Thrift by choice or not..... being grateful and thankful of the option of thrift!

Called in to source some vouchers for the residents weekend and had to have a  scan around Lidl.

Fabulous bargains but unfortunately am not in a position to stock pile anymore. Sigh. This is where thrifting is falling short these day. Previously thrift was a choice. I had a slightly above average wage but have never been able to shop a the upper end of the high street and to be honest wouldn't have wanted to anyway. I could never afford expensive moisturiser, budget versions of cars new to me was fine.  It  is difficult and there is no financial freedom in sight for me now. I look back and am not proud that I was a smugly virtuous thrifter who said no to consumerism from the moral high ground. I have been knocked off my perch unceremoniously. Now when I look around a charity shop I see 'types' - the smug middle class greeny, the arty type and those who are there because its all they can afford.  I am embarrassed to say I was once one of those smug types. I didn't appreciate the best bit that I had choice to get out of debt and chose frugality as opposed to  frugal living being the the only option available to me and as such not being able to really  benefit from it - ie financial freedom shall not be mine, my savings will not increase and if I stray from the frugal path its a disaster not a slip up I can correct next month and get back on track. I have at least 12 years of repayments I figure.... unless something drastically changes.  Last year when thrifting by choice I never knew I had it so good!!!