What to Do When Being Frugal Really Stinks

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What do you do when being frugal really stinks? What do you do when you are focused on an ending financial goal but feel as though you haven’t smelled the roses along the way in forever? What do you do when everyone around you lives in the moment while you feel as though you are the only one who has given a thought to creating a more secure financial future? Worse yet, what do you if your friends or family even give you a hard time, maybe even ridicule you, for being focused in your thinking and in your spending (or not spending) habits?

All of the above scenarios have happened to me, and I can say from nearly a lifetime of firsthand experiences that saving money, or spending wisely, is hard. It can be incredibly hard at times.

being frugal

Remember how I’m the one who takes a yearly hiatus from Facebook . You can read there about how difficult it is come spring break time around here every year. Living frugally is painfully hard at times.

However, I am also the one who is going to be debt-free in just seven short months…and included in that debt-free life is the fact that we have also put my husband through school seven out of the past ten years, and, we also have seven children to support.

I remind you of these things not to pat myself on the back, rather, I point these things out to say that it can be done, even when it really stinks.

Saving money, living frugally, planning for the future – it can all be done, even when it’s hard.

So then, what can you do when a commitment to living frugally and saving money really stinks? Step back, take a deep breath, and remember these eight things.

You are a step ahead of most people

Most people skate through life not giving much thought to the money they spend. Most people possess a “live for the moment” kind of mentality and tell themselves that they will worry about all that saving money stuff later.

Embrace knowing that you are learning invaluable, life-changing lessons

I wrote about some of the lessons I learned during a time of great financial hardship in Lessons Learned While in a Financial Valley. The lessons you are learning now will be some of the best lessons you will learn throughout your entire life. Don’t believe me? Click on that link two lines up and read about how that happened to me.

If you are a parent, you are giving your children one of the greatest gifts you can give them by setting an amazing example when it comes to money

Your kids grow up very different from the kids who come from more financially irresponsible families. My kids no longer ask for things they want. They may ask when these things are on sale or they may ask if there is something they can do to help earn these things, but they do not have an attitude of entitlement. They are very familiar with me saying that the I just don’t have the money for their latest desire. My kids do not look to me with their hand out. This is incredibly wonderful.

Remember that if you are working hard toward a financial goal, you will one day achieve it if you keep your eyes focused on the prize.

Like other struggles in life, times of trial are only temporary, even during a prolonged season.

If there comes a time of actual financial ruin, you already have the skills in place to weather that storm

You are already accustomed to many of the steps that would have to be taken in order to survive during that time. People who have no idea how to save, deny themselves, or live within their means will be in for a rude awakening in the case of financial ruin.

Your personality is being shaped in incredible ways

You are learning some of the best character traits one can have, and these are the kind that can only be achieved through living life.

You are writing an amazing life story

Your life story will include ideas like “perseveres through times of trial,” “is fully devoted to the things she believes in,” and, “was so very wise in the decisions she made.” You will have an amazing story one day, just as I described in Lessons Learned While in a Financial Valley and How We Became Debt-Free Before Age 42.

Your future is as bright as futures can get

You are focused, you are intentional, and you are striving for greatness. Keep working, and greatness is yours for the taking.

If you are living a frugal life, you probably already know that it can really stink sometimes. Let me encourage, you, however. Life is still hard for me at times, too, when it comes to living frugally. Proof is in the fact that I am still sitting on a duct-taped covered couch right now 🙂

Someday, I’ll post pictures of my new couch…but I need to save up for it first!

If you haven’t already read my post called Are You Up For a Fun Challenge? read it and join in on the journey with the Living Well Spending Less community in October!

Looking for more frugal help? You might like How I Feed My Family of 8 for $250 a Month, 15 Frugal Tips For Feeding a Large Family  or 15 Things Frugal People Don’t Pay For.

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