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! 🥰
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.
a great read ✨ I am doing a no spend year with clothes and accessories for 2025.. and I am a trying the hanger trick, when I turn the hangers around, each time I wear something I place it the correct way back into the wardrobe, and then at the end of the year if I haven't worn something I will give to charity shop!
I don't have that many clothes anyway but I was surprised that I only regularly wore about 50% of what I had. I got rid of a lot of the unworn stuff but did keep a few dresses for special occasions/formal events etc
I deleted Instagram and have gone for a whole month buying nothing! It was definitely ‘influencing’ my spending habits. Also only food shop once a week and get the same basic items so that I can prep ahead and keep things simple. Really want to improve my savings in 2025.
I became aware of how much social media was influencing my spending towards the end of last year and I've definitely become a lot more intentional with my purchases. Waiting a few days between seeing the thing and making a purchase decision really helps.
I didn't know I was poor when I was a child and I didn't care, we were loved had enough food to eat, usually the same thing each week on a set day but didn't matter the food was from scratch cooked by my mum, she didn't work my dad was our sole provider. I too live a frugal life ( it is sad that a lot of people think being frugal is something to be ashamed of) I find it quite exciting and love being able to find ways of doing and making things from next to nothing. I stopped going to the library and mostly get my books preloved and costing very little doesn't matter to me if they are a bit battered, every now and then I give the ones I don't require anymore to charity shops, often buy clothes, cd's and DVDs from them as well. We have been buying some beautiful furniture at the Salvation Army charity shop. I watched a lady on YouTube yesterday who thrifts fabric got a lot of handy tips from that and another woman who made rag rugs out of old T shirts and socks. I get real joy out of making something and repairing or making new things from stuff I already have. In these times we all need to be aware of what we are spending and pensioners like myself and husband since the new government got in are having to even rethink a lot of the frugalness we will have to do from now on. Not in fear but the joy of yet more challenges to solve. Love what you do Molly you are such a bright burning light in a very dark time.
I was just talking to my partner about this today. I grew up in a household with little money, but I never felt poor. Like you we had the same home cooked meals on rotation each week. We had hand me down clothes either from our older siblings or from family friends. We got a few pence pocket money each week and could either spend it on a comic or save up for something bigger. The only time we received something that wasn't essential was at Christmas or our birthday. I saw children in Tesco last week at the toy aisle asking for toys. This wouldn't have been something we would have even thought of. If we really really wanted something we had to wait til Christmas or a birthday. By the time my youngest sisters were about 5 years old my mum had a job as a teacher. She had gone to night classes when they were a year old and then to college for 4 years. I've no idea how she managed to bring up 5 of us, go to college, get a degree with distinction and then a full time job. We finally had more money but still lived frugally. Holidays were camping in our tent, meals were still on rotation and home cooked, despite mum working full time. Life was hard by today's standards but it just didn't feel hard. It felt normal as most others were living the same way. I don't live as frugally now but I'm not extravagant with my money. I will spend it on things that I feel add value or that I love, but like Molly I always know exactly how much is in my bank, and I keep a tally of every penny I spend so I can see where the money goes.
Completely forgot about the hand me downs they came from one of my cousins, they had more money so they were beautiful clothes but I had to grow into them she was slightly older, I also remembered that my dad used to mend out shoes, you just didn't buy new ones until your feet no longer fitted comfortably in you shoes, he used to put stick on rubber soles on the stank to high heaven but they lasted for quite a time.
I actually love this! I love the challenge of living frugally, it’s almost a hobby in itself trying to find that item you’ve had your eye on on vinted, or coming across a book by your favourite author in a charity shop. There’s nothing like it! Wishing you a wonderful week Molly :)
As someone who just lost her job and is taking the opportunity to try to go freelance and make work more aligned with my needs (so less income for now), I have seen just how much being frugal can be fun, intentional, and brings me joy.
Love this! As an adult, I came to my own understanding of eco-friendly living and was so surprised to discover that sustainable living is so much friendlier on our wallets, as so many of your points speak to!
I've started getting picky about quality items as well, whether it's what I buy or eat. I made my own hummus on Sunday and it was delicious. I've been buying fresh sourdough bread weekly (next level would be making my own, but I don't want to). And contentment is my word of the year. Content people UNITE!
I have gamified my spending for 2025, because I respond best to gamifying life. Adds a little joy into the mix.:o)
A lot of this really resonates! I think the last point is most important to me. Whether it's frugal living, sustainable living, simple living, minimalism - these are all approaches where we choose to have less, which makes us appreciate things *more*. And in the end that appreciation is more likely to make us happy than always wanting more.
Thank you for sharing what slow and simple living means to you. We also live in this deeply fulfilling and soulful way. I do love your planner! Thank you!
Thank you - I’ve been slowly downsizing my oversized life for the last 4 years and your list fits exactly into my goals for 2025 as I move closer to retirement. Much appreciated!
This is how I grew up; my husband had a different culture and it's so hard to communicate that spending more freely or without planning doesn't just stress me out because of our bank account, but because it rattles my identity and core values. My kids don't automatically order water at a restaurant, for example, and it makes my husband feel poor if we ask them to which makes them feel that way, too, and those aren't the values I wished to instill. I wanted them to appreciate and even enjoy frugality. It is the OPPOSITE of poverty to me. And I like to keep special things special, which they aren't if you say yes to them all the time. None of that is to be insulting to my husband, but just to talk about how the culture of spending reaches deeper than is often talked about.
A great article! I would also like to add a mental health spin to it. When frugal life is a choice rather than a necessity, it has great benefits. My father was a very frugal man despite no great lack of finances so the concept of pocket money was non-existent for me as a child as it was seen wasteful since 'children had everything they NEED bought to them by parents'. A want was never even a consideration which was always hard to accept as a child. Now as an adult I live a frugal life by choice out of environmental considerations which is a lot easier to accept as I made my choice rather than had it imposed on me by circumstances.
Thanks for sharing Molly. Great perspective on how spending less and more intentionally can bring more joy and time for the things we love to do into our lives.
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! 🥰
That's so lovely to hear!
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.
I'm glad I'm not the only one Michelle! :)
a great read ✨ I am doing a no spend year with clothes and accessories for 2025.. and I am a trying the hanger trick, when I turn the hangers around, each time I wear something I place it the correct way back into the wardrobe, and then at the end of the year if I haven't worn something I will give to charity shop!
That sounds like a great challenge!
Oh, I do this too. It's a great way to see the evidence of what you do and don't wear.
Were you surprised at how much you do not wear? Was a good way to minimise your wardrobe? 💕
I don't have that many clothes anyway but I was surprised that I only regularly wore about 50% of what I had. I got rid of a lot of the unworn stuff but did keep a few dresses for special occasions/formal events etc
I deleted Instagram and have gone for a whole month buying nothing! It was definitely ‘influencing’ my spending habits. Also only food shop once a week and get the same basic items so that I can prep ahead and keep things simple. Really want to improve my savings in 2025.
That's so interesting! My spending habits definitely became less impulsive when I left social media :)
I became aware of how much social media was influencing my spending towards the end of last year and I've definitely become a lot more intentional with my purchases. Waiting a few days between seeing the thing and making a purchase decision really helps.
I didn't know I was poor when I was a child and I didn't care, we were loved had enough food to eat, usually the same thing each week on a set day but didn't matter the food was from scratch cooked by my mum, she didn't work my dad was our sole provider. I too live a frugal life ( it is sad that a lot of people think being frugal is something to be ashamed of) I find it quite exciting and love being able to find ways of doing and making things from next to nothing. I stopped going to the library and mostly get my books preloved and costing very little doesn't matter to me if they are a bit battered, every now and then I give the ones I don't require anymore to charity shops, often buy clothes, cd's and DVDs from them as well. We have been buying some beautiful furniture at the Salvation Army charity shop. I watched a lady on YouTube yesterday who thrifts fabric got a lot of handy tips from that and another woman who made rag rugs out of old T shirts and socks. I get real joy out of making something and repairing or making new things from stuff I already have. In these times we all need to be aware of what we are spending and pensioners like myself and husband since the new government got in are having to even rethink a lot of the frugalness we will have to do from now on. Not in fear but the joy of yet more challenges to solve. Love what you do Molly you are such a bright burning light in a very dark time.
Thank you for sharing Ann, you have such a wonderfully positive attitude :)
I was just talking to my partner about this today. I grew up in a household with little money, but I never felt poor. Like you we had the same home cooked meals on rotation each week. We had hand me down clothes either from our older siblings or from family friends. We got a few pence pocket money each week and could either spend it on a comic or save up for something bigger. The only time we received something that wasn't essential was at Christmas or our birthday. I saw children in Tesco last week at the toy aisle asking for toys. This wouldn't have been something we would have even thought of. If we really really wanted something we had to wait til Christmas or a birthday. By the time my youngest sisters were about 5 years old my mum had a job as a teacher. She had gone to night classes when they were a year old and then to college for 4 years. I've no idea how she managed to bring up 5 of us, go to college, get a degree with distinction and then a full time job. We finally had more money but still lived frugally. Holidays were camping in our tent, meals were still on rotation and home cooked, despite mum working full time. Life was hard by today's standards but it just didn't feel hard. It felt normal as most others were living the same way. I don't live as frugally now but I'm not extravagant with my money. I will spend it on things that I feel add value or that I love, but like Molly I always know exactly how much is in my bank, and I keep a tally of every penny I spend so I can see where the money goes.
Completely forgot about the hand me downs they came from one of my cousins, they had more money so they were beautiful clothes but I had to grow into them she was slightly older, I also remembered that my dad used to mend out shoes, you just didn't buy new ones until your feet no longer fitted comfortably in you shoes, he used to put stick on rubber soles on the stank to high heaven but they lasted for quite a time.
I actually love this! I love the challenge of living frugally, it’s almost a hobby in itself trying to find that item you’ve had your eye on on vinted, or coming across a book by your favourite author in a charity shop. There’s nothing like it! Wishing you a wonderful week Molly :)
So true!
As someone who just lost her job and is taking the opportunity to try to go freelance and make work more aligned with my needs (so less income for now), I have seen just how much being frugal can be fun, intentional, and brings me joy.
That's wonderful to hear you've had such positive experience :)
Love this! As an adult, I came to my own understanding of eco-friendly living and was so surprised to discover that sustainable living is so much friendlier on our wallets, as so many of your points speak to!
You're so right Brittany! Its a win win :)
Love this perspective Brittany! I’m learning how accessible these things are too! P.S. love your publication! So glad I could find you here! 😍
I've started getting picky about quality items as well, whether it's what I buy or eat. I made my own hummus on Sunday and it was delicious. I've been buying fresh sourdough bread weekly (next level would be making my own, but I don't want to). And contentment is my word of the year. Content people UNITE!
I have gamified my spending for 2025, because I respond best to gamifying life. Adds a little joy into the mix.:o)
Content is a wonderful word! :)
A lot of this really resonates! I think the last point is most important to me. Whether it's frugal living, sustainable living, simple living, minimalism - these are all approaches where we choose to have less, which makes us appreciate things *more*. And in the end that appreciation is more likely to make us happy than always wanting more.
Such a good point Hannah!
Thank you for sharing what slow and simple living means to you. We also live in this deeply fulfilling and soulful way. I do love your planner! Thank you!
I'm so glad you enjoy the planner lovely! :)
Thank you - I’ve been slowly downsizing my oversized life for the last 4 years and your list fits exactly into my goals for 2025 as I move closer to retirement. Much appreciated!
I'm so glad you enjoyed!
This is just living, to me. I've never got into high consumerism. Doesn't feel good.
This is how I grew up; my husband had a different culture and it's so hard to communicate that spending more freely or without planning doesn't just stress me out because of our bank account, but because it rattles my identity and core values. My kids don't automatically order water at a restaurant, for example, and it makes my husband feel poor if we ask them to which makes them feel that way, too, and those aren't the values I wished to instill. I wanted them to appreciate and even enjoy frugality. It is the OPPOSITE of poverty to me. And I like to keep special things special, which they aren't if you say yes to them all the time. None of that is to be insulting to my husband, but just to talk about how the culture of spending reaches deeper than is often talked about.
Very true Jennie, thank you for sharing :)
A great article! I would also like to add a mental health spin to it. When frugal life is a choice rather than a necessity, it has great benefits. My father was a very frugal man despite no great lack of finances so the concept of pocket money was non-existent for me as a child as it was seen wasteful since 'children had everything they NEED bought to them by parents'. A want was never even a consideration which was always hard to accept as a child. Now as an adult I live a frugal life by choice out of environmental considerations which is a lot easier to accept as I made my choice rather than had it imposed on me by circumstances.
Very important distinction Katherine, thank you for sharing :)
Thanks for sharing Molly. Great perspective on how spending less and more intentionally can bring more joy and time for the things we love to do into our lives.