A list I made for my frugality fatigue.
I know in my head why we’re doing this and that there is no greater reward than early retirement, but my materialistic mind is prone to wander. Without regular dopamine hits from visiting instagrammable cafes and getting new kicks (and instagramming them), what else is there to look forward to in life?!
Because it’s so easy to lose sight of why we want to retire early, and how we plan to get there, I made a list of all the good stuff that comes as a result of frugal living that we can relish NOW (as opposed to in 10 years when everything compounds and falls into place).
Not having to look for an 80-year-old widowed billionaire to remarry if my husband suddenly dies. (I dunno why, but this was the first thought that came into my head.)
Not needing to crowdsource medical or funeral expenses if we suddenly get sick (though this isn’t common in Korea, thanks in part to universal healthcare. Also, guests help pay for the funeral).
Being unapologetically frugal with young kids (see the photo at the end of this post) because they don’t know what The North Face and other local status symbols are yet.
Being okay-ish if either one of us suddenly loses our income or jobs (this probably wouldn’t be an issue in Korea unless there’s a medical emergency, as people don’t really get fired here—strict labor laws make it illegal to fire a full-time employee without detailed documentation. A friend in HR says it’s such an arduous process that most companies don’t pursue termination unless the employee is the devil incarnate).
Reducing our carbon footprint without international travel, very little domestic travel, working from home, and generally being hermits. 🌏
Less probability of a fatal car accident due to less time spent on the road. Maybe I’m a bit morbid, but I think about death regularly now that I have kids. 💀
Less time and effort spent trying to plan itineraries and scheduling activities for the family. I’m running on my last two remaining brain cells these days, so I need to save them for more important things.
Generally healthier diet from eating homemade or “slower” food and not eating out regularly. (Shoutout to my sourdough starter, Yeast of Eden 🙌🏼)
Less likely to contract COVID because we don’t eat out or go out much (but our son ended up bringing it home from kindergarten anyway, so… 🤷🏻♀️)
Not flinching when your most recent investments are all in the red because you’re in it for the long haul. 🥲
Is there any other immediate benefit of frugality that I might have missed? Please add yours in the comments—I need all the encouragement I can get. 🙏🏻