Is it Time for an Austerity Budget?

There was a time when I lived on an austerity budget. 

I had to put the tissues back. I was checking out at the grocery store and slowly watching the numbers go up and up. Unfortunately, the tissues were above my budget. I reluctantly took them off and paid for the rest of the stuff. Bread, cucumbers, milk. That was it.

Austerity Budget

I am not a big fan of no-spend diets. I don’t think they are an effective tool in changing your behavior. But I do think going on an austerity budget can be useful for a few reasons. Not to change your behavior but to change your feelings towards the object we buy and the things we classify as a need.

Knowing What you Can Live Without

One thing that calms me down is knowing that I have managed to live on a lot less than I do now and I can live on less in the future. I know that a lot of the things I now consider “needs” are not really “needs”. Of course, one cannot live on air and there comes a point where you can’t cut down any further that you cut.

Knowing your Needs vs Wants

I do think that there is a value in understanding where the lines between needs and wants are. Why? For the simple reason that you will enjoy them more. A good cup of coffee is just a good cup of coffee. But a good cup of coffee that you recognize is an extra- that tastes so much better. Gratitude allows us to appreciate what we are given.

Want to read more about why you should go on an austerity budget?

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