~ Joseph Pack

The frugal life

My wife would say I'm tight.

I'd say I'm careful. But I think, in reality, I'm just frugal.

I've little interest in material possessions. My car cost £3k, has 90,000 miles on the clock, and still works (so why would I bother getting a new one).

I've no interest in moving to a bigger house. Regardless of how much I earn.

In my 20s I bought expensive cars. Mostly to prove how 'amazing' I was at business. All the while feeding deep feelings of insufficiency. It took years to rewire myself.

And now, here I am. A tight, frugal, careful, but very happy 34 year old.

What a difference 10 years can make.

However, there's still an issue:

I'm not self-sufficient.

I couldn't fix my car. I cannot do repairs or DIY around the house. I'd stand no chance of redesigning the garden. Having ADHD has given me an excuse not to try these things. I complain "I'm just no good at this stuff" without ever actually trying.

That's a dangerous and false limiting belief.

So here's my public commitment to spend the next 10 years learning the skills that will impress my wife even more.

Have a wonderful day.