Is frugality easy for you?

[Broken Arrow]

I could be wrong, but I get the impression that frugality may come fairly easily for some. For those like that, how do you do it?

For me, it's actually tough. Almost everyday, I am tempted by something I want but don't need. Frugality just isn't... natural!

I do maintain my frugality most of the time and almost never stray out of budget, but it doesn't come without conscious effort.

[herm4]

It is soooo easy for me! I love to see what I can get for the least amount of money! I am so addicted to being frugal, especially now that I consider it "my job".

[PrincessPerky]

In some ways I find it easy..I just was trained not to ask for anything, and therefor find it a surprise when I can have it (even if I am the one saying yeah or nay) But then again I am not often places where I could spend money if I wanted to. (allowed myself to)

In other ways I find it hard...fruit is hard for me to say no to..hate when the kids ask for it..cause I am not helping them learn not to ask! If they asked for candy I would of course say no..but asking for an Asian pear...or a kumquat, I want to say yes! Except both fruits are expensive!

The easiest way is to not take the kids (or myself) to the grocery store...and while in ZIP thru the 'tempting' aisles..for most that is the middle, for me that is the fresh fruit and veggie part.

To apply that to you...stop shopping Window shopping is an acquired taste..if you still find yourself wanting stuff, don't shop (on Digg, or other Tech stuff sites, or on Gun sites, or anything....)

Surround yourself with ideas of simple living or free fun, or learning something (free) rather than ads for 'stuff'...

And practice makes perfect...I get an edge up on most, living without the ability (credit or cash) to buy for so long, makes it an underused 'muscle' on the other hand you come from free use of credit...overused muscle..takes time to relax them.

[DebbieL]

I'm not naturally frugal in all things, but in some I am. I was raised by parents who had no debt (house paid off, no loans for anything ever, no money worries). You might think because I was privileged in that way I'd be a real spoiled spender (they did buy me top of the line guitars, lessons, Disney trips, etc.). However, my parents are really simple people. They don't buy what they can't afford (or even what they could afford if they don't really need it). I wasn't raised in a "consumerism" mindset. My dad is still wearing some of the same shirts I remember from 30 some odd years ago. He couldn't care less what anyone may think. I think I have a lot of my qualities that I learned from just being around my parents (they didn't really give lessons about money as such - just set the example).

[Snodog]

Yeah it comes pretty natural to me. I learned a long time ago that the more stuff you have the more complicated life gets. And I need things as simple as possible. I also dont have to own something to get enjoyment out of it.

[Aleta]

I think that it comes natural to me as well. I think as far back as I can remember counting out my money and knowing that I shouldn't spend it all. I read something recently where this author said that if you could take 5 minutes out of your day in the morning and see what you could do to improve your financial situation that it was time well spent. By that, he was talking about for instance, of looking at your accounts and see if you can transfer out some of your money to a higher paying account. See, if you can do a bunch of errands in one day, saving gas. There just are a number of things that you can do everyday that can save you money.

[Broken Arrow]

You guys are a bunch of show-offs.

And princess, I think you know me a little too well....

[My English Castle]

and some days no...
If I stay out of stores and don't shop on line, I'm usually pretty content.
I can think of ways to save and use up what I have, and all that.

But lead me into temptation.....
I wish I was stronger!

[Ima saver]

Yes, it is pretty easy for me. I watched my mother go 15 years without buying herself anything. As long as I have my dh and my Holly dog, there is nothing else in the world I really want or need. (other than fudge, occasionally)

[Broken Arrow]

Yeah, you know, I noticed that there may be a connection between parents who are frugal and their kids who follow that trend and become frugal themselves.

My mom grew up poor and her mother was a monk (which are, by default, very frugal people ), whereas my dad grew up fairly well-off. So, my mom has always scrimped all her life, whereas my dad had a more traditional view of, "You can't take it with you. Make more money instead and enjoy life."

I think there are merits from both camps, and for what it's worth, I am making a concerted effort on both fronts....

But I'm a probably more like my dad than even I may realize. I do live believe in a simple, frugal life, but again, it's doesn't come naturally for me.

[minnie1928]

Originally Posted by Broken Arrow

Yeah, you know, I noticed that there may be a connection between parents who are frugal and their kids who follow that trend and become frugal themselves.

I'm going to buck that trend. My parents were/are financial train wrecks. They continually spent money before they had it with no thought to the future. Growing up they had me or my brother answer the phone because back then the collection agents didn't talk to kids. I remember seeing notices of liens for not paying sewer payments, etc. All the while, mom and dad were constantly buying beer, cigarettes, clothes, cable tv, nicknacks, etc. To say their priorities were out of whack would be an UNDERSTATEMENT!

Because I grew up in this environment (which was bad financially, but great in every other way) I refused to leave this legacy on to my children. I've been frugal since I was out of high school. I set up my first investment (a money market mutual fund) on my own at the ripe old age of 17! Now, 20 years later I'm teaching my frugal ways to my mom since dad is now living in a nursing home at the age of 63. She is realizing (slowly) that she can't keep spending money the same way she always has. She said to me a few months ago during one of her emotional, financial breakdowns "does this mean I'm on a fixed income?" I said, "you've always been on a fixed income! You just never lived like you were." I told her that most people I know are on a fixed income (ex: salaried employees).

[jodi]

Hmm...hard question to answer. I definitely feel that I fall into the naturally frugal category, but I'm not sure how to explain "how". I just don't want much stuff - like another poster said, it makes life complicated. However, when I do want something, I just get it. It really is seldom that I really want anything, but I did just spend $170 for my first decent cell phone

I'm not sure how to tell you to "turn off" that temptation. I think what helped me was calculating how long I had to work to buy an item. Back when I was making $15k/year full time, spending $40 on an item of clothing seemed ridiculous given that I would have had to work over 5 hours to buy it. It lost its appeal when I looked at it that way.

[lisad71]

I was raised by an extremely frugal father and a very thrifty grandma. Not quite sure what happened to me. Sometimes I think I was switched a birth!

[Broken Arrow]

That's a very good point minnie! Perhaps that's not bucking the trend so much as seeing what could happen when you go through life without some financial sense.

Again, I became the way I am now mostly because I've lived with an ex that was spendy.

[eisor]

I think it comes pretty easy for me. Not so easy for DH though.

We don't have a budget (yes, I know...we should. But, it works for us.). We do track our expenses. We just don't buy anything that isn't a need. And, things we need we buy inexpensively.

I think it comes easy for me because I know that if I go out and splurge, it's just going to make things harder for us in a couple months when I'm no longer working. I just have to keep the big picture in mind and it makes things easier.

[dreamweaver]

It is easy now because it is a choice. I have always known how to be frugal...but the liking it came later. Now, I can have most of what I want, but want very little.

Except that little land bug. More land, more land. What a habit. What an obsession. I am going to be one of those folks who die with a bunch of little parcels all across the us....

[mom-from-missouri]

For our family, its become a way of life--not hard at all.

[Aleta]

It's not difficult if it's only you. Like it was said earlier; it's really a way of life and comfortable at that. It becomes a problem when a significant other is at the opposite pole.

[disneysteve]

I'd say it comes easy for me. I think it has a lot to do with my upbringing. My parents were frugal. We didn't take extravagant vactions or fill our home with expensive things, but we always had a good time. I was raised going to flea markets and yard sales and auctions and secondhand stores. Its just what we did. My mom cooked dinner every night and packed my lunch every morning. Not a lot of packaged, processed convenience foods.

Now I'm the same way, though admittedly not as frugal as I used to be. I've reached that stage in life where I put more value on my time so I don't do as many things myself or from scratch like I used to. Still, I find it much harder to go out and spend money than I do to not spend it. Even with little things. If we go to the movies, for example, we'll stop on the way to buy our candy so we don't have to pay the theater prices.

I just can't imagine being any other way.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by Aleta

It becomes a problem when a significant other is at the opposite pole.

I would never have a significant other who was like that. Part of what attracted me to my wife was her sharing my views on money. I don't understand why savers hook up with high maintenance spenders, why someone who is debt-averse marries someone with a ton of credit card debt, etc. That's just asking for trouble IMO. I guess that's why money is the leading things couples fight about and a leading cause for divorce. People should keep that in mind before they get married.