True Frugality

I'm really confused by what a lot of people are calling frugal living. I'm always reading about moms who cut coupons in the name of frugality. They not only cut coupons, they collect individual store coupons and post about their conquests trekking from one store to another garnering deals on shaving cream and hair color. They claim victory upon victory in the purchase of numerous items for nearly nothing. They often gloat and brandish their coupon madness for all to see. Ninety-nine cent packages of hot-dogs are "the bomb!"

This way of thinking is so strange to me. To me all that is absolute slavery.

First off, "them that do" are slaves to the "bargain". They have to have "it" if "it's" a "deal". If they have a coupon, or there's a sale, they have to GO. Worse than all that, they go from store, to store, to store, to store to get "it". They spend hours cutting, organizing and pondering sales flyers. They plan their weeks around sales. They are made happy by saving "something" and are giddy at the thought of the next "savings". They drive and drive endlessly to get it. Where do they come by all that time?! It baffles me. How is that frugal living?

I'm all for saving, but what do these folks really get out of it? To me slavery is when you "have" to do something "because...". You have to go to CVS because you can get 5 of these with 2 coupons and the sale and the rebate for 4.5 cents! You HAVE to get your dry goods HERE because they are 25 cents cheaper.

I have a cousin like this. She can not shop at one grocery. She has to hit them all. She spends hours with her Sunday paper memorizing, cutting and planning her purchases. Why not just go when you need to! Why not buy just what you need? If you are using coupons, most likely you are acting on the dictates of the manufacturer. Is it really something you need? If it is, great! But how often is it...really? Is it really frugal living to "live" for the next "deal"?


What about true frugality? True frugality, to me, is using a bit less. It's finding ways to change your lifestyle for "less". It's sometimes about spending MORE so you can LIVE. You can't LIVE on Ding Dongs no matter how cheap you get them. I see more coupons for "Ding-Dongs" than I do for milk. Won't you be better nourished buying quality all-natural meat than hot-dogs?

True frugality for me is buying toilet paper at Kroger instead of Target because if I have to go to Target it takes an entire afternoon, 2 whiny kids who hate being there, a MINimum of $200 a trip, which always includes something I didn't plan to buy (because that's really what Target is for!), 8 miles more gas than the grocery store, eating fast food (yuck!) and complete and utter exhaustion. Not to mention all the other things I couldn't do because I HAD to go there...,

I didn't get to bake my bread, read that history book to son, practice ballet with daughter, rest! I didn't get to look out my window at the snow falling or put pictures in my scrapbook. I didn't get to sit by the fire and drink a cup of tea while visiting with a friend, I didn't get to call my dad.

Don't get me wrong...I love Target. The point is, sometimes I choose to spend more and buy a few things at Kroger because I'm there and I want TO GO HOME AND STAY HOME! It's so worth my time (financially and otherwise) to make that choice. That is true frugality to me. Staying home more. Not putting wear and tear on your self, your family, your car, your self, to shop, shop, shop.. wearing your self out!!

True frugality is spending money to learn to plant a garden to sustain your family rather than spend the time cutting coupons. True frugality is about priorities. True frugality is about consumption and choices. It's about saving the cable bill so you can buy games to play with your kids. It's about saving the cost of a Wii so that your children will have time to read the best books ever written!

As you can imagine, I could go on and on. I know that there is something appealing to every mom in "saving" and finding bargains. We're drawn to info about it like moths to flames. But do we remember that the gate is wide that leads to destruction. When we run, the race of endurance we better be running the right race. Idolatry comes in all shapes and sizes, even coupon shapes and sizes.

My prayer for myself is that my frugality will come in the wisdom to make good choices and pass that wisdom on to my children. We don't have an abundance to spend. We still have debt we're working our way out of, but that has more to do with God and his provision and lessons for us, as anything.

I write all this not to judge anyone who loves to cut those coupons, but just as a reminder to myself that it's okay for me to buy wooden spoons at Kroger instead of the dollar store. After all, I'm cooking healthy meals for my family using them...instead of going to Taco Bell.