Habit or Laziness - Which Costs You More Money?

[jeffrey]

I had a discussion with a friend last night and we talked about whether it was habit or laziness that caused most people to waste a lot of money that could easily be saved with a small bit of effort?

While we both realise that probably a combination of both go into the equation, one of us argued that it was habit that was the main culprit while the other argued it was laziness. When you look around at the things that have cost you money in the past, would you say that habit or laziness was the bigger factor in causing you to waste money?

[Ima saver]

The biggest thing we waste money on is going out to eat. That sounds like laziness because I don't want to cook. But actually, it is the thought of sitting home and watching television that causes me to want to go out to eat.
I wish we could find something else to do, but my husband is so tired when he gets home, that is what he wants to do! And he wants me in the room with him!!

[Thrifty Ray]

Originally Posted by jeffrey

When you look around at the things that have cost you money in the past, would you say that habit or laziness was the bigger factor in causing you to waste money?

I would say it was lack of education. I did not know how to cook from scratch....Once I took the time to arrange my kitchen properly and learn how to do it, I have been very successful at saving money on what we eat.

I also contribute lack of time to the equation. When I was working 50-60+ hrs a week, there simply wasnt time to learn.

And by far food has been our biggest cost reduction since I became a WAHM.

If habit or laziness are my only options, I suppose this would have to fall under habit? Otherwise Id have to change laziness to tiredness, as I sure didnt feel lazy in those days!! lol

[lrjohnson]

I'm going habit, which is no surprise considering my postings on Laziness and Frugality being compatible, and Habits Habits Habits being what can aid or harm frugality.

To expand on what Ray said, and the idea of going out to eat or making higher cost convenience foods: I think it's habit, really. For many people, if you don't know some cheaper, easier recipes, then cooking seems more like a chore. It becomes a routine to do takeout because cooking seems like a barrier. If you do A all the time because B isn't an option, to me that's a habit.

Now, I eat at home a lot. I consider myself somewhat lazy. I can make a sandwich, do a tortilla and bean burrito, nuke a potato, or scramble some eggs in much less time than it would take me to go to a place and place an order and drive home, or eat there. It'd be done before a delivery man could arrive too.

Of course my meals may not be incredibly varied, or interesting, to some. I can steam a crown of broccoli and call it dinner-others may want another item or two. And then yes, maybe more effort is needed. If I am replacing a take out pizza with a homemade pizza, that might be some more time and effort, in making dough and baking and shredding cheese and all that. But even then, learning a recipe might take longer at first, but then once you know it it becomes easy. My Guy makes scratch biscuits so quickly that buying a dough seems weird, but at first it was more time consuming. Now he can be lazy AND make homemade biscuits at the very same time-it's a "fast food" for us.

On the pizza again, even a lazy person can do a bread thrift store generic boboli with jarred sauce and slices of cheddar. Minutes, even seconds. And I can have "fancier" quick meals, if I make a nice big batch of something and freeze it for later.

So yeah, it's habit for me. And it's the process of incorporating one new tool until it becomes a habit.

(I also believe that the people who think frugality is a lot of work don't see it as a process, they see it as a conversion. If I attempted to start all my frugal activities at once when I was younger, it would have taken much much more effort. But I added here and there. I didn't start hanging laundry at the same time I started making my own granola and canning and thrift store shopping and garage saling and washing in cold water etc. etc. etc.)

(Jeff.....were you arguing habit perhaps? If not, sorry!)

[Benny]

Habit would individually cost more money cause it is routine. Meaning over and over again. While laziness is more of an attitude. Routine is more expensive than convienence. Habit includes gambling, cigerttes, driving too fast, drinking, buying name brand rather than generic. That is a habit. Laziness includes getting satisfied easier, which in America if you can find a way to make something easier can make you rich. We as a society dig stuff that is easier so you can find something that is easier, cheaper as well. My biggest problem of getting into all my debt was always needing something bigger and better, taking high risks to accomplish goals, and not having enough patience to just let things come to me. It was my habit of spending. If you think of the main reason why or how you got into finacial trouble I bet it was because of a bad habit and not being lazy.

BOLTA
Benny

[shengmei]

Habit.

There is nothing wrong with slight laziness. Considering how hard life is you need every single break you can. I am pretty sure people here are not seriously lazy or anything because saving money is industerous!!!

Habit, however, are difficult to break. There is nothing convinent about having double-ply, quilted toilet paper. I am addicted to it!!!

[lrjohnson]

We're at 3-1/2 habit, 1-1/2 laziness.

I think that laziness will lose. Lazy people won't post, other peple are in the habit of posting.

[Ima saver]

i have to agree with habit. Frugal people that I have noticed on here, are certainly not lazy.

[Thrifty Ray]

Hmmm...

You might accidentally get frugal results from being lazy:
save money on water, soap from not cleaning
save wear and tear on appliances by not using them

But I do not see where laziness factors into frugality otherwise.

Laziness usually involves taking the path of least resistance...instant, pre-made, convenience...which all have higher costs than most frugal habits require.

I have found that frugalness takes effort and routine....and until it is habit, also takes concentration and time. None of which are natural to a lazy enviornment.

[lrjohnson]

On 4/26, I posted in my blog on Laziness and Frugality: How?. I agree that the initial work to learn a skill might take some effort, but I think once it has become a habit, utilizing some skills can take very little effort.

I'm not trying to discourage people being actively resourceful. I would agree that there are number of people on this board who are very active in thrift activities. I just want to make sure that others, who might be spendthrifts and have a lazy streak, realize that some frugal activities can be woven into life with little or no impact. Learning 5 or 10 skills at once can be daunting, but incorporating one at a time isn't too hard. I ramped up slowly over time, one area at a time.

Lots of things could fit with very little or even no effort. Buying generic or store brands take the same amount of time. Using less shampoo, detergent, etc. (as long you get good results) results in shopping less often. Cutting cable does not take effort beyond a phone call. Using compact flourescent bulbs not only saves bucks but reduces the number of times bulbs have to be changed. Using less meat in recipes doesn't take effort. A lot of low effort possibilities were compiled on the 101 Painless ways to save in the General Discussion folder.

I steal ideas from go-getter tightwads all the time, and am sometimes in awe of them. But I honestly believe that I am a fairly lazy, pretty frugal person.

[DivaJen]

Laziness here when it comes to eating out or buying prepared foods. I know how to cook, I know how to plan menus, I know how to do all that stuff...but I don't more often than not.

[Crystallas]

Morale is why people spend money uneccessarily.

[Bookie]

Agree with lrjohnson about the relative impacts of laziness and habit.

Spending habits are costly because they go unexamined, blending invisibly into the weekly routine. One of the benefits of keeping a daily spending record is that it documents the habitual leaks that can bleed a budget. When I started to keep a daily record, I was startled to observe the cumulative impact of minor spending habits over the course of a month. That led to change. Habits can be discarded, revised, or replaced, but I had to become aware of them first.

Laziness, oddly enough, impels me toward greater efficiency. Conservation of time and effort (a nice description of laziness) means eliminating clutter, establishing routines, and minimizing duplication. I buy less, spend less, and waste less because I don't want to complicate my life, and that simplicity leads me to thrift. On-line banking, bulk buying, streamlined cooking -- all save me money, tiime and effort. I never thought about the positive side of laziness until I read the blog posting, but it makes sense and reflects my experience.

[abowers]

I'm gonna go with Habit. Habit is why I drink coffee too much, and why I buy food out on certain days for lunch at work. Also going out to eat on the weekends is a habit/"ritual". That's about all I spend my money on other than bills.

When I'm lazy I just sit on my butt and knit or do crosswords/sudoku, which doesn't cost me anything.

[zakity]

I say habit. But, some of it is laziness.

[Broken Arrow]

For me, it's habit more than laziness. My biggest vice is probably dining out, and I believe I do it because I enjoy the experience of going out to eat more than I am lacking the energy to cook for myself.

[nanamom]

Do we do thing by habit because we are lazy? I'm not sure you can separate the two. Because I am lazy I ... and then it becomes a habit which I won't change because I am lazy.

[PrincessPerky]

Ill ditto Nanamom, I am lazy, and that brings lots of habits that can cost mony. Being lazy is a habit..

But I also agree with LRJohnson, habits can be good. It is a habit for me to reach for the water, healthy and frugal, course it used to be a habit for me to reach for the pop. 5 years ago I would have made fun of the current me. Water, fruits, no caffine, lots of walking/swimming, and even a daily made bed, what a health nut/neat freak! But slowly over 5 years I have become that...guess I shouldn't make fun of people!

While habit saves money, laziness can keep us from turning bad habits to good habits.......

[veronak]

Sorry guys but I have to say both. 50% went towards plain 'ol laziness. I always ate out, never wanted to learn how to cook. The other 50% well habi, always shopping..I could not stay out of the stores, always wanted something new.

[Lemony]

Put my choice down for "lazy." Most of our wasted money is spent on drive-thru coffee because neither of us felt like starting the pot, or take-out dinners because I didn't feel like cooking. Granted, we do our best to just suck it up and save, but when really lazy days hit it's a major blow to our pocketbook.

But... my opinions change when we're talking about smokers. In a smoker's case it's definitely the habit that will send them to the poor house. An average smoker may spend $120month! I'm so glad I quit last January (*pats self on the back*)