The American dream has most people in a flurried rush, backed up on credit, in debt and full of anxiety. At some point during a frenzied spending extravaganza, most people will ask themselves the question, “What do all these things actually do for me?” A critical look at the situation usually leads a person to a haunting feeling that they have missed some kind of freedom that would make life sweeter. The truth, though marketing will never reveal it, is that frugal living is rich with rewards. Buying more stuff tends to lead to more anxiety and depression.
But there is no doubt that certain belongings can amplify the richness of life. For some people, cars are a reward that is worth spending money on. For others media or sporting equipment supplements enjoyable experiences. It is when a person becomes fickle and moves from one form of entertainment to the next that joy tends to unravel. Living frugally is a natural way to combat the fickle attitude that fosters this strife. A few frugal tips can go a long way to freeing people from undue anxiety.
The best way to begin finding freedom is to deal in cash. For anyone who has accumulated debt, this will be an effort that will have to be fought for. But slowly, as a person pays down debt and establishes good cash spending habits, he or she will find a new sense of peace and satisfaction with the things they do have. People usually find that they can find as much satisfaction in a four dollar meal as they can in a twelve dollar meal. And unless it comes to one of their favorite hobbies, inexpensive alternatives will provide as much enjoyment as their more pricey counterparts. The idea is to make a paradigm shift. Greater cost does not necessarily equate to greater experience.
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