My Frugal Life
by Nikki Willhite
A short time ago I posted this
question on the Frugal Living Board:
What is the Biggest
Sacrifice you make for the sake of your budget?
At the time I posted the question, I meant
to answer it myself. However, when I tried to answer the
question, I found it very difficult. I decided to wait and
think about it before posting my answer.
After a week had gone by, I still didn't
have an answer. Then I started thinking about the time my
husband and I had the least amount of money. The first 10
years of our married life we were very poor. During those
years I only remember going to see one move (Jaws), and I
have no memory of going into a clothing store (although I did
buy fabric and make a new dress for Church a few times).
We didn't go out to eat, and we didn't
have many babysitters. I think you can tell from the
picture below that we lived very simply. (Obviously, we
only had an old black and white camera)
Were these sacrifices? I don't think so. I was lucky
enough to live at a time when a mother could stay home and take care of her
children if those were her wishes. (Not so easy today).
The more I thought about it, the more I realized there is no
material possession that could compare to the joy in my life at the opportunity
I had to stay at home with my children.
Now, those children are grown. We have more "stuff", but
my greatest joy still comes from the "little ones". Below is picture
of me with one of my grandsons. (I have 7 grandchildren)
My hair is now silver, my clothes still frugal. I cling to my hoodie ( See:
"What
Not to Wear" vs "The Housewife Hoodie" )
There have been a lot of "I've never..." in my life. I've
never had my nails done. I've never been to a spa, or had a massage. We
were so poor when we got married we didn't even have a reception or a Honeymoon.
Yet when I leave this life, I will only be thinking one
thing..... "I had it all"!