Are You Frugal?

Nope. I've done it when I had to, didn't really enjoy it then, and don't miss it now.

You only live once, and you can't take it with you when you're gone. We planned strategically and are as prepared as we can possibly be for whatever might happen to one or both of us.

We spend on what we enjoy. Our funds aren't unlimited, but we are fortunate to have more discretionary income than most have.
 

Radish Rose. I think you have a good attitude, I particularly like the splurge bit it makes the heart rejoice and it doesn't have to be an expensive item either. I found many years ago that for regular folks we all seem to find our own definition of splurge. If I was a millionaires I am not sure if I would get the same feeling, what's a splurge when you are so wealthy.

Sometimes a splurge can be really scary too. I remember a couple of years ago buying a live king crab, it cost me a lot but I had never cooked one and I just had to go for it. it was fantastic and I told myself it would be the only one I ever ate., BUT... a few months later I was in the same shop and they were a little cheaper, I fought with myself, truly I did, but lost the fight. Just as the man was fishing it from the tank and putting it on the scales a friend I hadn't seen for years called my name and we greeted one another. In the background I heard the man say something and waved and nodded to him, then took the bag he offered me. My friend and I chatted. When I got home I found I had paid almost $100 for that huge King crab and I was appalled at myself for the indulgence. I have never bought another but I still remember how delicious that crab was despite it's hefty price tag. The splurge and then some feeling.

Coupons are useless, I find they are always for convenience stuff I don't buy. I do watch the flyers though and when there is a really good price on meats I stock up.

Usually about now here in BC just after New Year I an get full legs of pork for less than $1 a pound, usually I buy three or so, chop them into smaller pieces and freeze along with the lovely meaty bones but since moving into the little house I sold my 25 cubic foot freezer and bought a smaller one and I can't be bothered running over to the main house to search for meat in the other freezer. So I am downsized and no huge chunks of pork this year.. so no homemade sausages , no raised pork pie,, of gosh the world has tipped...not.

I also think it pays to compare shops as the differences are often quite significant.
 
I love your answers! Don't need much in the way of clothing but I have stopped shopping at department stores in favor of a very nice thrift-consignment shop not far from my neighborhood. It's organized very much like a department store. I have gotten designer garments, some that I know were new at ridiculous prices. Such as a designer wool swing coat for $4.50, a Tignello leather hobo bag for $16 (shown on their site for $189 and a Diane Von Furstenberg denim dress for $7. Some items actually still have the manufacturers tag and intended department store tags on them. We also do about 85% of our shopping at Costco and the other 15% at Walmart, Dollar Tree and Big Lots. I get a decent amount of cash back rewards from my cards. I love saving money on things I can so I can spend money on what's most important to me.
 

OneEyedDiva said:
I love your answers! Don't need much in the way of clothing but I have stopped shopping at department stores in favor of a very nice thrift-consignment shop not far from my neighborhood. It's organized very much like a department store. I have gotten designer garments, some that I know were new at ridiculous prices. Such as a designer wool swing coat for $4.50, a Tignello leather hobo bag for $16 (shown on their site for $189 and a Diane Von Furstenberg denim dress for $7. Some items actually still have the manufacturers tag and intended department store tags on them. We also do about 85% of our shopping at Costco and the other 15% at Walmart, Dollar Tree and Big Lots. I get a decent amount of cash back rewards from my cards. I love saving money on things I can so I can spend money on what's most important to me.
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Nice! I'm frugal, not cheap nor do I buy cheaply made items, I use to spend wastefully, but, now I just find it very enjoyable to put any extra to the next bargain. Maybe frugal isn't exactly the right word for what I do, as I may not be a frequent flyer, but I am a frequent buyer. :D Of good deals that is.
 
JayBird said:
What are your favorite resources to help you be frugal? Any websites or message boards?
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Some of my favorite books are getting old, the prices in them are dated but the information, strategies and recipes are still great.

The Complete Tightwad Gazette - Amy Dacyczyn

Kim Williams Book of Uncommon Sense - Kim Williams

More-With-Less Cookbook - Doris Janzen Longacre

Ms. Pinchpenny's Book of Kitchen Management - Dorothy Parker

Good Recipes for Hard Times - Louise Newton

Old, Poor, Alone, and Happy - Katherine Dissinger

Good Cheap Food - Miriam Ungerer

The Frugal Village Forum provides some great information and inspiration.

Good luck!
 
As a Scot, it is not in my nature to be frugal. I am generous to a fault. However, I am also a willing learner and if I can get any tips here, I am open to suggestions. :bigwink:
 
Jeannine said:

Sometimes a splurge can be really scary too. I remember a couple of years ago buying a live king crab, it cost me a lot but I had never cooked one and I just had to go for it. it was fantastic and I told myself it would be the only one I ever ate., BUT... a few months later I was in the same shop and they were a little cheaper, I fought with myself, truly I did, but lost the fight. Just as the man was fishing it from the tank and putting it on the scales a friend I hadn't seen for years called my name and we greeted one another. In the background I heard the man say something and waved and nodded to him, then took the bag he offered me. My friend and I chatted. When I got home I found I had paid almost $100 for that huge King crab and I was appalled at myself for the indulgence. I have never bought another but I still remember how delicious that crab was despite it's hefty price tag. The splurge and then some feeling.

Coupons are useless, I find they are always for convenience stuff I don't buy. I do watch the flyers though and when there is a really good price on meats I stock up.

Jeannine,
I agree that little splurges help bring some joy to life. I think most of us have splurged to excess in our lives and felt guilty later. I guess it's human. Maybe your King Crab tasted even better knowing it was going to be (one of ) your last ones. I agree that shopping with flyers is better than than coupons, at least for me. It must be a lot of work to section off all that meat but you've certainly saved by doing that.

Last night I saw part of a show on TV about penny pinchers, out of UK. One lady was so miserable, her kids had to eat a bunch of cheap, processed hamburgers for days because she got them for next to nothing. The kids even said they didn't like them but she just kept saying "they weren't that bad". ugh.

Wisely, their home was solar, but it came out that on cloudy days there was little or not enough hot water so they skipped showers. Unwisely, there was no back up system.
 
Jeannine said:
In my case it took years but I just googled Frugal Living and quite a lot of sites came up, I lokked briefly at one and it had some great ideas.
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Yep, this^. But again, have my limits to the degree of being frugal, I'm not giving up certain luxuries no matter, butter, shrimp, the occasional filet mignon are staples. :D
 
AprilT said:
Yep, this^. But again, have my limits to the degree of being frugal, I'm not giving up certain luxuries no matter, butter, shrimp, the occasional filet mignon are staples. :D
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Also, to me shopping sites like Amazon, Walmart, ebay, poshmark for deals is my idea of being frugal as I no longer shop certain major more pricier retailers as I once did.
 
I don't eat processed foods and so coupons are useless for food. I do grow my own veggies and fruit though, so that saves a lot while I get to splurge on scrumptious sun ripened heirloom tomatoes and all kinds of other wonderful stuff to my heart's content. I am too lazy to preserve the produce, plus don't really like preserved produce, so I just drop the excess off at the local senior center. (Tip for non-gardeners - check around, there is probably free organic sun ripened produce available some place, most gardeners do donate excess). Other than food, I splurge on items that will last me a life time (now) and give me the most reward, the most expensive of which is my massage chair. I had to save up for it, and it was well worth it. I use it a couple of times daily and my poor old body feels to much better afterwards, it's like the fountain of youth for me. I wouldn't give it up for anything. Best thing I ever did for myself. One rule though I follow religiously - if I can't pay cash for it, I am not buying it. Whatever it is.
 
It's interesting that some folks think being frugal involves suffering or hardship. It reminds me of Hetty Green, the witch of Wall Street. Hetty was once the worlds wealthiest woman, she was also a notorious miser and skinflint.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hetty_Green

To me being frugal is learning to spend less on things that don't give much pleasure or satisfaction so you can divert those funds into things that give you a great deal of joy or security. It doesn't involve any sort of suffering it is just spending and saving in a way that expresses your values and beliefs.




 
I agree it is a misunderstood word. Frugal doesn't mean cheap it means to be careful and spend wisely. Penny pinching isn't frugal either , it is also cheap, especially when it causes hardship like the post about the burgers..Cheap is when you take a jam jar that you have just used the last of , add water swish it around and serve it as fruit juice!! I knew a family who had their toilet tissue rationed, Dad gave them a roll which had to last a fixed period of time , if you ran out there was no more till the next time, that is not frugal it is mean.

Glad to see someone appreciates their heirloom tomatoes, I am a seed saver, tomatoes, squash and beans particularly. so always lots of tomato choices here. I too donate my surplus . I do miss my acreage though as space is so limited now.
I hate to buy seeds, it seems so unnecessary with all the seed swapping that goes on. I couldn't in a 100 years grow all that I have but it is a bit addictive. I wonder if there is a tomato with a name that suggests frugality.I will have to check that one LOL


I am yearning for that crab again now, I should not have chatted about it.
 
FRUGAL; A funny word.

Teacher told the class that "frugal" means : to SAVE" Then asked the class to write a story using the new word.

Little Johnnie wrote; " One day the brave knight was riding his white steed, and heard a maiden in distress crying,

"Frugal me, Frugal me."

So he rode over and frugaled her; and they lived happily everafter."
 
I guess it's easy to misconstrue "frugal" according to the synonyms at Dictionary.com

[h=1]frugal[/h]

[froo-guh l]




See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com
adjective 1. economical in use or expenditure; prudently saving or sparing; not wasteful: What your office needs is a frugal manager who can save you money without resorting to painful cutbacks.
Synonyms: thrifty, chary, provident, careful, prudent, penny-wise, scrimping; miserly, Scotch, penny-pinching.
Antonyms: wasteful, extravagant, spendthrift, prodigal, profligate.


2. entailing little expense; requiring few resources; meager; scanty: a frugal meal.
Synonyms: scant, slim, sparing, skimpy.
Antonyms: luxurious, lavish, profuse.
 
JayBird said:
What are your favorite resources to help you be frugal? Any websites or message boards?
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JAYBIRD: Besides the thrift and bulk shopping, I'll do internet searches using "best prices on...." (whatever) and often it winds up being Amazon. For household items, besides Amazon there's Overstock.com & Wayfair.com. To get paid for shopping, literally, there's Ebates.com They often have discount clipless "coupons" for the retail store sites they feature (over 2,000 well known retailers) and when you shop those sites, connecting first via Ebates links, you will get whatever percent back that connection indicates. Your rebates must total a certain amount before they'll send your check...I forgot if it's $5 or $10, but I have used the site before and it's legit. Then there's Ebay. I stopped dealing with them because I refuse to use Paypal but I'm sure they have good prices.

I found better prices on my lotions and body washes on Luckyvitamin.com and even better prices on Jet.com, but Jet's selection at the time was sparse. I now have Citi Price Rewind (Citibank) so if I buy goods up to $1,500 a year using their card, then send Citi the receipts within 60 days of purchase, they'll search for a better deal and if found, refund the difference.. I just used it for the first time a week or so ago. I bought two pairs of Skechers sneakers, buy one get one half off. The most expensive pair was $59.98. Citi found them for $54.98 so I get a $5 cash back or credit toward my bill. I also pay for almost everything, except our housing and utility costs, using my rewards cards (making sure to take advantage of the 5% bonus feature), then pay the balances off in full each month. That practice, along with taking a pre-approved card deal from TD with a $200 cash back incentive, has gotten me $570 cash back in 2016. :D I would not have gotten the same benefit by writing checks or using a debit card.
 
Aunt Bea said:
It's interesting that some folks think being frugal involves suffering or hardship. It reminds me of Hetty Green, the witch of Wall Street. Hetty was once the worlds wealthiest woman, she was also a notorious miser and skinflint.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hetty_Green

To me being frugal is learning to spend less on things that don't give much pleasure or satisfaction so you can divert those funds into things that give you a great deal of joy or security. It doesn't involve any sort of suffering it is just spending and saving in a way that expresses your values and beliefs.
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:thumbsup1: I do agree. Being budget conscious or how one wants to put being frugal, doesn't mean deprivation.
 
Aunt Bea said:
....To me being frugal is learning to spend less on things that don't give much pleasure or satisfaction so you can divert those funds into things that give you a great deal of joy or security. It doesn't involve any sort of suffering it is just spending and saving in a way that expresses your values and beliefs.
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I've always been probably too careful with money. But if this the definition of frugal, and I like it, then I've been closer to frugal since I retired.

Intangible things I've spent money on lately are things that give me peace of mind. One of those things is *not* worrying about whether I'm managing money in the best possible way all the time. I don't want to become obsessed with it anymore. That gives me joy.:)

Does that make sense, in a twisted sort of way? LOL
 
NancyNGA said:
I've always been probably too careful with money. But if this the definition of frugal, and I like it, then I've been closer to frugal since I retired.

Intangible things I've spent money on lately are things that give me peace of mind. One of those things is *not* worrying about whether I'm managing money in the best possible way all the time. I don't want to become obsessed with it anymore. That gives me joy.:)

Does that make sense, in a twisted sort of way? LOL
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It absolutely does Nancy....and I don't think it's twisted at all. Each person has to manage finances in the best way for her/him. What you call obsessed is comfort and a secure feeling for me and it gives me joy to see how well I'm managing. Plus it's sort of a hobby. Nothing wrong with your way of thinking and nothing wrong with mine. So continue doing your thing! :D
 
ossian said:
As a Scot, it is not in my nature to be frugal. I am generous to a fault. However, I am also a willing learner and if I can get any tips here, I am open to suggestions. :bigwink:
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Just read through the replies here to see what others are doing and stay tuned because I will continue to post frugal moves that have worked for me.
 
I wouldn't call myself frugal, but I am careful with my money. I paid off my house shortly after I retired and have paid cash for just about everything else - including my vehicle. I bought a Smart car in '14 and paid cash for that. I do use my credit cards, but pay them off every month. I don't take much in medicine except for a couple of inhalers, so my medical bills are very low - check-ups yearly. I even paid off my hospital bill for my surgery right away. I don't buy a lot of clothing - I'm still wearing tee shirts I've had for years. around the house. The only fairly big expense I have is for my Taekwondo tuition. I refuse to get a smart phone; the charges for using them are outrageous - I still have a flip phone I've had for years. When it finally dies, I will get a track phone.
I DC'd the satellite TV and got an Amazon fire/Prime and bought an antenna - the Sat TV had gradually gotten ridiculously expensive. Antenna is free. I subscribe to HBO and STARZ for about a 10th of what Sat TV cost.
I do much of my shopping from Amazon - I have found them to be cheaper than most others for the kind of stuff I buy. I do cross check them occasionally.
There really isn't an awful I want. I keep things forever - until they die. I've done some major repairs on the house (I used to do them myself, but figure at my age (80) I'd rather pay someone else to do them now), but paid cash for those. Every year I try to do a major repair as needed. I hope to leave the house to my daughter and want it to be in the best shape. In the meantime I enjoy the company of my daughter, grandson and great grandson and love my little house and my critters (3 cats and 2 dogs). For entertainment at home I read, watch TV and play video games LOL
 
Dragonlady said:
I wouldn't call myself frugal, but I am careful with my money. I paid off my house shortly after I retired and have paid cash for just about everything else - including my vehicle. I bought a Smart car in '14 and paid cash for that. I do use my credit cards, but pay them off every month. I don't take much in medicine except for a couple of inhalers, so my medical bills are very low - check-ups yearly. I even paid off my hospital bill for my surgery right away. I don't buy a lot of clothing - I'm still wearing tee shirts I've had for years. around the house. The only fairly big expense I have is for my Taekwondo tuition. I refuse to get a smart phone; the charges for using them are outrageous - I still have a flip phone I've had for years. When it finally dies, I will get a track phone.
I DC'd the satellite TV and got an Amazon fire/Prime and bought an antenna - the Sat TV had gradually gotten ridiculously expensive. Antenna is free. I subscribe to HBO and STARZ for about a 10th of what Sat TV cost.
I do much of my shopping from Amazon - I have found them to be cheaper than most others for the kind of stuff I buy. I do cross check them occasionally.
There really isn't an awful I want. I keep things forever - until they die. I've done some major repairs on the house (I used to do them myself, but figure at my age (80) I'd rather pay someone else to do them now), but paid cash for those. Every year I try to do a major repair as needed. I hope to leave the house to my daughter and want it to be in the best shape. In the meantime I enjoy the company of my daughter, grandson and great grandson and love my little house and my critters (3 cats and 2 dogs). For entertainment at home I read, watch TV and play video games LOL
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Dragonlady, You are smart about your finances. Glad to see that you are smart about keeping up repairs on your house. So many people as they age seem to forget about or can't afford house repairs. I'd sell and downsize if I couldn't keep up my house.
 
I'd love to see more posts from people on the ways they are frugal. (Not cheap, miserly, or penny wise pound foolish.)
 

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