Our New Addition-or "How Is This Frugal?"

Well, this week we have a new addition to the family. No, I wasn’t pregnant, and no-we didn’t get a kitten or puppy.

What we did get was a 1996 Harley Davidson Heritage Softail Nostalgia motorcycle. Our friends who came up and camped with us this week sold it to us. It was the wife’s bike, and she wanted something that she felt matched her personality more. DH loved the bike-it is exactly the bike he would chose if he could pick any Harely model from any year at all-even down to the color. I actually talked him into it (he had pretty much talked himself out of it when he came to tell me about it) This spring he added a sidecar onto the other bike, and although he is able to take Princess for rides now, I know that it has totally changed the way the bike feels when he rides it. He missed being on 2 wheels instead of 3, even though he never complained. This is his hobby and joy, and I know that when we moved up north to have the kids near family that he gave up months and months of the riding season every year in exchange for a good enviorment to raise the family.

Now, I am sure you are wondering what buying a motorcycle that costs in excess of $10,000 USED has to do with being frugal. To add to the confusion, I will admit that after both of our own vehicles-which were both bought new-we own 3 antique cars (inherited), a 2003 Harley Davidson Anniversary Edition Electra Glide (bought new with a sidecar that we bought used and had painted to match this spring), a Honda Rebel motorcycle (used), a 3 wheeler (used), and an camper trailer (new in 03). Oh, and a riding lawn mower (inherited). Can you tell DH likes things with motors?

Someone who knows that I profess to be frugal could (and I’m sure do) look at all these things and say “Hey-those aren’t frugal”. And you know what? They’d be right! These things are not frugal. They aren’t even necessities-after all there are 9 vehicles for 2 drivers (not counting the camper and mower).

So again, what does all this have to do with being frugal? Believe it or not, they help to highlight why I think it is important to be frugal.

I have been very honest all along that DH and I are frugal not because we have to be, but because we (ok, mostly me) want to be. I totally understand that there are some folks out there who are struggling financially and are frugal out of necessity. But eventually those folks will work themselves out of debt and be able to make a choice of how they want to continue spending their money.

My feeling is that I would rather conserve my money on the things that I don’t feel are important (hey, to me aldi’s veggies taste just as good as Del Monte etc) so that we can spend our money on the things we do enjoy (like dh’s love of motorcycles). We have a nice house, food on the table, and clothes etc for the kids and ourselves. We have no loans, didn’t take out a loan for this bike, and are saving for both the kid’s college and our retirement. Being frugal on a regular basis has gotten us there. We’ve taken care of all the “needs” first, so now we can spend on a “want” without feeling guilty or hurting our finances.

Although over time the extent to which I am frugal may wax and wane (after all, once I go back to work full time I will have to trade a bit more money for the convenience of time) but I think I will ALWAYS BE FRUGAL.

You know, it’s funny. It’s a sense of “entitlement” that gets so many people in trouble financially. “I deserve this expensive vacation” or car, or clothes, or furniture, or whatever it is. Personally I think my husband deserves this new to him bike- he works hard to support all of us so I can stay home, and riding is truly his hobby and joy. We can afford to give in to this “entitlement”, but then again, maybe the reason we can afford it is because we have been frugal all along.