BellaOnline Forums Money Abundance & Wealth Living Frugally or Under Earning?

With all its wholesome goodness, living a frugal lifestyle can sometimes mask a deeper issue � that of under earning. Even though �living frugally� and �under earning� might look the same on the outside (i.e. living with less), there are very different characteristics at play underneath the surface.

Living Frugally or Under Earning?

This is an excellent article with great points! For me, the frugal lifestyle is exciting and fun, and I have no desire to work harder or earn more. I think i have a new paradigm i can share with people.

But you are right, frugality as a lifestyle is really not for people with a lot of ambition and drive to work hard at income earning. It's a different category.

Exactly. It's one thing to make a conscious decision to live a frugal lifestyle, and enjoy the challenge of creatively sourcing your needs. But if you are wired differently, and miss the material things you can't buy because you don't allow yourself to earn what you are capable of, that's a whole different story.

I am also a firm believer in paying yourself first and making rational financial decisions. The idea of living below one's means and frugality is necessary in some situations, I agree with that, but it is also necessary to increase one's means and have a plan, a sound intellectual framework to live by.

Absolutely! I think people should be versed in both areas (creating wealth, living frugally) so that all the tools are available for living a full life. Then someone can consciously select the path that feels right for their lifestyle, or cherry pick from both.

You nailed it Jilly.

I kinda like the jingle that Mary Hunt uses on her 'Debt-Proof Living' website... 'Bringing dignity to the art of living below your means'

I'm not hellbent on killing myself at a job just to make a dollar to afford material possessions. I am an intelligent woman who has held supervisory positions in the past. Been there and done that in the corporate world. I don't want to go back to a stressful and exhausting position just to be able to afford the trip, big flat screen tv, or new car. I would rather be more at peace with myself, do a job I enjoy even if it pays less, and be happy with what I do have as long as I can pay my bills comfortably.

Debbie, I agree with you, been there, done that enough ...

Agreed. Today i went wading in the creek with a friend, then read along the banks and nibbled on wild grapes. It was 106 degrees out, but 95 in the shade (a dry heat) and very comfortable with legs in the water. The dogs were even shivering when wet.

Back home, I sat on my glider in the front yard and watched the sun set over the red rocks of Sedona.

My dinner was fresh food from the local food pantry.

Then I took the cats for a walk around the block as the twilight fell and the stars came up.

At night I messed around with my kvass and cider, wrote in my forum threads, and did some online research.

Next I will crawl into bed with the cats and read a free library book by 5 watt LED reading light, before heading to sleep. I sleep on egyptian cotton sheets and pillow cases that I found barely used at Goodwill.

I like my life. But my point is, it's a rich one in experience and pleasure, while being very far under the poverty line.