I just remember on my youth, so I really need to remind you that experience is still the best teacher. You don’t have to crash financially, but increasing financial pressures with some wisdom to follow, can also deliver same result, so you shouldn’t worry to much about it.

Colin Joss
East Lothian, Haddington
United Kingdom

A small suggestion for you, based on my past successful effort to click on my fundamental choice into workable frugality..

If your BF likes simplicity, then you can start telling the benefit of that.. in addition to the love for simplicity, you could try to motivate for money.. Something like uncle scrooges of donald duck, prefer to swim in his unspent coins instead to buying him self a new hat.

As a frugal person, I am trying to teach my BF some principals of frugal living or at least how to make better choices. He just recieved a lump sum (a couple grand) and it’s burning a hole in his pocket. He keeps asking my opinion about various things he could buy…mostly luxurious items, upgrades of things he has that work perfectly fine.

I’m trying to show him by example but he’s gonna have to flip that switch, make that choice. If it were me, I’d take @ least 1/2 the money and put it away. Probably more. I’d also sit down and take an honest look @ what I really need, say a new winter coat, boots, and new socks. Set a limit of what I will spend and, put the rest in the vault.

Having a fundamental frugal attitude, I think it would be hard to live the rest of my life with someone who is stuck in their ways-spending $ on all the wants. One thing that bugs me the most is the daily coffee and take out. I think it would actually be better to spend a lump sum on a frivolous item and have something to show for than an empty pocket and a pot-belly.

Great post. Any suggestions on how to turn a chronic spender into a tight wad???

Thank’s

Colin Joss
East Lothian, Haddington
United Kingdom

Read Fritz’s book several years ago and loved its clarity.

Our fundamental choice affects nearly everything we do and build the intent that creates results in our lives (and others).

To Your Dreams And To Your Abundance,

Paul Bauer
http://www.dreamsalive.com

Well said tubaman.

Great blog Trent!

I found this principle to be very helpful when I quit smoking. Approaching quitting with attitudes such as “trying to quit”, “cutting down” and the like just didn’t work for me. I came to realize that I was visualizing myself as a deprived smoker. When I was able to flip the switch in my head from smoker to non-smoker, that made all the difference for me. Whenever I would think of having a cigarette, I would immediately respond to that thought with the thought that I am a non-smoker, which went a long way toward defusing that desire for a cigarette. I know that doesn’t address the physical addiction, but in my case, the physical desire to smoke was secondary to the psychological addiction.

intreresting you said it fels like you were a different person nefore the switch”

Unless…

Unless there is a shocking, usually emotional event or inspiration that comes along. I’ve known people who tried to lose weight and get fit for years, to no avail. Then, after a mild heart attack or a blunt statement from their doctor about dying young, they suddenly “flip the switch.” People say that “everything changed” at that moment. No, no “thing” changed, “YOU” changed. Until people really change on the inside, their outside world won’t change at all. Positive changes come from the inside.

Great post, Trent.

It always seems a bit pointless to post an agreement – but I agree! I think an important thing for me when the ‘switch’ went on was it gave me permission and freedom to turn from the ‘dark side’ and more pertinently, not ‘care’ how odd others found my ‘new ways’. But the most important thing of all?? Modelling behaviour for my children that will last them a lifetime and allow them to be confident from the inside out, not fodder for marketing gurus and less susceptible to a world of rank consumerism.

And that is some gift.

Lorraine

Sorry, I’m a lurker, but I had to comment here- hope you don’t mind. I’m surprised that with your frugal and ethic-conscious ways you guys are still using disposable diapers. We started out on reusable cloth and would never go back. They’ve made some incredible leaps and bounds in cloth diaper technology in recent years. Worth a look! And for the record, you don’t have to switch whole hog. We still use disposables for traveling and when I forget to do that *extra* load of laundry during the week.

Just a thought :)