Living a Frugal and Happy Lifestyle Is Easier Than You Think

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In society, we’re wired to consume many products thanks to marketing efforts, that as of late, are heightened through online advertisements. Money quite literally makes the world go around, but that doesn’t mean you need to be frivolous with your income.

If you’re interested in taking control of your finances, then one of the best things you can do is live a frugal and happy lifestyle.

Frugal doesn’t mean cheap

A lot of people get this wrong. Frugal doesn’t necessarily mean being cheap. Instead, it means getting the most value out of your money. For example, if a product lasts longer and offers a better experience, then spending extra on it is no big deal for a frugal person.

Living frugally is all about budgeting

You don’t need to be too serious about budgeting. You can start using financial calculators on websites like Pigly and record your incoming and outgoing money on a spreadsheet or mobile app. This will help you understand how much money you have, how much money you can spend and also how much you spend on monthly or yearly expenses.

Frugal living is about cutting excess

Ask yourself if you really need to spend as much money as you are. Do you need multiple on-demand video subscriptions? Do you need to spend that much on lunch and dinner? Could you get rid of items that you don’t need by selling them? These are the types of questions you should get used to asking yourself if you want to live a frugal lifestyle.

Frugality is about following only what you want to do

A lot of people end up spending excessive amounts of money because they follow their friends or family members who do the same. For example, if you’re invited out to a bar, you might end up spending a lot of money that you’re not used to spending. This can end up digging into your finances. If you want to be frugal, don’t follow other people and be smarter with your money.

Living a happy and frugally lifestyle is much easier than most people think. One of the biggest barriers is understanding how you can start approaching it and also dedicating yourself to keeping track of your expenses. It’s surprisingly difficult to stick to a budget plan or to limit your finances, but it’s one of the best ways to avoid living a lifestyle that you can’t afford. Living beyond your means is one of the most common reasons why people end up in debt in the first place, so we highly suggest that you follow these tips to avoid any nasty financial situations in the future.