I LOVE saving money.
Just the other day I came home from a department store feeling like a million bucks because I had saved 50. Funny how that works, isn’t it? But I was shopping clearance racks to begin with, and then with coupons and other store specials, I saved an extra $50 where I was already saving a couple hundred!
It felt so good! I was so proud of myself I considered framing the receipt and hanging it in a prominent place in my house so everyone who comes for a visit can glory in my frugality.
Okay, not really. But I was pretty stoked!
Saving money is an awesome thing. But at the same time, if we aren’t very careful, it can be easy to turn the process of saving money into a miserable endeavor for the entire family. So while being frugal is a wise and wonderful thing, it’s also important the way we go about it.
We can make saving money miserable by allowing it to consume valuable time
There are literally hundreds of money saving websites and apps, all designed to help you save money faster and easier, but that doesn’t mean the process can’t still consume a lot of time. If the process is something you enjoy and you don’t find it cutting into family time or impeding other responsibilities, then it’s fine!
But it may be wise to evaluate the time you’re spending in your money saving efforts. Sometimes the money saved may not be worth the time you’ve spent, especially if it’s consuming time you need to be spending fulfilling other responsibilities or being with your family.
We can make saving money miserable by becoming a miser
When we call someone a penny-pincher, we mean it in the most complimentary way! Most of us view money saving as smart and practical, as well as biblical!
But listen, if saving money makes you stingy, then it’s a bad thing.
If you’re so tight you can’t give to a good cause, or so cheap that a child’s unassuming request for a 5o¢ Barbie doll at a yard sale earns them a 10-minute speech about the ills of wasteful spending, then maybe you’ve allowed your money saving to become a miserable undertaking. I realize we may go through times when there is little to no money for any extras in our budget, maybe not even for 50¢ Barbie dolls, but it shouldn’t drive us to be grouchy or to be tightfisted. We should live our lives with open hands and kind, giving hearts. Anything less makes for miserable living not only for us, but for those around us.
We can make saving money miserable by forcing it on our spouse
It is incredibly common in a marriage relationship for one spouse to be the frugal type while the other is a spendthrift. Usually the more money-conscious of the two is stuck with the very difficult task of trying to rein in the spending of the other.
But forcing a spouse into saving money may do more to damage the relationship than to encourage saving!
The smartest, most thorough money saving plan in the world will not work long-term if your spouse is not on board with the idea. Granted, that thought is sure to be discouraging to the person whose spouse seems to have zero interest in saving money. But finding common ground, even between two people with very different views on money, is not impossible. Sometimes forcing the money-discipline issue is a big part of the problem. Allowing a spouse with different money habits to have some input in how, how much, and where to cut spending to save can make all the difference in the world.
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Saving money doesn’t have to make us miserable. So much of our success and our happiness in the midst of it depends on the approach we take and the attitude we keep.
And consider framing the best receipts to hang on your wall! I mean, who doesn’t need a trophy for occasional money saving inspiration?
You’ll find this post linked up with some of these great blogs:
Tanya,
Saving, it is a key economic principle that few really fully grasp, but it is so good when we do it. There are so many valuable effects of learning to value money by saving it. What you shared was great, in that you are encouraging balance, but I think one of the best things you shared (which will help all married individuals whose spouse is their polar opposite) is to be on board together about money. It is so easy to lose peace in this area and that is a poor reason to be divisive. Great job pointing that out.
Blessings,
Dawn
Well, I’m afraid this is one of those things I’ve learned through trial and error! I can be pretty ruthless with saving money when I want to be while my husband is much more laid back in the way he handles money. I’m a better planner and disciplinarian when it comes to finances, but there’s no question he is the more ready giver. We actually balance each other out very well, and trying to force him into MY way of handling the money has always done more to add stress to our lives than trying to find the common ground where we can agree.
Thanks for your comment, Dawn. I am so glad you stopped by today!
Wise words! I’m definitely guilty of turning a teachable moment into a long diatribe. I hope that we are mostly able to frame our frugality in a positive way.
That’s my hope as well, Jamie! It’s easy to try to STUFF our frugality down our family member’s throats, but that never does much to convince anybody of the rightness of our way. It’s my hope the whole family can come to love saving money as a principle, not resent it because mom was such a money-dictator.
Thank you for stopping by!
Good words to heed! I wish I had when I was younger. Thanks for sharing with the Thursday Blog Hop!
Thank you so much for the opportunity to share!