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Frugal luxuries
Posted on March 15th, 2009 11 comments
With all the bad news out there, it’s easy to feel like the world is coming to an end. More and more news about suicides, shootings, and lay-offs.
If we’re going to survive this recession, then we need to find ways of being happy.
As I’ve mentioned before in other posts, I believe that it is possible to live a fulfilling live while living frugally. Actually, it’s not just possible. I believe that frugality is deeply bound to concepts like gratitude, mindfulness and joy. By living simply and frugally, we find, sometimes to our surprise, that happiness is already within our reach. Instead of looking to the next new thing - a new pair of shoes, a new toy, more money - to make us happy, we find pleasure and fulfillment with what we already have. We appreciate everything we own, we learn new skills, we find confidence in our self-sufficiency and resourcefulness, and spend more time doing the things that truly add value to our lives.
For anyone making the transition to a frugal life - tightening the budget, or perhaps budgeting for the first time - especially out of necessity, or fear, I feel that it’s important to integrate things that make you happy into your every day life. After all, we don’t just want to “get by.” We want to live! We want to be happy and experience all the fruits this world has to offer. And, in contrast to the critic’s view that frugality equals deprivation, I believe that we can seek out joy this very minute, regardless of income.
If you’re used to looking outwards for a boost after a bad day, this can be tough. At first glance it may seem like you have nothing to be thankful for or happy about. But so much goes unnoticed. We waste precious solitude or moments of peace by thinking, planning, or worrying incessantly. We ignore the beauty that is around us by hurrying on to the next place we’re supposed to be. We save our best linens, fine china, and nicest clothes for special occassions, tucked in drawers and forgotten about. We dismiss our own creativity and ability to learn, assuming that someone else will sew, cook, or paint better than we ever could. But in fact, we have so many resources, both internal and external, for fun and fulfillment.
In “Frugal Luxuries,” Tracy McBride says:
Many people confuse luxury iwth opulence. To understand luxury you must look at the true sense of the word… something conducive to pleasure and comfort. So to indulge in luxury, you need only to focus on what brings you pleasure and comfort. Does luxury have to mean diamonds and servants? Or can it be a plump down comforter on a cold night or a bowl of wild blueberries picked at the peak of that fruit’s brief season? Too many people forget to enjoy these simple pleasures on a regular basis. They seem to wait for the Shangri-la of someday rather than adjust their attitudes and sample the small indulgences found in ordinary events.
I want to live frugally, but I also want to enjoy myself. I want a live that is rich with friendship, satisfaction, curiosity, and uninhibited fun. So I thought I would share a few things with that make me happy, a few of my own “frugal luxuries”. This week I’m going to concentrate on highlighting the frugal luxuries I find throughout the week and share them with you.
I love my lavender products, especially my linen spray, massage oil and handmade soap from Becker Vineyards in Texas. I find lavender one of the most soothing things in the world. I love it in any form.
You can make a lavender spray yourself, by adding a few drops of lavender essential oils to water in a squirt bottle.
Out of all my antiques, this cup and saucer set are among my favourites. This set, passed down from my Nana, sit on my tea trolley on an handmade doily I found at a garage sale.
I love Ombra bubble bath - it’s the best. It’s PH neutral and has the most lovely variety of scents. Of course I love the lavender one, but recently I tried the Citrus-sage. It’s so refreshing and fragrant and feels very reminiscent of spring. I picked this up during one of Rexall’s buy-one-get-one-free sales.Throughout the week I will be posting more of my favourite “frugal luxuries” in order to become more attentive to the simple pleasures that exist in my life.
What are the frugal luxuries that you’ve enjoyed today?
11 responses to “Frugal luxuries”
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Great post!
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I am currently working on call and I feel it is a luxury to be able to bake or do a bit of knitting during the day.
If you love lavender there is a great multi-purpose salve made(and grown) by a stay-at- home mom in Vancouver. The site is http://www.workswonders.ca -
Andrea March 15th, 2009 at 16:58
Wow WB, you and me think the same way! I’m enjoying knitting and like making sweet treats or bread with my bread machine.
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At the moment, having a hot shower or getting the chance to do some knitting are luxuries I enjoy. And the occasional home-made chocolate chip cookie. Yum!
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Melaniesd March 19th, 2009 at 21:00
Homemade bread with real butter! That’s a lovely luxury to me.
I going to try that bubble bath. Does it produce a lot of bubbles??
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Thank you for the reminder of all of the beauty and luxury that I have around me at this very moment. I have so much to be thankful for.
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Saver Queen March 20th, 2009 at 12:46
Melaniesd - homebread, good call. I’m still on the look-out for the perfect homemade bread recipe, so please share if you can!
The bubble bath is the best! It produced lots of bubbles. After a while, they do dissipate, but as far as bubble baths go, I think it’s the best. -
i like the way you think - that means my $2.06 taco bell lunch was a luxury.
the hubs car tore up this afternoon on the way to a big meeting - i had to leave work and pick him up. the nachos went a long way to calm my stress.
a hot bath tonight with go even further!
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Very inspiring post.
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I think the same way. I listen to talk radio and hear all this stuff going on and wonder what I can do? But at home I see a simply life. I have garden seeds starting in the corner of my d/r. I look out my window and see Gods beauty. I will be looking for a job to help pay off lawyer fees and if everything works out ok at home a little longer to update our home and savings. Right now the only thing that would quit would be a baby.
Nice post.
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Thank you so much for the kind mention of my book. You are most definitely a kindred spirit.
Warmly,
Tracey
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