Each day, you work hard in order to earn money and have a good life. You do this not just for yourself but also for the entire family. For sure, you are not only pleased with yourself when you get high earnings but you are also happy that you can now buy the things you need and the things you want. Every one of us would like to live a comfortable life. You can do that by living below your means and by having a lifestyle that fits your earnings.
You need to simplify your life to make sure you’ll be able to save enough for the future. You do not know what is in store for you tomorrow. So, you need to prepare now by having a frugal living. Remember that wealth is not measured in the material things you own. It is measured on how you lived your life. It would be hard for some people to live simply but nothing is impossible. You can have a frugal living by following the simple steps below. Start reading now and think about these points on how you can apply it to yourself.
1. Take note that time is money.
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Good time management is very important. Focus on simplifying, reducing and eliminating tasks. You have to make sure that you will only focus on tasks that will give you a good return of investment by being more productive by doing less. Use simple ways to do things and be able to finish it on the right time. Focus on the important tasks only. Do not waste your time on useless things.
2. Learn to share and borrow stuff.
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When you need some stuff, borrow it from your friends instead of buying one. Like if you need a particular designer book and you know someone who has it, then give him a ring and borrow. There are really times when you can just request your friends for a little help. When they need something too, you can let them borrow your stuff. Just be sure to return it in good condition.
3. Engage to long-term investment.
You wouldn’t have to worry of your future if you are engaged in a long-term investment. This will help you to grow your money and would even give you greater savings. Do not be spending all your money, invest a part of it. You will never regret as long as you invested in the right business.
4. Always be healthy.
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Staying healthy will surely save a lot of money because getting sick means you have to buy a lot of medicines. Worse, you might even be brought to the hospital which entails a bigger amount. So, why don’t you just eat the right kind of food, have enough sleep and avoid stress? Yes, I know you are a designer and you are so occupied with tons of projects but you would not be able to do all of that if you will get sick. Take care of your health for you couldn’t buy that from the mall.
5. Prepare for rainy days.
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Just because you are earning a lot today means that you can spend as much as you want. Remember that not all situations are the same all the time. You’ll never know, you might lose that job or you might not be able to have many clients. Prepare for the worst to happen. Save for the rainy days. You need to be financially flexible in order to secure your future.
6. Go to the mall only when needed.
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If you are really serious about saving and living a simple life, avoid going to the mall when you really do not have anything important to buy. Going to the mall just for entertainment will still eat up all your money intended for savings. You will surely find things which you’d love to buy and you might not be able to resist the temptation. So, be sure to go there when you have money intended for shopping.
7. Regulate ads viewing.
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Well, advertisements will really urge you to buy some stuff. You can limit your intake of ads to avoid that urge of buying something. No doubt, ads are made to really entice the people to purchase a product or avail a service. But do not be lured into the temptation all the time.
8. Limit your consumerism.
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If you already have a good computer, you really do not need to buy another one just because you like using a new computer. If your iPad is functioning well, you don’t need to buy iPad2 just because it is a newer version. Well, people are really like that but if you are really serious about frugal living, then, simplify your life and avoid being eaten up by consumerism.
9. Do not compare and compete.
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If you keep on comparing yourself to others, you will never be happy. If you are not contented with what you have, you will continually buy things that you think will complete you. Stop comparing yourself to others and avoid competing with them. Just do your thing! You will never know, you have reached the zenith of success already because you were occupied working for your own success without looking at competitors. Do not waste time competing and comparing.
10. Be a smart buyer.
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When you are planning to buy something, be a smart buyer by looking for a better deal. Buy something that has good quality yet cheaper. Look at all the details. Just be sure to never ever sacrifice the quality of a product for in the end, you will realize that you haven’t really saved a lot. You would need to buy another one if the first product you bought was immediately ruined.
11. Stay at home to relax.
If you have decided to relax, you do not have to go far. You really do not need to travel or go to some places in the city. You can stay in your house. Order your favourite snack and have it delivered. Ask friends to come over or if you want to be alone, just sit on your lounge and watch a movie. Or maybe, you just want to sleep and listen to music. That way, you wouldn’t spend money.
12. Do not be an impulsive buyer.
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Buy things you truly need. Do not just buy something because you think it would be useful even if it won’t really be. Avoid impulse buying. Before you leave your home to purchase some stuff, make sure you already have a list of what to buy. The things you need should be given priority. You wouldn’t want to waste money in buying stuff which will only be kept after you bought them because it isn’t useful for you.
13. Avoid looking for easier ways.
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These days, there are always easier ways to do things. Example, if you want to trim down your weight, you just buy those expensive pills instead of going out to do some exercise. Ready to eat foods are convenient but it won’t give you the nutrition you need. It seems that everything can be made easier with money. But remember that some things are done in a simpler and safer way without the need to spend a lot.
14. Give personalized gifts.
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Planning to give some stuff to family and friends? You really do not need to buy expensive gifts. You can write a letter, make a card or buy a postcard. You can even make things for them like a beautiful painting, a charcoal painted portrait and others. They will appreciate it more if you will give them something with a personal touch. It would even be more special since you have exerted effort in creating them. For sure, your family and friends will appreciate it.
15. Do not be greedy.
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Be sure to do things the right way. Look for the right way in order to achieve a good end. Do not be greedy for you won’t be successful if you do that. Greed could result into something good at this moment but the lasting result is undesirable.
It’s Your Turn Now
It is said that a penny saved is a penny earned. That is true indeed. So, if you follow these simple steps, you will surely be able to have a frugal living. You would need to exert some effort in doing it but through time, you will succeed. If you have other tips to share in order to have a simple life, feel free to do that.
Well, these things are just so true.