Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am somewhat of a compulsive shopper. I drive cars that are way too expensive for the salary I earn. However, I can tell you of someone who is quite wealth. My cousin, along with her husband are wealthy corporate attorneys. They lived in New Canaan, Connecticut, now sold their house to live in a historic mansion on the bay in Old Saybrook, Conn.
You know she is frugal when she...made her own curtains!
Not necessarily. A frugal person already knows from experience quite a lot about where and how the bargains are, and spends very little time fretting over them. Comparing prices is fine for big-ticket items, but frugal people don't buy many of those. If I compare 3 or 4 prices, I'll just buy the best deal, instead of exhausting myself trying to top the best of those. I'd never spend more than a minute or two comparing prices of a jar of peanut butter, and I already know which store has the cheapest one, and I won't keep going back to the higher priced store just to verify it. When I see a good price, I know it's a good price, and I might stock up, but there no time spent making that decision.
Very much agree with the point of spending time to compare prices only on big ticket items. Personally, I could care less whether Walmart or Target offers an item for slightly less than the other or if the gas station 1 mile away has gas 10 cents cheaper.. i'll take whatever's most convenient.
Only when it starts costing over $100 (or over $50 if quality varies widely) would I start spending more than 30 min/day of effort towards being frugal.
....Your family and friends are mad at you because you've never bought a cellphone. Whats so wrong with saving money and staying out of touch at the same time?
I think you contradicted yourself. A frugal person is one who NEVER thinks about saving money. It just comes naturally. Spending money feels like having your shoes on the wrong feet, and it's unfair to criticize someone for doing something that feels good and natural.
A frugal person is one who, if you invite him out to lunch, will still order the cheapest thing on the menu and pass on the dessert, because it makes him feel uncomfortable doing otherwise.
I guess I'm frugal, but I always thought of if as being polite.
It goes too far when you are doing things for short term savings that are costing you money in the long-term or are otherwise quite risky.
Things like driving cars with dangerously worn tires, not having mandatory car insurance, not taking medicine etc.
^^This^^
Also, I've noticed some people that don't take their meds because they can't afford them eat crappy food. If they'd eat healthy food (most of the time) they wouldn't need to spend the money on medications. Good nutrition/vitamins can help with a lot of illnesses.
Here's a deal. You buy me lunch, and I'll decide what to order. Let's see which of us is the stingy one. Hint: You won't buy me lunch, will you? Why not?
LOL you assume much. I'd be happy to buy you lunch sometime, my treat. Or, I could cook for you. I'm as kick=a$$ vegetarian cook. Just let me know when you are in southern Indiana.
I'm careful with my money, but not "stingy" with my friends. Just the way I roll. I consider occasionally treating friends and family to meals to be an investment in our relationship. Not everything can be measured in dollars and cents.
I enjoy a good meal with friends or family, so I don't mind spending $10 at a local diner or restaurant. There's so many great diners around here. How can I not patronize them?
But I agree with the notion that being "frugal" with medicine and health is stupid.
Lately I have been trying to salvage my worn out sneakers. There's holes in both shoes so everytime it rains or the ground is wet, my feet get wet. Duct tape hasn't worked. But I can still wear them when it's completely dry out. Thankfully I have high quality boots to wear when it rains/snows/ices. Admittedly I've been taking it to a ridiculous level by resorting to tape - lol.
Lately I have been trying to salvage my worn out sneakers. There's holes in both shoes so everytime it rains or the ground is wet, my feet get wet. Duct tape hasn't worked. But I can still wear them when it's completely dry out.
Hit up the local Goodwill or Salvation Army. Bet you can find a pair of sneakers for under $5. A good pair of shoes where you don't risk stepping on a rusty nail or worse is an investment in staying healthy.....
It goes too far when you are doing things for short term savings that are costing you money in the long-term or are otherwise quite risky.
Things like driving cars with dangerously worn tires, not having mandatory car insurance, not taking medicine etc.
The number of accidents in this country in which worn tires are implicated is extremely small. A lot more accidents are caused by affluent people distracted by expensive onboard toys while driving. Which places upward pressure on my own insurance premiums, penalizing everyone collectively for behavior from which the frugal abstain. Not to mention the cost of insuring myself against liability for totaling your $45K car.
People driving without insurance are less likely to have accidents, because they have a stronger incentive to drive prudently and defensively.
Guilty. I also ask my co-workers to bring me a bag of plastic forks/spoons when they go to Chipotle or Mr. Goodcents.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I consider occasionally treating friends and family to meals to be an investment in our relationship. Not everything can be measured in dollars and cents. 
