I have a friend who works with a man who thinks it is funny to act like he overheard a conversation the boss was having in which reveals that someone in the office getting fired. This coworker then proceeds to tell that person, in a very serious manor, they are getting canned after lunch. Yeah, fun guy. Apparently he isn’t a bad guy, he just has an inappropriate sense of humor. Anyway, my friend was his target this morning. She just ignored him.
As she related her experience to me at lunch I got to thinking, the thought of not going to my 9 to 5 every day got me kind of excited! Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate my job, but even the best jobs become very routine after a while. So I allowed myself to dream about what I would do tomorrow morning if I lost my job today.
The exercise was exhilarating. I remembered all the things I wanted to do and be when I was younger. I remembered several dreams and desires I had long since stuffed down into a little compartment labeled “Some day.” The best part of the exercise was when I realized that the ideas I came up with would not only be good alternatives to replace my main job but would be equally workable as a side job, a hobby, or even just to make some extra pin money.
Remembering these desires and dreams are important not only because no one is indispensable, and you never really know when you actually could lose your job, but also because if embracing a life filled with pursuits you love brings you the most money - you need to know what those pursuits are!
Saving for the sake of saving is an empty process. Save for your dreams – to build the rich life you desire – not merely tolerate. Your desires are as individual as you are – and the pursuit of those desires should be reflected by how you disburse your finances.
Not everyone wants to be their own boss, but I do. So I have made this a priority in how I spend and commit my finances. Allow yourself to dream. Design your ideal situation. What would the ideal day for YOU look like? Decide today what your dreams are and don’t wait until a job loss forces you in that direction. Decide today that you will spend and save in the direction of your dreams. Incorporate them into your life and slowly begin to move towards them. Soon you could find yourself living a life designed by your desires – a life you have until now only dreamed about!
Today I am sitting here thinking about new things vs. used things. It occurs to me that new is not always bad. Sure there are lots of reasons ecologically to go used instead of new:
1) Less stuff in landfills
2) Pollution from factories making more new stuff to meet the demand
3) Multiple avenues to find used stuff, versus one avenue for new stuff
4) The ability to obtain used things in a variety of ways versus just paying for them.
etc.
I have to say, I agree with all the above arguments, and any others you may come up with. You are preaching to the choir here. But I think we may take it too far sometimes and rule out a purchase simply because the item is new - instead of seeing it as the bargain it is, new OR used.
From a purely economic sense, new is not always the inferior choice. To illustrate – new childrens clothes can be obtained at the end of the season on clearance for about the same as their used counterparts (who won’t show up in a garage sale or consignment shop for a few years, usually with Kool-aid stains on them) and kept till next year.
In the case of groceries new is always superior to used (Ok, now I am just having fun with you!).
When refering to frugality, especially Uber frugality, I think the distinction here should be the amount of your resources the item consumes – not the item itself. I don’t think that anyone would disagree that they would rather have a pair of designer jeans bought at an end of season clearance sale for $5.00 than the same jeans, now used, bought two years later at a yard sale for $1.00.
When you further factor in the “total” of your resources the new purchase is actually the less expensive option. It is quicker (less time) to go to the store and purchase the jeans and also takes less gas, wear and tear on my car, and energy. And let’s face it – I will be happier with new jeans than with used ones!
Now hear my heart here. I am not talking about abandoning your frugal roots, going wild, and hitting the next big after Thanksgiving blow out sale with wild abandon. I am talking about factoring in what things demand of us in total – not just monetarily. I am talking about not vilifying new items in favor of used ones as if used items were somehow the more noble option.
Using all of your resources wisely, not just your money, is the mark of true Uber frugality!
Now I am NOT saying several things here:
1) NEW IS BAD – New is NOT bad. Free new is in fact great!! Expensive full priced retail new is stupid. THAT I will say!
2) POOR QUALITY IS GOOD AS LONG AS IT IS CHEAP – I won’t say that either. In fact poor quality is rarely, if ever, an option. It wouldn’t be a great deal unless it were top quality for free or cheap – right???
3) MONEY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN PEOPLE – I would NEVER say that! In fact people are one of my favorite things. I would rather spend my money helping people than anything else. But who can I help if I just sent my entire paycheck to the power company, or blew it at Sears?? No one.
So stick with me – and pass along this blog to all your frugal friends. I think this is going to be a fun ride!
There are as many reasons to be frugal as there are grains of sand on the beach. Everyone has their own unique reason. Mine is my impending divorce. I lost 50% of my household income yet only 35% of my debt load when he left. I need to pay off the debt I assumed, and get my life back.
I work two jobs right now, three really. I knew when I told him to leave that I was commiting myself to NEVER being able to give up that second job unless my debt load was lighter – or gone. So GONE it shall be!!!
I have the perfect opportunity to teach my children a valuable lesson – the value of people over things – the strength of a determined soul – and the force of a woman on a mission!!
It is amazing what you can do when you are either empowered or imprisoned by a situation!
