thrill from spending it.
You would even be right to say that I cannot help myself.
What that means is that I don’t have a long list of wants. I shop only when I need something, and then I do it very purposefully and very quickly to get it over with as soon as possible.
I can easily turn a deaf ear to even the most insistent of advertising campaigns. And I also do not find it terribly difficult to stick to a budget.
So, yep, frugal is moniker that fits. And it's a trait that has enabled me to save tens and even hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years, savings that we have been able to use for our children's education and our retirement fund.
But it's not as if I am genetically wired to behave that way any more than anyone else is.
I simply have had a lifetime to nurture the careful habits that I first learned from my frugal parents. And that's something anyone can do, if they have an interest in doing so.
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