Hello, my friends,

It might surprise you to know that once upon a time I was in demand as a workshop presenter. I expect that was more to do with my unique topics than my skills. I had two main themes. One was Tightening the Belt and the other was Conquering Clutter.

I was in my thirties then. As the decades passed, prosperity appeared to be the norm in our society. It was unlikely that my workshops would ever be needed again. But look at us now. At every turn and on every side, people are worried about their finances, their investments, the rising cost of groceries and utilities, the loss of now expensive lifestyle choices that used to be affordable. I dusted off my notes and was inspired all over again by the freshness of the material, The principles haven't changed. Even the title has stood the test of time and according to the dictionary still means what it always did.

"Tightening the Belt"
definition: to spend less money than you did before because you have less money

My husband and I are frugal by choice. Careful. Prudent. Thrifty. Pennywise. We chose that for freedom. We deliberately used our careers to work in the not-for-profit sector, focusing on mission rather than wealth. So I’m here to tell you that it is possible to spend less and still have a happy, fulfilling life.

Escaping from consumerism and embracing a conserver lifestyle is actually a great big positive. Adopt this mindset and enjoy the benefits for a lifetime. I can say without reservation that it's true.

My hope is to publish a series of posts that look back to the early days of my Tightening the Belt seminars, then also share how those principles have became practices that succeed over the four  decades since I first started teaching the workshops.

I’ll tuck in plenty of the other topics that we've enjoyed over our time together. But look closely and you’ll see contentment, conserving, and creativity hovering  just below the surface, always.

The conserver lifestyle can be fun, exciting and creative. The benefits reach far beyond what happens with your money. Discovering what you can live without lets you enjoy the better things in life such as spending time with your family, discovering your talents, helping others and serving God.

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