From one vantage point, this past year in Pittsburgh might easily look like a wasted one. Unable to land any of the permanent positions I’ve applied for, I’ve worked fairly tedious temporary assignments outside of my field for the past six months. I’ve been stuck on a holding pattern awaiting graduate school, which has kept us from making any major commitments. On a temp’s income, we’ve had difficulty setting aside any savings, and we live on a very tight budget that doesn’t allow for many luxuries.

But that’s one vantage point. In reality this year has been an incredible one. In addition to venturing out onto the glorious, uncharted waters of marriage with Alison, this year has offered a wealth of experience, education, and relationships that will surely benefit me for the rest of my life. And of all the lessons I’ve learned this year, one of the most valuable has been the sheer logistics—and rewards—of living on a shoestring.

Having been equipped with a thirteen-week course in the Dave Ramsey school of finance during our engagement, Alison and I entered the risky land of unemployment, low income, and first-time independence armed and ready to conquer. Determined to be purposeful with our money and not to become slaves of debt, we have consistently created a detailed budget at the beginning of each month (made all the sweeter by the accompanying, once-a-month “fancy drink” at Caribou Coffee)—and with very few, minor exceptions, we have diligently obeyed the numbers on the almighty spreadsheet.

I’ve learned so many things deliberately living on a little, and many preconceptions have been duly debunked. First of all, it’s possible. Neither Alison nor I were terribly disciplined with our money before we got married; I would say that I was, at the very least, quite lazy about it. The word “budget” instilled the same fight-or-flight emotional response as the post-it note from my mother telling me to clean the bathroom. But, together, we’ve made it work. And it does work, and it’s not that hard.

I’ve learned that you can survive despite only going out to eat once or twice a month—in fact, the dining out experience is highly augmented when it is rare. I’ve learned that I can obtain just about any book or movie I could hope to watch or read through the interlibrary loan system, if I only exercise a little patience. I’ve learned that small gifts and treats and luxuries are far more delightful when they are limited to a specific and conservative amount. I’ve learned that going on walks, seeing movies at the dollar theater, playing chess, and reading are just as enjoyable as anything that costs much money to do. I’ve learned that a lot of the things I spent money on “in my former life” either a) were totally unnecessary, b) could have been obtained much less expensively, or c) were worth a wait.

One of the most helpful ideas (for me) espoused by Dave Ramsey is that living on a budget is simply telling your money what to do. Organizing and planning your spending does not have to be a depressing, suffocating, humdrum way of living life. It is simply exercising control and dominion over your hard-earned paychecks, and making them do what you need and want done. If your paychecks are small, you simply have to be a little more creative. And that should appeal to someone who purports to be an artist.