Free Money

I occassionally read a blog from a former classmate that gives tips on living a frugal lifestyle which she adopted after her retirement. She has some good hints and good-looking recipes (I haven't tried any yet but I did add some to my recipe box.)

Recently she wrote about A Money-Free Day. One day a week she doesn't spend any money.

• She makes sure she has enough food for the day and enough gas in her car so that she doesn't have to buy those items.
• She avoids buying clothes or books.
• She doesn't go to the movies.
• You get the picture.

And she doesn't feel deprived at all.

Really?

I think at least once a month that I unintentionally have A Money-Free Week.

• I live 3 miles from work (on purpose) so I don't usually buy gas more than once a month.
• I often take my lunch to work 5 days a week and don't eat out on weekends (because it would mean getting dressed and I'm too lazy to get out of my pajamas on weekends).
• I get new clothes less than once a month (wearing pajamas saves your clothes).
• I try to avoid buying books every week because I've run out of places to put them. (That doesn't stop me from buying them once a month, I just don't get new books every week any more.)
• I go to movies less than once a year (because constant use of a remote control has given me a short attention span).

And I don't feel deprived at all.

Well, maybe a little.