While we were waiting for news on the house on Saturday, we tried hard to just zone out.  The best way to do that seems to watch the boob tube.  We don’t watch a ton of television and I’m always surprised by the commercials when we do. 

The first was for Home Depot (I think) talking about a new line of outdoor furniture, made and designed by an interior furniture company.  The idea being that you can make your outdoors an extension of the indoors “in style”.  Part of the tag line said something to the effect of “have the coolest yard in the neighborhood”.  While nice outdoor furniture may be a nice addition, it doesn’t have anything to do with how cool your yard and/or home is, you and your attitude do that not the things contained on your property.  Our outdoor furniture is a mish mash of items found second hand and/or given to us, one of neighbors has the matching set with the big gazebo, etc.  yet in the summer our yard seems to be the gathering place of the block, not because of the furniture but because of the hospitality and gardens (expectations of home baked goodies probably don’t hurt either).

All this brings me to Frugality Tip #2: Don’t Buy the Hype.

Beware of commercials and ads, their sole purpose is to entice you.  We all need things from time to time, even want things and that’s ok, but be sure you want it because you want it not because of some hollow promise from an ad agency.  Don’t buy the hype, realize that materialism is a reflection of who you are inside, is that what you want the rest of the world too see when they look at you?  Be sure your spending habits reflect your belief system.  Is it really the furniture that people come for when they visit?  Remember that its not money most folks want, they want love and attention, give that and the returns to you will be much greater than some high from nice furniture or from that shopping spree.