Window or Mirror?

“Make no expense but to do good to others or to yourself; waste nothing.”

(three of several definitions)
1. Characterized by thriftiness and avoidance of waste
2. Involving very little expense
3. A sparing, controlled, or efficient use of something

Economy does not consist in saving the coal, but in using the time while it burns. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mere parsimony is not economy… Expense, and great expense, may be an essential part in true economy… Economy is a distributive virtue, and consists, not in saving, but in selection. - Thomas Nixon Carver

Economy is the art of making the most of life. The love of economy is the root of all virtue. - George Bernard Shaw.

I envy Franklin’s mastery of the language as he is able to say – in a short sentence – that which I cannot explain even in a paragraph. The statement made here clearly outlines the concept that every outlay should be non-trivial.

My ideas on frugality are as follows:

Waste nothing
There should be no situation where a resource is wasted. This concept extends from finances through possessions to time. All we have is time – it should be made the most of – whether that is trading it for money or investing it in others. Money is nothing but time, one step down the value chain; possessions are yet another step down the chain. Time is the thing – conserve it – and invest it with family and friends.

Bring value with expenditure
Brook no expense that does not bring value to someone. A trivial use of money or time can never be recovered. Short-term benefit is good, but the best investments continue to pay back over time. Spending time with young children, for instance, is paid back in both the short and long term. The child is happy in the now, and your long-term benefit is the base on which the child can someday build a solid life, if they choose to

Be generous
It is not frugal only to hoard goods to yourself. Share your wealth and bring happiness to others. It should be noted that this applies doubly where time is concerned – spending time only with or on yourself is larceny – share your time.

Go out on a limb
In order to reap a fair harvest, do only what is expected, consistently. If you desire a great harvest, sow many different seeds on many different types of soil. Some will fail, and you will learn. Some will succeed, to your great gain. Never risk, however, food on your table.