Member-only story
The Budget Set Me Free
What five years of intentional spending taught me about money, debt, and a good life…
Most people think that being frugal means you need to be as cheap as possible. They’ll say things like “never have a latte out”, “you shouldn’t see inside of a restaurant unless you’re working there”, “really, you should spend the rest of your life hoarding as much cash as possible”.
But I think this completely misses the point about having money. The goal is not to spend as little as humanly possible. It’s to stop wasting money on things you don’t actually care about in favor of spending more on things that you do.
I am frugal, but it’s not in the way that you think. I don’t clip coupons, I don’t strive to buy the cheapest version of everything, and I don’t feel bad spending money on things to enjoy my life.
I do, however, have a specific set of rules to keep my spending in check without making it feel like I’m constantly sacrificing. These methods have saved me thousands in the last five or so years — not to mention get out of debt and move to another country while still being able to enjoy my life.
I make being lazy more expensive. One of the most expensive things I’ll pay for is convenience. Things like ordering take-out when I have food at home, getting…
