Today starts a new feature on Diary of a Smart Chick. Every Tuesday I’ll be featuring a question for the readers of this blog. The idea is that we can discuss and debate about some of the topics that I really enjoy writing about. I’ll pose the question here and then you can respond and interact with each other (and me) in the comments.

Today’s question of the week:

Does being frugal have to mean making sacrifices?

Frugality is a topic that I write about a lot. What I’ve discovered is that people have extremely differing definitions of what it means to be frugal. For some people it means making a lot of financial sacrifices and doing a lot of penny-pinching. For others it simply means realigning your values so that you are saving money without feeling like you’re making sacrifices at all.

For me, being frugal means making choices but I don’t necessarily think that it means making sacrifices. If there is something that I truly want then I usually purchase it and find a way to fit that into my budget. However, I would be willing to make sacrifices if my finances demanded that I do so. So what’s your answer to today’s question of the week?

Tags: frugality, question of the week, what is frugality

One of the topics that I particularly enjoy writing about is saving money and living frugally. Following you’ll find links to a selection of my top articles that each offer ten or more tips for some form of frugal living. In total it’s over 100 frugal living tips to help you save money!

1. Top Ten Tips for How to Grow a Frugal Garden
2. Twenty Simple Tips for Spending Less on Food without Resorting to Ramen
3. Ten Tips for Reducing Shipping and Handling Fees
4. Ten Ideas for Romantic Frugal Summer Dates
5. Ten Frugal Summer Fun Ideas for Families and Couples
6. Ten Ways to Turn your Travel into Cash
7. Ten Tips for Breaking an Internet Shopping Addiction
8. Twenty Five Frugal Ways to Say I Love You

Frugality is a popular topic during the recession but I hope that it’s one that remains popular with readers even after the economy improves. Do you think that it will?

Tags: Frugal Living, frugality, money saving tips, Personal Finance, save money, tips

When you purchase a product, do you purchase the add-ons and accessories that come along with that product? If you’re a frugal-minded person then should you always skip those add-ons? In most cases, it’s smart to be wary of the add-ons but you shouldn’t automatically assume that they are a waste of money.

An add-on is an item or accessory that is suggested for purchase along with the item that you purchase. For example, if you order a hydraulic hammer from Maverick Hammers then they might suggest that you get one of their accessories. Such an accessory could be a stand for the hammer which would allow you to store the item without it getting damaged.

Is this a necessary purchase? It isn’t necessary but it may be worthwhile. The stand is beneficial to you in that it allows your new product to last longer because it prevents damage to it over time. It would be worth purchasing it if you thought you’d use it and it was being offered at a fair price.

In contrast, you might be offered something else with your hammer purchase such as touch-up paint. This is a great add-on for someone who needs it but if you don’t need it then it would be silly to go ahead and buy it just because it’s offered as part of the sale.

It’s tempting to get lured in to purchasing the add-ons for different items that you buy. There’s no harm in considering the purchase. However it’s definitely important that you make sure that this is an item that you really want / need so you don’t end up with buyer’s regret.

Tags: frugality, hydraulic hammers, maverick hammers, Personal Finance

A lot of people are living frugally now who weren’t doing so a few years ago. The reason for this is obvious; the recession has caused them to need to cut back on spending. This type of frugal living is considered to be involuntary frugal living. That’s because it is the circumstances surrounding a person’s finances that make these people decide to live frugally.

Not everyone who lives frugally feels this way though. There are a lot of people who engage in voluntary frugality. And you might be surprised how many different reasons there are for the choice to live frugally. Some of the top frugal living philosophies include:

• Desire to simplify. Many people opt to enjoy voluntary simplicity. They avoid spending money on things that will complicate their lives including anything material that is unnecessary and creates debt.
• Eco-friendly mindset. People who choose to be green are people who choose not to waste. These people also aren’t wasting money and so are living frugally.
• Greater purpose in life. People may choose to live frugally so that they can pursue a greater purpose in life. This may be a spiritual purpose or it may simply be a life devoted to creativity.

I am working on being a bit more frugal myself. My main motivation is the desire to save some money to be able to have more freedom in my life. However, I’m also motivated by some of these other reasons including the belief that a simpler life allows us to explore a great purpose while we’re here.

Why do you live frugally?

Tags: Frugal Living, frugal living philosophies, frugality, kathryn vercillo, Personal Finance, save money, voluntary simplicity