Many of us know that feeling of satisfaction and, dare I say, accomplishment that surfaces when one has saved money on a purchase. You handed the cashier the items you want to buy along with the 20% coupons of Backcountry and watched with anticipation as the price dropped to a fraction of the sticker price. In the end, you were able to place a substantial amount of the money in your hand back into your pocket. In those situations, some of us began to let our minds wander to other goods that the money should be spent on right away. Others saw it as a victory in their lifelong dedication to making sure that their pockets were never empty. If you are one of the individuals who prefer to save rather than throw away the money burning a hole in your pocket, congratulations on your frugality. Sure, some in society may call you and other savers cheapskates, but fortunately, the choices you are making are smart ones that will not only benefit you financially, but physically as well, you may avail discount by using 50% off coupons.
Frugality actually improves the health of the consumer in many ways. Those who are conscious of their finances and reserved in their spending often experience less stress than their non-frugal counterparts. Debt often leads to stress due to concerns over how to pay one’s bills. Being in debt means that people are required to work for longer hours, sacrificing their time which could be better spent tending to their well being. Even frugal people who are in debt still tend to experience less stress due to their daily costs being low. This is important because stress is tied to numerous diseases due to its effects on the immune system. Stress can make one more vulnerable to the common cold, and prolonged stress can lead one to develop heart problems, gum disease, and diabetes. To make matters worse, stress can cause one’s mental health to deteriorate, leading to problems such as depression.
A person’s health also improves when showing frugality in making food choices. Skip the shipping process often involved in shopping from supermarkets and purchase food directly from farmers to cut costs. Not only will the fruits and vegetables added to you diet improve your health, but produce tends to be cheaper than meat and packaged goods, so stock up on greens in your fridge and watch the green begin to follow suit and stack up in your bank account.
The choice to extend your penchant for frugality to your transportation costs can benefit your body as well. Instead of dishing out money on car payments, you can save by walking or biking. Even if one chooses to own a car, they can save on fuel by limiting their use of their vehicle. Your bank account will thank you, as well as your body which will benefit from the extra exercise.
Frugality can benefit consumers in the long run, as well as those around them, by potentially helping the environment. Choosing to walk rather than drive, attempting to reduce heating and cooling expenses at home, creating one’s own cleaning products, and mixing one’s own shampoo and conditioner are all great ways to show concern for one’s own well-being while being environmentally conscious.
Finally, if you subscribe to the Buddhist concept of desire being the root of suffering, then you will understand how one may benefit from developing an appreciation and respect for what one already has rather than giving in to the never-ending struggle to obtain more. Try shopping out of necessity instead of caving to the pressure to own the latest gadget or pair of shoes. After all, assuming that you already have shoes and that they don’t hurt your feet and that your toes are not sticking out of the end, there is no dire need to change anything. A moment of reflection will show you that the feeling of wearing an older pair of sneakers is much better than the realization that there is a gaping hole in your wallet. Instead of trying to find happiness in the amount of things you own, limit the number of your possessions and focus on the quality of your life. Try taking a walk and appreciating nature or spend time with loved ones, and no, your credit card and your favorite store at the mall do not count as loved ones. If you do choose to spend some of your money, remember that even if some of the best things in life aren’t free, a savvy person can get them at a discount. After all, who needs the stress and wasted time of being in fashion and constantly following trends when one can be a cool contrarian with financial security. So be proud of your thrifty habits and the many ways in which saving your money will benefit you in the future. Maybe you could take all of that money you are going to save and start that retirement fund. You know the one I’m talking about; the one you meant to start five years ago. Yeah, that one. Maybe your should go ahead and get started on that.