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To me It means buying efficiently and with thought ,WITHOUT HURTING those around you by being cheap
The above is a great definition.
We're all frugal out of necessity on some things. Almost none of us can spend whatever we want, whenever we want.
But once the basics of life are covered, you have the option to be frugal. I am frugal because I want future options in life. My biggest motivations:
--Not worrying about what I'll do if I don't have a paycheck coming in.
--I don't like waste.
--In many ways I find it easier. Life is easier to manage when it's less complicated. Smaller living spaces, less stuff, less subscriptions/services generally make life easier to manage.
Some people on this forum are rich and good for them for still being frugal.
I'm very poor. I in fact, I have a Section 8 voucher and live in subsidized senior housing. So, my definition and others, are quite different on this forum.
So, as a very low income senior who qualifies for Section 8 housing, what does frugal living mean to me?
It means figuring out how to best manage the very limited income I have. This includes learning about free local food banks, utility subsidizes I qualify for, etc.
To me, frugality means not paying for convenience. I will pay for things that save me time, as time is valuable for my wife and I, but convenience for the sake of avoiding expending effort is avoided. I also take the long view on time as I feel time spent learning is not wasted. As a result, I tend to be heavily into a DIY approach towards cooking, brewing, home maintenance, investing, parenting, and many other aspects of life. I am not adverse to hiring pros or buying finished products instead of raw materials when it makes value sense to do so, I just approach decisions with the idea that I can do it all myself.
I have known some people who had very humble beginnings. When I knew them they were very well off, but just could not let go of their previous lifestyle. It caused them to be considered "cheap" by those around them, especially those who worked for them.
I'm working on retirement, so I'm in major saving mode. I like the comments so far about not hurting others or doing tiny, annoying things that save pennies, not dollars.
I've changed my interests to things that either make me money (making crafts that I sell on the weekends in the summer) or don't cost much, like bird watching or bicycling along the trails. If a theater production or concert came that I truly wanted to see, I would go see it, but that happens only about once every three years -- that's the only time I would pay $50 for a ticket, and I'd try to find the cheapest show possible. Most of the time, my entertainment for the weekend is the cost of gas to get somewhere.
The same for restaurants and food -- I rarely eat out -- if I do, I go at lunch or use coupons. I make a lot of food from scratch, but I adore grilling and making many dishes, so unless it's 90 degrees, I don't mind cooking, and I generally make enough for several days, so brown bagging my lunches isn't a chore at all.
Having the Internet at home is my largest splurge. I just have Internet, not phone or TV. I've got a low-cost plan that isn't fast, but I mostly do email and download coupons. It's how I stay in touch with a lot of folks, so for now, it's staying. I've lived without it before and went to the public library, but I will keep it as long as I can and maybe make cuts elsewhere.
And, finally, just recently, I downsized into a much smaller home in a smaller town, so that is saving me a bundle in taxes and insurance costs. I'm also closer to work and the bike trails, so my yearly gasoline bill has been drastically slashed, as well. That's the difference between saving a few cents buying crappy toilet paper vs. saving a few thousand with some lifestyle choices.
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