What is Frugal?

I've really enjoyed reading a new blog...and after I read this post I was just so happy.  She is great with words and explained a lot of the things that I feel and can't put into words!!!  Hope you enjoy!

written by SarahDees, on August 24th, 2010

What exactly is frugal fun?
My definition of frugal fun has a lot to do with contentment.
I’ll start by describing what frugal is not.  Frugal in my mind is not the same as being cheap.  Frugal is different from never wanting to spend money.  Frugal does not always mean looking for the cheapest way to do something.  At our house, we often choose to spend more money on something that is higher quality and will last longer.
My definition of frugal is making intentional decisions with money based on what would most honor God.  That will often look different for each family.  It’s not wrong to spend money on things that are fun, and every family will have fun things that they want to invest in.
However, the Bible does give us some specifics regarding money (this is not an exhaustive list):

• We are to be free from the love of money and from greed. (1 Timothy 6:10-11)
• We are not to worry about having too little money or provisions.  It’s interesting to note that in this passage, Jesus says that when we worry about not having enough, we are actually serving money rather than serving God! (Matthew 6:24-25)
• We are commanded many times to give, one example being in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7

At this stage in our family, we are not able to pay for all of the expenses we face and be generous with our giving if we also spend a lot on entertainment, toys, and “stuff.”  We are having to work many hours to make the living that we need.  My husband has a sales job with an up-and-down income.  He works overtime at his job and mows lawns in the evenings to make extra money. I work part-time teaching music while also homeschooling.  It’s so easy to look at others and envy their higher paying jobs!  But God is so faithful to humble us and teach us contentment. Every month we see Him supply all that we need.
Which brings me to the most important aspect of being frugal:  realizing that even when one has an abundance, life does not consist of possessions! (Luke 12:15)
Our children can be pretty vocal on this one!  Sometimes my boys are pretty sure that they will never be happy again if they don’t have a particular item!  They are also tempted to compare our family to other families who are able to spend more.  I wish I could say that as adults, we have moved beyond that, but unfortunately, our sinful hearts are tempted in the same way!
Last week, we had an evening where I really wanted to eat dinner out, but my husband needed to mow lawns and we didn’t have the money to spend anyway.  When things like this come up, there are two options:  Feel sorry for myself, or realize that happiness does not consist of eating out!  If we have a lousy evening at home, it’s not because we didn’t have the money to do what we wanted.  It’s because we chose to have bad attitudes.
I want to use this blog to encourage you that people who do not spend a lot of money do not need to be boring people!  Children who are not given lots of toys do not need to have a dreary childhood!
So that’s my definition of frugal fun.  Being content with what God supplies, and choosing to enjoy the things that He has given us.
James 1:17 “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”