Comments on: Does Frugality Equal Detachment?

By: Erica

Erica — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 18:00:42 +0000

I hear you — I just saw a link to this post on another blog I was reading. I sometimes wonder about the same thing, but when I dip my toe into “mainstream” consumption-driven society, I don’t like it. I prefer my very quiet life of reading and socializing with a few folks in my neighborhood, but I do wish I had more frugal friends. Sometimes my friends invite me to do things that I just don’t enjoy (and likewise I them), so it would be nice to know more people who shared my simple pleasures.

By: Belinda Gomez

Belinda Gomez — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 22:49:41 +0000

But it seems sad to miss so much of what’s going on in the creative world, just because you chose to ignore mass media, etc. You can watch movies online, or download them without waiting for Netflix, but why not go and enjoy a film in a communal setting? Being frugal doesn’t have to equal being a hermit.

Going to art galleries, concerts, lectures, museums, etc. isn’t the same as consuming, but you’re actively participating in a world of culture and creativity.

Seems like a lot of frugal people seem to forget to have fun and be “in the world and of the world”, to quote the movie Sabrina.

By: rob62521

rob62521 — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 14:22:36 +0000

Larry Winget says in his books that one must associate with people who have the same mindset. I am similar — I don’t watch American Idol or Dancing with the Stars. I do watch network news and read the paper, but also read news off the Internet. My home isn’t like our friends. We have old stuff — some antiques and some junktiques. My dear husband plants a garden and I clip coupons. We save money and most everything is paid off. We use a credit card and then pay it off each month. And we are so different from our friends. One couple does nothing but spend, spend, spend, and then complains when money gets short. Everything is tied up in the “hunt” for whatever he fancies and then is disappointed when we aren’t overally thrilled. For example, this person bought a pinball machine. He had one and he wanted a new one. The hunt was on and he spent weeks finding it. When he got it and we did see it when we visited, but neither of us are pinball fans so it really didn’t interest us that much. He was devasted. The same fellow, when he found out we bought a flat screen T.V. (cash, I might add), had to go out and buy a 60 inch T.V. on buy now, pay later plan. We didn’t brag about the T.V. and it just so happened he saw it when I invited him for dinner when his wife was out of town. Yet, we had to stop by and admire his new T.V. and his 200+ channels. It’s becoming more and more difficult to associate with these folks because our lives do not revolve around constantly buying things.

By: larabelle

larabelle — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 22:48:14 +0000

Thank-you so much …I completely agree. I am looking, looking, looking for folks who are similar in mindset…however all I find are spendthrifts.

By: Forest

Forest — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:02:25 +0000

I have never thought mainstream detachment was a bad thing, even when I was a wasteful unfrugal teen… I always hated the mall and the overconsumerism I saw, the crap on tv and the general wheels of society….. This I think in many ways led me to the frugal chilled (some may say Hippy) crowd long before I realised I wanted to be frugal!

I too love Movies and a good beer on the porch (although I don’t have a porch here).

Sadly here in Cairo I am finding it much harder to find the crowd that I did in my previous residencies of Canada and UK but there are a few of us oddballs floating around.

Thanks for the post.

By: Jay Gatsby

Jay Gatsby — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 01:30:02 +0000

You are more “normal” than you think. Warren Buffett lives the way you do (or you live the way he does). Many millions of people throughout the U.S. also live the way you do, but because they’re not engaging in conspicuous consumption as a way of staying in the limelight (i.e., movie/tv star, athlete, etc…) you never hear about them.

Who are these people?

They’re the millionaires next door. Here’s hoping you can join their ranks some day.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 23:28:01 +0000

I can really identify with what you wrote. Thank you!

By: Dawn/FFL

Dawn/FFL — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 23:14:49 +0000

While I was reading this I was reminded of a bible verse I had to memorize growing up… I think it applies to this as well.

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

By: Mary

Mary — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:52:52 +0000

Embrace it!

By: PauletteG

PauletteG — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:38:17 +0000

It’s my belief that America’s societal salvation will come with a decentralization, as people perhaps urged by some combination of boredom, burnout, frugality and compassion will see that reallocating dollars to savings and their local communities will be more enriching than feeding a gated community executive.

Not all continental pockets of social capital are flatlining.