Every Wednesday evening I pay a nice lady called Janet £6.25 for the privilege of standing on her scales. I have a perfectly good set of bathroom scales at home, so surely paying Janet is a waste of money?
Well, not for me. Being frugal isn't just about spending as little as possible, it is also about getting value for my money. My weight loss class gives me value for money. I get a sensible plan to follow, leaflets and booklets each week, rewards like stickers and key rings to reward me for weight loss achievements, and a half hour motivational talk each week. It isn't as though I get told anything new - I fully understand the principles of healthy eating, but that's not really the point. The meeting provides accountability, and that's the one thing I cannot provide for myself! More self-disciplined people than me can lose weight all on their own, but I am a realist. I know from experience that without the accountability that Janet provides I would not stick with it, so for me that £6.25 really is money well spent!
This sums up frugality brilliantly - it shouldn't be about denying yourself everything, or constantly protesting that you "can't afford" this, or that, but instead about making conscious and considered decisions about how best to spend your money. :-)
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