It doesn't take much to make me happy -- tickled actually. So this morning, my hubby who is feeling so much better after hip surgery decided to take me to my favorite place: Bath and Body Works. I had a coupon, plus it was their Grand Labor Day Sale, so I treated myself to a frugal extravagance...Fresh Balsam candles, lotion, and liquid hand soap. It's such a yummy fragrance and makes me feel like I'm walking through a forest of pine trees.When we arrived home, I lit the candles all over the house, set the decanter of hand lotion and liquid soap in the upstairs bathroom, and let the fragrance carry me to Whitworth College where my hubby and I first met (the college is nestled in a forest!). Today was such a frugal indulgence...$75 worth of products for only $20, yet it made me feel like a million bucks.
It was time for a nap. As I drifted off to sleep, there was a knock at the door. Kim, our neighbor, held a plastic container in her hands and said, "These are homemade potato chips from one of my Amish farms." 
Can you believe it? These Amish folks make their own potato chips in all the varieties: BBQ, plain, and my personal favorite -- Ranch style. If you've never had a homemade potato chip, you have missed one of life's simple pleasures. I couldn't stop with just one (or two or three!).
It doesn't take much to make life feel abundant and rich. Simple things: a candle, homemade potato chips, fresh flowers from the garden, and an afternoon nap. Small but simple pleasures make you feel cared for and less deprived. When that happens, you'll be less likely to exceed your monthly budget and "binge" on expensive or wasteful extravagances.
So go ahead...enjoy one of life's "frugal" pleasures.
Living Life Passionately,
