Frugal living is an excellent way of increasing your self-sufficiency, focusing on the things in life which are most significant and meaningful to you, and avoiding the various consumer traps that we are all prone to falling into in the advertising-driven atmosphere we all find ourselves in.
Of course, the point of frugal living is to live your best life, not to short-change yourself, or to put yourself in a situation where you are deliberately missing out on good and healthy things, simply out of the desire to be a minimalist.
Here are a few things that are worth spending money on when you’re living frugally.
Long-lasting goods that are the result of authentic craftsmanship
There’s something special about furniture and household goods that are the result of real craftsmanship, and that have been built to last.
We all need certain items of furniture, ornaments, and so on, as we make our way through everyday life. Understandably, a big part of the frugal and minimalist movements is reducing household clutter and escaping from the trap of feeling compelled to always have the latest soon-to-break product.
You should, however, certainly invest your money wisely in long-lasting goods that bear the hallmarks of quality. The kind of things that will serve a direct purpose, enrich your life aesthetically, and that you can pass on to your kids and maybe even grandkids.
These sorts of goods can range from Amish Baskets that you use at Easter time, to oak bookcases that, for all intents and purposes, could last for centuries.
High-quality and tasty food and drink
As the old saying goes, “you are what you eat.”
Good food, prepared well, is one of the genuine and time-honoured pleasures of life. And, assuming that you are following a generally healthy and balanced set of nutritional standards, the food you eat will have a dramatically positive impact on the state of your health, as well as your sense of appreciation for life.
Of course, higher-quality food, grown, raised, and harvested with more care and attention can become expensive. But what you gain in nutritional quality and the pleasure of eating it, will be well worth the investment.
Too often these days we tend to view food and eating as a chore. In reality, there aren’t many decisions you can make for yourself that can have a more profound impact on you than what you choose to put on your plate.
Creative hobbies
Creative hobbies which allow you to unleash your inner artist are some of the most life-affirming things out there, and can certainly add layers of meaning and joy to your existence.
Of course, these types of hobbies will generally have certain costs associated with them, whether that means buying canvases and paints, or acquiring guides on drawing, woodworking tools, or any number of other things.
Generally speaking, these costs are well worth it, assuming that you truly enjoy the pastime and take it seriously.
With so many passive forms of entertainment available to all of us, actually putting in the effort to “make stuff” can be a truly powerful way of spending your evenings and weekends.