Article - Living on Less

**mommy4ever** · 02-18-2009, 01:55 AM

http://www.macleans.ca/business/econ...22_87650_87650

There was a real positive spin on being frugal. It's from October 08, but it was refreshing that it wasn't all doom and gloom and the frugal are the cause of the recession.

Worth a read(read it while at the Dr. office tonight,and then found it online to share).

**mzpepper** · 02-18-2009, 02:37 AM

What a great article. Thanks for sharing. I do have to say though, it is not only people in their 20s that "get it". Even though I am a Boomer the ideas of environmental responsibility, frugality, finding happiness and spirituality in simple things were instilled in me from a young age by my grandparents who taught me these ideals were virtues.

**phoeny_moonstar** · 02-18-2009, 03:49 AM

Great article. Thanks for the link!!

**Thevail** · 02-18-2009, 05:04 AM

Wow! That was a GREAT article!
The tiny Tumblweed houses were amazing too.

I think that there are both thrifty and spendthrift people in all generations, income brackets, neighborhoods, and ethnic groups. And that people are thrifty for a lot of different reasons from "I was raised that way" to " I'm not going to be a capitalist pig like my folks", and "voluntary simplicity" to "sudden involuntary financial change".

But we all tend to stay thrifty for the same reasons.
It's not nearly as painful to do as anyone thinks it will be. In fact, it can be really fun, and gives you a lot of confidence in yourself.
It's less stressful than the alternative which is keeping up with the imaginary "middle class" on TV. You know them, the "normal working moms" with Prada purses, perfect teeth, and $500 dresses that are trying to sell you spaghetti sauce or deoderant or fast food..or whatever.

In short, frugality WORKS. Or at least it used to. And it may again, especially if consumer credit markets stay tight. But loose (to the point of predatory) lending and credit standards sure made it look as if frugality was stupid or a suckers bet for a decade or so.

I have to say I really thought the idea that we could "shop" our way out of a crisis had to be the absolute worst idea ever.
But easy credit and luxury lifestyle did act as a great numbing agent on the American (and most other country's) population while our real lives went into a tailspin of obscenely expensive medical care, a the-corporation-is-always-right-and greed-is-good mentality took hold in our businesses, and even basic financial literacy was all but stamped out.