Yes, you can live fabulously frugal and maintain your fabulousness
If you think fabulous and frugal are mutually exclusive, you think wrong. You can start living fabulously frugal and here are 7 ways to do it.
Getting queer on living fabulously frugal:
Living fabulously frugal is about doing more but better
Frugality isn’t about eliminating fun from your life. It’s about spending money on what matters most and finding ways to do more with less.
Frequent Queer Money® guest David Rae is a Certified Financial Planner and Accredited Investment Fiduciary based in Los Angeles. He’s been helping clients achieve financial security for the last 17 years, building a reputation as a specialist in serving the LGBT community. David writes a regular column for Forbes, and his work has appeared in The Huffington Post, Investopedia and The Advocate. He’s also been interviewed on Nightline, the Today Show and NBC Nightly News and more.
David joins us to discuss how to live a champagne lifestyle on a beer budget. He shares his take on what it means to live fabulously frugal, exploring why the queer community is often tempted to overspend. David shares advice on how to treat yourself, how to balance money management with gift giving, and how to negotiate a raise as a member of the queer community. Listen and learn how to include your friends in your fabulous journey to financial security!
Topics covered on living fabulously frugal
David’s take on living fabulously frugal
- Find ways to do more for less
- Save up and plan ahead
Why queer people spend more money than they have
- Make up for feelings of inferiority
- Overextend to project an appearance of success
How to live a champagne lifestyle on a beer budget
- Focus on what’s important to you
- Plan ahead for big ticket items (i.e.: travel)
How often you should treat yourself
- Use incentives to reach financial goals
- Budget small amount for week/month
How to include your friends in your financial journey
- Let them know you’re saving
- Share steps to buy a house, pay off debt
How to balance budgeting with gift giving
- Talk about goals with friends/family
- Set a budget on gifts (or skip this year)
- Draw names or do a white elephant
The myth that frugal people are poor
- Smart financial decisions = long-term wealth
- Don’t judge based on car or clothes
How to negotiate a raise
- Know your worth and don’t be afraid to ask
- May have to be willing to switch jobs
David’s favorite tools for money management
- Financial advisor for accountability
- Quicken or Mint to track spending
- Honey extension to save on purchases
The difference between being cheap and frugal
- Cheap = not paying your fair share
- Frugal implies smart spending choices