Today I decided to hunt around for some frugal blogs. I was surprised at how snotty and downright mean some of the commenters were! And so judgemental! For instance, there was one lady who spoke about owning an iPod and having the occasional Starbucks. And for that, some of her commenters called her to task for not being 'truly frugal.'
Well, what exactly is frugal? For the record, the blogger above got that iPod with 'points' and some other discounts and ended up getting it very cheaply. Does frugal mean you only get to buy the cheapest of the cheap? Does it mean you have to live on beans and can never have steak?
Well, I just got a Wii for my birthday. I've wanted one for years. It was partly a gift and partly from my own pocket. Yeah, a $200 toy isn't exactly frugal, which is why it's taken me years to get this. I make no apologies, not even for my own out-of-pocket donation. I love it, I need the exercise, and it's cheaper than a gym membership. I'd never go to the gym, anyway, being somewhat shy and unsociable. (I'm nice and friendly, just not 'sociable.' If that makes any sense!)
What's the point on saving money if you don't sometimes spend it, too? You can't take it with you! Clipping coupons, cooking from scratch and eating home as much as possible--I like doing this, but it would end up being a drag if there wasn't some reward involved.
Isn't that what frugal is all about? Whether you are 'Sorta Frugal' like me, or the type that uses cloth for toilet paper and washes out zippy bags, don't you save money in the areas that don't count so much so you can have those things you really, really, really want without breaking the bank!
Frankly, I'll stick with my 'nice' bloggers and stay away from the snobs and commenters who think they know so much.
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14 comments:
Thanks for stopping by my blog - it's always fun to have visitors who aren't the lurking kind. :-) Just wanted to comment on your post as well - I couldn't agree more. I have been on this "frugal" kick for the last year and it really is amazing how much you can save with coupons and freebies and asking for discounts and just plain ol' not shopping. However, we've found that it's better for us to buy quality items when we DO buy them, because they will last longer than the cheaper stuff - thus stretching our $$$. It's not about giving up the good things (i.e. Starbucks), but it's about all things in moderation and working within the system (use those Swagbucks to get a fre giftcard to Starbucks and make it a treat rather than a habit). And there is certainly no reason to judge people - what works for you might not work for me, but the point is that we're all doing something to get our finances under control. :-)
Frugal isn't what you have(or don't have), its how you use your money!! Of course it means a budget and it does require responsibility but if you budget(choose to spend) some saved money and gift money on a wii(or the occasional Starbucks) then GO FOR IT!! For me, frugal equals budgeting for the things we enjoy, not going without ALL the fun stuff.
Molly
ps, yes I usually bring a bag or more when I visit the thrift stores and rarely leave with more than $10 worth. And that's about once a month.
I love being frugal, and yes, we occasionally spend money. No, I don't always have the money for that, but if you never spend money on doing things you enjoy, life just isn't worth living. The question is how much and how frequently you're spending money on non frugal purchases. Once in a while is ok, frequently is not. I bought 35 dollars worth of used books a few weeks back and I don't regret it at all.
www.PennilessParenting.com
Nice post.
About that Wii....what game did you get? My husband bought a Wii last week and now I'm thinking of buying one of those fitness games. I honestly don't know much about them. Would you mine sharing what game you got? :)
Melinda
Melinda, it came with Wii Sports. It has tennis, bowling, baseball, golf and boxing. I like them all except boxing, although I would like it if it only involved a virtual punching bag--not a virtual human. I never did get the whole "punch each other in the face" thing!
I think there's a difference between "frugal" and "cheap". Budgeting and trying to spend your money wisely are great things, but there's nothing wrong with treating yourself every so often!
And in defense of that lady you mentioned, personally, I find that having an iPod actually helps me save money--I'm a total music junkie, and since I use a digital storage advice anyway, it encourages me to go the digital route on purchasing new music (which I'd be buying anyway--and that also saves me the storage space of not having the actual cd!) Plus I've gotten into the habit of checking the cd bin when I go to thrift stores, and there's been more than one occasion where I saved myself a couple of bucks by being able to check my iPod only to find that yes, I do already have that album in my collection!
I think it depends on what one is being frugal for. I remember Amy D. of Tightwad Gazette saying, it doesn't matter if you are being frugal to buy a house or a fleet of snowmobiles, just be frugal so you can get what you want later.
I agree with your post!
I agree. So many people cross the line with being frugal and looking down on people who aren't as frugal. Enjoy your wii!
I completely agree with your post. Being frugal doesn't mean never spending money on things of value or higher ticket items. I think it means being good stewards of the resources we have and if we spend less in one area so we can spend more in another, that is still frugal. We all have our own definitions and pretty much anyone that isn't charging and going into debt to get those higher ticket items is absolutely frugal in my mind.
p.s. we have ipods, too. And a Wii. And I consider us frugal. :)
Thanks for answering my question. I do believe those games came with what my husband bought (the hunting game).
I guess I now just need to put it in and try it out! ha.
Melinda
Thanks for stopping by. I agree with your post.
I agree. So far I've not gotten any nasty comments, but I'm sure it's just a matter of time.
We are frugal, but we go out to eat on occasion. I'm sure that doesn't set well with some, but we aren't going to be cheap to be cheap. What fun is that?
I'm enjoying reading your blog. I'd like to add you to my blog list if that's ok?
Blessings
Thanks for checking out my blog about cooking burger. I think it's funny that we all have our own ways to do it!
I love this post. I was talking to some friends about spending $100 on a pair of jeans and they about died!
$100???? Yep, but they fit great and they are 4-5 years old so they are investment (in my mind).
We all have different things we like to spend money on.
I agree - and I love your "sorta frugal" designation. That's the only way to go! For instance, I don't spend much in "regular life," yet when I was single, I would save up and go to Europe in the summer. It's all about managing your money to work for you and for the things that matter to you. You make great points here!
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