Totally get where you’re coming from Leon. It’s a tricky line to walk. A while back, I found myself overspending on “ethical choices” to the point it was putting me in credit card debt. I had to rethink the whole strategy. Now I focus on value over just price or principle. Like, I still support local farms, but I do it seasonally and only buy what I’ll definitely use. I also use tools to track where I can be smart about spending without feeling guilty.

One super helpful thing I found is this article and calculator tool that dives into the difference between being frugal and being cheap backofnapkin.co : https://backofnapkin.co/personal-finance-calculators/frugal-vs-cheap/ — it really helped clarify when I’m being mindful with money and when I’m just being stingy or misaligned with my values. Sometimes, you don’t have to sacrifice your values — you just need to adjust your approach. For example, buying secondhand instead of brand-new ethical clothing can still align with sustainability and save money.