Love of Frugality

Is it really so bad?

I have nothing but empathy for anyone facing serious difficulty in this troubled economic environment. But what does the recession mean for most of us? Reports in the media tell us that people are getting out of debt and saving more. They're preparing food at home rather than going out to eat. They're spending less on frivolous luxuries. They're making Christmas presents rather than buying them. They're purchasing more fuel-efficient cars and driving less.

It seems to me that for most of us who are fortunate enough to keep our jobs and can afford to pay our mortgages, there's a valuable lesson to be learned. A lesson on family and frugality. Maybe in 2009, "keeping up with the Joneses" won't be about who has the biggest SUV or TV anymore, but rather about who is the most frugal. Maybe it won't be about how much you make anymore as it will about how much you keep.

They say that love of money is the root of all evil. What, then, is the love of frugality?