There is no such thing in my mind, as being too frugal. In fact, when you look up dictionary.com’s definition for frugal, they pull from other resources to get several definitions. The third listed is my favorite, cited from WordNet.
frugal
adj : avoiding waste; “an economical meal”; “an economical shopper”; “a frugal farmer”; “a frugal lunch”; “a sparing father and a spending son”; “sparing in their use of heat and light”; “stinting in bestowing gifts”; “thrifty because they remember the great Depression”; “`scotch’ is used only informally”
Why do I love this definition so much? Because it points out that frugal isn’t just about saving 25 plastic butter containers, 18 pickle jars, and finding a new use for that leftover toothpaste you didn’t like. It’s about saving money, being more economical, focusing on reusing resources, protecting the environment, and being thrifty. In layman’s terms it’s about watching what you spend, buying with coupons and on sale days, thinking about purchases before making them, reusing items you might otherwise throw away, recycling items into new functioning products, and cutting costs on bills, utilities and spending. Period.
As I’ve quoted before, frugal living is a way of life – a lifestyle you develop and nurture over time. Eventually, it becomes part of who you are as you discover new ways to use old things, and you find different methods of saving on items you must use or have. It is not something you just are, it is something you become. For some, it’s a born instinct to be thrifty, and for others it is a constantly evolving process.
So whether you are organized or not, or whether you are frugal or not, they can be intertwined and tweaked to become one. Or you can happily live with one or the other, though you won’t get as far.
Is there such a thing as being too frugal? No. Why do I choose to write organizing articles for frugal living readers? Because educating a frugal person in organization is a valuable tool to them. It will help them extend and grow their passion for being frugal, and they will live a healthier and easier lifestyle because of it.
See the frugal living blog for more great articles on living a frugal life and staying organized at the same time!
Related Articles:
Frugal Lifestyle – Simply Adapted
The ABC’s of Frugal Living – 26 Tips To Live a More Frugal Life
Frugal Living Means Priorities
Organizing Helps You Save Money