The average household has nearly $16,000 on credit cards and more than $33,000 in student loans. In total, they represent over $2 trillion of American debt. Clearly we've got a problem.
Leaders tend to recommend that we keep spending, avoid the concerns, and maintain the status quo. We tend to call student loans "good" and "necessary," but don't equate the debt with lifelong repayment plans, default, and ruined credit scores. Meanwhile, credit card companies bait us into spending more than we can, on things we don't need, to impress people we might not care about. It's a recipe for disaster, and a bubble waiting to burst.
That's where frugality can help. The word might remind you of boring grandparents talking about the Great Depression. They might have mentioned that a penny saved is a penny earned, while flashing back to days of penny candy. For most people, that mentality doesn't make sense today. Some say, "I don't mind debt because it helps me live a more comfortable life."
Well, today let's consider an alternative.
-How about a life that's yours and not a bank's?
-How about a budget that's easy to understand, flexible, and let's you splurge here and there?
-How about a philosophy that is about helping everyone -- yourself included?
-How about the freedom to travel on your own dime?
-How about a plan that will last a lifetime?
Frugality is the missing link in a world overgrown with consumption and materialism. With "Frugaling: Save more, live well, give generously," Sam Lustgarten aims at the heart of the corporate, consumer culture. The book provides an outline of his debt story, steps taken, and critiques of the advertising world.
If we save more, we can live better, fuller lives. We can cut down on our environmental impact, and give to others in need. And we'll realize that there's more to life than that new pair of shoes.
Leaders tend to recommend that we keep spending, avoid the concerns, and maintain the status quo. We tend to call student loans "good" and "necessary," but don't equate the debt with lifelong repayment plans, default, and ruined credit scores. Meanwhile, credit card companies bait us into spending more than we can, on things we don't need, to impress people we might not care about. It's a recipe for disaster, and a bubble waiting to burst.
That's where frugality can help. The word might remind you of boring grandparents talking about the Great Depression. They might have mentioned that a penny saved is a penny earned, while flashing back to days of penny candy. For most people, that mentality doesn't make sense today. Some say, "I don't mind debt because it helps me live a more comfortable life."
Well, today let's consider an alternative.
-How about a life that's yours and not a bank's?
-How about a budget that's easy to understand, flexible, and let's you splurge here and there?
-How about a philosophy that is about helping everyone -- yourself included?
-How about the freedom to travel on your own dime?
-How about a plan that will last a lifetime?
Frugality is the missing link in a world overgrown with consumption and materialism. With "Frugaling: Save more, live well, give generously," Sam Lustgarten aims at the heart of the corporate, consumer culture. The book provides an outline of his debt story, steps taken, and critiques of the advertising world.
If we save more, we can live better, fuller lives. We can cut down on our environmental impact, and give to others in need. And we'll realize that there's more to life than that new pair of shoes.
