To me, being successfully frugal means finding satisfaction with our choices. If we were miserable all the time, but still saving money, I'd hardly call that a success. When our budget prevents us from doing things extravagantly, we look for the positives in our situation and focus on those.
For example, if a vacation is a driving one instead of flying, focus on the interesting side trips and detours to be taken -- a slow down and smell the coffee and roses sort of trip. If eating lower on the food chain for a few nights a week (more beans and grains, less meat and cheese), look for delicious recipes to prepare. (We enjoy the fit and lean feeling we have when eating this way. ) Less money for eating out? "Eat in" with style and grace. This time of year it's especially pleasant to dine al fresco, on the deck as the sun goes behind the trees, or down on the patio by the glow from the fire pit.
When we're not spending as much, we watch our savings grow, and feel good about that. And do we never moan or whine? Oh, we do, we're susceptible to the materialism of our society, too. But we try to get right back on that happy frugal track.
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