Where do you rank?

[midnight]

Of all of your friends, where do you rank in your frugalness? On this site I don't think I would rate highly at all, but when I compare myself to most of my friends, I think I would be ranked in the top 20% for sure.

[Armywife]

While frugality is fairly new for me, I'd say I've been able to apply alot of what i've learned from this site to common situations at home and elsewhere... my friends are learning as well since they see it does work when you stick to it. I am happy with my current savings website rank in all honesty

[PrincessPerky]

Oh my, I so have my friends and family beat!

My cousin was complaining about her heating bill and how cold her 72 degree house was! I know I thought 72 was chilly in winter (with my house at 65 now I think 72 is downright hot .), but I also would have said lower is going to have to happen. (and did here)

I don't think many of my friends even consider being frugal, though some do aim for good deals on big stuff like electronics, and one neighbor works hard to find groceries at good prices, that is only to offset the amount of eating out they do.

[gakline]

I'd say I'm in the top 2-3 friends. I can think of one other person for sure, and it's a drag hanging out with her sometimes. She's very very very cheap except when it comes to her immediate purchases. I've limited to my visiting time with her, because she can be downright depressing because she doesn't want to do anything.

[mjrube94]

I'm in the top 3. I find that the rest of my friends/family fall into one of two categories: Some, like my sister, are in the "can't be bothered" category. For them, it's just not worth it to spend a Sunday morning clipping coupons, or getting on the phone to shop around for car insurance. They live within their means, but probably don't save as much as they could if they were a bit more careful. (But she's happy!). The other group has "champagne taste on a beer budget". My one friend is Mrs. Jones! She lives in a ridiculously big house, leases an expensive car, and spends a ton of money to give off the impression that she's wealthy, even though she's in debt and struggling to get by. Haven't figured out how this group sleeps at night...

[Tree0164]

I am near the top...however my SIL and I often share tips etc on being frugal.

[BlingBling]

With friends, I am at the top. With family, its alittle different. I am more frugal because I have less income, but they have more income to do it big time. Buy the next vehicle with cash, Own their own 500 gallon propane tank and fill to capacity at off season cost, ect.

So, in a way they have me beat but then again with all they have and I don't, I am just as happy.

[dmontngrey]

No one comes close to topping me, friends or family. It always seems to amaze some people the price I pay for some things. It's almost as if no one else tries though! I just don't get it...
I have had to cut back on some of my spending lately, but that's ok. I always have a price in mind when I want to buy something, and if I search long enough I usually succeed. Even my husband has learned this tactic too!
Although friends and family haven't quite picked up on how to be frugal, more and more I find I'm being asked to look for deals for people.

[mom-from-missouri]

I rank at the top. Most of my friends are either single with no kids, or married with older kids and have 2 full time incomes. I am a single (divorced) mom with 3 young children trying to make it on my own. I am buying my home, and trying to double up on retirement-to make up for no spouse. I make very very good money, so most of my friends do not understand why I don't spend it, and take the fancy trips,eat out all the time and such with them.

[miclason]

my circumstances are harder than most of my friends....I've just been at it longer...so, although I'm no ace myself, I'm a little further down the road!!
(like my best friend, who is buying a 1.5 lt of soda and refilling smaller bottles for her child, because he thinks the smaller ones "taste better"...I already gave up sodas, except for weekends, and I buy a bottle - either 1.5 or 2.5 lt, depending on the cost - if it lasts 2 days, fine, if it lasts one meal, so be it!...also, because of our social status - not to be confused with our economic status- we are all either middle-class or upper middle class....so there's stuff they still won't do - like shopping at the market place, or buying their clothes on the street downtown instead of at the mall - because that is for lower middle class people!..... confused already?? LOL!)

[DivaJen]

Dh and I both come from frugal-minded families as far as our parents go. In terms of friends, I don't know. I don't necessarily know their circumstances, so I can't say how frugal they might be. Most of our closer friends seem to live modestly.

[terry1156]

We have friends that are more frugal than us, but they seem to be so because they started late. We were lucky to get our finances in order and now don't have to be so tight with our money. I'd say we are about 70% or so.

[kashi]

I'm probably somewhere in the middle. I have friends who spend hundreds of dollars on eating out every month. I have friends who won't spend $3 on lunch. I'd say I'm in between those two. My parents had to be really frugal when I was growing up, so learned some good lessons.

[crosses]

I'm much more frugal than most of my friends.

[Susapalooza]

Since I've been at this for almost five years, I'd say we rank up there in the 10th percentile among family and friends. There's nothing like retirement shortly down the road as an incentive to tighten the purse strings now!

[catlover15]

I'm in the middle.

[cheapbastard]

I believe we are the most frugal of all the people we know. Because of our frugality we have been able to buy ourselves two investment properties, and are looking for a third. We have been able to do this on a single income. We rent and do not own the house we live in. It is cheaper for us to pay rent than to pay a mortgage. Many of our friends and neighbours would believe we are poorer than they are, but they do not know that we have two rental properties that are growing in value every month. I suspect that we probably have more equity in our properties than they have in their beautiful, expensive houses and cars. We live below our means, while they live at or above their means.
Frugality is a relative term. We do spend a lot more money on things that appreciate in value, while others spend it on things that quickly lose money.

[Tree0164]

Cheap
That is awesome! Real estate is one way to go to make your riches. My parents had rental properties for many years.

[Bruce Wayne]

Originally Posted by midnight

Of all of your friends, where do you rank in your frugalness? On this site I don't think I would rate highly at all, but when I compare myself to most of my friends, I think I would be ranked in the top 20% for sure.

I'm probably the same as you, in that I'd be lowly ranked amongst members here but highly ranked amongst friends and colleagues.