5 Things Every Frugal Person Should Spend Money On | Mad Money Monster (2024)

As many of you know, we love the “F” word in the Mad Money Monster household. I’m talking about frugality here. Frugality is a major component of our overall plan to achieve financial independence and give ourselves the OPTION to retire early. But despite being frugal, there are things we spend our money on. So, if you love frugality like we do but still want to live a top-notch life devoid of deprivation, I highly recommend spending sufficient money in the following categories.

1. Healthcare

Healthcare is one of those areas that, in my opinion, you absolutely cannot scrimp on. Your health is paramount to everything else in life. Have you ever heard the expression…you have nothing if you don’t have your health?

I am a firm believer that this is 100% true. Anyone who has dealt with major health issues or had a big scare can tell you that the quality of your health can have a tremendous impact on your mood and outlook. When you’re battling poor health, you really don’t care about the size of your bank account or when you’re going to reach your financial freedom number.

Bottom line: Don’t be frugal when it comes to your healthcare. Pay for quality coverage, have the routine, recommended check-ups, and don’t ignore any warning signs.

2. Education

5 Things Every Frugal Person Should Spend Money On | Mad Money Monster (1)

Mr. MMM and I are BIG advocates of higher education. Although we both acknowledge that college degrees, certifications, or technical training aren’t necessary to become successful and/or earn a high salary, we do believe that having advanced schooling under your belt can never hurt.

Because of these beliefs, we also feel that it’s okay to spend money on education. Both, Mr. MMM and I borrowed some money to complete our college degrees. And although we do advocate higher education, we also encourage getting that education as cheaply as possible.

Borrowing money for higher education is completely acceptable as long as you’re smart about the amount you’re borrowing based on your future income potential. Check out how we attained our college degrees without going into massive debt.

Bottom line: Be practical about the amount of money you’re going to make after completing your education and borrow money based on those predictions.

3. Quality Food

This one ties back into #1 – healthcare. When it comes to staying healthy and feeling good, the quality of food you consume matters.

I’m not saying you need to shop exclusively at Wholefoods (although we do love it there!) and buy only things labeled “organic”, but you should definitely take an interest in the overall quality of food you and your family eat.

By taking advantage of coupons and store sales, buying in-season fruits and veggies, buying in bulk, and possibly even growing some of your own food, you’ll be able to save a ton of money with not much effort.

Bottom line: Take advance of in-season fruits and veggies, buy in bulk, and consider growing some of your own food.

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4. A Nice Home

A nice home goes along with a safe home in my book. We are absolutely okay with spending money on a home in a good area and improving that home to suit your needs and taste.

We have spent quite a bit of money renovating our home and have never regretted a single dime. Granted, our home is on the smaller side so it’s much easier to afford those luxuries.

Aside from our home being small and cheaper to renovate than a larger home, we’re also always together making memories in it, so we believe that spending money on tailoring it to make us happy is a worthwhile financial endeavor.

Bottom line: Spending money on having a nice, safe home is completely acceptable for any frugal advocate. Your home is where you live, sleep, eat, and breathe – make it yours.

5. Experiences

5 Things Every Frugal Person Should Spend Money On | Mad Money Monster (2)

Last but certainly not least, are experiences. There is no doubt about it, spending money on experiences makes us happier than spending money on STUFF.

As a kid, we never went on any family vacations. The biggest thing I remember our family doing was driving to the beach (and back) in one day. Yep. We drove 3 hours to the beach, spent the day, and hopped in the car and drove 3 hours home.

My family simply didn’t have the money for anything more than that. And that’s okay – I’m glad my family didn’t spend money they DIDN’T HAVE or go into debt to give us vacations.

BUT, if you do have the money to spend, I highly recommend spending some of iton experiences, because experiences will last a lifetime.

Two years ago we hit the road and embarked on a not-so-frugal Disney vacation. We had a wonderful time and it is an experience my family will remember forever.

This year, we plan on taking a 3-week road trip out to the Grand Canyon in our van! Yes, we have joined the ranks of #VanLife (part-time) and are loving it. Although this won’t be the cheapest form of entertainment, we plan to save where we can, pay cash for everything, and enjoy every single minute of it. I do hope you’ll follow along on the blog and via our other social media channels. 🙂

Bottom line: Spend money on experiences that will last a lifetime instead of more STUFF that’ll end up in storage or your next yard sale.

And there you have it, 5 things we believe every frugal person should spend money on without feeling guilty. What have we missed? What do you spend money on?5 Things Every Frugal Person Should Spend Money On | Mad Money Monster (3)

5 Things Every Frugal Person Should Spend Money On | Mad Money Monster (2024)

FAQs

What are 5 things you need to do with money? ›

The basic truth is that we can do five things with our money: (1) save it; (2) spend it; (3) give it away; (4) pay taxes; and (5) pay down debt.

Why is it important to spend money wisely? ›

It can help you save for future goals, such as buying a house or starting a business, and ensure that you have enough money for your daily needs. Managing your finances wisely is the cornerstone of a secure future.

Is too much frugality bad? ›

If you are too frugal, you may find yourself spending more money in the long run than you expected because of poor quality.

What is the 30 rule for money? ›

The idea is to divide your income into three categories, spending 50% on needs, 30% on wants, and 20% on savings. Learn more about the 50/30/20 budget rule and if it's right for you.

What is the 50 30 20 rule? ›

The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings. The savings category also includes money you will need to realize your future goals.

What are the 4 methods of saving? ›

Methods of saving include putting money in, for example, a deposit account, a pension account, an investment fund, or kept as cash. In terms of personal finance, saving generally specifies low-risk preservation of money, as in a deposit account, versus investment, wherein risk is a lot higher.

How to only spend money on necessities? ›

"Challenge yourself to cut out 5 or 10%," she says. "Rank things in order of your priorities, track your spending in an area and even find a friend who will take the same challenge with you." Once you have a list of everything you can cut, keep it somewhere easily accessible, like in a Google doc or a money diary.

What is the 20 30 rule? ›

Key Takeaways. The 50/30/20 budget rule states that you should spend up to 50% of your after-tax income on needs and obligations that you must have or must do. The remaining half should be split between savings and debt repayment (20%) and everything else that you might want (30%).

What do you call someone who is careful with money? ›

Some common synonyms of frugal are economical, sparing, and thrifty. While all these words mean "careful in the use of one's money or resources," frugal implies absence of luxury and simplicity of lifestyle. ran a frugal household. When might economical be a better fit than frugal?

What is toxic frugality? ›

Frugality is the practice of being wise with money and avoiding wastefulness. It's a virtue that many people admire. It fosters responsible financial habits and can lead to a more sustainable life. But there's a darker side to frugality that can be detrimental to our quality of life. This is known as “toxic frugality.”

What is a cheapskate mental illness? ›

The American Psychiatric Association defines frugality as a symptom of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) when someone “adopts a miserly spending style toward both self and others.” Extreme frugality is an amplified version of that, and it often involves viewing spending as a bad thing no matter how much ...

What are the uses of money? ›

To summarize, money has taken many forms through the ages, but money consistently has three functions: store of value, unit of account, and medium of exchange. Modern economies use fiat money-money that is neither a commodity nor represented or "backed" by a commodity.

What are the only three things you can do with money? ›

And you need to do all 3… so yes, that means spend some money and enjoy (just make sure debt isn't around and it's planned 😅 ) rachelcruze.

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