Category: Frugalwoods Philosophy

Clothes / Frugalwoods Philosophy / Smart Buys

5 Sep, 2019

How I’m Learning To Love My Body, Find A Middle Ground, And Buy Clothes Without Regret

I was pregnant or breastfeeding for four years. Starting in March 2015, when I got pregnant with Kidwoods, straight through to April 2019, when I weaned a 14-month-old Littlewoods. There was a one-month hiatus in 2017 after I weaned Kidwoods and before I got pregnant with Littlewoods. Other than that, my body’s been in full-time mama territory. Today is an exploration of how my relationship with my body–and by extension, with clothes–evolved as a result...

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Featured / Frugalwoods Philosophy

31 Jul, 2019

How I Try To Balance Minimalism With Frugality

I have a complicated relationship with stuff. My grandfather grew up during the Great Depression and instilled in his children–my mom included–the ethos of never throwing anything away. Of reusing, of finding good deals, and of making do with what you have. These were valuable lessons for me and they form the basis of my frugal worldview. However, the dark side is that this approach can engender a scarcity mindset. It can make me feel...

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Featured / Frugalwoods Philosophy / Health and Beauty

2 Apr, 2019

Sunk Costs, Paralysis By Analysis, And Why I Finally Cut My Hair Short

I cut my hair. A lot of my hair. Most of my hair, in fact. Yes indeed, today I am writing about hair. I will cover other thrilling topics such as the sunk cost fallacy and paralysis by analysis. But mostly, this is a post about my hair. With more pictures of my hair than is reasonable. Mr. Frugalwoods told me I should tell you this at the outset because he felt that people should...

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Featured / Frugalwoods Philosophy / Smart Buys

22 Mar, 2019

When Spending Money Equals Happiness: Why I Bought A Roomba

I bought a Roomba. Yes indeed, I am the owner of a $259.98 robot vacuum (affiliate link). And I’m pretty happy about it. Let me tell you why. I have competing passions in my life: 1) I like to save money; 2) I love a clean house; 3) I love to write about money MORE than I love to clean my house; 4) I have two kids (who I love!). Lots of love here. I’ve balanced these...

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Featured / Frugalwoods Philosophy / Kids

7 Sep, 2018

How A Diagnosis Of Postpartum Depression Changed My Life

I didn’t plan on being diagnosed with postpartum depression and anxiety. It wasn’t part of my birth prep list or on my radar in a significant way. It was something that happened to other people, not something that I should worry about. And yet. Littlewoods’ Birth Our second daughter (dubbed Littlewoods) was born in February 2018 and the birth itself was amazing. Perfection. Ideal. Longtime readers know that our first daughter (Babywoods, who is now...

Featured / Frugalwoods Philosophy

21 Mar, 2018

Leveraging The Power Of Time Constraint To Get More Done

I’ve been thinking a lot about the concept of less lately. Living on less money was the origin point of this reflection and it’s where I began my journey. I learned how to live on less money and how to thrive as a result. It’s sheer liberation to live on less money (a concept I riff on all the time around here), and it leads you to financial stability, independence, and ultimately total freedom from...

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Frugalwoods Philosophy / Smart Buys

6 Mar, 2018

My Book, “Meet the Frugalwoods: Achieving Financial Independence Through Simple Living,” Publishes Today!

I can’t believe I’m actually writing these words, but, as of today, I’m officially a published author! My book, Meet the Frugalwoods: Achieving Financial Independence Through Simple Living, is out today! Published by HarperCollins, I am beyond thrilled to share my story of realizing the joys of frugality, simplicity, and the power of wisely managing your money. I’m going to be on NPR’s live call-in show, On Point, today (March 6, 2018) at 11am EST to discuss my...

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Featured / Frugal City Living / Frugal Homestead Series / Frugalwoods Philosophy

29 Jan, 2018

City vs. Country: Which Is Cheaper? The Ultimate Cost Of Living Showdown

“It must be so much cheaper for you to live in the country!” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this in the year and a half since Mr. Frugalwoods, Babywoods, and I made the move from ultra-urban Cambridge, MA to ultra-rural central Vermont. The thing is, it’s not true. Or at least, it’s not entirely true and it’s not true yet. Why Did We Move To The Woods? We didn’t make this...

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Featured / Frugalwoods Philosophy / Home Improvement

17 Jan, 2018

How Decluttering Saves Me Money, Time, And Stress

I reorganized our house. And by “reorganized,” I mean I went through every single closet, drawer, cabinet, and shelf, and every single t-shirt, shampoo bottle, and Christmas decoration that we own. And by “house,” I mean all of it: from the front hall to the basement to the new baby’s room, I systematically deconstructed every single inch of our living space. Even the guest bathroom, which, as it turned out, was harboring a most random...

Charitable Giving / Featured / Frugalwoods Philosophy

20 Dec, 2017

How We Donate To Charities Like Billionaires

Think strategic philanthropy is just for billionaires? Heck no! It’s for everyone who gives away money. We’re all some strategic bosses with our spending, savings, and investments–charitable giving is absolutely no different. Today we’re going to discuss opportunities to maximize your philanthropic impact, support charities you believe in, and ultimately, make wise financial decisions that’ll benefit others–in other words, how to donate like a billionaire! What could be better? Cookies maybe, although I did eat...