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| Confucius |
The superior man thinks always of virtue; the common man thinks of comfort. - Confucius
Some people are virtuous just because, as Confucius would say, they are 'superior men'. They are trying to live more frugally out of a concern for the environment, out of a protest against rampant consumerism, or even because they are trying to lose weight. I rather fear that I fall into his category of 'the common man', though such higher motives may become serendipitous side effects (especially the losing weight - pray God!). But if I cannot resist buying clothes/books/chocolate out of True Virtue, then perhaps I can resist out of No Money.
So why do I have to live so frugally this year? Well, as my title says, I am making a Virtue out of a Necessity. The Necessity is a distinct lack of money. I don't mean a slight drop in income - I mean that I will be trying to survive on considerably less than the minimum wage this year. A recent study by the Rowantrees foundation estimated that a citizen of the UK needed £14,000 a year to both survive and participate in society. After rent, I will be attempting to live on less than a quarter of that. That includes all food, toiletries, bills, travel, and socialising.
So why do I have to live so frugally this year? Well, as my title says, I am making a Virtue out of a Necessity. The Necessity is a distinct lack of money. I don't mean a slight drop in income - I mean that I will be trying to survive on considerably less than the minimum wage this year. A recent study by the Rowantrees foundation estimated that a citizen of the UK needed £14,000 a year to both survive and participate in society. After rent, I will be attempting to live on less than a quarter of that. That includes all food, toiletries, bills, travel, and socialising.
Very importantly, however, I am not complaining about this. It is my own choice. I could at any point throw in the towel, and walk almost straight into a comfortably-paid job. That is always an option, and my get-out clause. So I am not in any way claiming poverty, nor that I can show genuinely poor people how to live on air. I am not poor. I am educated, entirely safe from homelessness, and have no fears for how I am going to live. But because I have a dream for my future, I'm doing things the hard way for now.
So frugal living it is! This blog is an attempt to have fun along the way, even as I turn the thermostat down yet another notch and nurse my pint of tap water when out with friends. So bear with me as I put on that extra sweater and spend hours online researching cheap shampoos. You might even pick up some tips along the way. And look out for these savoy cabbages ... :D
So frugal living it is! This blog is an attempt to have fun along the way, even as I turn the thermostat down yet another notch and nurse my pint of tap water when out with friends. So bear with me as I put on that extra sweater and spend hours online researching cheap shampoos. You might even pick up some tips along the way. And look out for these savoy cabbages ... :D 