frugal underground

Some research says it can.

I just read an interesting article on the topic called “C’mon, get happy. Seriously, it pays.” According to the article,

“[researchers] found that those with a song in their hearts are more likely to, among other things:

• Get a job interview
• Be employed
• Perform well at work
• Get higher evaluations from bosses
• Make more money
• Have jobs with more autonomy, meaning and variety
• Avoid job burnout

Sounds like quite the deal, huh? And the important take-away from this info is that the research suggest that some people are successful because they’re happy, rather than happy because they’re successful (which seems like the order what most of us would expect).

They also found that how often you’re happy matters more than how happy you are when you’re happiest. (It’s more a question of your general disposition.)

Of course, happiness isn’t everything—other qualities (like talent, perserverance, etc.) can make you successful even if you’re a sourpuss. But I’d suggest that happier people can also get by with less, so aside from doing better at work, they also can save more money.

What would make you a happier person? Can you do it right now? Or do you even go for this idea?

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I came across an amusing article this morning called “Tips to save a buck from the cheap, famous“. It looks at (real and fictional) frugalites through the ages and asks, “What can we learn from them?”

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CiN Weekly has a short article on “Frugal & fresh” weddings. Frankly, I think they have a different idea of frugal than I do (they highlight a dress by a “lesser-known designer” for $875 retail; that’s a large chunk of the entire cost of my wedding). But they have some ideas that might be helpful, especially those who think that a wedding has to be expensive. I think the best aspect of the article is that it will hopefully inspire some creative, out-of-the-box kind of thinking—the kind of thinking that can save a bundle.

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Yesterday the Detroit Free Press published a column called “Super fun, frugal lessons” by Rochelle Riley. The article is mostly about how a couple of NFL football players worked did a financial seminar for high-school students:

San Diego Chargers star and Central High School graduate Antonio Gates skipped hosting a Super Bowl party, and instead invited 34 city high school students to talk about something he himself learned the hard way: managing money.

I think this is great, and hopefully we’ll see more role models in the area of money management. The column also made some useful observations about financial literacy in America:

Shirley Stancato, president and CEO of New Detroit Inc., said that financial literacy “is the most important thing” in the battle for equal civil rights in America.

“Literacy and financial literacy are vital. If you’re not financially literate, you cannot have the kind of life this country says you can have.”

I find that “most important thing” statement very interesting. It makes sense, but I’ve never heard anyone come out and say it before. Usually the focus is on affirmative action, or other forms of symptom-management, but I think it it far more realistic to talk about financial literacy as well as a good general education.

Do you agree with Ms. Stancato’s assessment?

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