Are your friends frugal?

[marla]

A lot of my friends aren't very frugal and this sometimes leads to me spending more than I want to. Like stopping for coffee or ice-cream when I'm with them which I wouldn't normally do on my own. These expenses add up so when I go out with them, I have to prepare myself that these expenses will probably arise. Does this happen to anyone else?

Are most of your friends frugal?

[mom-from-missouri]

happens to me. We order out for lunch on Saturdays. I like to take a sandwhich or soup, and just order 1 item to go with it. They laugh at me, but some of them spend $7 to $15 per meal. Today, I took a sandwhich and just ordered onion rings to go with it. Cost me 99 cents. Girl beside me spent over $12 for her meal. They also feed the soda machine all day. I keep a container of tea, and one of lemonaide mix (generic) at my desk. I just mix up my own drinks in a big cup. They laugh at me for that one too. But, I laugh with them as its going into my pocket!! If I did it their way, I would be out another $40-$60 a month on food just for me. If I go to Aldi's, I can feed my whole family for 1-2 weeks on that, except for the milk.

[DivaJen]

It depends. Most of my SAHM friends tend to be more frugal, while most of my WOHM friends seem to be less so. I'm only basing that on what I can see - packing lunches versus ordering something to go, the types and number of trips they go on, that sort of thing. I think most of my WOHM friends have a bit more disposable income compared to me and my SAHM friends.

(At this stage of my life, it seems that most of my friends are also moms.)

Ha - NONE of my friends are what I'd consider frugal. They smirk at me when I talk about my budget or saving money... and being that I used to be a compulsive shopper, always dressed well (easy to look good when you spend lots of $$$ on new clothes all the time), now I can see it in their eyes (one in particular) that they think "what happened to her?" because I love shopping at Walmart. I don't care though ~ my financial mind matured and theirs hasn't yet. Many also still live at home so they aren't forced to think about certain things yet. One friend does live on her own, but I'd hesitate to call her frugal or anything - she is just making it, and has a good amount of debt. She is counting on an expected inheritance later this year to take care of those problems.

[Tree0164]

Jen the same here.

With my sahm friends they do watch the dollars. With the ones that work out of the house, they don't seem to want (or need to) stretch the dollar. I will ocassionally share ideas but it is not the main topic of conversation.

For example if I am meeting friends at the park, the sahm will bring lunch for the kids while if someone works out of the house will say let's bring the kids to McDonalds.

[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.

[pennywise]

People have told me that all I care about is money and that money is the root of evil. Here goes again; Ben Franklin said "At present you may think yourself in thriving circumstances and that you can bear a little extravagance without injury; but, for age and want, save while you may - no morning sun lasts a whole day". People do not pay attention to their money and because you are a saver they come to you in times of need, then disappear when their need is filled. Thus, I avoid others when going shopping, etc. We took my dtrs. friend to an event where the tickets were paid inclusive of the food. Do you know she did not want to eat the food and was upset there was no money for candy or ice cream. My dtr did not enjoy the evening - so we will not be able to take her again. Folks, I am getting closer to revelation: small hint: I am considered wealthy-I AM financially wise.

[kashi]

Some are more frugal than others. I think most of them want to be more frugal, so when we get together, we try to spend less (unless we've planned well in advance to go to a fancy restaurant or something). However, some of them say they want to spend less but then go out for dinner 5 times a week. I guess it's all about your own personal priorities.

[34saving]

I'm not sure most of my friends really know what frugal is. I sometimes choose not to be frugal (esp. compared to some of you hard core savers out there -- good for you!), but at least it's a choice for me. . . .most of the time . . . I seriously don't think most of my friends know enough to know they're not being frugal.

[Bluezy]

Luckily, my single friends and fellow single mother friends all tend to be frugal. Lunches out when we can but mainly at places where our little ones can play together. We all love interior decorating and trade money saving ideas during our lunches.

[catlover15]

No. They will pay hundreds of dollars for things they don't need.

[akaivyleaf]

None of my friends are frugal. They also laugh at me, can't believe that I have money and refuse to spend it. Can't believe that I take my lunch to work, don't buy clothes like I used to etc... But like a previous poster said, I like to think that my financial brain has matured over time, faster than theirs and I hope they catch up.

I just don't see the point in spending money, just to spend it. I get a kick out of saving it and seeing how much EXACTLY I can save. Now when I get ready to go someplace, I like being able to go so maybe its just a matter of priority.

[Snoopy2645]

I would say most of mine are but I am probably the most frugal of all. I get stuff for free or close as I can come to it. My friends are thrilled if they save a few dollars in coupons & the item is on sale but me I have to find it on clearance at extremely low price & then have coupons to go with before I will buy something. And most of my friends drive used cars but have loans on them I would never do that I always only buy cars I can afford to pay for. So I would say they are frugal but not even close to as frugal as me.

[miclason]

since all of their parents are still young and working, I was the first to fall into financial trouble but, as the economy keeps getting worse (I don't care what the govmnt of my country says, things ARE getting a LOT more expensive) more and more of them are being forced to learn to live frugally...(their parents have stopped subsidizing them, for example, so now they have to pay for actual necessities with their salaries, as opposed to just buying "goodies")...Also, on that govmnt thing...while I do admitt we may be worse financially than in years past, I also know that "the alternative" would be even worse!!

[Fern]

I guess i'm not really as frugal as all of you when it comes to dining out with friends. I consider a social outing with friends fairly high on my priority list as i don't do it that often. I still try to be cost-conscious when ordering food and try to tip responsibly, just 15% and no more, and only if service is decent.

[esmeralda]

I would have to say that most of my friends are rather frugal. We live in an area with a perpetually depressed economy so there is always the fear of being without a job. I find that I dont/cant hang with spendy people anymore. Just dont have enough of the right things in common anymore.

The friends I do have are frugal for a variety of reasons. Some have to be because they are earning less than $10/hour. Others are earning over $100K - two combined incomes - but are living on $30k/year so they can sock the rest of it away into retirement. They are getting close, but I'm not sure they will know what to do with themselves when they get to that point.

I'm doing it because I want to be financially independant. But I'm trying to remain sane in the process. The people I call my friends are of the same outlook.

[esmeralda]

I have a p.s. to add.

Though the people I call my friends are generally all frugal, its something that we dont discuss openly. We will use a two for one coupon when we go to lunch or hit the sales for clothes at lunch, but we never discuss who's got a great interest rate or hot stocks or anything of that sort. That is why I check in here regularly.

[marjorie]

This question hs been brought up at a great time for me. I'm going to visit a friend next month. She and her husband bought a new-to-them house last month. She saw it, she wanted it. The only way they had anything to put down on the house was because she sold her old house to her brother. His downpayment became her downpayment. They live outside of Chicago, and he makes $100k + annually. No house payment for years. I can't imagine! It will be a trying time for me... Most of my other friends are less spendthrift driven, but I couldn't call them frugal. Most I rarely see anymore because we have so little in common.

[zakity]

Depends on the friend, several are and several aren't. Several who aren't, should be.

[robex]

Most of my friends are frugal, but not as frugal as me...my best friend is more frugal than me and has helped me through some difficult times financially.
As for my friends who do spend more...I have more and sleep better at night because of it!