Are You Frugal?

I clip coupons also and only use them if the item is on sale. I go to store outlets, this time of year I buy Christmas wrapping,ribbon, etc drastically reduced. I have two large freezers and buy meat when it is on sale and freeze it. The hubby loves stuffing with poultry all year around. I save the ends of the bread until I have enough to make a recipe of it,bread crumbs also. So much cheaper than Stove Top. Homemade soup instead of canned. I make my own glass cleaner and rug cleaner.I could go on and on. I have all the time in the world to be frugal or cheap, but it all adds up and that's what counts.
 
I use any coupons I get in the mail, magazines, etc. if it's something I usually buy or want to try. Not as frugal as I should be probably maybe if some day I have to be that will change. When I buy something big like an appliance, I always shop around to get the best deal, so I don't really throw money out the window
 
Frugal? I'm downright cheap, not because I have to be, but because it's something of a challenge for me to save money. The one thing I'm not good at is keeping track of coupons and finding them when I need them. But I will do repairs around the house, like replace toilets or icemakers or fix a frig if I can figure out how to do it. I don't spend a lot on clothes and call up and argue with satellite TV services to get the best prices.
 
I'm not much for coupons but I can sniff out a bargain a mile away. I drive a 14-year-old car as it still looks good and runs good, because I took good care of it. I have a dumb phone with inexpensive service. I live in a small, plain house. I get most of my clothes (and I mostly live in shorts, t-shirts and jeans) at resale boutiques, Ross and Walmart.

I'm not afraid to spend money, though, when I see something I really want. I just bought a piece of art for $350....it was an internal battle as I didn't need it, but dammit, I wanted it so I bought it! I travel for exactly the same reason....I want to.
 
jujube said:
I'm not much for coupons but I can sniff out a bargain a mile away. I drive a 14-year-old car as it still looks good and runs good, because I took good care of it. I have a dumb phone with inexpensive service. I live in a small, plain house. I get most of my clothes (and I mostly live in shorts, t-shirts and jeans) at resale boutiques, Ross and Walmart.

I'm not afraid to spend money, though, when I see something I really want. I just bought a piece of art for $350....it was an internal battle as I didn't need it, but dammit, I wanted it so I bought it! I travel for exactly the same reason....I want to.
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And you can probably afford to go out and splurge sometimes because you are careful most of time. That makes more sense to me than spending a lot of money of things that aren't important to you. I bet that painting makes you happy every time you look at it.
 
Yup, why would anybody in their right mind pay more for something than they have to?

I was born and raised to be frugal by my grandmother, she believed in economizing on the necessities of life so she could afford the luxuries. Amy Dacyczyn brought it all into focus for me starting with her Parade magazine article back in 1991 and her Frugal Gazette newsletter and books.

Couldn't we all use a tax free raise of 20% or more, that's one of the things that being frugal can do for the average person.

I agree with jujube, being frugal does not mean being afraid to spend money, it means that your spending is in line with your beliefs and your values. Don't be afraid to use some of your new found cash to help charities or others who need a helping hand. It also does not mean taking advantage of someone else to achieve your frugal goals, leave the free sugar packets alone, LOL!!!
 
I live within my means. If I find a bargain, fine. I won't go too far out of my way to save a dollar unless it's worth my time and aggravation. At the same time, I am practical and not impulsive.
 
Frugal by choice, maybe better said is I want value for the money I spend. Early lesson learned in life was that needs and wants are two separate issues related to ability to pay. Needs always took priority after that painful learning experience.

An example of frugal would be the purchase of a Kitchen Aid stand mixer. The grinder attachment for grinding USDA choice beef, or chicken for a variety of food prep is one. Bone in chicken breast on sale to be boned out leaving breast for a variety of ways to cook and the bones used to make salt & preservative free chicken broth another.
 
I'm careful with money and look for the best price on things I buy. No sense in wasting money on a gold plated toilet seat, or something with bells and whistles you don't need or want. On big things like appliances, I find the best quality I can for a reasonable price -- no penny wise and pound foolishness stuff.

Last year when my old Saturn died, I found a low mileage 2014 model Kia in almost perfect condition and saved several thousand dollars over what I would have paid for a brand new car, and I'm very happy with the car. I'll drive it until it, too, dies, or I do, whichever comes first.
 
Not as much as I should be. I shop thrift shops. I don't buy many clothes. I like to shop on Etsy. My main little problem. I make decent money now.

I spent too much on that stupid house when I owned it. Repairs and needed upgrades like windows and new heat and air and a lot more. Only to sell it and let someone else have all that new stuff. But I couldn't live there anymore.

With what I'm hearing on the news about changes to Obama Care and even wanting to cut social security, need to save every penny and now I have to consider how long to keep at a job that's killing me full time.
 
I have a lot of Scot blood running thick through my veins! Frugalllll. Choice is my need.

I'm frugal, stubborn, thrifty-ish but will wait longer to save for a more quality choice than just go for anything, anytime.
 
BlondieBoomer said:
And you can probably afford to go out and splurge sometimes because you are careful most of time. That makes more sense to me than spending a lot of money of things that aren't important to you. I bet that painting makes you happy every time you look at it.
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It's actually a stained glass flower scene set into an old window frame. It's one of those things that the second I saw it, I had to have it. I'm going to make a stand for it and use it as a "fire screen" in the fireplace. It will completely fill the opening when I'm finished. As I only use the fireplace once or twice a year, I'll put it in the opening and put some sort of dim light behind it. It will be easy enough to lift out the next time I do want to use the fireplace.
 
When I can get out I love to do the thrift shop rounds . I don't need to but I enjoy it, I find lots of interesting stuff. Our main house is filled with antiques from garage sales and thrift shops. I would much rather buy those than anything that came from a new shop with the exception of a few things furniture wise.

My daughter came home last week with a rather newish model of Dyson vacuum cleaner, she paid $5 for it because it had a broken piece, the replacement piece cost $10, a new vacuum exactly the same costs $500. The bargains are there is you look regularly which she does.

We have an auction house near us, they get all the Sears returns, it is a gamble sometimes but about 4 years ago I bought a Bosch dishwasher, it still had the packing stuff around the shelves. I paid $60. It is still working in the main house , why it was returned I have no idea, clearly it had never been used and at the auction folks are hesitant on electrical returns so the gamble sometimes pays off.

Frugal means to be cautious with money and I do believe it makes life easier if you take the time to search out a good deal, then save the money for things that you can't get a deal on.
 
I am very frugal. No more large house for me. but a small unit, with even smaller backyard where I grow green beans in boxes and some beautiful flowers.
Why? Because I love travel, curiosity about different places in the world motivates me!
Many fantastic travel bargains out there!
 
Did not know "bargaining" was allowed in the U.S.
When traveling in the East, I will try the well-known formula for "bargaining", but I'm not too good at it.
 
A little of both I guess; it didn't start out that way, but I'm much more budget conscious these days. More often than not, I love the hunt, the find, the thrill of an earth shattering good deal and I know it when I find it. :D
 
I was frugal for 40 years and tucked away a very nice retirement nest egg.. in other words.. "I've met my retirement number" I have not been frugal for the last 2 years and have really been enjoying my money... before I retire and have to be somewhat frugal again.
 
Not by nature, but now that I'm retired I have to be. I've always tried to buy things on sale, that just makes sense, but never enjoyed squeezing a nickle. I'd get more pleasure from picking up a friend's lunch check than counting out every dollar during the "who had what" discussion.

I rarely find a coupon for actual food that I want to eat like fresh produce or meats. For other coupon items, it's usually forcing me to buy 2 or even 3 of the item before I can get a paltry few cents off and I don't need 2 or 3. I never learned how to really save with coupons.

Out of necessity now, I do grocery shop on the senior discount days, but I'm finding I can splurge a bit once in a while.
 


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