vintage

About Frugal and Thriving

This website may earn commissions from purchases made through links in this post.

About Frugal and Thriving

Living well on any budget

The original Frugal and Thriving since 2009.*

Do you feel like you’re always scrambling to get ahead?

Saving money seems impossible when you’re living pay to pay.

Do you want to make the most of a limited budget but feel overwhelmed with where to start?

Maybe you feel a little out of balance? Your heart tells you there must be more to life than living for the work to spend treadmill.

That’s what Frugal and Thriving is all about.

frugality is

It’s not about pinching pennies or being miserly.

Frugality is a mind shift that helps you build positive habits to manage your money effectively, so you live a life of abundance.

It’s about living the good life on a budget in a way that respects the environment around us.

Here you’ll find:

  • how to easily budget
  • how to save money and live well
  • how living frugally and simply can change the way you see your life and empower you to live happier and healthier

“AMEN! I have been reading your blog for about 2 to 3 years now, but never commented before. I can’t count how many entries have inspired me, how many of your recipes I have now in my folder, ready to be used in a practical way… Being frugal has allowed me to learn new skills, organisation systems and budgeting, be in control of my life, make choices that I am proud of, do my bit for the planet, and spend more time with family. Although I might be considered a “poor” person according to normal standards, I feel pretty rich.” Corinne

Imagine a whole load of big bills coming in…and having the money in the bank to pay them straight away because you’ve saved ahead of time. No scrambling to find the money to pay the bills.

Imagine waking up in the morning feeling…content. Happy. Feeling like you’re living according to your deep values and a sense of purpose.

Frugality takes the focus off things and puts the focus on what’s truly important and what really makes you happy. It gives you more time to spend with family and friends. It gives you more freedom.

It empowers you, no matter what your budget, to be more in control of your circumstances. It gives you more peace of mind, resilience, and self-belief, not having to worry about how you’re going to pay the bills.

Why Frugal and Thriving

Melissa Goodwin Frugal and Thriving

I’m Melissa Goodwin, creator of Frugal and Thriving. I live in Queensland, Australia, which is what makes this frugal blog a little bit different – it’s from an Australian perspective.

When I found myself out of work during the financial crisis, I thought it would be impossible for us to live on one income.

I couldn’t see how we would be able to pay for everything we needed, let alone reach our financial goals.

Then throw a baby into the mix (surprise!), and money was really tight. I lay awake at night worrying whether it would be possible in the 21st Century to live happily on one income with the kids.

Frugality came to our rescue. We focused on how to make the most of the income we had and ways we could get the most out of life without relying on more stuff to make us happy.

We discovered that it’s not only possible to live on one income, but being frugal has enriched our lives!

That was 15 years ago. Is it possible today? I’m not sure. It’s sure a lot harder for people starting out today! Frugal living can certainly help manage rising costs.

Here at Frugal and Thriving, I share what I’ve learned (and still learning!) on our frugal journey. I share information on budgeting, money-saving tips, frugal recipes, and simple and green living ideas. I’m a writer, not a financial planner, so don’t forget, it’s super important to seek qualified advice!

“Your blog came along at a time when my hubby and I had a severe shortage of money but many bills, so we took a lot of advice from your blog and went about implementing them…Thank you :)” Trace

“I stumbled onto your blog a couple of months back and decided to just go back to the beginning of your topics and start from post 1. I’ve spent many, MANY hours reading your posts …… All I really have to say is a huge thank you. I needed help in a financial sense, and thanks to your posts I’ve (hopefully) got my goals\budget\spendings on track. but now I must admit I’m quite hooked on your thriving concepts and really looking forward to your future posts.” Kath

Let’s Connect

You can reach me by email, which you’ll find here on my contact page. You can also find more inspiration on living well on a budget on Facebook and Pinterest.