frugality
Money
“Should I Buy It?” Flowchart Helps You Make Smarter Purchases
3:30AM Adam Pash | Advertisers would have us believe that we need a lot of things that we really only want, and that brand names are always better. This simple purchasing flowchart walks you through your purchasing decision-making process to help you make the smart choice. More »
Money
Avoid Binge Buying In Frugal Times
7:01AM Adam Pash | Whether it’s a diet or frugality, the problem with placing extreme limitations on yourself is always the same: Once we feel too deprived, here comes the inevitable binge. Personal finance weblog The Simple Dollar discusses frugality and binge buying, pointing out the difference between frugality designed to improve your financial state and frugality as a tradeoff for financial binges. Many people view frugality as exactly that – a bunch of little steps they can take in areas of their life that are less important so that they can afford to splurge in other areas. “If I eat a cheap meal the next few nights, I can afford to go out to that steak house with my date on Saturday.” “If I carpool, I can afford to buy that new gadget in a few months.” Instead of helping you build a financially stable life, frugal tactics are sometimes used as bartering trinkets to help you keep living the high life. And that’s okay, as long as you’re honest with yourself about what you’re doing. This type of frugality doesn’t serve to put you in a better financial state – instead, it serves to help you maintain a lifestyle that, in some regards, is beyond your means. I’m sure we’ve all done the financial binge, but it’s not as though the two are mutually exclusive, either. You can be thrifty, save tons of money, and still survive a binge or two without negating all the work you put into saving. Still, let’s hear what kind of frugality you practice more often in the comments.Photo by Alan_D. Frugality and Binge Buying [The Simple Dollar] More »
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Leo Babauta On The Power Of Less
5:00AM Gina Trapani | Author of new book The Power of Less Leo Babauta advises readers to simplify and focus only on the essential. Today he stopped by to tell us more about his timely message. More »
