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Shopping: A Step Too Far by Nikki Willhite There is a term used in business, called "The Peter Principle."  Basically it says that most people rise up one position too far in their employment. They would be more competent and able to do their job better one position down. I think that you can carry this concept over to frugal living. Many of the mistakes that we make with our money are a result of going "a step too far." Case in point-  the purchase of my quilting frame. I love to piece fabric and make quilts. However, after you are done with a quilt top, you have to combine it with batting and fabric for the back, and secure the layers together to make a quilt. You have several options. You can tie the layers together with yarn, you can hand quilt or machine quilt them together, or you can send the quilt top out to a professional longarm quilter to do the job. I have neither the time, nor patience, to hand quilt. I do a good job machine quilting, but only with straight lines. I cannot afford to send my quilts out to be professionally quilted. I wanted to make nicer looking quilts, with curved stitching, so I decided I would purchase a relatively inexpensive home quilting frame for my sewing machine. Nice thought...but I didn't like it. That was mildly put. There wasn't anything about it that I didn't detest!  Without going into details, every step of the process was tedious, boring, and difficult for me to do.  I did not enjoy it. I was lucky to be able to sell the frame on Craigslist, but I did take a financial loss. I think we often overspend going "a step too far" on many things. We buy "bells and whistles" when we could find satisfactory alternatives. We overspend on items, and then realize we didn't need to do it.  In my case, it was just a matter of accepting my limitations, and appreciating what I could do. How many people have upgraded their kitchens only to find that stainless steel is a hassle to keep clean, and granite requires a lot of maintenance?  Wooden floors look good, but most people still end up with a large area rug in their bedrooms to keep their feet warm. The list goes on and on- from furniture to electronics. My husband and I have already decided that Blu-Ray is a "step too far."  We will not be "going there." The same thing holds true with many of the new electronics that are suppose to make our lives easier. If you want to live a simple and frugal life, consider your purchases carefully. Try get keep from going that "step too far" and save your money. About the Author: Nikki Willhite, mother of 3 and an interior design graduate, has been writing and publishing articles on the topic of frugal living for over a decade. Visit her at www.frugalhappyfamilies.com - where you will find hundreds of frugal living tips and articles. Frugal Happy Families- more than just money!

 

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