Happy Thanksgiving! Being frugal isn’t just about learning the tips and trick to use your assets wisely, it is also about stepping back and realizing the scope of all that you have, both assets and opportunities, and giving thanks. Join me as I give thanks from the perspective of a graduate student.
Even though I am no longer a student, I remember that time well as it was only a few months ago. As I look back on my time in graduate school, I want to celebrate the many opportunities that I had to give and receive. As a graduate student, I had many opportunities to receive. I received an education and generous scholarship aid from my school. I received loans from the federal government. I received informal aid from family and friends.
While I am grateful for all of these times that I was able to receive from others, I am even more grateful for all of the times that I was able to give. When you are in school, especially as a full time student, it can often feel like you are only capable of receiving, not giving. This is a really rough place to be in because it can make you feel helpless and useless. That is why I am even more grateful for the times that I was able to give back as a graduate student.
I am thankful for all of the ways that I was able to use my graduate school education. It is wonderful to see how the skills and knowledge that you learned in school can help people and organizations. I was able to use much of my education as I volunteered for churches and non-profits.
I am thankful for all of the ways that I was able to give financially to others. Aligning my spending with my values helped me to find ways to use my money, even the little that I had, to make a difference in the lives of others. I am grateful for all of the organizations that taught me that even a small gift can make a difference in the life of someone in need.
I am also thankful that money does not fix every problem. I am grateful for all of the times that I was able to offer a smile, a hug, a home cooked meal, good conversation, time, skills, or a homemade card to a person in need.
When we give, we are reminded of how much we have and how much we can share with our neighbor. I am incredibly grateful for not only how much I received, but how much I was able to give as a graduate student, because it reminded me of how much I had been blessed with and my capacity to share with my neighbor.
Join the Conversation: What are you grateful for this Thanksgiving?
Frugal Community 
I am thankful for my family, friends, strangers, my dog, poetry and singing….
I am thankful for my faith, my husband & family(kids, parents, relatives!), friends, my church, my home, hugs, heidi-our dog, a good book, laughter, and health….
Thanks for the post. Great reminder that I can still be useful even as a student. I feel like I have been in school forever, as an older student. And i constantly worry about money– especially once i have to start paying it back! I think that this attitude of gratitude is the way to be. I am so grateful for that reminder. I am also grateful that I have hung n there with school, that i have a home to live in, a car to drive, a job and a definite passion for learning (regardless of the tough times)…
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