Do you think living frugal ...

Well, it makes my Mom a bit of a packrat...but I have a tendency toward minimalism, personal minimalism. So that helps me alot, what I tend to save because it might come in handy and save bucks later, or what I tend to take just 'cause it's free and might come in handy later, takes up more space than my stuff, which creates a nice sortof equilibrium. The only thing I have a hard time throwing away, is papers. Number one; they cost living things. Every sheet represents a tree. So if there's still space, I try to keep it and use it. It even makes me guilty to throw away junk mail and papers that I don't have use for and have been used up. Collecting? Not really. I used to, but, life happened and put a stop to that. It doesn't bother me. Well, at least not non-practical things. I do collect swords and knives...but that seems pretty practical for home-defense, to me. I never spend a ton of money on them either. Most of them I got for free. I also love books, so those're the only things that'd probably ever take up more space than I'd have. But they're...art, they have recipes, instructions for practical skills, pieces of our history and culture. Such versatile things are practical...especially because they further knowledge. It helps that I love giving people books for free...and when I sell them, and I do make a habit of both giving them away and selling them, I do it at marked down prices (a quarter a piece, regardless of what I paid if anything, with the occasional deal, barter, or free one thrown in). Simple living, that's what I like. But, I live with my family...my Mom is a packrat, so I try to help us both find a sort of equalibrium together.

Frugal living hasnt changed me a bit. I have always been a pack rat. Right now I am saving boxes, cans jars, etc for a solar cooker. I will be using it in the summer when our sun finally comes out (I live in Oregon) bleh. so now my pack is very much ratting lol

I've always been somewhat of a packrat, but I've always been frugal, too, so I couldn't tell you!

I think living frugal does make you more of a packrat, but I think living frugal means you become more aware of what you use, how you use it and how you waste things. So, you start saving things so you can reuse them in other ways so you're not wasting anything.

to some extent it does i think. i keep stuff that i maybe normally wouldnt keep. for instance, i got a bunch of flowers from someone and i used the heavy paper that they were wrapped in to wrap some gifts. i think i recycle more anyways.

Grown up in tough days, I seldom get rid of things. In stead I donate or give to people who may use them. I am careful in buying new things, so as to keep a clear and simple home. For young people, if you need to attend official events, you need decent clothing of diversity, you may need a collection to meet different occasions, but never too much to leave you in debts both financially and physically, as sorting things out is real tough job.

I think it makes you think more about how many uses something may have. I do not throw away things that can be used for the good. I never liked to see waste. That is probably because my mom raised us teaching us to think about it. It is bad to throw something away and then have to rebuy it.

I prefer to sell or give away the things that I no longer use rather than just throwing them away. By selling them, at least I am able to generate extra funds that i can use to buy food in the future and by giving them away, I get the joy of being able to share something that will be a help to somebody else. Yes, there may be a possibility that I might need them someday but if I stock them in the attic too long, I might not be able to use them at all in the future since they might not be working anymore.

For me it is always hard to get rid of things, my boyfriend by contrast is a minimalist. It makes for an interesting situation. I think he is too crazy about throwing things away and I am too interested in holding onto to things that no longer suit my purpose. It is a bit difficult at times. compromise is in order,

I don't think so. I think it's made me more conscience of "how" I use things and if I can't, then it goes right into the recycle. I'm very limited on storage space so I really have to make sure I need it because I just don't have the room.