Thrifty Prosperity

via etsy

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.  You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.  You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.  You cannot further the brotherhood of man by encouraging class hatred.  You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.  You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn.  You cannot build character and courage by taking away man’s initiative and independence.  You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.

~Abraham Lincoln

A very political statement, but I love it.  I’m pretty sure you can guess what line is this diy-loving girl’s favorite.

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.

I haven’t always loved thrift.  When I graduated high school, my parents took me to New York and I spent some of my graduation money on a pair of Fendi shoes.  That was the anti-epitomy of thrift.  (Not sure if that’s a word, but that’s what I’m going with.)

I’m so glad I did that because I cherish those shoes.  I’m so glad I did that because I will NEVER do that again.  Ha!

I started getting into this whole “thrifty is nifty”/”Goodwill is the coolest thing since sliced bread” craze when it became trendy.  All of the sudden I found endless blogs of people creating beautiful things from rundown thrift store finds and thought, “I could do that.”

But now I’m sucked into that mentality.  And honestly, it was meant to be.  My Bibi (maternal grandmother) is the most thrifty person I know.  She can find a bargain in the Sahara desert in a sand storm.  She can spot a thrift store a mile away.  And I’m trying to learn all I can from her.

Not only is she thrifty, but she is wise with her money.  And she is the most generous woman I have ever met.  No joke.

I believe that is what prosperity is.  Only buying what you can afford.  Spending your money wisely.  Giving of yourself to others.  Having your financial priorities in order.  Taking care of your possessions.  Living a joyful, blessed, and balanced life because you know you’re not stretching yourself too thin.

It’s easy to be thrifty when you’re a poor newlywed, but it’s not easy to learn to live in prosperity in the midst of tight finances.  It’s action combined with mindset.  Timothy and I are learning and trying and failing and succeeding.

And on that note, I’m going to go hang out on the free chair we picked up off the side of the road, wear my ridiculously expensive Fendi shoes, and ponder the meaning of balance.

~Whitney