The American Frugal Housewife: Part 2

In honor of Frugal Friday, I will be sharing an excerpt from The American Frugal Housewife each week. This book was a special gift from my Mother. If you missed Part 1, catch up here.

The beauty of this book is that it was first published in the year 1833. The author, known simply as “Mrs. Child” dedicated her book to “those who are not ashamed of economy”.

I just love that dedication. Not so long ago, my frugal ways and coupon habits were my little secret. Then I discovered a whole community of bloggers who are “bringing frugal back”. Today… I am “not ashamed of economy”!

Selecting just one passage from The American Frugal Housewife is no easy task. This book is so full of thrifty wisdom, I could share all day long. So I chose a passage from the introductory chapter that spoke to me:

“It is wise to keep an exact account of all you expend–even of a paper of pins. This answers two purposes; it makes you more careful in spending money, and it enables your husband to judge precisely whether his family lives within his income.

No false pride, or foolish ambition to appear as well as others, should ever induce a person to live one cent beyond the income of which he is certain. If you have two dollars a day, let nothing but sickness induce you to spend more than nine shillings; if you have one dollar a day, do not spend but seventy-five cents; if you have half a dollar a day, be satisfied to spend forty cents.

Self-denial, in proportion to the narrowness of your income, will eventually be the happiest and most respectable course for you and yours.”

Once again, we see that 175 year old wisdom still holds true today. The author stresses the importance of having a budget, and tracking where your money goes.

She encourages her readers to live within their means, or act their wage. In our modern culture of credit card mania, this is some very good advice indeed.

“In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but [the] foolish . . . devour all [they have]” (Proverbs 21:20)

So what is self-denial? For me, it means not demanding instant gratification. Not falling for the “buy now, pay later” trap. Avoiding impulsive purchases, and being content with my wardrobe, my furniture, and my vehicle.

Marketers want us to believe that we should have it all, that we “deserve” new things. Look closely at the message the media drills into our culture, and compare it to Biblical wisdom.

“Beware! Don’t be greedy for what you don’t have. Real life is not measured by how much we own” (Luke 12:15).