The ABCs of Creative Frugality

Amy Dacyczyn, author of the Tightwad Gazette book series, once wrote, "Tightwaddery (her term for being very frugal) without creativity is deprivation." How true this is. No one likes the thought of being deprived. When frugality is simply a matter of what you can't do or can't have, it becomes a burden and a source of resentment.

If, however, you choose to view being frugal as creatively replacing expenditures with low-cost alternatives, then it becomes fun. Frugality becomes a game in which the object is to see how little you can spend to get the same results. The winner is the one who can get the most enjoyment while spending the least amount of his family's hard-earned cash.

When you begin to think in that vein, you quickly see that you don't ever have to be deprived. You can be creative instead. To get your creative juices flowing, here are some thoughts on what creative frugality is all about.

C is for CARE and CONSIDERATION. The creatively frugal person knows that the most precious things in life are those intangibles that can't be bought or sold. Cutting back on expenses should never mean cutting out those little acts of kindness that being happiness and joy to those you love.

R is for resourcefulness. Frugality involves resourcefully examining available options before mindlessly spending. It means asking yourself, "How can I creatively use what I already have to fill this need?" Being frugal also involves living and spending responsibly to avoid unnecessary debt as well as preventable harm to our environment.

E is for economical. The creatively frugal always look for out-of-the-ordinary ways to eliminate waste and get the most out every dollar they spend. This involves education (learning all they can about this art of economy) and embellishment (adding their own special touches to the ordinary to make it extraordinary).

A is for adaptability because being frugal often means making do with what you have until another option comes along. A is also for adventurous because living on a tight budget so that one partner can be home with the children is not for the fainthearted. In many cases, it's a daily walk of faith. Please note that A is not for apologetic; frugal people have no reason to apologize for not conforming to the standards of others.

T is for teamwork. Although one dedicated family member can make great strides in controlling family expenditures, frugality works best when everyone works together. Creative frugality also involves good time management. The thrifty person budgets her time as carefully as her money.

I is for individualism. The good steward decides what is best for his family and himself, and then bases his spending and living habits on those values. Like a little fish trying to swim upstream, he must sometimes go against what everyone else is doing. Ingenuity also comes into play as this person looks for ways to get a little more out of every dollar spent.

V is for value—refusing to get less than full value for the time and money you invest in anything. Because the savings game sometimes seems like "two steps forward, one step back," V is also for vigilance. Giving up gets you nowhere, but persistence eventually pays off.

I is for investments. Saving money is only half the battle. Accumulation of wealth comes from taking those saved dollars and putting them to work for you. Investing wisely eventually leads to achievement of the ultimate goal of financial independence.

T is for trade-offs—sacrificing less important things to gain something more valuable to you. Sure, you could spend your money on new cars or expensive vacations but you don’t because financial peace is a higher priority for you. Staying focused on your goals helps you make it through any tough times that come your way.

Y is for you. No one else can decide what you value most. Once you decide what's most important and how you will go about reaching those goals, what anyone else thinks is irrelevant. Y is also for yesterday. Even if you've made mistakes in the past, each day is a new chance to press on toward your financial goals. 

Copyright Nancy Twigg 1999