Frugality

Frugality. 

"The quality of being economical with money; thriftiness."

Frugality is a virtue that not only helps you in the now, but also in the future. Learning to live below your means, and to save is an important lesson to teach our children. 

The most important aspect to me about frugality is that it teaches you contentment. You are not on a constant quest to gain the next new thing. You learn to live with enough, and you learn to value the simple things of life. 

If you are struggling to get a hold of your finances, I highly recommend checking out Dave Ramsey. With his help you can get out of debt, and begin to grow your wealth. 

For me having the safety net of extra finances also allows me not to have to worry constantly about the next thing that will break. It's not a matter of if, but when in the world of appliances. 

My mother taught me early on not to buy cheaply made goods, but rather to look for sales, and deals. I actually get a kick out of spending my money wisely, and have passed this down to my daughter. To be honest, her natural mathematic abilities makes her even better at this than me. 

Along with looking for good prices another aspect of frugality is using what you already have. Don't be so quick to rush out to buy something new when you might already have something that will work. 

I like to make a big batch of chili, and serve it three ways. First, the chili with crackers, then on a baked sweet potato, and finally over rice. No need to be wasteful with your food when only a little creativity is needed. 

Dave always talks about financial freedom, and he is correct, but it does take other virtues like fortitude to get there. But just like the tortoise plodding along and winning the race, you too can come out ahead by embracing frugality.

"A penny saved is a penny earned."

Benjamin Franklin