Is frugality easy for you?

[dreamweaver]

It is easy now because it is a choice. I have always known how to be frugal...but the liking it came later. Now, I can have most of what I want, but want very little.

Except that little land bug. More land, more land. What a habit. What an obsession. I am going to be one of those folks who die with a bunch of little parcels all across the us....

[mom-from-missouri]

For our family, its become a way of life--not hard at all.

[Aleta]

It's not difficult if it's only you. Like it was said earlier; it's really a way of life and comfortable at that. It becomes a problem when a significant other is at the opposite pole.

[disneysteve]

I'd say it comes easy for me. I think it has a lot to do with my upbringing. My parents were frugal. We didn't take extravagant vactions or fill our home with expensive things, but we always had a good time. I was raised going to flea markets and yard sales and auctions and secondhand stores. Its just what we did. My mom cooked dinner every night and packed my lunch every morning. Not a lot of packaged, processed convenience foods.

Now I'm the same way, though admittedly not as frugal as I used to be. I've reached that stage in life where I put more value on my time so I don't do as many things myself or from scratch like I used to. Still, I find it much harder to go out and spend money than I do to not spend it. Even with little things. If we go to the movies, for example, we'll stop on the way to buy our candy so we don't have to pay the theater prices.

I just can't imagine being any other way.

[disneysteve]

It becomes a problem when a significant other is at the opposite pole.

I would never have a significant other who was like that. Part of what attracted me to my wife was her sharing my views on money. I don't understand why savers hook up with high maintenance spenders, why someone who is debt-averse marries someone with a ton of credit card debt, etc. That's just asking for trouble IMO. I guess that's why money is the leading things couples fight about and a leading cause for divorce. People should keep that in mind before they get married.

[thekid]

Like most things in life, frugal is relative.

I was raised in a relatively low income, fairly frugal environment. My parents did well with their circumstances and have always been consumer debt free, mortgage free for most of their lifes and, in latter years, been able to help with high tuition fees for their kids and live comfortably.

My gf's family had high income and was (still is) VERY frugal. They became very wealthy.

Albeit from slightly different family backgrounds, my gf and I have very similar money habits. Overall, we tend to be much (by a mile) more frugal than our friends and colleagues in our professions. Relative to our parents, well, we are much less frugal than hers and somewhat similar to mine.

Basically, I would consider us to be "mid range" frugal. In absolute terms, we are not that frugal at all (we could be much more frugal). With regards to our income (and the percentage we keep as savings), we are pretty good.

I don't know that I want to push for a more frugal lifestyle at this point. Our savings are good. Our net worths are good. When projecting our financial situation into the future, it seems good. So we have a "limited indulgence" lifestyle. We are pretty simple people. Don't define ourselves by our house / stuff. Don't have much of a materialistic/egoistical drive. But, also, don't overly limit ourselves. I suspect many people here would not find us to be much frugal in some areas, I also suspect most of my friends/entourage find us frugal to a fault. Bah, our current balance seems to be working for us notwithsatnding

[athenagoddess]

just joined today..finding this very interesting. i find that by being frugal (in every possible way} i can live well and do all the things i want. it is easier sometimes when one lives alone, as i do, because it is not necessary to compromise. look forward to learning here and as time goes by will share some of my little tidbits. am sure some will be too frugal! lol

[thekid]

just joined today..finding this very interesting. i find that by being frugal (in every possible way} i can live well and do all the things i want. it is easier sometimes when one lives alone, as i do, because it is not necessary to compromise. look forward to learning here and as time goes by will share some of my little tidbits. am sure some will be too frugal! lol

Welcome!

This is a great site. You'll enjoy reading/participating on here.

[herm4]

just joined today..finding this very interesting. i find that by being frugal (in every possible way} i can live well and do all the things i want. it is easier sometimes when one lives alone, as i do, because it is not necessary to compromise. look forward to learning here and as time goes by will share some of my little tidbits. am sure some will be too frugal! lol

Welcome!!
I really believe that being frugal is an addiction for me. I love figuring out ways to save money. I couldn't live without my coupons, my price matching, my freebie websites, etc.... It all twirls around in my head all day, making me happy. Weird, I know.

[Ima saver]

I agree with disneysteve. I made sure that my future husband felt the same way about money as I did and that he would agree to let me handle all the money. When he met me, I had a paid for house so he must have felt like I was doing something right.

[Broken Arrow]

it is easier sometimes when one lives alone, as i do, because it is not necessary to compromise. look forward to learning here and as time goes by will share some of my little tidbits. am sure some will be too frugal! lol

That's very true! When I was married, it was a world of communication and compromise. Nothing wrong with that as it was par for the course. However, now, I can push as hard and fast as I want with my finances, and there's no one but myself to answer to.

[Aleta]

Unfortunately, the significant other and me were 17 when we met and married. I don't know too many people who know that much about the other at that age. It is difficult for me at times. For instance, he'll say let's add on these channels on the satellite without realizing or knowing how much the satellite has gone up. He attempts to make me feel guilty if I dissagree about adding the channels. Problem is that the few months they give you doesn't stop there. So, that's what I meant when I said it can be a thorn to be married to a non frugal person.

[Broken Arrow]

After going through what I've gone through, I have absolutely no interest in dating someone who is not at least understanding of being frugal and financially responsible.... Assuming that I want to date at all. My mom is already nagging me about that, and how I need to get out more now, but to also be careful about who I date. Ok ok, thanks mom.

[Cassandra]

It was very, very hard for me to become frugal. We had a pretty lavish lifestyle before and it was such an a culture shock to have to live on a strict budget.

It's getting easier though. I still like to shop. Not as much as before and I've learned to become more picky in what I buy instead of just buying to buy things. It's liberating to buy something nice that you've saved up for.

Cassandra

[Fern]

I've been doing it for so long, it's more or less my lifestyle. My grandparents were that way. But i'm often tempted by things, too. I don't like deprivation as a way of life. When i spend, i try to do so CONSCIOUSLY, thinking about the purchase carefully and how important is it to me. It helps me eliminate a lot of small spending on useless decorative stuff or knickknacks of which i have plenty already. If i spend it's usually on more important items.

And i do spend a lot on food, much of it organic and 'healthy' stuff, cus 'i'm worth it.'

Being single i just feel a lot more responsibility to take care of myself financially than perhaps if i was married.