6 Ways to be Frugal Without Feeling Deprived

Many people can see frugality as being cheap and stingy. However, being frugal doesn’t mean you have to make sacrifices.

Here are six ways that you can be frugal without feeling deprived:

Realize Your Priorities

First things first, you have to know where your priorities are. Why spend money going out when you prefer to stay home? Why would you spend money on a huge house when you’d rather travel more often? By realizing your priorities, you’ll be able to cut out unnecessary spending and enjoy spending your money on things you actually care about.

Also, instead of saying ” I don’t have the money for that”, you can say “That’s not a priority for me right now.”

People won’t be able to call you cheap if they know where your priorities are. Plus, this keeps you from feeling guilty when you’d rather not spend the money on something you’d rather not be doing.

Barter

You may love doing something, but don’t want to spend a small fortune on it. This may be getting your house cleaned from a professional, getting a fancy haircut, or maybe even hiring a personal trainer. If you have skills that you could trade for these services, or if you can offer something that would benefit the person offering you a service, you can barter for discounts or even free services.

Now, you may not be able to barter for everything. Plus, you never want to offend anyone by lowballing them. But, bartering can be a great way to be frugal without feeling deprived if you do it right.

Find Cheaper Alternatives

If you love coffee, try brewing it special at home instead of spending $5 for a latte. With all of the different ways to brew and enjoy coffee at home, you won’t have to sacrifice flavor for a few dollars. Ready to buy an electronic? Try finding gently used or refurbished phones, tablets, and the like with just a quick Google search.

Just because you are frugal, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy nice things. Being frugal without feeling deprived is all about finding balance with what you love and what’s in your budget.

Have Some (Frugal) Fun

It doesn’t have to cost a small fortune to have fun. In fact, many cities have a lot of free (or relatively inexpensive) options for you, and your family, to enjoy. You can typically find free events or outings on your city’s website, or even by browsing through events on Facebook or Google.

It’s important to go out and have fun. You can be frugal without feeling deprived if you can still find ways around time to enjoy yourself. Eith the money you save on outings, you may be able to have a nice emergency fund, or splurge and pay cash for something you’ve been wanting for a while.

Practice Delayed Gratification

In a time where instant gratification is everywhere, practicing delayed gratification is a great way to be frugal without feeling deprived. In many cases, you can give yourself the 48-hour rule. For example, if you come across an item that you’d love to have, but don’t really need, write it down. Then, wait for 48-hours. Still want the item after that timeframe? Get it (as long as it’s within budget).

Most of the time, you will come to realize that you don’t really need the item or want the item after all. But, if you still do, you won’t feel guilty for purchasing it. This also helps curb impulse buys. If you are going to be buying something that’s a larger purchase ($100 or more), try waiting at least a week.

Cheat A Little

If you make a budget every month, it’s okay to have one day where you cheat a little. You should still budget for it, but you don’t have to be super strict with your budget all of the time. That’s one of the quickest ways to burn out when it comes to managing your money.

It is possible to be frugal without feeling deprived, and you can still live a good life while being smart with your money.