This post was last updated on April 6th, 2022 at 08:27 am
Many blogs about frugality focus on saving you money, and that’s important, especially during these uncertain times. Maximizing the value of your everyday activities is important, too. At Frugalmatic, I’ll be discussing how to squeeze every ounce of value from your daily routine. Here’s the key: Your routine must possess indirect benefits.
Here’s an example of what I mean: Many people consider mowing the lawn an arduous chore, and some even try to make it easier by buying a riding mower (sometimes even taking on debt in the process). While a riding mower is likely to save time cutting a large yard, it will save less time cutting a small yard. Preferable is the push mower because it doubles as an efficient cutting tool and a piece of exercise equipment. I use a powered push mower and work up a sweat over 45 minutes. Mayo Clinic estimates push mowing burns 340 calories in one hour for a 150-pound person. The direct benefit of mowing is a tidy lawn, while your health indirectly benefits from the exercise you get by pushing the mower back and forth. An activity becomes frugalmatic when it simultaneously offers direct and indirect benefits
A manual reel mower offers an even more intense workout. Plus, with a reel mower, there’s little noise and no pollution (additional benefits), and it’s almost maintenance free.
Making healthier choices
Of course, what’s frugalmatic for one person isn’t necessarily frugalmatic for the next. A push mower makes the most sense for managing a small yard but probably would be impractical for an acre-sized property (unless you like spending half a day mowing). It also might be too difficult for some people to push. The most frugalmatic choice depends on each individual’s circumstances.
My point is to encourage you to be as frugalmatic as possible, especially when considering the health effects of everyday purchases and routines. The United States ranks as one of the wealthiest in the world, and yet it is one of the least healthy developed nations. As technology has advanced, Americans have become more sedentary. It’s no coincidence that millennials are expected to have worse health outcomes than both their Generation X and Baby Boomer predecessors, according to a 2019 Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association study. It warned millennial mortality rates could end up 40% higher than Gen X mortality rates at the same age. Millennials aren’t lazier, but they’ve been steered toward thinking conveniences created by new technologies are mostly beneficial.
It’s not frugal to save money in a way that leads to a sedentary, unhealthy lifestyle, especially given the high cost of health care in the United States. There is no such thing, in my opinion, as “frugal fast food” or “frugal cigarettes.” Being frugalmatic is a little like eating your vegetables. A push mower takes more energy than a riding mower, but regular physical activity benefits your body over the long haul.
When less is more frugalmatic
Frugalmatic is an attitude as much as it is a label for products and activities featured here. Also keep in mind, many things are frugalmatic for what they don’t do. For example, I’ve owned a “dumb” phone for many years, always passing on the chance to get a smartphone. It’s a great way to save money (my phone bill is only a $13 to $20 a month). More important, a “dumb” phone eliminates distractions, helping me to better focus on the things in life that matter most.
Smartphones are, for many people, huge time wasters. They promise convenience, but they send people down a rabbit hole of social media interactions. A “dumb” phone can help create a firewall between yourself and time-wasting applications. It also allows you to model the healthy use of technology for others, especially children. “Dumb” phones can be frugalmatic largely for the time they don’t waste and the distractions they don’t create.
Another great example of “less is more” is the decision to not dye your hair. Many people are discovering they can save large amounts of time and money by letting their hair go gray. They feel more authentic when allowing their natural hair color to show. Plus, going gray means putting fewer chemicals in your hair—an indirect benefit from NOT dyeing your hair.
Frugalmatic moments can happen at any time
Frugalmatic opportunities pop up at unexpected times. For example, if you have kids, you’re being frugalmatic whenever you mix learning and playtime. I was reminded of this recently as our 5-year-old son was pretending to bake cookies in the kitchen. He was using a set of measuring cups, and the session turned into a lesson on fractions, as we counted together imaginary scoops of flour and sugar. He didn’t realize he was suddenly “in school.” He thought we were playing—because we were playing. “Fun” was the direct benefit of playtime, while learning fractions became the indirect benefit. Ultimately, we had maximized the value of that moment.
What do you consider frugalmatic?
I am a self-proclaimed generalist, meaning I know a little bit about a lot of things. And as a long-time journalist, I love debates (when they’re civil), and I hope to have them on this blog regarding what is or isn’t frugalmatic. I don’t claim to be an authority. You may be living frugally already and have things in your life that would be considered frugalmatic. I look forward to learning more about what you know on this topic. Feel free to reach out to me with your ideas.