Extreme Frugality, revisited

Note: See ‘extreme frugality’ in the archive section of my blog to get the background of today’s blog.

We are a month or so into our severe budget restrictions, and have been reduced to borrowing toilet paper and wearing holy socks :P (Actually we just need to get to Wal-mart; our funds are sufficient this week to cover a large pack of toilet paper, and even some new socks!) God has provided, sometimes in unusual ways, but mostly by helping us say ‘no’ to anything outside our budget. This can be very painful. I have found the best way is to be very consistent: simply never make an exception, no matter how worthy or how much desired, to anything that exceeds our weekly spending allotment.

Like any addiction, the initial period of deprivation is the worst. It has been a blessing for me to realize just how dependent on ‘stuff’ I had become. Rather embarrassing, really, especially for a ghetto housewife, to always be thinking about what to buy next! But the payoff is worth it. Aside from enabling us to afford some larger things we have been saving for, the tighter budget will hopefully help the whole family lead a more contented lifestyle, and understand the differences between our ‘wants’ and our true needs.