The ultimate frugal life - how much per year? Is it a good life?

tori.k

The simple life is actually really hardwork at times, we opted down this route in our 30's to balance family life, like the others have said you need to go back to your budget and tweak it there is fair bit missing. transport cost's, water, you can take around £100 out of your electric cost just in the standing charge alone, it can be done on 5k just over that was our reckoning last year as a family of four.

with you being unsure if study/frugal living is the better option why not take a year and find out, set your budget and see if living to it is what you really want at worse your have a bit of extra savings behind you if you decided to go back to school or downsize life.

Nottoobadyet

Its hard to say without knowing more about you. I'd have gone mad on the quiet life option - I get itchy feet every few years, and among the things I value most about having money is that it allows me to take care of people that I care about when they need it. I'd never be able to do that on a minimum wage salary.

Id say go back to school with the most interesting degree you can think of - I dont care if its ancient history, just having a degree checks the box for so many jobs you cant get without one. Its so much easier to do now than it will be when you're older.

snowleopard61

I did a degree in a subject I loved, but was never able to think of a career that would interest me, so have always done non-graduate office work, except for a long spell as an SAHM, which I was very happy with. I'd never have gone back to work at all if it had been financially possible.

To me paid work is no more than a means of paying the bills. This may sound rather dreary, but I long ago gave up expecting to find it at all fulfilling and I've actually been much happier since I ceased to expect to. I chose my occupation on the grounds that, for what it is, it's reasonably paid, relatively stress-free, and doesn't encroach on my personal life (i.e. I don't work long hours or leave late). I find my fulfilment in my home, personal relationships and pets, and in reading, which I love. I've compromised more than you are suggesting doing, in that I do feel I have to work full-time to make ends meet, but that's because I have, and have had, financial commitments to other people, which you may perhaps choose to stay free from.

I would urge caution in one respect: supermarket work isn't as soft an option as it's cracked up to be. One of my young adult children has done this for several years (admittedly in this case as more of a career, with management potential) and it has been extremely hard work and very stressful both in terms of hours and pressure during the hours. If you want an easy life I'd recommend office work rather than retail!

Shropshirelass

Presumably you have no intention of having children, and have ensured this will not happen? Also no responsibility for parents?

What about seeing the world, diving the Great Barrier Reef before it falls apart, seeing the Amazon before it is polluted?

Not interested? Stick with Tesco then.

[Deleted User]

As someone who lives on a pension and have done lots of various jobs in my life not only for 'fun' but also to earn a crust and keep the wolf from banging on the door can I say where or how you think you can honestly live on 5 k a year comfortably.I have had over 50 years of experience of cutting down and back, and I can do it, but whether a younger person could or not I'm not too sure

I think you maybe a little optimistic in your figures of what it costs to live I did a degree course when I hit 60 it was in History which I love but it was for ME not to earn a living at but it was something that I wanted to acheive for myself.
I left school in 1957 at 14 with a certificate for growing a nasturtium from the London Flower Lovers League and from then on until I retired apart from a three year break to have my children I worked darned hard at many grotty jobs ,some were ok but some were horrendous, so when I stopped I fulfilled my dream of completeing my education and started with GCSE's and worked up from them.
Never underestimate the power of education and if you think working in a supermarket 'lazing 'your life away is useful then you are in for a shock I don't think many supermarkets would employ you with that attitude Its not an easy option and to say the least is darned patronising to the hard working Mums who NEED a job in a shop to feed their children. I'm not too sure if this is a serious question or just a wind-up but I'd check your figures before you decide what you are going to do.if your that bright then you really shouldn't be takling such tripe at all


Quote from your post
<<<I will wait until I have my own place another 2-3 years hopefully.

as Tim McGraws song goes: "I'm gonna live where the green grass grows, watch my corn pop up in rows >>


A wind-up I think as you wrote this on 1/1/2013

Barbeduk

I agree with all the others. The easy life is going to be the dreary life! Boring job, always being frugal. What skills do you have? Could you set up your own business using those skills? Don't rule out being self employed, even if you set something up whilst using SM work as a safety net.

I've worked in a SM, waitressed, office work at a senior level and now we have our own business. Best thing we ever did.

marisco_2

storytime wrote: »

Your so young, go out and enjoy yourself! Travel the world while you still have you nerve and you may find a career or a cause. Don't go for the lazy option now you may regret it when your older. Try and fulfil your potential now when you have your health. My kids didn't listen to me and now they are regretting their decisions of an easier/ lazier life .Yes you have done very well to buy your own property but the world is your oyster now! End of lecture!

I completely agree with this persepctive. Buy your property and rent it out. Then go off and travel the world. Maybe look into doing some voluntary work abroad or teaching English as a foreign language. My friend did this in Israel during a gap year before going to university and loved it. It could open doors to possibilities you haven't even considered or imagined yet.

System

JackieO wrote: »

if you think working in a supermarket 'lazing 'your life away is useful then you are in for a shock I don't think many supermarkets would employ you with that attitude Its not an easy option and to say the least is darned patronising to the hard working Mums who NEED a job in a shop to feed their children.

it is an easy option compared to becoming an engineer or pharmacist.

How is it patronising to the hard working Mums who need a job in a shop? Can't men work in a supermarket too, ah what the F...

tori.k

Shropshirelass wrote: »

Presumably you have no intention of having children, and have ensured this will not happen? Also no responsibility for parents?

What about seeing the world, diving the Great Barrier Reef before it falls apart, seeing the Amazon before it is polluted?

Not interested? Stick with Tesco then.

I find this quite uncalled for, living a simple life to a frugal budget doesn't have to mean you have no life, quite the opposite, I now work in a supermarket and average 20/25hrs a week, DH wages aren't far off mine, we live a simple frugal life because we like to travel this year is 3 weeks in the states in 12 days time :j
there is a lot of reason's people live a frugal life, one of the main ones is the dislike of consumerism and the whole unbalanced life of living in a 24hr society.

System

tori.k wrote: »

I find this quite uncalled for, living a simple life to a frugal budget doesn't have to mean you have no life, quite the opposite, I now work in a supermarket and average 20/25hrs a week, DH wages aren't far off mine, we live a simple frugal life because we like to travel this year is 3 weeks in the states in 12 days time :j
there is a lot of reason's people live a frugal life, one of the main ones is the dislike of consumerism and the whole unbalanced life of living in a 24hr society.

thanks!
the best things in life are free lol. Lie ins, late nights, cups of tea, going to bed with a full stomach in a cosy bed, no 9-5 daily chore, rush hour traffic. These are the things that I like. I have no want for a Mercedes car or an Iphone. The only thing I would buy if I did have the money a career would bring would be holidays.