Brilio.net - Living frugal living is not just about saving money, but also requires consistency and strong mental toughness. Although many people are able to reduce their spending in a short time, maintaining a frugal lifestyle in the long term is not easy. This lifestyle is increasingly popular, especially among the younger generation who want to achieve financial stability by being wiser in managing money.
On social media, many people share their successful experiences of implementing frugal living, starting from saving tens of millions, buying a house, to having their own vehicle. However, behind these success stories, there are also stories from those who find it difficult, even experiencing mental stress due to a frugal lifestyle that is too strict. Not a few eventually give up because they feel that this lifestyle is too limiting in terms of freedom in meeting daily needs.
photo: TikTok/@chystore
One real example comes from a housewife who tried to implement frugal living after hearing the success story of someone who managed to buy a house in five years with an income of only IDR 3.5 million per month. Inspired by this achievement, she tried to prove whether she could apply something similar in her household life. In a post on the TikTok account @chystore, she shared her experience of living frugally with a budget of around IDR 4 million per month from her husband's income.
As a mother of three toddlers, her main expenses are of course related to her children's needs. One way she saves money is by regulating diaper usage. If previously she bought three balls of diapers at once, now she only buys one ball and regulates its usage more strictly. Her first and third children only use diapers in the morning, while her second child who is still small wears diapers all day long. In this way, she managed to reduce diaper expenses from IDR 350 thousand to only IDR 88 thousand per month.
photo: TikTok/@chystore
In addition to diapers, she also saves money on children's bath and body care supplies by only buying enough and using it together. However, there are some expenses that she still prioritizes, such as milk for her children. She still buys three boxes of milk for her first and second child, while her third child is still getting exclusive breastfeeding.
Not only the needs of the child, she also cut her personal expenses. As a mother, she used to spend around IDR 500 thousand per month on skincare, but now she only allocates IDR 200 thousand. With various savings made, she managed to save around IDR 1.2 million in a month, a significant amount for a family with a limited income.
photo: TikTok/@chystore
However, even though the savings figure looks promising, this mother feels overwhelmed by living such a strict frugal lifestyle. In her post, she revealed that living with very strict restrictions makes her feel stressed and depressed. "Wow, I can save 1,200,000. But sorry, just a month and I feel like I'm going crazy," she wrote.
She eventually realized that while saving money is important, mental well-being should also be taken care of. In a subsequent post, she said that she would rather live with a little more freedom than constantly feel burdened by strict financial rules. "Let frugal living pass, my mentality is more important. Go ahead shopping," she added.
photo: TikTok/@chystore
Her upload immediately received many responses from netizens who had similar experiences. Many were amazed by this mother's determination to save, while others felt they had failed to apply a similar pattern. Some netizens also shared their stories of having difficulty managing money even though they had a higher income.
photo: TikTok/@chystore
"I have two children, the first child is in kindergarten, the second child is in PAUD. Both of them can spend 20 thousand a day for snacks. Because the more I save, the faster my money runs out," commented a TikTok user.
"If I live alone with a salary of 3.5 million and am still out of breath, how can I live with three children?" wrote another user.
"I'm a sandwich generation, 2 million every month for my parents, there is no frugal living, there is brutal living," complained a netizen.
photo: TikTok/@chystore
Everyone has their own limitations in implementing a frugal lifestyle, and the most important thing is to find a strategy that best suits your personal and family conditions. There are no standard rules in managing finances, what is important is how someone can feel sufficient without feeling stressed.
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