Is frugal the new normal?

FairyPrincessk

I think much of this behavior is driven by that supertanker GQ mentions. It has been going against the thrifty, frugal, careful or modest for awhile now. That supertanker helps keep the economy 'healthy' in the terms that society uses to test its health. After all, we're supposed to take comfort from the words 'consumer confidence is up and spending has increased.' I think it can be very, very difficult for someone who grew up on that supertanker to turn it around by themselves--and indeed many of them won't see a reason to--it is sometimes hard to judge where you are when all you can see for miles is horizon. Granted, an understanding of the history of the supertanker--when it was going in the direction of frugal, thrift etc. can help with perspective--and I suspect that is why some of fashion for 'thrift' has come in--but they're still on the ship and even though they might catch glimpses of another direction they'll still struggle to fully pursue it as long as they're still onboard--even jumping off means swimming against a strong current. The behavior might be disgraceful, but I try hard to think about it from the perspective of someone on the supertanker. For some it probably seems like survival to stay on board. I disagree with that direction, and given my perspective some of those individuals might as well...but from their perspective the world looks a lot different.

[Deleted User]

FRUGAL to me means not wasting what you have, making the most of what you have, trying to provide as much as you can by your own efforts and making good and mending the things you have already got to keep them in good order for as long as it's possible to do so. Thrifty is slightly different in meaning, thrifty means making and mending and scratch cooking not so much because you don't want to spend cash but because you can make things of better quality and taste than you CAN buy in the market place. I guess you have to have the right mindset to do either of these things and best is if you have the mindset that gets pleasure from frugal thriftiness!

chanie

I work with a couple who are frugal. They bring in their lunch from home everyday and I have never seen either of them buy the odd chocolate bar or can of drink. Ever. I don't think they get up to much at the weekends or during their holidays either. They may be happy with their choices but I can't help but I feel they may be letting life pass them by. They earn a good salary, are mortgage free and have no dependents, so the world is their oyster.

I regard myself as thrifty in that do admit I spend on things that may not be nexessary, but I am a bargain hunter.

Areas i cut back on:
Food shopping, house keeping, stuff for the house, car, travel to work, Presents for family members,I only use a couple of products for my skincare.

Areas I splurge on;
Clothes for the family, make up, toys for the children.

Even on the areas I splurge on, I do try and hunt out offers where possible.

mardatha

I just do my own thing in my own way and I honestly couldn't give a mouldy jellybaby as to what anybody else thinks of me. My life is my business, their lives are their business. But one thing I do know - envy is often cloaked with criticism. Or is that the other way round lol

fuddle

My DH takes his lunch into work everyday. It's full of home cooking that makes the lads take the micky. Is he bothered? Not a jot because one, he's their boss so it's banter as much as anything but two because it's just what we do. He never supplements it fizzy that or this. Used to mind. It's taken him a lot longer to get on the tight belt wagon even when we had less than we have now. We don't get up to much on a weekend at all. We visit pretty little new-to-us places that we haven't seen before and take advantage of the £8 per month National Trust membership, visit the beach, he does a spot of fishing. We're in our 30's now but we have been doing this sort of thing since our late 20's.

Tired. So tired of 'we are boring' jibes. Not aimed at you though Chanie, we've had this from friends and family for years. Our life is full. We're not letting life pass us by at all. Other people look in and think they can pass judgement. Honestly? If we had the money we would have a canal boat and do exactly the same as we do now but on water, of weekend. If I had the money I would go small holding to the point of trying to rely on that as a way of feeding us. If we had the money DH would be our hunter gatherer and I would do what I do now but stepped up massively.

Everything is always relative. People can be very happy with very little, but only when the basics are covered. Venture into coping on very little and it's a whole different ball game.

GreyQueen

We live in a culture which is very 'full on' and you're supposed to be living full tilt or you're assumed to be some sad-sack who ought to get a life. Quiet people who like simple things are massively-scorned..

I find many paid-for entertainments boring. I like doing quiet things and spending time in nature, moving slowly enough to really see, hear and smell the minutiae of life.

Some people like clubbing, attending gigs, watching sports, or watching other adults play dress-up-and-pretend via the TV or cinema. And some people feel obliged to do rowdy things, and need to numb their sensibilities with alcohol and recreational drugs to make what would otherwise be seen as a boring, expensive and worthless experience 'fun'. Or even bearable.:rotfl:

Each to their own, but don't be drawn into thinking that quiet people are boring; we're often the most interesting people you will meet in life.

[Deleted User]

I've GOT a life, the thing I'm happy about is that it's the one I chose! We often get comments about the long hours we work the plots and chop wood etc.and people say are you STILL in that kitchen? but they bring us their 'throw aways '(windfall apples, jam jars, bottles to fill with cider, sawdust when we had chickens and many other things they'd discard) because they know we'll use them and they know we'll always take wood for the stove which saves them having to go to the tip. People are intrigued by what we chose to do, they don't understand WHY we do it but there is lots of interest in the end product of our labours and some brave few have even in small part decided to do some of the 'self sufficient' things that we do regularly. We've even got someone in the village who rang to ask He Who Knows to show him how to make cider last year and as he had pears made perry too! I think you can only lead from the front and that people need to see you living the frugal life and thriving and having a good life before the thought comes that they could do some of the things that make up the whole for us.

VJsmum

chanie wrote: »

I work with a couple who are frugal. They bring in their lunch from home everyday and I have never seen either of them buy the odd chocolate bar or can of drink. Ever. I don't think they get up to much at the weekends or during their holidays either. They may be happy with their choices but I can't help but I feel they may be letting life pass them by. They earn a good salary, are mortgage free and have no dependents, so the world is their oyster.

LOL - do you work with me? This could be me - i take my own lunch every day. If i don't have my own food I go without because I refuse to pay for the poor quality food offered at work - I can afford it, but won't eat it. i don't buy chocolate or fizzy drinks - ever, though this is more to do with health / diet than money. I also earn a good salary and am mortgage free. I guess this example is a lifestyle choice as much as anything.

I splurge on eating out with the family - probably a couple of times a month, and our holidays.

fuddle wrote: »

Tired. So tired of 'we are boring' jibes.

I get that too, sometimes - and i live my life at 100 miles an hour, but because i don't shop for pleasure or buy into the latest fruit based technology, or eat !!!! I am boring. To be honest, I crave boring.......

I say I splurge on holidays, and we do - but i travel a lot for work nowadays. I have been to the states, canada, Hong Kong, Singapore and south Korea in the last few years - all with work. But i would sooner spend my time like i did last weekend - walking up a Welsh mountain with good friends and then all getting together for a communal meal in the evening.

I won't splash the cash just cos I've got it - I am not tight but won't spend unnecessarily. The money is security for me and I practice frugality / thrift / whatever you call it because

a) i like to not waste money or resources
b) I know poor and I don't want to go back there if it is within my power
c) I like the challenge
d) Shopping is boring

I guess I'm with Mad Arthur (:cool:) I couldn't give a rats backside if I am considered boring - maybe boring is the new trendy :rotfl:

suki1964

We spend our money on quality, not quantity

Our furniture is solid oak. None of it cheap but will see us out and hopefully will still be in good enough condition to pass on. Our mattress was eye watering expensive, but will see us out. I'm still using nans roasting tins which must be 50 years old , we use mums cutlery and table cloths that she got when she married in 62. We drive good new cars, hubby only ever wears RL and I've not only radley bags, I've lulu Guinness as well

And yet I'd say we are frugal and I like to think I am oldstyle ( ish ) as well

We don't spend for the sake of spending. Indeed I HATE shopping unless it's a considered purchase for the home. If I have time when I'm in town I do like to browse the charity shops, hubby likes to rummage in TK.

We are very lucky that hubby is a builder and can turn his hand to anything. Right now he's building a wendyhouse/slide/swing/climbing frame combo for the grand kids using salvaged materials wherever possible. Total cost has been £40 - shop bought would be upwards of £500. Yes we could have bought new, but why when he has the skill and time?


He's also built our "greenhouse" from the old double grazing, made the raised beds from old pallet boards, built the pond and pizza oven from reclaimed bricks. So we do have nice things in our life, just homemade

The very old very tatty pine bedroom furniture that's in the spare room I painted up and now it looks lovely and fresh, in a past life I would have just replaced it all with new


I love my days off work when I can take over the kitchen and cook to my hearts content. I love trying new dishes. I love making something from nothing. I love that when our grandson comes he asks me " are we baking?" I take huge pride and pleasure in being able to feed my family well very cheaply. We grow our own the best we can and one of these days our hens will start laying. We get given freebies, fish, pidgeons, rabbit, and even though pidgeon isn't up there on my top 100 fav foods, I accept graciously and cook and eat it ( red wine works really well lol )

I look out for bargains when shopping I have an idea of what I'm willing to pay for something and if the price isn't to my liking , it doesn't get bought. Toiletries and soap powder etc are only bought when on special and those specials come around and around, so why would anyone ever pay full price? That's not being tight or frugal or thrifty, that's just plan common sense surely?

Being frugal isn't a fashion trend for us, it's a journey we have made after years of waste and frivolity. We are middle aged, no longer bringing in good money but still want a decent lifestyle and need to prepare for our old age

We don't have busy trendy lives. We live simply and free time is spent working on the house and garden or looking after the grand kids . Socially we tend to have friends here for a few beers and pizza in the garden. The car gets taken out the garage and up goes the table tennis and dart board. If the weather is good a rope is stretched across the lawn for badminton. We go to the local as well ( also my place of work). It's as important to the community as the church. We go to make friends, chat, catch up on news and hear what's happening when and where. Country living is laid back, very relaxed. If the weather is good then someone will be lighting a barbie and everyone will just turn up.

I don't care how boring my life might sound. I'm very content with it. I'm so so glad I got out of the rat race and wised up to the fact I didn't really need half the stuff I was rewarding myself with each week

sistercas

mardatha wrote: »

I just do my own thing in my own way and I honestly couldn't give a mouldy jellybaby as to what anybody else thinks of me. My life is my business, their lives are their business. But one thing I do know - envy is often cloaked with criticism. Or is that the other way round lol

Here here I quite agree :T:T