Hello, my name is Toni. On this page I’d like to give you a better idea of who I am as a person and why I built this website.
“No one knows what’s around the corner, I prefer to think it’s a rainbow, not a grisly bear.”
I believe you need to think hard, decide on your priorities, then become the change you want to see in the world.
By being frugal and living simply I can eat well and have time to spend with people I care about. Even on a tight budget.
Welcome to Simple, frugal life. I retired at 54 and now live my best life in an ordinary suburban house in Yorkshire. At 48 I was physically and mentally burned out in my public sector role, and thought that my life was over. I was a single parent, in over £70K worth of debt, and the future seemed bleak. Through using life coaching techniques on myself, being creative, living frugally, changing my mindset, tuning in to nature, and growing my own food I was able to give up work 6 years later, mortgage and debt free, and live financially independently on a few savings and a small work pension.
I now share my home with Mr S and our separate incomes remain lower than the benefit system would offer. However, I have never felt as rich, or as content and happy. Living simply means that I don’t have to compete and keep up with the neighbours, I am not trapped in a cycle of materialism and debt, I have been able to build a closer bond with my children and grandchild, and I am free to make my own decisions on how I spend my time and energy. My health has improved physically and mentally, and I am a totally different person to the depressed, lonely and negative person I was at 48. At last I am my authentic self and don’t have to pretend to be some one I am not to get a promotion or be accepted.
This is a new website where I hope to share with you thoughts, ideas, tips and tricks and what has worked for me so that I can live this life I chose. I hope that you will visit it often, and it will help, not only those of you that are looking for ways to save money in these financially hard times, but also those looking for a more simple way of life that is kinder to ourselves, but also kinder to the planet.
By living simply and being frugal I get the best life I can from my budget.
Although my life is simple, and might seem ‘lacking’ to some, for me it feels full and abundant. We all need some money to survive, but it is no longer a driving force for me, my priorities have changed, and I have realised that money only causes temporary happiness. I now only spend when I need or want to, and try to live as sustainably as possible.
I hope I can inspire you to do the same
Simple.
Stay close to nature in all that you do.
Frugal.
Mindfully use your money and resources.
Life.
Find joy every day, make time for self care, and be your authentic self.
What will you find on this website?
Living simply, and being frugal can mean different things to different people. On here I track my personal journey to a more meaningful life through a lense of positivity, and share what works for me. I hope that it will awaken ideas that will work for you, so that you too can live the simple life that many of us yearn for.
