Are your friends frugal?

[Ima saver]

The people that we had dinner with last night make over $100,000 a year, plus he gets social security. They still stick to a budget.

[CJsoccerchic]

I agree with the "loaning money to a friend, is a GOOD way to lose them" If I ever gave anybody ANY advice - it would be JUST that - DO not LOAN MONEY to friends!!!!

[Ima saver]

I will loan small amounts. I have a friend that came to town and saw something she wanted. She called and asked to borrow $40. Of course, I loaned it and got a check back from her in just a few days.

[CJsoccerchic]

ahhhh.... A friend had a birthday TWO Novembers ago and a local hotel charged 50/night. She asked if I would front the money and she would pay me back "right away" it's been over a year and... well, it's $50. That's a week of groceries for me....
It almost seems like she doens't call back or call anymore cause she feels guilty...
It just sucks to lend money to friends, cause when it comes time to ask for it back... it's hard.
On the other hand, I lent my best friend $400 when she really needed it. and I got it back when I asked for it a year later- she sent a check in the mail and everything is fine with us since... But maybe it was cause she was my friend for forever!!!

I dunno... it's always a hard call....

[Ima saver]

Well when I see my friend waste so much money, it is hard to feel sorry for her when she needs money. She will spend between200-300 a month on long distance before she got her cell phone. She has to buy souveniers every time she goes somewhere. At what point in her life will she quit wasting her money? She gets her hair done all the time, perms too. If you can't pay your electric bill, why are you getting a perm? I have never had one in my life. Yes, I do get my hair colored, but I do it myself.

[CJsoccerchic]

That's a killer to me there. I have long hair and it's simply because I'm too cheap to get a hair cut. I would love to get it permed or colored, but once again, I am too cheap to get any of that done... and then my friends who have a hard time paying their power,car, car insurance bills, get them done ALL the time - her hair ALWAYS look fabulous. Maybe I'm too frugal and just need to let loose?

[Snoopy2645]

Oh I know the type you are talking about the people who get evicted but have $300 hairdoos & outfits to match with matching shoes & ascessories.

Just an idea for all you frugal people like me if you want to color your hair just look around for coupons & rebates I have gotten so much of that stuff free I use b1g1f & then do a TMF rebate so I get 2 things of it free I havent paid for hair dye in years. Also just an idea get a friend whos a hairdresser thats what I did well I am not friends with her cause of that I was friends with her before she ever even considered going to beauty school but it has saved me some money I give her stockpile items for doing our hair.

Also another idea for those who have to have long distance try calling cards thier are tons free online I havent paid for long distance in years either.

[PrincessPerky]

Originally Posted by CJsoccerchic

That's a killer to me there. I have long hair and it's simply because I'm too cheap to get a hair cut. I would love to get it permed or colored, but once again, I am too cheap to get any of that done... and then my friends who have a hard time paying their power,car, car insurance bills, get them done ALL the time - her hair ALWAYS look fabulous. Maybe I'm too frugal and just need to let loose?

Nah, keep it long and don't worry bout them.

Plus have you ever tried a perm? I looked like a wet shaggy dog, very bad waste of money! Not sure on color, I love mine. I have always though natural color is better. (but ask me again when I go grey!)

[Ima saver]

Well My friend borrowed money from everyone, her mother, her kids, her church, etc. but she still gets her hair done every week no matter what. It reminded me of the gal on Oprah yesterday.

[BCHGRL]

Most of my friends my age (27) are just because they are new moms. I don't get to hang out with those friends much anymore because they are so busy, and we just don't have much in common anymore. I enjoy talking about traveling or work and they enjoy talking about "mom" stuff.

My coworkers/ friends on the other hand go out for lunch every day. I'm not talking fast food either. At least 1/2 of them own a Harley and/or a boat and/or live on the water. They are mid-40s and 50s. I don't care that they are not frugal because they are not cheap either. They always pay their own way and half the time they pay mine too (since I am the baby of the group.) I try to pay them back but they usually won't accept. They either have no children or had children late in life. I would guess that each one makes over $100K a year. To my knowledge, none of them are in any financial trouble.

I enjoy their company, and I also enjoy living in their world for a few hours. For instance, Friday I decided to give in and go to lunch at a Thai restaurant (I usually eat lean cuisines for lunch.) My coworker took us to lunch in her yellow BMW convertible. The Thai was great and it was great to ride in a nice convertible rather than my beater on a beautiful day.

[Ima saver]

I have a friend, not close, but a friend on a forum. She lives with her husband and 3 kids in a mobile home. They have no savings and she won't even talk about money. She says you can't take it with you. She sends for take out food every single day for lunch. That is $25 a week she could be putting in savings.
My last job, I took a cheese sandwich to work everyday and drank water.

I have a friend so frugal that he uses both sides of the toilet paper.

[Ima saver]

That's funny, devil!! I have a friend that asks you how many hamburgers you will eat. He won't cook any extra. I have another friend who will only cook 1 hamburger per person when they have company. We always serve a lot of food, figuring what we have left, we will eat up later.

[debtfreeme]

nope my friends are not frugal. most will not even recycle. it is frustrating to me.

[PrincessPerky]

The recycle part frustrates me, in an area where it is picked up with the trash! I mean you don't have to do anything but dump it in a seperate bin and they still wont do it! That irks me big time.

[Ima saver]

There is no recycling here at all.

[naturallyadiva]

I would have to say that two of my friends are not frugal at all. They really waste a lot of money. And I have one friend that I would not call frugal but very catious with her money. I know I am not perfect and I am working on being frugal and saving money, but some things my friends do, i have to sit back and just wonder about.

[Ima saver]

Most of the people I converse with on our local forum, are not frugal at all. They complain all the time about not having enough money to pay their bills, but they continue to shop constantly. Many smoke. It is hard to justify the cost of cigarettes any more.

[funnyvalentine]

I know; I have friends too, who complain about money, but I notice that they are taking two or three vacations a year; they go skiing regularly, every kid has a cell phone, the driving age ones have their own cars. Of course, they have cable (like we might die without that....), new rental cars at the end of every term, gym memberships, and plenty of new clothes.

We all have things we can't live without, but the bottom line is that we need to make choices.....

Originally Posted by PrincessPerky

I am often suprised when I realize how UNfrugal my firends are. I mean I know it, but nothing brings it up like seeing a girl use cloth diapers on their kid (cause they ran out and payday isn't till next week) who then turns around and gives a grocery list to her bud including BEER, pop, and mixers. I guess that is more about odd priorities. I mean nothing wrong with cloth, but if you can't afford more diapers (and her DH won't change cloth diapers) then why are you buying beer?

I also have friends who complain about money, yet go eat out ALL the time, and never think to pack food for 'long' trips (I put that in quotes cause to go see them I have to drive 9 hours, they have 1.5, so long is very relative to me!)

I know I have wasted many a dollar in my time, but I try to learn from my mistakes, and wel, they just don't seem to. I can't exactly point out the stupidity to them since it is my priority to pay off the CC and then move on to the house, for them the pop or beer now is their priority. I only get annoyed when my firends use tax money to fuel their vices.

[asha]

Originally Posted by pennywise

Dear Ima Saver:

These are the exact people who deserve not help. I am sick and tired of these mooches off society. Their ignorance should be felt in their bones (cold due to no home) and in their stomachs (no food). No one should help people like this. There are truly people out there that need help and have tried their best to do everything they can. They need help. Just like the heat people wanting us to donate our money so others can have a warm home while mine is 55 degrees. Forget, work for what you get. NO WORK NO HOME NO FOOD, period. Be aware charities are tax writeoffs for the people who start them. You work to provide their hobby. A charity head can make $200,000 per law and this does not limit the perks. Stop giving your hard earned money away, only a fool would do that when they know they have retirement or a possible illness/disability could happen to them

Sorry I am so rash, I am angry!

I heartily agree. I am sick of feel-good news articles about a young couple who had three kids in a row under the age of 4 years when she doesn't work and he has been out of work for months or has a low paying job. The tv show or its viewers but them a house and car and a vacation somewhere. FAMILY PLANNING, PEOPLES.

Worse still, those who earn a huge amoun or at least a decent amount and none the less rely on others becasue they have been completely foolish with thier money.

NO WORK, NO SAVE: NO HOUSE, NO FOOD

I have always contributed to charities as have millions of millions of well-meaning people. I worry about where the $ goes. I have finally found a charilt to support which gives 100% of the $ to the charity recipients and will trust NOONE else to ensure the money is actually used appropriately.

My friends are not frugal and I am really excited, now, about frugality. You have to make that inner transition. Rich Dad Poor Dad was the first step.... I know he is controversial but it made me think. Then, articles about how cappitalism is a con. We are sucked into thinking spending $ will improve happiness. I was watching a fashion show and all these nonchalant models gliding fown the runway in designer clothes (or, stalking down the runway, they look really odd...) and I felt as if I was missing out on something.... and then caught myself. That feeling is what Docle and Gabbana and Vera Wang NEED to generate in us so we can net them billions.