Living Frugally

When you think of a thrift lifestyle, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Is it shopping at a thrift shop, looking for great deals on things you need or things you simply want? Is it about looking for new uses for old things – repurposing items in your house? Is it about getting the most out of the things you already have so that you’re not simply consuming for the sake of it?

When I think of my parents and my grandparents’ lifestyles, I think of thrift in a different way. Their lives were marked more by reducing waste than they were by reducing consumption. It had more to do with frugality than anything else. This was borne out of necessity – both my parents and all of my grandparents lived in need and sometimes outright poverty. When you had stuff you used it completely, you didn’t waste…