A Blast From the Past: "Luxury" Sacrifices

Originally written back in 2005.
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Let’s take a spin in the way-back machine…to the time before you knew and understood the concepts of thrift and frugality, and what they could do for you in the long run.

Remember those things you thought you couldn’t live without, and didn’t bother trying to? You know—those things that now seem so absurd and wasteful...those things that used to part you from your money quickly month after month, without ever attracting unwanted fiscal attention?

The luxuries. The treats. The frivolous. The over-the-top. The Jones Badges of Consumption Honor.

How many of those things do you live without now, and gladly so? What did you consider wasteful spending, and how did you handle it?

Many women just “have” to have their hair and nails done every week or so, just “have” to own and use the latest and greatest potions and ointments for skin, and just “have” to have a certain scent to be what they consider “normal.” Men have their own must-have rituals too, like certain power tools, the latest razor, a designer scent, and the “right” wardrobe from foreign manufacturers….oh, and let’s not forget the biggest, “screaminest” 4X4 truck that traverses Mount Everest in low gear (or conversely, the ultra-sleek Euro sportscar with all the bells and whistles).

There are other luxuries, but not enough space and time to name them all—and besides, they’d be open to wide interpretation anyway. One person’s luxury is another person’s subsistence level.

Fast forward to today—now you have more time, energy, and money in the bank. This is the reward for giving up some “luxuries” and sacrificing the once-must-haves.

Some of the things I painlessly gave up in order to get here:

*shopping to make myself feel better (retail therapy doesn’t work—trust me!)

*microwave cooking (the effects on my health and electric bill weren’t good)

*working outside the home (the effects on my taxes weren’t good)

*owning a home (a lot more work and money than fellow owners and the media will have you believe)

*a second car (why did I really need one again?)

*lots of furniture (we were moving to a two-bedroom apartment anyway)

*my price book and over-stocked pantry (I have since discovered a new way to save money on groceries)

I never really had the “beauty bug” in the first place, so giving up bubble baths, hair goop, and nail stuff was never an issue. I’m not a real big appearance maven (what you see is what you get), so clothes, makeup, and jewelry went out the window along with the job.

These things aren’t really luxuries, per se, but they were what constituted luxuries in my life. Paris Hilton would laugh out loud if she heard that! Sorry, Paris—no fur-covered, diamond-encrusted, ritzy-labeled, over-hyped stuff for me.

What have I replaced them with? Well, let’s see:

*absolutely no debt of any kind

*a well-funded herd of IRA and Roth accounts (hubby and I both have one of each)

*a swollen savings account (compared to previous balances)

*a well-maintained and well-insured car we both share

*a small apartment that’s economical and efficient

*less furniture to care for and move from location to location

*home cooking that has boosted my health considerably (I haven’t been sick in years)

*more effective shopping from wholesale sources and second-hand (sticking to necessities, of course)

Funny what a shift in the frame of mind can do, huh? Tell us, dear readers, what did YOU give up to get here, and did it hurt at all?

For those new to frugal living, what ARE you giving up to get here, and is it hurting?
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UPDATES: We are back to 2 cars, but mine seldom gets driven. I'm in the market for a small house (whose final mortgage payment would be less than our rent), and intend to remedy the 2-car situation when we finally get a house.

As for the "new" shopping method, that has changed again too--I'm back to the price book, but only as reference. The bulk of my shopping is now in health food stores as opposed to farmer's markets, since my local farmer's market here went out of business--I stick primarily to the Wenchypoo Magic 8 foods, keeping the shopping list short: red peppers, carrots, broccoli, plums, navel oranges, and berries (black-, blue-, and straw-)--the only ones required to be organic are the red peppers and strawberries due to pesticide levels. To this, I add salad greens: romaine, chard, kale, and collards (all organic due to pesticide levels). I also buy organic meat EVERYONE in the family can eat (including the cats), and organic wild rice and red potatoes. I also get organic eggs for the cat's food, and we drink decaf tea as our main beverage. Canned tuna, salmon, jarred salsa, and canned beans (canned cost the same as dry per lb. here) come from the organic store (by the case), but are NOT organic--they are extremely low-sodium, however, and I couldn't find them cheaper anywhere else...NOT EVEN ONLINE.

I still buy odds and ends in quantity at low prices--things like sugar, mustard, nuts, etc. that don't need to be organic, as well as bathroom supplies, cleaning products (alcohol, baking soda, vinegar, peroxide), and all the various soaps of life (dish, bath, hair, dishwasher, etc.).

I spend more for food than the ordinary family, but I spend less time and money at the doctor's and vet's offices.

When it comes to groceries, I have sacrificed quantity for quality even in these tough times.