Live Like No One Else

Since this blog is mainly about me and how I enjoy my life living a frugality, I couldn't pass up on sharing this extremely fitting post from Young House Love.  The first sentence has her telling us about her Father In Law's nickname (El Cheapo), how fitting!

I get a lot of grief from people in my family who don't understand why I don't want to eat out all the time, why I insist on packing my lunch and not going to starbucks, why I just won't go to a department store and pay full price, or why I have to use a coupon whenever possible.  I keep trying to tell them that I'm not cheap, I spend money (ask my hubby), that just isn't where I want to spend my money.  That doesn't make me cheap, it makes me directed and resourceful (at least I think so).

The YHL post really describes EXACTLY how I feel about living a frugal existence.  I don't live my life any less than Mrs. Jones, who might spends a lot on food, or clothes, or cars.  I live my life, saving for those things I really enjoy (fixing up my house, going on vacation with my hubby, buying presents for my family and friends).  I hope you enjoy the YHL post and can try and think of all the things that are most important in your life and the goals that are most important in your future. 

My goals aside from the given goal of saving for retirement, have changed as I've grown into an adult; first it was buying and paying off my car in two years, then it was buying our condo, then our townhouse and lastly becoming financilly strong enough to have a few babies!  Now my goal is to make sure we save enough to move into a SFH in a few years so that our down payment makes the mortgage low enough that we can always save for our dream of one day owning a home in Duck, NC.  I can only imagine the joy of saving for a place where we can retire and bring all our family together for holidays and vacations on the beach. 

Ever since I heard Dave Ramsey famous quote: "If you will live like no one else, later you can live like no one else." it has helped me to put into words why I do what I do.  What he means by this is we have a choice, spend money in your early years living like no one else, or save that money so that you can live a life full of blessings later.  I'd rather choose the later and continue in faith that God has later in store for me (if not our future kids/family will be very happy with the inheritence)!