“The greatest wealth is to live content with little.”

Let’s start with this simple, yet thought-provoking quote
from none other than the Greek philosopher, Plato. It describes the essence of
frugality: living a good life without having many material possessions. Wealth
shouldn’t be measured by the figures on your bank account statement; true
wealth comes from our relationships with others and fulfilling activities we
have in our lives, no matter how “little” or insignificant they may seem to the
money-obsessed world around us.

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”

This quote, by Theodore Roosevelt, hits the nail on the head
when it comes to living frugally. It’s good to have financial goals, but also
keep an eye on the present and simply live your life rather than fretting over
bills, or wondering if you’ll be able to afford that vacation you’ve been
promising your family for years. Money is a source of anxiety for many people,
so keep this quote in mind if you ever find yourself worrying about your
finances and wondering how to make it all work.

“Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they
don’t want, to impress people they don’t like.”

Will Rogers is
spot-on with his assessment of our consumerist society today. We’re heavily
reliant on credit, deeply in debt, and obsessed with keeping up with – or even
surpassing – the Joneses. Frugal people are the antithesis of this. They live below their means, buy what they need rather than what they want, and focus
on their own lives and financial situations rather than worrying about what
others might think of them.  

“The happiest
people don’t necessarily have the best of everything but they make the most of
everything.”

This quote, by Sam
Cawthorn, demonstrates how being rich is more of a lifestyle or even a state of
mind, rather than the quality and quantity of things a person owns. Truly happy
people are usually frugal people as well because they don’t need a lot of stuff
to fulfill their lives. They make the most of everything by stretching their
dollars. Whether it’s by using clothing coupons to
buy non-name-brand clothes, eating generic food varieties because they’re
cheaper in stores, or finding alternative modes of transportation than owning a
car because those are cheaper in the long run. In short, don’t focus on luxury
and quantity. Instead, make the most of what you have and find happiness in
that rather than constantly yearning for things you don’t yet have.

“Beware of little expenses; a
small leak will sink a great ship.”

This final quote comes from Benjamin
Franklin. He exemplifies the purpose of being frugal because if we’re not
careful about tracking our spending and managing our finances efficiently, we
could end up in a boatload of trouble. Ways to prevent this include: keeping a
budget (and adhering to it), setting spending limits while you’re out shopping,
embracing frugal measures in every area of your life, and cutting back on
expenses periodically to build up a sizeable savings to tide you over if you
ever find yourself caught in a storm. 



Kelly Kehoe is a staff writer for Money Street Smart and works with SumoCoupon.com, a site full coupons and coupon codes.