Finance 101

 

 I picked up these tulips for $3 and displayed them in a vintage tortoiseshell tumbler from the set I picked up on Etsy a few weeks ago.

I don't often buy flowers for myself because I'm uh... well, kinda cheap.

Not at all miserly but in order to maintain our debt free lifestyle, sacrifices must be made. There are certain luxuries that I don't indulge in, one is fresh flowers on a regular basis.

We don't ever buy new cars but we live in a very nice neighborhood and our foodie nature insures we eat well. We do shop according to grocery sales though. My children wear brand name clothes but you won't find me at Starbucks. I have coffee at home.

I admit that I love fine things and have my share of them  (I collect original art for chrissakes!) but I enjoy being a bit thrifty.

I am slightly embarrassed to tell you that this Christmas centerpiece was born out of my thriftiness. I felt guilty buying fresh flowers so I bought fruit. We ate the pineapple, I juiced the key limes and froze the juice (I missed out on the lemons before they went bad) and the greens were from my yard.
Now that's cheap!
 

It makes a person feel smarter, like the world/marketplace hasn't fooled them and of course it keeps us out of financial hot water.

I grew up in the South but my Yankee husband has cheap in his blood. I never knew so many people up north kept their heat uncomfortably low in the winter, opting for heavy sweaters indoors instead of high heat bills. We still haven't settled this one!

 I'll probably always be like this and overjoyed every Valentine's, Mother's day, and birthday that I get flowers. I will occasionally sneak a few extra blooms like the tulips though!