5 Reasons Why I Live a Frugal Lifestyle

Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of flack for my frugalness. My family and friends think I overdo it and focus too much energy on saving while I constantly analyze how to lower my expenses.

But I have to disagree – living a frugal lifestyle has done me so much good. It’s impacted my life for the better.

Where I stand now, I wouldn’t have reached without setting a personal goal to become self-sufficient through frugality, and I’m damn proud of what I’ve achieved!

So if anyone else (understandably) misunderstands my frugal lifestyle choices, I want to offer some clarity on why I’m proudly set in my ways.

These are my top 5 reasons why I’ve chosen a frugal lifestyle and I’m sticking to it:

I don’t want to ask anyone for anything

When I was broke, I had to constantly ask my family for help. I realized it was placing me in a difficult position and damaging my relationship with family members. There was also so much that they could do to help, and I felt incredibly guilty about asking for anything.

On the other end, I didn’t want to fall into eternal debt by borrowing from the bank or even by requesting a student loan. I hated the idea of being a slave to monthly payments for years with no end, and with very high interest rates that would financially hurt me down the line.

So I made a decision to be smart about my income and my expenses. No more would I spend frivolously – every cent had to be accounted for and every effort made to save.

And you know what the result of that is?

I’m proud to say that I haven’t asked anyone for financial help in 6 years.

I love the challenge of saving

Frugality quickly became my passion. It’s a fun personal challenge to figure out ways to spend less, buy cheaper and be smart about expenses.

I love seeing the end-of-month outcome when I can tally up exactly how much I spent and how much I managed to save.

Before, I used to make purchases without considering consequences or putting much thought into the purchase. Now, since I’m ultra conscious about every purchase and cent spent, I can enjoy my well-made decisions.

And when I discover a new way to save or a great deal? I get giddy.

I’ve seen people take this joy too far (like in Extreme Cheapstakes) but I get it – the more you get into it, the more fun it becomes to save the next cent.

I can make quick purchase decisions

As a broke buyer, I had to make even harsher purchase decisions than I do as a frugal buyer. Choices were non-existent – I could buy only what I could afford, and that was very limited by definition.

The amazing thing about living frugally on a day-to-day basis is that when the need arises, I can make good and quick purchase decisions for bigger or important items.

When our washing machine broke down, I was able to buy a replacement without blinking an eye. Years ago, I’d have no choice but to wash everything by hand.

That’s one of the most significant benefits to living a frugal lifestyle – the ability to not be frugal about purchases when necessary.

I like feeling secure

The frugal lifestyle may have cost me some luxuries over time, but it was well worth the effort. I am finally in a secure position in my life.

With savings to protect me, I know that I won’t fall into despair if I lose my job and I’ll be comfortable and at ease while looking for a new one.

I’m also financially safe if a medical emergency occurs, and I can (and have) helped family members who were in times of need.

It takes time to build up savings and reach this goal, but there’s nothing like that feeling of security.

It offers a healthier lifestyle

Where I live, vegetables and fruits are significantly cheaper than junk food or meat. I can buy many kilos worth of tasty veggies for the price of half a chicken.

This has forced me into healthier eating habits. I’m no longer spending money on junk food like potato chips, chocolates or anything that isn’t necessary to my diet.

I view sweets as a luxury that I can enjoy every so often – and the great thing about this mentality (aside from the weight loss) is that it makes me appreciate the taste so much more.

My meals are now composed of a variety of tasty salads. The healthier I eat, the more I enjoy the flavor of these natural foods versus junk food, which at this point tastes like oily chemicals to me.

No joke – since I became frugal, I no longer suffer from insulin/glucose problems and my cholesterol levels have never been lower.

No diet is required to lose weight and become healthier, just frugality.

So now I want to hear from you! Do you also live a frugal lifestyle? Tell us about it below!

Thanks to Freepik for the featured image and icons.