Reading into it

Desire of having is the sin of covetousness.  William Shakespeare.


A lot of people may question me about the next frugal tip, yet I have found this to be an excellent example of tailoring tips to work for your own good. Frugal tip number twelve is stop buying and reading magazines.

Now I know you understand the stop buying magazines part. Most magazines that I purchase here in Australia are just below the $10 mark (some imports cost a lot, lot more) and just cutting this out is a saving in itself. I LOVE magazines and always have. I will read magazines on practically any topic: home, self-help, celebrity, green living, travel, craft, music, religion....the list goes on and on. I once had 10 magazine subscriptions going at once. Ten. I never really got the chance to read all of them. So, I cut my subscriptions and I slowly stopped buying new magazines. By not buying magazines I save nearly $50 a month. $600 a year.

I work in a medical clinic and we are never short of magazine donations from patients, yet I found I just wasn't reading them that much. And when I did they were making me frustrated and just a little bit sad. Why? Because I found I was being bombarded with advertisements and articles on things (I thought) I wanted and couldn't have.

Oh look at that dress.
I must get that book.
That cushion would really look great on my couch.
And that couch would really go well with that cushion. 

See? Dumb, I know.  And that, in turn, started a spend, spend, spend cycle. As a fairly clued-up woman I thought I was beyond this marketing pressure but I obviously wasn't. Having to cut costs was hard but being confronted with "consumerism" on a daily basis was harder. So - I reduced my magazine consumption. I read one every now and then. I get them from work or family. And I pick one's that have articles that mean something to me. Once I start to feel the 'wants' coming on, I put the magazine down and do something I love and already 'have'.

Play with my son.
Take the dog for a walk.
Cuddle my husband.
Do the gardening.

And then I realise what I have. And all I need and want is right here with me. And for free.
Amen.

Choosing to be positive and having a grateful attitude is going to determine how you're going to live your life.  Joel Osteen.