The Real Reasons For Frugal Living

Written on May 18th, 2024 by Roman Freeman

This old jacket is simply the best purchase I ever made.

Of course, it hasn’t always been old.

In fact, it was very much brand new when I bought it in 2010. And, as it’s finally starting to fall apart now, I still think it’s easily the best purchase I ever made.

It has also made me reflect on my life a bit and realize a few facts about frugal living.

Let’s talk about the real reasons for frugal living

The Best Purchase Ever Made?

I got it for 300 bucks (fat American dollarrrrrs). It was kind of a lot of money for me back then: 100% of my monthly salary to be exact. But, even though I was hesitant to spend that much money on it, it was well worth it.

Here’s the math: over the 14 years, I was wearing it mostly in Spring and Fall seasons. Let’s say maybe 100 days a year on average? That makes 1400 days over the span of 14 years.

Calculating the price of the jacket per wear Looks like I didn’t study Applied Maths for nothing after all

Using the magic of advanced maths, we come to $300 / 1400 days = around 21 cents for every day I’ve been wearing it.

I might’ve actually worn it more frequently, I didn’t really count. That would make it an even better deal then!

Frugality VS Cheapness

You might be thinking… What a cheap f.. duck!

But hold your horses.

Sure, frugality might sound like the lingo some cheap-ass hippies would use, especially those in urgent need of a haircut and an overall debumification.

Oh, and debumification is a real word by the way. So what I invented it? I’ve added it to the Urban Dictionary, so it’s a real word now, mkaaay?

Frugal Hippie Those damn hippies…

But come on, frugality is a real thing, and it’s not just for hippies, I promise.

According to the Oxford Dictionary:

Frugality /fruːˈɡæləti/ [noun, uncountable]: a way of living in which you use only as much money or food as is necessary

So yes, frugal, because I value my money and want it to work for me, not the other way around. And of course not because I enjoy hoarding pennies like that old fart that always has to pay with coins in your favorite supermarket.

On the opposite side, being cheap, it’s like when you go out with that one friend who never tips or insists on splitting the bill to the exact cent, even though they had three more drinks than you.

Cheap people cut corners at the expense of quality, experiences, and sometimes even friendships. It’s not about saving money smartly for them: it’s about saving money at all costs. Even at the cost of awkward social behavior and crappy own experiences.

Reasons for Frugality

Golden watch handcuffs Golden handcuffs mural in Berlin by Blu

For me, being frugal doesn’t mean not spending money, you know. It’s about making sure I’m getting the best deal for my hard-earned buck, while still treating others and myself with respect.

It’s like this: if I can save a buck or two by finding a better deal or searching for a coupon before checkout online that’s awesome. Or, if I can stay in a hotel or a hostel, that has everything I need, is in a good location and possibly even has a nice view, why would I pay more for the hotel nearby just because it’s more famous?

Don’t get me wrong, if I really want to get something “nice”, I will get it. But it will not be because of the latest marketing campaign of yet another famous brand or because I want to impress my girlfriend (or whoever).

And, if a friend needs a hand or I want to treat someone to a nice meal (and I can afford it at the time lol), I’m not going to be a tightwad about it.

It allows me to feel just a tiny bit freer and focus on what truly matters: like hanging out with people and animals alike, reading something interesting, making videos like this one, and travel.

It’s got nothing to do with communism, it’s not about being cheap: it’s about being wise and making sure I have the freedom to enjoy life’s simple pleasures.

It’s about living a simple, meaningful life that’s rich in experiences, not just stuff.

So I’ve got this 14-year-old leather jacket. Yeah, it’s a bit of a relic, but you know what? I love this damn jacket.

I picked it out at the market carefully all those years ago, knowing it’d last. And guess what? It’s aged like fine wine.

Leather jacket sleeve This sleeve fell as the first known casualty of the parrot warfare

Every scratch and scuff has a story, like this cut on the sleeve - it’s actually from a time when I walked into a pet store and a parrot sat on my arm. To my surprise he started biting into my jacket, lol.

Being frugal means I don’t have to worry about constantly chasing the next paycheck, just to keep up with the ridiculous lifestyles some people have. All because they feel like they have to, due to social pressure or otherwise.

I know people who would buy a new washing machine just because the “old one” has gone out of style. Nothing’s even wrong with it, it’s not even that old, I’m talking maybe 5-7 years old. This kind of overconsumption is truly insane and I don’t have to tell you what it does to our planet.

Living a simple life doesn’t mean depriving myself of pleasure. It means cutting out the noise and focusing on what truly makes me happy.

Expensive lifestyles come with their own chains. More spending means more time spent earning that money, which means more working, which ultimately means less time for the good stuff I enjoy. Screw that.

Besides, if I have spare money, there are always better ways to spend it, instead of buying things I don’t need.

The main reason for this lifestyle is freedom, however cheesy it sounds. By not getting dragged down by unnecessary expenses, I free up my time and energy for things that actually bring me joy. Less time stressing about money means more time doing what I love: it’s really that simple.

And who wouldn’t want that? But hey, I’m not forcing it on you or anyone. I hate the current age of the Internet where everyone is screaming at every corner that only their opinion is right and everyone else is wrong.

Simple Pleasures

Sunrise in Ibaraki, Japan I will pick waking up to this instead of paying off a new Mercedes any day

Now, I’m not saying I live like a hermit. I enjoy socializing and making memories with friends, but I’ve learned that the best moments often come from simple, low-key hangouts.

Board games, bike trips, going for hikes and just city walks, simple home-cooked meals, and genuine conversations - that’s my kind of fun.

And yes, of course, you still need dat green dolla bill, in my case mostly for travel. Because conversations are good and all, but they are just a tad better in a cool new location you’re exploring together :) But that’s what’s important to me, to you it might be having a really comfortable home.

So, living frugally doesn’t mean sacrificing enjoyment. It’s about focusing on what matters while appreciating what I have and making the most of every experience, whether big or small.

So What About The Jacket?

So what am I gonna do now, as my jacket is starting to fall apart?

Should've been more careful packing this in my backpack Ouch

I’ll try to fix it up. I might look even more like a bum (great addition to my hair), but let’s see how much longer it will hold up.

But after 14 years I won’t feel bad, even if it has to go soon.

It’s been a great ride.