Being Content with very little.

Contentment is defined as a state of happiness and satisfaction.  We all want to be happy and satisfied, don't we?

But how can we be content when we live with less and less?

It can be very hard. When you see other people with more things, newer things, or you can't do something you'd like to do: it can hit you hard.

One of the ways we manage is by enjoying being different. Yes, I meant that sentence! We enjoy being different. We cut our own hair, we grow some of our own veg, I make and mend some of our clothes, we spend time reading rather than watching TV or playing on mobile phones.  

We like walking - we walk a little every day.  

We also like to go out to eat, don't get me wrong - but we save up for our visit!!

Now some of the things we have done for years are becoming trendy (yay, we are becoming trendy at last): knitting, recycling, growing our own foods, spending as little as possible...

I'm sat here writing this blogpost on my 6 year old mobile phone, wearing a blouse that was 50p at the local charity shop about a year ago. The jeans I'm wearing came from a supermarket and I've had them about five years. I don't have make-up on.  Shortly a chap is coming to collect some sewing I've done for him and will pay me for my efforts.  Dinner tonight is salad sarnies: tomatoes from our garden, bread from the reduced section at the local shop.  We ate lentil cottage pie for lunch, made with loads of different vegetables from our fridge, and we will eat the same tomorrow and the next day. 

So what does this have to do with being Content?

We are incredibly happy with our life.  

Being different and managing on what we've got makes us happy.  We read books online and from the library and charity shop.  As well as fiction (can't beat a spy novel) we read about gardening, cooking and managing on very little.  

We do go out - we go to support our local Rugby team, and sometimes we go out for lunch at the local pub.  We save up for these things.  We also save up to go and visit family a few hours away, and for occasional overnight stays (just the two of us!).  How do we manage to save up for these things?  By living on a small budget.

Are you living differently?

FMxx