Back to Basics

For the past few months my family has been trying to cut back on expenses. Nothing drastic, by any means. We are just eating at home more, looking for bargains instead of buying on whims, and selling some things on e-bay. Right now I think many families are doing their best to make ends meet. We joined in a little late, so we are playing a little catch up. But, I have found that trying to get back to basics has had some definite positives that I didn't expect.
It has really kind of calmed us all down a bit. We aren't spending any time juggling, shuffling, or trying to figure things out. We seem a little more relaxed, it has really taken some of the pressure off. We are spending more time at home, we cook more, really think about the "want vs. need" and try to find things that are enjoyable and affordable. Instead of buying things to keep up, we sometimes say "no". I have found I don't think this was a word I was using very much. Now I can say it all the time, and no guilt or worries. Who knew. Saying "no" a little more has been a little liberating. All in all we have found our life is just as enjoyable as it has always been. I really hope we can keep it up and not succumb to the pressure of it "ALL".