Frugal Series - 7 - Finding Inspiration
SubscribeIf there is one thing I have learned, when being frugal (or going on a diet!), I need inspiration and motivation. I was raised by parents who had to be frugal throughout my childhood, and who taught me how to use money as a tool and not to abuse it. I have always been reserved with money, but I became very aware of my passion for frugality when I read The Complete Tightwad Gazette, by Amy Dacyczyn, in college.
Since then, I have found inspiration in other books on frugality, websites, online forums, and blogs.
At the end of 2008, I read about The Compact, an agreement and effort by a small group of individuals here in the Bay Area who had decided to spend a year reducing their ecological impact, in part by avoiding new purchases. While for environmental reasons, I loved how this was simultaneously frugal, and the very idea of taking a simple action that filled my desires to be both ecologically and economically savvy gave me a small thrill. Very shortly after reading about The Compact, I read of a young family who, for financial reasons, had decided to try for a year of not buying anything (new or used). I was hooked, and so in 2009, my family tried to buy nothing new.
Now, I find inspiration in other blogs, magazines, books, and in my own knowledge that I either know how to do or learn just about anything, if the activity meets my desires for economy and earth friendliness.
New motivation pops up almost daily. I was recently introduced to The Frugal Foodie Cookbook by Lara Starr and Lynette Shirk. Lara Starr is a local who blogs as well as cooks. She cooks up some very simple and tasty recipes and offers some great tips to bring good flavor to food on a budget.
If you have a little gem that has inspired you in some way, please feel free to share in the comments
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