The Frugue

I am proud to consider myself a frugal individual -- one who economises on most of my resources, not just money, though everything seems to come back to that most liquid of assets. I believe that frugality is important for making the most of the limited amount of resources that I personally possess and for conserving the limited resources that exist on our planet so that others might enjoy something closer to their fair share of our planet's bounty.

One way that I do this is through my shopping habits. I'll look for anything on E-Bay. I've bought books, many clothes, shoes, crockery, car parts, tools, and endless gifts from other individuals from around the world on E-Bay. In doing so, I'm reusing something that's likely still perfectly good rather than buying something new (though much new merchanside sells on E-Bay, too), paying less for it than I would if it were new, and sending a few dollars to an individual to whom that money probably means more than if I were to spend it at a corporate store. Shops run by Goodwill, the Salvation Army, Urban Ministry (Greensboro), the Rescue Mission (Winston-Salem), Habitat for Humanity, and endless other non-profits, charities, and churches are also good places to hunt for reusable bargains.

When you're finished with something, don't just throw it away and let it sit in a land-fill or be incinerated. Sell the best things on E-Bay, put the rest in a yard sale, and donate the remainder to a charity shop! You'll help someone to find a bargain and put a few dollars back into your own pocket!

Let's think about grocery shopping for just a moment. I often start my shopping at Big Lots. They have some incredible bargains, even on what would normally be pricey food (gourmet and organic items). Monthly trips to Costco help me to stock up cheaply on items of which I use a lot (cereals, soy milk, canned tuna, coffee, fish, produce, paper products, etc), but be sure to compare prices, as such "wholesale" clubs aren't always the cheapest! Store brands almost always deliver better value over national brands, even with a coupon.

Don't forget to read those nutrition labels carefully! Cheap food is often made with cheap ingredients and the few dollars that you save now will be spent down the road on health care costs associated with consuming such trash.

• Hydrogenated oils simultaneously raise bad cholesterol and actively lower good cholesterol.
• High fructose corn syrup encourages obesity; just eat sugar, especially turbinado, demerrara, and organic.
• Enriched flour is little more than empty calories. It's called "enriched" because manufacturers have to put back the nutrients that the bleaching process strips out. On the other hand, "fortified" indicates that additional good stuff has been added. It's better to eat whole grains instead; whole wheat is fine, but spelt, millet, and qinoa are far better!

I don't often use coupons. I was once a loyal devotee of the clip-'n'-save method, until I thought about what I was buying with coupons and found that it was often something that I wouldn't normally buy. Even if it were, the store brand was usually cheaper. I now see coupons for what they are, a marketing device.

However, there are many things that money can't buy. Though it might not seem like it on that flight from New York to Kuala Lumpur, this is a small planet and, at the moment, it's the only one that we have. Our mother Earth gives freely of many of her resources, but they're not endless. Someday, the oil, coal, natural gas, and, perhaps, even the air and water will run out. Money can't buy more of any of these things. There are over six-and-a-half billion people on this planet with whom we have to share this space and limited resources. Not only is the rate at which industrialised nations use oil irresponsible from the perspective of its being a finite resource, but the way that we use it damages the planet on which we depend for life. Sure, the planet can heal itself if left alone, but that takes time and money can't buy time.

When you're next on the hunt for a new car, look for one with a smaller engine that will get better gas mileage. Better yet, buy a gasoline-electric hybrid (as much as 70 MPG) or a diesel (as much as 48 MPG) car and steer clear of the Hummer dealership!

So, the next time that you're have to go out for groceries or are in the mood to do a bit of recreational shopping, start at the thrift store, charity shop, or E-Bay. You'll find a bargain or two, keep a few dollars in your pocket until another day, help a worthy cause, and take a bite out of conspicuous consumerism. :J