Why do you choose to live frugally?

I am choosing to become more frugal. We throw out so much garbage each week and I had to wonder why? Are we too wasteful? So, we have started working on that this year. For one thing, you don't own your things...they own you....you have to provide a place for them, insure them, worry about them, move them, make room for them, take care of them and it is a full time job just organizing everything. I think you are smart to frugalize your life and make it simplier. I, too, am determined to cut down on the buying and use what I have. Cooking from scratch is healthier because you are not eating all the additives, fat,salt,sugar,etc.etc. that is found in packaged food. Plus...it is more creative to make your own meals. Good Luck on your endeaver....stick with it!

The reason we choose to be frugal is so that I can stay home with our son. We decided that it was more important for me to be the one to raise him, and him go without all the extra toys and stuff, than for him to have that stuff but spend all his time with someone else. I clip coupons and watch for sales so that we can still afford to buy him toys and movies and things without getting a bunch of credit card debt. I also make a little bit of extra money on the side that we save for vacations. My husband has a set salary and we have it budgeted very well. Anything that we need that isn't included in the budget has to come out of my checks or my money I make online, and if it's not there, it has to come out of our savings. I try to prevent that from happening by watching for the best deals on a lot of stuff all the time.

Right now, it's mostly because things are very tight. Once we get out of debt, there are certain habits we'll keep because they're better for the environment, but we'll probably spend more money on food, etc.

We live frugally because we have no choice. We have a very limited amount of money and we have to stretch it to cover the needs of five people. The money doesn't always even last all month so we have to decide who to pay and who can be put off another month. It is not fun at all.

I love to go on vacation but we really cant afford it that often. For each time I can save a little money I know I am that much closer to a family trip to Disneyland or a cheap little camping trip. We work hard for our money and I wnat to have as much fun as we can off it. Plus we really need a new car.

I do it because I know that some months I have so little money I have to do it, so it is good to get used to living that way. I also think that usually it is better for the environment. It is a great way for my kids to learn that material possetions aren't everything as well.

I live frugally mostly out of habit. I take after my dad. My husband and I are both frugal and have been able to afford a nicer home and I don't have to work full time because of it.

I grew up being frugal. We grew a lot of food for our family and canned and would freeze for the winter months. My family didn't visit the grocery store often and have always used coupons to save money, as this would mean money for things we didn't need, but it was nice to have them.

I try to be frugal for the most part, because we don't have much extra money - we have to make things stretch. I also don't like spending double the amount for someone else to do something when I could do it just fine on my own, and sometimes even better.

We're living on one income cos' my husband and I decided I should stay home with our young son to care of him and nurture him. Because of this decision, we have to live frugally. But it's a decision we don't regret. There are so many things money can't buy and one of them is time we spend with our kids.

cause we have no choice in the matter and middle class is being squeezed out...soon there will be very rich and the very poor (and we are definitely in the last category

I choose to live frugally because I don't really feel like I NEED very much. I spent many years in pursuit of "The Big Life," but it never really made me feel happy... and it certainly offered me plenty of stress. I see no point in spending money just "because I CAN." I don't make very much, because I don't work very much, because I like my free time to work on hobbies, or be with friends. That's a choice I make, based on what I feel is important in life... and that may mean that I buy shoes and clothes from second-hand stores, and that I usually only buy the groceries that are on sale this week... and have enough on hand till the next time they go on sale. So I guess my answer is that I just don't care to waste money on things that aren't important to me.

I am frugal because I have to be. I am raising 3 teenagers and my husbands income along with mine barely cover the living expenses.

I have lived a frugal life for a long time now. This has been because things have been tight and because I think it is good to have some savings in case of an emergency. I also believe that people in the West today are too obsessed with consumerism and buying material goods that they don't need. All they succeed in doing is cluttering up their life.

I do it because that was how I was raised and it just became habit. Now I am not rolling in the dough so it could also be considered a has to situation, but there are many times I could afford a brand name but just choose not to get it, and opt for the generic. It just makes sense to me. I think it really depends on a person's priorities. I prefer to wear used clothes so I can tkae my daughter to the movies. I prefer to buy generic peanut butter so i can buy twice as much. Many people think we live above our means becuase we go out and eat out frequently, but that is not true. We just know that those are things we choose to do so we give where we can to allow us to continue to do the things we love. My daughter is not spoiled by any means, but she has things she wants and if we can't afford something that she really wants, then she works for it. She asks grandma and grandpa for some chores to do in order to get paid. We have the neccessities of life, a roof over our heads, cars, food, clothing etc, but because we a frugal, we also have things we want, and do things we want. It is a give and take and we are happy with our choices.

i think we as a society, spend so much more than we really need to. Things are so crazy and busy that no body likes to take time to really make meals, or do laundry.. we go to dry cleaners, take home dinners, and spend a ton of money on cable tv just to watch stupid tv shows! its just easier i guess.

I do it because I do not make a lot of money each month, nor does my family, so I know, that the less money I spend, the cheaper I can be when it comes to buying products, I know the better off we'll be in the end. I have to make as much money as I possibly can, and save what I can because I'll be transferring to a bigger school next year and will have to penny pinch as much as I can to make it through my next two years of school. It'll be hard, but it's really the only thing I can do.

ya i like ur discussion. u told is right.

I do it because I have to. Money is tight so I am learning how to stretch things.