Uber Frugal Month: Day 26

We've kept up our Friday family movie night tradition through January, and it is saving us money! Netflix and the library are our friends, along with cheapie frozen pizza (disclaimer: I usually opt for healthier leftovers). This is one thing we will continue after the uber frugal month!

Today's UFM challenge is to realize the good life is free.

Today’s mantra: True happiness and fulfillment isn’t bought in a store (or on Amazon, despite how much I love that site… ).

Today’s action: Think through what your own good life is and how you can get there (or if you’re already there, meditate on gratitude).

I sorta agree, sorta don't. I agree that stuff beyond the necessities likely won't buy the good life, but experiences are the "stuff" that creates a good life. Many of these are free with strings. For example:

• Family makes life good, but it cost more to raise a family than be alone.
• Same goes for friends. Even cheapie friend experiences have some sort of overhead.
• Add pets to this, too. 
• The great outdoors usually has a slight entrance fee, whether it's park passes, gear, or traveling to the area. (Or in our cases, planning to move to a more expensive area for necessities but will give us endless nearly free outdoor experience options.)
• A million other examples -- museums, travel, art shows, aquariums, etc....

But it is true, although experiences can be bought, they aren't from a store nor are they simply "stuff." Using our goal, we want to "buy" into a location -- this will entail higher housing, gas, and food costs. In exchange, we will have miles of trails, mountains, lakes, and the ocean literally outside our door or within a couple mile walk/bike ride. We will be able to be outside year around without fighting the weather, we won't be car dependent if we don't want to be, and we will have time to further development along our creative and educational paths.