These are not earth-shattering strategies, but they keep me inspired and motivated.
There are few things as satisfying in life as saving money. Whether it's done through shrewd purchasing, or, better yet, choosing not to buy something, the idea that more money is accumulating in my bank account, as opposed to flowing out of it, always makes me feel happy.
I go for this thrifty dopamine buzz in a number of ways. Trent Hamm, one of my favorite frugality bloggers who writes for The Simple Dollar, calls them 'little wins':
"They’re little frugality tips that, on their own, aren’t life changing, but they’re just simply better ways of doing things compared to what I used to do. In each case, they result in more money in my pocket, but they usually come with additional benefits."
Reiterating the fact that these aren't life-changing actions is important. There are more effective ways of accumulating wealth, such as playing with investing, working longer hours, buying rental properties, or whatever else might tickle your fancy. But the point of these little wins is that they bring a spark of joy, some immediate gratification, and a sense that I'm making progress of some kind, small though it may be. Hamm lists his top 12 frugality tips, which you can read here, but I'm going to share my own below:
1. Cooking from the pantryI find it exciting and challenging to open the fridge and pantry, assess what's there, and figure out how to cook as many meals as I can using only what's available. I also take pleasure in delaying grocery shopping by a day or two (until my husband is really complaining!), just to see how far we can stretch it. My efforts aren't always successful, and the meals are sometimes less than stellar, but they help me to use up forgotten ingredients and expand my culinary boundaries.
2. Cooking in large batchesI don't do this as often as I should, considering that I have a busy young family at home, but it is deeply satisfying when I do. The cost per meal goes down and the amount of time saved goes up.
3. Using the libraryI once had someone tell me they "wouldn't be able to afford" my reading habit, at which point I explained the purpose of the library. I, too, would not be able to afford my own reading habit if I were buying all those books! It would be absurd. The library is an incredible resource not only for books, but also for printing documents (I don't own a printer because it's easier and far cheaper to use the library). Our library has everything from day passes to the local museum, to fishing rods and tackle for kids. With every checkout, I feel like I'm making a statement in support of an institution that needs protection more than ever.
4. Riding my bike around townI live in a small town, so the distances I ride are very short, but every time I get on my bike I feel satisfaction at having left my car in the driveway. There are dollars not spent on gas, fumes not emitted from the tailpipe, congestion not added to the streets -- and a clear message sent to all the drivers and pedestrians who see me riding that bikes belong on our roads, too.
© K Martinko -- Picking up my weekly vegetable CSA share by bicycle gives me great satisfaction.
