Are you cheap?

[b4freedom]

Are you cheap, frugal, spend thrift, thrifty, too poor, or just wise with money?

A coworker and I were debating the differences. She seemed to think that another coworker was supper cheap because he wouldn't by a new car. There is really nothing wrong with his car except that it's maybe 8 years old and it probably only has about 85k miles on it. I think he's cheap too, but because he literally counts pennies when tipping if he goes to a bar for happy hour with everyone else.

[MonkeyMama]

8 years old an 85k miles - LOL - that's a baby!!! Yeesh.

I would say frugal and thrifty. Maybe cheap.

For me the thing is I know often people who just see my car and my clothes and accessories, and the fact I don't eat out every day, and don't get my hair and nails done every few weeks, etc. I am often considered cheap and deprived.

It is fun to bring the nay-sayers to my house and see their jaws drop to the floor or to mention off-hand that the car I just bought has no payments left on it. Of course then their eyes bulge out of their head and now they just assume I make twice as much as I do. So then they just aggravated how I could be so cheap if I am so well off. They obviously have not read the Millionaire Next Door -

Seriously though, it is funny how people change their tune towards you when they see the big picture. I have been judged often on appearances, and frankly it is kind of annoying when people suddenly take more of a liking to you because they see you splurge on something once in a while.

But I am big on buying quality, not being wasteful, etc. Why get rid of a perfectly good car? Hey, mostly I just think it makes me smart. How about smart for a label? LOL. Oh yeah - you did say wise. I would mostly go with that, personally. Wise with money!

[carsensejoe]

its not worth buying a new car 2-3 year old cars are the best value

[tinapbeana]

wise with money. for me, that's realizing that money is not the object of the game, but a tool to get me what i want and where i want to be. while most people get this far, being truly wise with money (in my eyes) is using that tool in a manner that is enjoyable in the present yet responsible for the future.

[baking23]

I'm cheap, but only because I'm still living at home with my family, and looking for a full-time job. I'm also more of a fan of simplicity and don't have a lot of things, clothes especially, since I think that'll moving easier when I have to. It bothers a lot of my high school friends since they don't get the whole "big picture" and why I was keeping an old car for so long.

However wishing I didn't get my MA so that I could have saved that money and not seemed over-qualified for a lot of jobs.

[PrincessPerky]

According to many I am rich..because I can afford to stay home, the fact that my husband makes less than either of their two incomes is beside the point, they see me home they assume I am rich.

You really never know what people are like from the snippet you see at work or church or whatever.

Personally I know I am not wise, but I sure am trying to be! Mostly I fall into lazy and poorer than I want to be. but I have food, and whole wheat at that, I have a house, well I have a great big house loan and a roof..sorta close.

[collegeguy]

I think you are what you are based on your situation. Or, you should be what you should be because your situation. If you don't make a ton of $, then you need to be wise with what you have, if you don't want negative consequences (foreclosure, credit debt, etc...).

Personally, I'm wise with my $. I have to be, cuz I'm not loaded. I can enjoy a decent lifestyle b/c I mange things appropriately.

Course, if I lost my job it would all go to heck and handbasket very quickly. So, we're products of our situations.

[Broken Arrow]

I believe in the best value possible that best fit my needs. If necessary, that also means spending a little more for the better item. Therefore, I don't really think I am cheap. At least not as a matter of principle.

[Scanner]

I have a friend I grew up with (I spoke of him before here - the doctor) who actually snuck beer into a bar during happy hour with his friends because he didn't want to spend money on "bar-priced" drinks. He got thrown out.

But he comes by it honestly. His family and mine were close growing up and let me tell you, their antics with money are ingrained family stories now we tell around holiday dinners. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to share legendary cheapness/frugality with you.

First of all, let me tell you how rich they are. The father is a dentist, very successful, who owns like 100 acres of land in a suburb of the Wilmington, DE area, along with sustantial liquid assets. I'm going to guess their net worth exceeds 10 million, certainly 3 million.

Yet, when his mother-in-law died, they deferred having a memorial service, had the body cremated, and placed the remains in their basement because they don't want to spend money on such things.

Gawd. . .just spend the 15K and bury your poor mother, LOL.

Recently, my father and the wife went out to K-mart because she needed a new can opener and he had to go to get something so he went along. She sat there holding a new can opener and said, "I wonder if I could do better by ordering on QVC."

My father, now 70, is having a hard time biting his tongue lately just blurts out: "There are some things you should just buy, Shirley!!!"

My father has also chastized his friend: "You ought to be ashamed of yourself - letting your wife drive around in an old beat up Honda Civic!"

(LOL @ my father - only he could get away with it)

Let me say that this family would do anything for you if they could. They ARE good people, just cheap.

I guess habits are ingrained and hard to break but yes, I think there does come a point where frugality becomes cheapness.

Anyway, I don't think not buying a new car is a sign of being cheap. I have yet to own a new car in my life and I'm 38 y.o. and I don't think I'm cheap, maybe practical.

Counting pennies at a bar. . .borderline. . .yes. . .I could say that's kind of cheap.

[Scanner]

Oh, I have to add this (I am sitting here laughing at the keyboard):

The dentist scans the newspaper to see who has died and if it's an old lady, he goes and makes an offer on a used vehicle to the survivors figuring it's a cream-puff.

ROTFLMAO!!!!

I swear I'm not making this up.

He's got like 10 million in the bank and he feels compelled to do this.

[cschin4]

Really, it is just about individual choices. Some will spend more on a home or car, you may spend more on other things, etc. One man's cheap is another man's frugal.

[Ima saver]

I have to agree with cschin4. We live in a big fancy house (paid for) and own some fancy cars (all paid for but just a small amount)
Yet, I never spend money on hair, make up and just live in jeans. I spend money on the things I enjoy and try to be frugal in other ways.

[fairy74]

Yes, but I know how to make cheap look expensive (LOL!) and because DH and I are generous people assume we are the opposite of cheap. I am a super ninja clearance and discount shopper....the reasons we are cheap are the same reasons most everyone else is so that we can get as close to debt free as possible and when we really want to buy the nice things we want (always, always on sale!!!) it's not a problem. I never pay full price for anything.

[Ima saver]

I enjoy helping other people, Saving money gives me more money to help others.

[Quynne]

I have learned to be cheap or frugal. I actually enjoy it...lol. I love getting a good deal on something. I also have one car that was given to me. It is a 91 and one car that is a 98. They both run fine so I can't see paying for another one. I will admit though...that if my financial situation were a bit different, I would get a new car. Anyway, I love the challenge of getting something for a good deal. I have been able to homeschool for next to nothing! I love shopping at Aldi's for the best prices. Admittingly, necessity dictated I take this path but as I travel along it I know I won't take a detour when things get better.