The Value of Boring Frugality -

Sometimes frugality centers around clever hacks that fall under the "Wow, I never would've thought of that!" umbrella. Mostly though, it's the boring stuff. It's eating your leftovers, repeating outfits, evenings (and days) spent at home and keeping far away from those dreaded Joneses.

Here are five boring examples:

1) A fat stack of library books. Scratches that "new stuff" itch, plus the books get returned, which means they don't clutter your home.

2) A backyard clothesline, even though my backyard is deeply shady. It saves a bit off our electric bill, plus extends the life of our clothing.

3) Simple meals, like this bowl of Winco bulk oatmeal, topped with bulk purchased almonds and raisins.

4) Inexpensive hobbies and socializing. Here I am with my friend Rosalie, taking a "mirror selfie" in a vintage chrome toaster. I invited her over a few days ago and we enjoyed homemade cranberry bread and coffee at the house and then walked over to a neighborhood secondhand store. I have another friend date scheduled for the end of the week, which is also likely to center around munchies at the house.

5) Contentment. There's peace when you stop chasing the latest and greatest; newest and shiniest. While this is hardly new information, it's certainly hidden in our consumer driven society.

We have Formica kitchen countertops and our cars are eight and 19 years old. You know what? They're all fully functional and we own them outright. While Madison Avenue encourages us to imagine our "dream life," it's purely in the name of profit. They don't care about us and lose out when we find contentment with things others consider outdated.

Instead be the person who finds contentment with the quality items you already own. That way you can direct your money towards the things that really matter.