Serina Bird - The Joyful Frugalista: Hundreds of secrets from a single mum-turned-millionaire - save your hard-earned cash, enjoy family budgeting and live abundantly

Published in 2019 by Murdoch Books, an imprint of Allen & Unwin

Copyright Serina Bird 2019

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. The Australian Copyright Act 1968 (the Act) allows a maximum of one chapter or 10 per cent of this book, whichever is the greater, to be photocopied by any educational institution for its educational purposes provided that the educational institution (or body that administers it) has given a remuneration notice to the Copyright Agency (Australia) under the Act.

The content presented in this book is meant for inspiration and informational purposes only. The author and publisher claim no responsibility to any person or entity for any liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly as a result of the use, application, or interpretation of the material in this book.

Murdoch Books Australia

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A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 978 1 76052 419 7 Australia

eBook ISBN 978 1 76087 056 0 Australia

Cover and text design Lisa White

To my Neil, who changed my light bulbs and stole my heart

Wow, you get out a lot, said a new friend in response to my Facebook and Instagram photos. You seem to do some really interesting things.

Yes, it is true that I get out a lot. I like to dress up to go out to the launch of an exhibition, to the theatre or the opening of a new restaurant. I have too many pictures even for my Instagram account of places I have been and things I have done. But my outwardly flamboyant life is merely a front: I am a frugalista.

What is a frugalista? people often ask me. If I said I was a fashionista, they would probably understand. A frugalista is someone who lives the good life, the fashionable life, while still living frugally someone who is mindful of the small things, avoids waste and lives consciously. A frugalista prioritises things like reducing food waste and negotiating the best deals, and can identify what is a need rather than a want. A frugalista isnt a slave to department store fashion and instead appreciates what they have and makes the most from it.

As a frugalista, I celebrate the abundance around me, enjoying and knowing that I dont have to be in debt to live my life the way I want to. I believe in less is more and in striving to live with less clutter, instead focusing on only having those things I use and enjoy. My frugal lifestyle also places a premium on people and experiences over stuff.

WHY BE A FRUGALISTA?

For many years, I kept my frugal lifestyle a deep, dark secret.

Once upon a time, thrift and frugality were celebrated as virtues. Wives were encouraged to be economical in the home and to find creative ways to cook with less and use up leftovers. Cookbooks and magazines were filled with useful tips and tricks for doing more with less.

Yet somewhere, somehow, frugal became a dirty word. I want to reclaim it.

Instead of being equated with negative words such as poor, meagre, paltry, cheap, insufficient or even skimpy, I want frugality to be associated with concepts such as creativity, appreciation, abundance, choice, empowerment and being enterprising and environmentally sound. I dont see frugality as something that imprisons women in the home, forcing them to make do on a meagre allowance, but rather something positive that empowers both women and men.

For many years at work and social functions, I did not talk about my frugal lifestyle. If I was complimented on my dress, earrings or handbag, I would never admit they were from an op shop (or free). I wouldnt share a frugal recipe for homemade items. I quietly brought my own lunchboxes of leftovers to work and eschewed daily takeaway coffees from the cafe.

Then one day a conversation with a life coach encouraged me to be proud of my frugal ways. I felt liberated once I acknowledged to the world that I am a frugalista, especially as I discovered how blessed I was to have many friends who shared similar values.

I am in a good financial situation and dont need to live a frugal lifestyle as such, although that wasnt always the case, as I will explain later. Even though I am now far wealthier than the average Australian, I still need to make choices in order to live within my means. However, I am proud of the choices I make. I am proud that my low-consumer lifestyle is comparatively kind to the environment, and I am proud that by saying no to many consumer goods I am often saying no to products made under poor labour conditions. I love supporting local op shops, church fetes and school fairs. I also find that people give me things they no longer need, as they know I wont be offended by second-hand goods or surplus food. Being a frugalista helps me to attract abundance.

By empowering myself, I am also empowering my children, family and friends, showing them that having your finances in good shape brings security and provides options. I am proud that my savings allow me to invest wisely. My investment properties, for instance, provide shelter for families in need of accommodation.

Funnily enough, I am discovering that a lot of the tenets of my frugalista lifestyle are consistent with modern research about the meaning of true happiness. The Beatles might have sung that money cant buy me love, but thats not what advertisers and marketers are telling us. Instead, we are conditioned to think that we need to buy our childrens love through toys, computer games and sports equipment. After all, isnt that what we do to bring happiness to our own lives? Rather than confront pain and sadness, we drink a bottle of wine or eat a block of chocolate, or perhaps go out on a shopping binge to help ease the pain through retail therapy. As Bren Brown noted in her powerful TED talk on vulnerability, we dont allow ourselves to be vulnerable, to experience pain as well as happiness.

Well, perhaps I have eaten a bit of chocolate more than once after (or during) a bad day at work, and I dont mind a glass of prosecco for a celebration. I also admit that I dressed myself up in new clothes and make-up after I broke up with my husband and again when I broke up with my cheating ex-boyfriend. However, I spend within my means, buying cheaply and supporting second-hand charities and even getting things for free. I also avoid going overboard.

My frugalista lifestyle is not one of misery and deprivation. Instead, it is one of fun. Because isnt life about having fun and enjoying the moment? I wont judge you if you want to look and feel good, or if you are being frugal so that you can afford a fabulous holiday. Spending money on things that we enjoy is important. If all you do is work, work and work, then go home and sit in a dark room eating baked beans on toast while dreaming that one day youll start having fun, you might not recognise what fun is when you get to that day when you allow yourself to be happy.

A FRUGALISTA IS NOT A SCROOGE

One thing that people often say to me when I tell them that I espouse a frugal lifestyle is that they are all for saving money, but they cant abide being with people who are stingy or scroogey.