Needs Vs. Wants: How to Know the Difference

A great way to save money is to identify your needs vs. your wants.  Many people think that cable TV is a need.  They NEED to have it right?  Well in reality our needs are very short and to the point.  Everything else, no matter how important they are to us, are wants and should always be looked at and treated that way.

Needs are simply shelter, food, clothing, And Love.  When you focus on making each of these things happen, your life is fulfilling.  When one of these is missing, you life will be a struggle.  So when you are living your life, focus on these things being fulfilled first.  When each of these are filled, you can take any extra income you have and move to the highest priority wants.  These things will begin to be very minimal though.  As you begin to realize you are fulfilled without them.  This is so important when you are starting out on a frugal life.  Focus on needs and not wants.

I think one of the biggest problems with society in the United States is a lack of understand of what a need is as apposed to a want.  People are constantly trying to get what they want and forgetting that life is fulfilling when our needs are fulfilled.  In their desire for the biggest house, fastest car or to have the most money, the needs in their life are getting put on hold.  Then people don’t have enough money to live.  People then go into debt because they have over bought and over wanted and havn’t prepared themselves.

This is the most basic principles of a frugal life, living within your means is everything when it comes to frugality and living within your means happens when you realize what is really important, your family, that you have a roof over their heads, food on the table and clothes on their backs.  when you realize that those things, and love will make everyone happy and not the material things in this life.