What frugal living ACTUALLY looks like
It's not what you think...
Hello, I’m Molly, a full time creator based in the Scottish Highlands. Subscribers can enjoy weekly posts around the themes of slow living, thriving in a creative career, books & nature. Members get access to ALL my content, including video tea times, slow letters and seasonal book reviews.
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Looking back, I’ve been living frugally all my life.
After my parents made the brave decision to give up high paying jobs, to start their own Fairtrade shop and home educate their four children, money was never in excess.
We were a family of car picnics and caravan holidays, rather than fine dining or luxury resort holidays. As children, we’d get a small weekly allowance, a handful of pounds (more if I helped my parents dust the shop - a tiresome job that means I hate dusting to this day…), that I used to save so I could buy second hand books or clothes from our local charity shops. Or, if I was feeling flash, a new top from New Look, on our occasional trips to the ‘big city’.
Despite this, I never wanted for anything more. I was content.
Rather than perceiving a frugal lifestyle as boring or overly restrictive, it has brought an immense amount of joy to my life.
So, I thought it was time to share what a frugal life really looks like.
A frugal life has meant….
That every year is a low-buy year
I have an aesthetically pleasing, colour-coded finance spreadsheet
That when a loved one needs me, I don’t need to check with a boss or my bank balance before I can be there for them
I know the exact amount of money I have in my bank account at all times
That I spend an awful lot of time in libraries
I’ve developed the café routine of either have a tea and cake or a more pricy coffee.
I get to do a job I love
I have curated a capsule wardrobe of mostly second hand items that I adore and actually wear
I never lose anything and everything has a place
Food waste is almost non-existent in our household
I never get surprised by recurring expenses
I take my reusable coffee thermos everywhere (less waste AND you usually get a discount)
I plan all my meals (using THIS Notion planner)
That my home is small, but has everything I need
I spend money on experiences rather than things
I have a budget for everything
That I’ve learnt to sew (loose buttons are no longer an issue)
I have buying lists
I learnt what is worth my money (my favourite organic tea, theatre tickets, Substack subscriptions) and what isn’t (high heels, unnecessary kitchen appliances, numerous streaming subscriptions)
I buy less but higher quality items
My partner and I choose a restaurant by whether or not they take Clubcard points
All my hobbies (walking, reading, junk journaling) cost little or no money
I’ve learnt to cook favourite meals from scratch
I was able to pay for my dream camper van
My food shop is roughly the same every week
I adore treating my loved ones with thoughtful gifts
I’m constantly unsubscribing from marketing emails (where do they all come from?!)
I get to enjoy the thrill of finding the perfect fleece on Vinted
I bought a Bento Box to upscale my packed lunches (an example of a purchase that was so worth it)
I’m hard on myself sometimes but I also allow treats
I better appreciate the small, ordinary joys of life. And am much happier for it.
(You can buy my Frugal Notion Planner HERE)
Until next week,
Molly xx
More from my slow and simple life…
How living frugally has changed my life
Thank you for sharing what frugal life means to you! My life, my values and what it important to me is quite similar, and often people don't get that I don't want for anything more, that I am content and very happy with my chosen life. I wouldn't want it any different! 🥰
Thanks for sharing this Molly ❤️
Coming from an immigrant background, I first learned we were 'societally poor' at primary school. We had food on the table, secondhand uniforms, and bundles of love, but I'd always been self-conscious about my life versus those of the other kids at school.
I think I live fairly frugally now, albeit with a few treats here and there. 'I have an aesthetically pleasing, colour-coded finance spreadsheet' is SO me too 😂 Nothing beats my Sunday finances session, paired with meticulously meal-planning based on what we have in and what we can pick up later that day for the week.