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.
part of it is fear. another part of it is independence. the concept of not having to rely on anybody else is more gratifying than any superficial utility i derive from having nice things
This. Plus why spend more if you don't have to? I splurge from time to time but I use coupons, cash back, cc rewards, etc. I will say my mom is frugal too so I get it from her.
Anybody have a conversion story to share? I wasn't brought up with the frugal mindset, and I didn't make good financial choices in my 20s. I took out more student loans than I should have and was prone to frivolous shopping and eating out. Turning 30 and not being where I'd like to be financially made me realize that I wasn't a kid anymore and needed to get my act together. Like a lot of people, I have anxiety about growing old and not having the means to support myself. I've been focusing hard on making good decisions lately. I now have an emergency fund and I am sending extra money to the student loan people. It's definately going to be a marathon and not a sprint, though. So, what motivates you guys? Anybody else have a moment when the light bulb came on?
Being frugal is a way for people to say, YES I found the best deal and I paid the least amount. I equate it to an ego driven motivation. Funny thing is, most frugal people aren't actually really frugal. Price isn't everything. Frugal does not mean cheap. It means the most bang for your buck. So if you buy 60$ Nike's that ware down in 6 months compared to some nice leather shoes for 150$ that last you for 6 yrs, who was more frugal? In cases where people jump on the cheap stuff, it would be a fear based motivation in my opinion.
I am retired and I do NOT want to go back to work.
The last pear of Nike's that I bought in January 2013 were only $20 and they have lasted 15 months and are going strong. I have never understand why people overpay so much for shoes as I found very little correlation between price and how long they wear.
My family was never rich, so I started working for my sister's business when I was 12-13 years old on the weekends. Ever since I started working, my parents NEVER paid for anything of mines. I forked out money for my car, my insurance, my living expenses, my "going out" expenses, my clothes...basically everything on top of helping my parents with rent even though I was barely a teenager. While other parents felt as if they "owe" it to their kids to give them money, my parents made me work for every penny that I spent. I don't begrudge my parents for making me work so young and it definitely built character, but I wished that they would just stop making me feel as if I still "owe" them. While other kids had graduation gifts, cars, bills taken care of by their parents, I had the exact opposite. The lesson that I can't rely on anyone for my finances and that no one ever gave me free money was driven into me so young that I still can't shake up wanting to hoard money.
I've seen how not having money can really stress you out. Besides, I sleep better at night time knowing that I have a little bit of savings than any material possession can bring me.
This. Plus why spend more if you don't have to? I splurge from time to time but I use coupons, cash back, cc rewards, etc. I will say my mom is frugal too so I get it from her.
true, i dont want much in the way of material possessions. my parents were the exact opposite...not frugal with their money at all. i have no idea where i get it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jlawrence01
The last pear of Nike's that I bought in January 2013 were only $20 and they have lasted 15 months and are going strong. I have never understand why people overpay so much for shoes as I found very little correlation between price and how long they wear.
true, i dont want much in the way of material possessions. my parents were the exact opposite...not frugal with their money at all. i have no idea where i get it.
how do you get $20 nike's?
Beall's Outlet and Burke's Outlet.
Kohl's on clearance.
TJ Maxx and Marshall's
I always keep a pair or two in the closet so I never NEED a pair of shoes and have to pay full price.
If you hit their clearance racks during some of these super coupon Power Hour sales,
you can end up with some very nice basic items of clothing for three and four bucks apiece.
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.
