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From Cath's Desk - July 2016
Hello Cheapskaters,
Brrrrr but it's cold! From the look of the weather map it's cold everywhere and right smack in the middle of school holidays for some of the country too. Keeping warm has been the name of the game in our house this week, I'm sure it has at yours too.
I have to tell you that I've been sitting for hours trying to write these few words at the beginning of this month's Journal. Talk about writer's block - my mind has been completely blank. This section has been sitting, blankly waiting for me to write something inspiring, or at least interesting, for a week.
That's how long I've been trying to come up with something wise or motivating or even funny to write about. What is it about my life that you would find interesting? I do the same thing day after day, week after week. Same 'ole, same 'ole or as Hannah says "same, same but different".
Not very interesting, certainly not inspiring.
And then it hit me. It's the way I'm looking at writing this piece that was the problem.
That's like Cheapskating. In the beginning of this journey the focus is on the saving: saving money, saving time, saving energy. That's all you can see, the saving. You don't see past the action to find the reason or the result. You concentrate on the "cheap" part of Cheapskating.
Then your attitude changes. You start to actively save so you can focus on the more important things in life. That may mean giving up some lifestyle choices to spend more time with the family. It may mean changing to a lower-paying job to enjoy a simpler lifestyle. This isn't Cheapskating just for the sake of it, it is Cheapskating because some things are more important to you than money.
It's learning to be content with what you have while striving to attain the things you need and want, the things that are really important to you. It's learning to happily ditch the stuff that's not important so you can enjoy the things that are.
It's understanding that saving money, living the Cheapskates way doesn't have to be a chore. Having a romantic date night at home, after the kids are in bed can be more meaningful than dinner at a noisy, crowded restaurant and a movie. Giving gifts that you've thought about, looked for or even handmade especially to suit the recipient is not only frugal and creative but personal. Spending time at the park with a kite or kicking a football creates more meaningful, lasting memories than two hours at an noisy, crowded, expensive play centre.
Living the Cheapskates way isn't about being cheap. It's about being wise enough to know that and being happy with that knowledge.
So I hope you're having a great week living the Cheapskates way because I want you to know how great a debt free, cashed up life is.
Brrrrr but it's cold! From the look of the weather map it's cold everywhere and right smack in the middle of school holidays for some of the country too. Keeping warm has been the name of the game in our house this week, I'm sure it has at yours too.
I have to tell you that I've been sitting for hours trying to write these few words at the beginning of this month's Journal. Talk about writer's block - my mind has been completely blank. This section has been sitting, blankly waiting for me to write something inspiring, or at least interesting, for a week.
That's how long I've been trying to come up with something wise or motivating or even funny to write about. What is it about my life that you would find interesting? I do the same thing day after day, week after week. Same 'ole, same 'ole or as Hannah says "same, same but different".
Not very interesting, certainly not inspiring.
And then it hit me. It's the way I'm looking at writing this piece that was the problem.
That's like Cheapskating. In the beginning of this journey the focus is on the saving: saving money, saving time, saving energy. That's all you can see, the saving. You don't see past the action to find the reason or the result. You concentrate on the "cheap" part of Cheapskating.
Then your attitude changes. You start to actively save so you can focus on the more important things in life. That may mean giving up some lifestyle choices to spend more time with the family. It may mean changing to a lower-paying job to enjoy a simpler lifestyle. This isn't Cheapskating just for the sake of it, it is Cheapskating because some things are more important to you than money.
It's learning to be content with what you have while striving to attain the things you need and want, the things that are really important to you. It's learning to happily ditch the stuff that's not important so you can enjoy the things that are.
It's understanding that saving money, living the Cheapskates way doesn't have to be a chore. Having a romantic date night at home, after the kids are in bed can be more meaningful than dinner at a noisy, crowded restaurant and a movie. Giving gifts that you've thought about, looked for or even handmade especially to suit the recipient is not only frugal and creative but personal. Spending time at the park with a kite or kicking a football creates more meaningful, lasting memories than two hours at an noisy, crowded, expensive play centre.
Living the Cheapskates way isn't about being cheap. It's about being wise enough to know that and being happy with that knowledge.
So I hope you're having a great week living the Cheapskates way because I want you to know how great a debt free, cashed up life is.
