Joy in the Journey

As a Christian, I know that my real joy lies in Jesus, and He does not want me to be robbed of that joy by my circumstances. As our family continues to make progress with a more frugal lifestyle, we want to have positive feelings about those changes. It is important to us that we reflect for our children that these changes are about the privilege of choice, not deprivation.

Here are a few of the ways we are trying to foster good feelings about being more frugal while forming the habit of making more cost effective choices:

• Review our goals regularly - As we take the time to do this, it helps to remind us that every time we don't spend money and save it instead, we are a step closer to one of our goals. Some of these goals are very tangible. For example, our family wants to travel to Alaska to visit family members before they move back to the lower 48. We want it to be an educational trip that can be part of our homeschooling experience. We have a beautiful framed photo of an Alaskan landscape in our homeschool room, so that we can see this visual reminder of one of the goals we are working toward.


• Celebrate savings by writing them down - I love to make special note of amounts we have saved every week. It then becomes a little game with myself to see if I can top that savings the next week. I'm by nature competitive, so even competing with myself seems to work! It not only makes me feel good, but my husband loves it too!
  
• Validating our purchases - I'm not referring to regular spending like groceries or gas, but for any purchase even mildly out of the ordinary. First, I need to consider why I want the item. It's amazing how lame my rationale can sometimes be. I am finding that when I just take time to think about it, I can pretty easily find an alternative to the purchase -- even if it is just a less expensive purchase.
  
• Ask yourself why - Is this a NEED or a WANT?


• Stay well groomed - I am not proud to admit this, but I have learned that I am less likely to spend money when I feel good. And I feel best when I am showered and dressed completely, including my shoes! I feel more energetic and more efficient. It would be easy to let that slide some days in conjunction with staying home more due to spending less on outside activities.
  
• Enjoy what you already own. I realize that we have CDs, movies, games,puzzles, and books that we rarely use. We have thoroughly loved pulling them out and using them again. The children have been especially pleased with some of these activities. It was fun AND free!

We want our lives to reflect that happiness is not dependent upon the latest gadget or designer label. We want to radiate happiness because we are richly blessed by an Almighty God who doesn't want us to be bogged down in financial worry of our own making or side-tracked by obsession with the things we own. We are learning that in this journey of restraint...there is freedom.