One Frugal Thing — The Joy of Simplicity
by Katy on July 15, 2025 · 13 comments
Having the ability to enjoy simple and low cost things in life goes a long way when it comes to living a joyfully frugal life. I may not be flying off on an internatioal vacation, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t luxuriate in a day trip to the Oregon coast while munching on a food cart burrito.
I have no sense that I’m missing out on anything, no envy of others’ conspicuous consumption.
No FOMO, (“Fear of missing out”) here. Just me and a couple family members, contentedly enjoying our takout burritos.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Sounds like a great day. I have absolutely no FOMO.
It truly is the littlest things that make life sweet.
I’m struggling with FOMO. I’ve deleted all social media (except my blog) and yet I still feel like the world is passing me by. I wish I could figure out how to make myself believe that I’m OK.
Well, a good first step is to realize approximately 99% (at least) of the world’s population feels exactly the same way.
“Comparison is the thief of joy.” Theodore Roosevelt
What is it you want that you don’t have?
Yes, you are OK, Autumn; it might take time, but you will grow past this.
Not looking at other social media is an important step.
Practice saying “This is good. This is enough.” Bring in a friend or two to help you.
You aren’t missing out if you’re living a life of intention. There are so many people who rush through life, trying to do all the things, and they barely touch the surface of the things that get done. It’s all about being able to say that you’ve been somewhere or done a thing and having the selfies to prove it. That’s no way to live. Sure, take the trip to Europe, but make sure you really take the time to be in the moment!
Good for you for taking a moment to enjoy the beach and burrito!
I get asked a lot about my favorite place in the world, and the Oregon coast is always at the top of my list! Glad you make the time to enjoy it.
Part of the problem for Americans in particular (though undoubtedly other cultures) is that we have too many choices. Making a decision can be paralyzing. The things not chosen grow in positive attributes and the thing chosen becomes less valuable. We get distracted from where we are and what we have by what could have been or what could be.
Another aspect of aging for me is that I not only have no FOMO; I sometimes wish I could miss out on a few more things than I do. In fact, I’ve come to have some empathy with what my sainted mother said almost 20 years ago when she was in a nursing home and we were trying to explain cell phones to her: “Stop the world, I want to get off!”
AMEN. Not only do I love this blog, Katy, but I love the readers and commenters too. Thank you for your continued dedication to this space!
I have struggled because my family — my kids, my ex and my sibs, have a lot more money than I do and live a very different lifestyle. They don’t have much respect for my lifestyle because it seems self-denying to them. But honestly, I look at their lives and feel no envy. They are stressed, worried about what others think, wasteful, and often seem upset that expectations haven’t been met. If they could embrace simplicity they would be so much happier! But they are in the majority and I am in the minority, so they feel validated.
I have family like that. They take pride in complaining that they are SO BUSY. If I suggest ways to slow things down, I’m told that I “don’t understand”. I’ve come to realize that they see business and stress as a virtue. I disagree!
Love this post, Katy.
Next week is vacation for my husband & I & we are doing a week of daytrips. Things fairly local to us that we haven’t done before. I’m looking so forward to it. Friends & some family would never think of this as a great vacation, as they are jetting off to Paris, London & Texas, but I can’t wait for our simple, frugal week.