Meeting the Frugalwoods
Posted on March 21st, 2018
I’ve been devouring my new book Meet the Frugalwoods (the book which inspired my March 19 Slice). The author, Elizabeth Willard Thames, writes about the frugal lifestyle she and her husband chose to adopt in 2014 that made it possible for them to retire to a homestead in Vermont.
One statement that I’ve been chewing on today is that her choices are about what material things she’s willing to give up to have a quality life (a deeply personal term, right?).
It’s the kind of book that makes the reader examine her own life.
“Am I frugal?” I’ve been asking myself. I want to answer Yes! quickly, but in truth the answer would depend on whom you asked. Can I be careful with money and food? Yes! I’m all about cooking enough to have leftovers for lunch the next day or even another supper. I will cut apart the Bath & Body Works tubes to scoop out that last bit. But I will also spend $100 in a month (gasp!) on craft supplies to create cards and little treat bags.
Do I know how to economize? You betcha. I spent my freshman year of college with $20 discretionary spending a month. (Note: coins for laundry and even Sunday supper were discretionary.) I confess that having to live that way for several years, working minimum wage jobs to pay for books, clothes, etc. did not inspire me to permanently adopt a minimalist lifestyle.
I’m thinking that sometimes life comes full circle in unique ways, as this book has me rethinking my financial choices. To that end, I signed up for the Frugalwoods’ Uber Frugal Month Challenge this afternoon.
It should prove interesting!
FYI: You can view the Frugalwoods’ recent PBS Interview online.
I think that there is something to be said for finally being able to splurge on the little things that raise your quality of life, especially if you have gone without any indulgences for a period of your life. For me, here, it is blueberries. They have to be imported, but that is the one indulgence that feels totally luxurious and within my grasp.
Interesting. I am going to check this challenge out. The older I get, the more frugal I become. Probably because I want to retire as soon as possible!
Here is the link to the Uber Frugal Month Challenge on their blog: https://www.frugalwoods.com/category/uberfrugalmonth/
Sorry that I didn’t think to add the link into my post!
I find a lot of similarities between you and me. I consider myself fairly frugal, but my Starbucks indulgences might say otherwise. My husband is more frugal than me, and we have spent many conversations parsing the terms “frugal” and “cheap”. Thanks for the link to the PBS site. I’m going to check it out!
I like this, and have been thinking about it for several years. Looking forward to reading it.