I was frugal when frugal wasn't cool!

@newtondak (3946)
United States
July 22, 2008 11:39am CST
Are you one of us who has ALWAYS been frugal? Not just now when gas prices and food prices are on the rise, but who has always watched your pennies? I get a kick out of all the shows now that having people on talking about what we can do to be more frugal with our money - and I've yet to hear anything that I haven't already done!
12 responses
@raydene (9871)
• United States
22 Jul 08
Hi Doll Me too! I was taught 'waste not want not' as a child and it stuck. I learned in church and school about people that had so little and to me it was an insult to them that starved for me to throw away good things. xoxoxoxoxo
1 person likes this
@newtondak (3946)
• United States
22 Jul 08
Luckily, we've never had to live through the rationing that occurred during the depression - although it might be a good thing for the many people who can't seem to regulate their own usage!
• United States
22 Jul 08
I was into saving money myself. All the stuff they talk about is stuff I knew about way before anyone else and either practiced it, or wasn't in a position to actually do it myself. It's annoying really, now everyone is trying to be frugal so it will just end up being another trend I fear.
1 person likes this
@newtondak (3946)
• United States
22 Jul 08
A lot of people wouldn't be in the financial position they are in right now if they had bothered to live frugally before the price of things started to go up. Too many people are living beyond their means and are too dependent on credit.
• United States
23 Jul 08
I think I was also frugal before being frugal became the thing to do, but I've tightened my belt even more when it comes to spending money. Watching where my pennies were going for the last few years, helped us to save money when being frugal wasn't cool. Now that being frugal is in "vogue", it's easier really bear down, when many other people just can't seem to get used to having to cut back. We still treat ourselves to the odd treat, such as a dinner out, but we plan these "treat-nights" where our sons eat for fre or at a reduced rate and at places where we have gift cards. The last 2 times we ate out, it cost us no out-of-pocket money! Just gift cards and/or coupons!
@newtondak (3946)
• United States
23 Jul 08
Even though our children may vary from our frugal ways for a time (two of my three grown children have), hopefully we will have provided them with the background to fall back on when they need to cut costs.
@newtondak (3946)
• United States
23 Jul 08
That is fantastic! There aren't too many restaurants or even fast food places near us, so we rarely eat out, but on the rare occasions that we go into the city, we do splurge on a nice meal. I don't feel too bad about spending the money, however, since we eat at home the rest of the time.
6 Aug 08
I have always been frugal, and am possibly less frugal now as I do treat myself to things. I never do things on credit and make sure I have 'rainy day' money. I believe in shopping around and getting the best deal, and this has saved me an incredible amount of money over the years. I was frugal as a student, and luckily had a friend who was the same. We'd love to go out, however come rain or shine we'd rather walk home than pay for an overpriced taxi. I ended up with less debt than the average student which meant I could afford to get a car after graduating. Frugal living always adds up!
@newtondak (3946)
• United States
26 Aug 08
My husband has always said that my sister and I can smell a bargain rack a mile away! I recall one time that my sister found purple towels on sale for almost nothing and for years you could expect to see those purple towels in their bathroom!
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
6 Aug 08
me to, always had to be. i don't believe in creditcards & things like that. if i have the money to buy what i want or need i do. if i don't i wait till i do. so many people live above their means & don't ever think about a rainy day but i know they come along.
@newtondak (3946)
• United States
26 Aug 08
A good part of being frugal is sometimes actually being able to put money back so that you can buy bulk when something is on sale. So often something is a good buy but we don't have the money put back to buy it.
• Australia
25 Jul 08
frugal has been around forever ,and i think if you grow up with it you don't stop what you're doing and say gee i'm being frugal ,it's something you do without thinking ,it's a part of you're lifestyle, mind you to be frugal has become fashionable not to mention a big money spinner,wish i'd thought of it .lol.
@newtondak (3946)
• United States
25 Jul 08
This is very true. There are things that my friends think nothing of buying when I would never spend the money! I was brought up that certain things were considered to be a waste of money and that still sticks with me. I have to laught when I think about two things that my father wouldn't spend money on - comic books and fireworks - I don't really know his reasoning behind it, but he thought they were a waste of money.
@sweetdesign (5142)
• United States
22 Jul 08
I have had to be frugal before it became such a buzzword. As a single mom I have always watched pennies especially since ex husband doesn't help out at all. When i went back to school (college) at age 29 with a child at age 9 I had to make my loan and grant money stretch for 6 months at a time. There was no other money coming in cause I had enough on my plate with school, child, soccer, and a heavy churck schedule (I was really involved with children's church and teen classes and other things with our church) without adding a full time or even part time job so I worked to save money every way I could. I did work a few days a week in a friend's tanning salon booking clients and cleaning beds. But that was about it.
@newtondak (3946)
• United States
23 Jul 08
It must have been very hard to try to make ends meet with a job or income of your own.
@GardenGerty (157027)
• United States
22 Jul 08
I am like you, and have always had to be frugal. I will admit that I got out of the habit for awhile, but it is still near to my heart to conserve money and resources. I very seldom hear of anything I have not tried, or have not known someone who tries it.
@newtondak (3946)
• United States
22 Jul 08
Sometimes it almost gets to be a game for me - to see how little I can spend, or to see how far I can make a little of something go.
• United States
25 Jul 08
I have always been frugal. When I was growing up we lived tight but we had it good. When I got married we were poor but happy. We are now a one income family of 4 and we live within out means. We are living better then a lot of people we know living on a lot more money. I am and have always been frugal and I am so glad I learned these lessons young. I have appreciated it all.
@newtondak (3946)
• United States
26 Aug 08
I think it is those of us who were raised to be frugal that are going to suffer the least in the bad economy. We are used to having to make do where others don't know how.
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
24 Jul 08
i havent been frugal for that long maybe about 10 years or so, but way back then i started by shopping at garage sales and i guess it has been a gradual process for me.
@newtondak (3946)
• United States
26 Aug 08
It does take a little more effort, but is worthwhile in the long term. I know it has to be hard for those who may not have been raised in a home where it was not necessary to be frugal - I tend to think that no matter how much money you have, you should spend it wisely.
@neelygal (1022)
• Bahamas
23 Jul 08
I have always watched my money and now I am doing it double with the cost of living up so high.After paying for gas and buying groceries there is hardly money left for other bills like water,phone and electricity.
@newtondak (3946)
• United States
23 Jul 08
I heard some comments on a talk show on television the other day that we can expect groceries to go up another 5% the remainder of this year and at least another 5% next year. They say there's no indication that they will return to the lower prices we've had in the past.
@Shellyann36 (11385)
• United States
13 Jul 09
I grew up poor. My mama can pinch the copper off of a penny so I have picked up a few things from her. Unfortunately, my daddy can spend money like its water. I kinda of ended up in between somewhere. As I am getting older I am learning to save more. I have always tried to be frugal but now I am saving more of the $ that I am being frugal with. I am learning to live with what I have instead of wanting to keep up with the "Joneses". Being frugal can be a learning process for everyone and there is always something new to do to save money.