Frugal (part 8)

Maybe you are familiar with the story of Joseph's little overcoat. In the story, Joseph's overcoat wears out, so he makes a jacket. The jacket wears out, so he makes a vest. The vest wears out, so he makes a scarf. And so on, until in the end he has nothing left and so makes a book about it. Something out of nothing. Definitely a story that demonstrates true frugality.

Being frugal means being able to do amazing things with the resources you have. This takes CREATIVITY.

I would like to discuss TWO meanings of the word. Creativity and Create-ivity. The former being how you THINK about things and the latter being the SKILL to accomplish those ideas.

First, CREATIVITY. Thinking outside the box. It's about being able to look at a situation and come up with many solutions and ideas. Let's practice. Get out a piece of paper and pencil. Now, take two minutes and make a list of all the ways you can use a brick. Go ahead. I'll wait.

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How many did you come up with? This is a standard question used to test creativity. Although some measure of creativity may be inborn, I believe that most of it is learned. That means if you don't consider yourself to be a naturally creative person you can LEARN HOW TO DO IT! First, don't be afraid of "wild and crazy ideas". Creative people have learned to consider all kinds of possibilities. Maybe it won't work. Maybe it's impractical. But the more ideas you can come up with, and the more novel approaches you can take, the more likely you are to solve the problem.

Here's an example: my plate shelf (here). We had a weird spot on that wall, a line that went across it because the top section of wall actually sticks out 1/8" or so. It looked funny. And then I was adding glass pieces to the kitchen and needed a way to display them. Putting a small shelf along that "line" would kill two birds with one stone. But, we had no money. Enter the creative brain.
What to do? What to do? Well, there's lots of wood pieces in the garage from previous owners... let's go look. Ok, could I do something with any of these pieces? There's some good potential shelving, but it'd be awfully wide... And how to attach the shelf? Brackets? But that'll cost money... Plus, I want it to be small, and tiny brackets will be hard to find... What about nailing two piece together, like an L, and then nailing one to the wall? The other will stick out, like a shelf. Hmm... will anything here work? Ah ha! Old molding! It'll make perfect shelf. The "wrong" side even has grooves to hold the plates! Huzzah!

Well, that's sort of how the thought process went.

Here's another: my garden (here). What to do with the pile of branches from windfall from our tree. Garbage? Build a fire? What about weaving a fence? Looks cool and provides a visual and physical barrier between the garden and the lawn. What about all the concrete chunks from enlarging the basement windows? Pay for a load to the landfill? No! Raised beds for the garden!

The best thing about creative thinking is that it will help you with more than just home decorating or landscaping. Need to stretch your food budget? Need a costume? Need to make some extra money? Need to plan a party? Need a gift? Need to get by with one car? Whatever the situation, try thinking about it more creatively and see what you come up with. Creative solutions are a vital part of frugality.

Now, CREATE-IVITY. For me, that means creative skills. Actually being able to do the creating. You will be much more successful in your quest for frugality if you learn the skills needed to create. My great shelf idea wouldn't have helped much if I (or my husband) didn't have the skills needed to get it up on the wall. The wood needed to be washed, cut, sanded and nailed. You can't be successful resizing and repurposing clothes, if you don't know how to sew. What about painting, drywall, plumbing and basic home repair? Furniture refinishing? Computer programing or repair? Metalwork? Gardening? Car repair? The list go on and on. Take advantage of every opportunity to add to your creative skills. Talk to family members and coworkers. Get to know your neighbors. Ask for help. Volunteer to work with people who already possess a skill. Most people are happy to mentor and share what they know. Take a class. Community ed classes are wonderful ways to learn new skills. Certify. Become an expert and then share your skills with others.

One of the reasons I am able to "do what I do" is because I have many creative skills. I can stock up on cheap fabric and turn it into costumes to supplement our income. My boys need hair cuts? I can take care of it. Can't afford a new sofa? I can recover the old one. Can't find the right clock (here)? I'll just make one. Bucket needs shorts for summer? I'll just cut and hem his old pants. Monkey wants a mural (here)? I can turn free paint into something beautiful.... The more create-ive you are, the more you will be able to accomplish with the resources you have.

Now, maybe there are creative skills you're not interested in learning. Maybe you don't really want to do some of those things yourself. Maybe someone else would do a better job. That's ok. It's ok to pay someone else who has the skills, the time, or the desire, to do the actual "creating." Just remember. Those creative skills are valuable. Be willing to pay a reasonable amount for the use of those skills. Frugality should not be miserly. You do not need to be a "penny-pincher" to be frugal. Frugal is being wise, not cheap.

So, number eight... learn to be creative.