Frugaility Extreme

[terry1156]

I was reading moneyrant's journal (rofl) about his problems with an overly frugal neighbor.

This started to get me thinking. When does frugality go to far? Where do you draw the line between saving money and going too far? I am sure it is different for everyone.

[moneyrant]

thanks (I think).

If you haven't been able to figure it out yet, I draw the line with Margot the frugal gestapo

[Tree0164]

wow I was just getting caught up on the journal. I don't reuse baggies-washing them out just wastes water. I will use the paper and plastic bags leftover from grocey shopping as trash bags.

Good luck!

[DivaJen]

Margot is way over my line.

I think for me, my time factors into the equation. If I think my time is worth more than the time it would take, for example, to wash a baggie with PB&J on it, then I'll save my time and not the baggie. This feeling of what's worth my time changes though - some days I'm more willing to do "X" than on other days.

Part of my struggle is that I am trying not to be surrounded by clutter, which means I can't save every last thing that might be useful to me another day.

[2moretrees]

I think that frugality depends on each individual. Whatever that individual feels comforatble with is fine. The problem comes when someone tries to force their concept of frugality on someone else as is the case with Margot. I don't think there would be any problems if she didn't try to make everyone like herself. The "extreme" comes from trying to force others into your concept of being frugal.

[Tree0164]

I have read the twightwad gazette several times and there are some extreme ideas in there. I think you need to take what you can do and throw what you can't do. I don't push my frugalness on anyone else. Why should they care that I make batches of french toast out of day old bread from the bread store or that I hang out my laundry.

[terry1156]

Well put 2moretrees. I think you hit the bullseye.

[moneyrant]

Been awhile. New Margot story. Had to return to vent.

Comes over. Pile of broken christmas lights and ornaments sitting in a box. Asks what I'm going to do with them. "Throw them away!" I say. Wife shoots me evil look. Margot goes into rant. "How can you throw those away?!? They still have so much life!" I say, "All broken, useless." Wife shoots me evil look #2. She takes out all the lights. Starts stripping wire. "You can use the wire for bead necklaces." Breaks the bulbs into tiny pieces. "These colors will be great for craft making." I ask, "What are you going to do with the rest? Seems like a waste to throw it away." Wife shoots evil look #3 and I'm in doghouse for weekend. Margot packs everything and leaves.

[PrincessPerky]

Your neighbor sounds like she's good for a laugh. My DH and I were just talking about things that we thought were soooo expensive as kids because of the way our parents treated them.

Foil, that stuff must have cost a small fortune the way it was resued, and mostly avoided.
Paper towels, man those were for rich kids when I was little, we just didn't have any in the house.
Straws, straws were a luxury, and we never got the cool bendy kind, the little ribs that bend must have cost $100s extra they way we were led to believe.
Saran wrap was a treat in my house, only plastic that could be washed was used. Better still leave it in the pot (which is a bad idea, don't store things in the fridge in metal)
Fabric softener and dryer sheets, soft, static free laundry is for wussies
Baggies, we didn't have them in the first place to try to wash! My husband was spoiled he used the sandwich kind but no ziplock top.


Now don't get me wrong, cutting out even one of those or using them wisely can mean a differenct of a couple bucks here and there, which adds up over a year. But we were not led to believe it was a few cents here and a few cents there, it was just 'forget it thats to expensive'. I don't want my kids to grow up thinking foil is paramount to gold, but I also don't want them to waste it.

And having said all that I do avoid foil for, most of my pots and baking stuff has lids, I also only let the kids use straws, mommy doesn't need that luxury. And paper towels are reserved for cleaning gross stuff (Potty training kids and all). And saran wrap is avoided, I still use plastic tupperware style things. But I do use baggies (rarely) and dryer sheets, and fabric softener. I must be a wuss .

Oh and I draw the line at saving belly button lint

[terry1156]

Are you making fun of my belly button lint?

<center><img src="http://www.feargod.net/images/fluff02.jpg"></center>





Fooled you! It really isn't mine, but it really is belly button lint. If you have to read the story behind it, you can at <A HREF="http://www.feargod.net/fluff.html">Graham Barker's World Of Navel Fluff</A>

[PrincessPerky]

Gross!

[crosses]

gross x 2!! I don't think I would be married to that man very long.

[amomof4]

I don't think it was gross. I think it was very funny. Made me giggle.

[amomof4]

You wouldn't get so much belly button lint if you just left it in the belly button. Then you couldn't accumulate more. giggle giggle

[amomof4]

I was just thinking that not flushing the toilet is extreme. I know some of you do it, and I'm not judging anyone. It's just that one winter we were without electricity for 3 or 4 days. We couldn't flush the toilets because the well wouldn't work. We melted snow to flush #2. Boy the toilet bowls were really gross. Worse than the mens bathrooms at gas stations.

[seaar2000]

I will go as extreme as I can go as long as it is not gross! Some people think that a penny here and a penny there is not worth it, but when I add up my pennies and put it in savings or on my car payment it all adds up. I am a miser , except in the area of helping others out. I may not be able to do it finacially but if I can help them out I will. If I have something extra and I know that person needs it I will give it to them. Since, I only make so much a month I have to be as cheap as I can and still get ahead at the same time.