Do people make fun of you for being "frugal?"

[cheriemek]

I brag about my cheapness! At work I make more than everyone except my boss, and yet everyone else eats out all the time, has a newer car, goes on vacations, etc. I buy my clothes on ebay! I am proud of how I spend my money compared to others (3 kids in college!), so I don't have any problem being cheap.

 

[aml3679]

There are only 2 of us at home - our children are grown and married. We have 2 incomes but I still use coupons and look for bargains. I clip coupons and send away for coupons and save at least $25 or more every grocery shopping I do. I use BBB coupons for coffee, garbage bags, etc. and they never expire. A woman I work with always has to make a comment and snicker. I tell her, it gives me more money for vacations, etc. If she wants to pay full price then go ahead.

 

[Owlpost23]

There is a huge difference in being frugal or cheap,and being chintzy.Can people tell the difference?

 

[Marionnette]

There is a huge difference in being frugal or cheap,and being chintzy.Can people tell the difference?

Frugal is stocking up on bread when its on sale and freezing it for later. Cheap is always buying the day old stale bread b/c your not willing to pay a few cents more for the fresh stuff. Chintzy is pulling the moldy pieces off of your old bread and eating it anyway. Miserly is when you save that mold to make your own penicillin.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

Just my kids...but they like to say "cheap" instead of frugal. One day, they'll learn.

What do you care what your office mates think? I agree with the other posters, they are probably in a wad of debt. I'm with you on the new cell phones with the data plans--I'm not paying for that.

In all honestly there is a difference between cheap and frugal. I was raised to frugal..getting the best quality at the best price. And then there is cheap. Which is just buying the cheapest thing whether it holds up or not.
I love to get discounts it makes me so proud to get something I need at a really great price....

 

[kkacar]

Frugal is stocking up on bread when its on sale and freezing it for later. Cheap is always buying the day old stale bread b/c your not willing to pay a few cents more for the fresh stuff. Chintzy is pulling the moldy pieces off of your old bread and eating it anyway. Miserly is when you save that mold to make your own penicillin.

This made me LOL! I had to read it my husband!!!

I am the cheap one at my office. We live in a resort area and to go out to lunch is at least $15. I am just not willing to spend that. But yes I have a new car and an Iphone and other things. I just try to make smart choices about how I spend my money. But they know if they are going anywhere out to eat other than the deli at Publix that I will most likely say no, unless its been a really bad day at work and I need to run away.

kelli

 

[Kim♥DISNEY]

Early in my marriage, I was the spender and my husband was the saver. We would have fights about spending money and he would always stick to his guns that saving would pay off.

Now, after 20 years of marriage, I can see us starting to "Live Like No One Else" and it is really happening!

So I say, let them talk and clown around. As they all get older, they will regret not thinking about money more carefully.

 

[SanFranciscan]

I am reading here about coupons. I look through the coupons in the newspaper and in the junk mail which comes to my house and do not like them. Every once in a while I will find one worth using and do so. I am on a special diet though so at least half of my plate is supposed to be vegetables, and none of the coupons that I see are for fresh produce. They are for convenience foods, which tend to be high in fat, high in carbohydrates, high in calories, and just high in all of the things that I wish to avoid. Does anybody else have this problem, or am I just seeing the coupons in the wrong places? I do not want to buy something with a coupon that I normally would not buy at all.

 

[sameyeyam]

I am signed up for Coupons.com and also for Redplum. I often get coupons for produce. Lots of bagged salads put out coupons, also quite a few fruits that are precut in the small containers have coupons.

I also shop at a store (Fred Meyer, a Kroger store) that gives quarterly rewards. Those rewards can then be spent on anything in the store...which obviously includes fresh produce. They also send me a quarterly coupon good for $2 to $5 off any produce priced $2 to $5. So basically free produce.

Also, there are many coupons for frozen vegetables. Many of which don't contain sauces or other additives. My understanding is that most of the frozen vegetables are frozen within hours of picking. Yet a lot of the "fresh" produce takes weeks to hit the market.

When a store (like Target) has a coupon for spend $50 and get a $5 gift certificate..well spend that gift certificate for vegetables at Super Target.

You say that half your plate must contain vegetables. That obviously means the other half is filled with other things. So use the coupons for the "other things" and the money you save can be used to buy your fresh produce.

I will admit it is harder to find coupons for fresh produce, but it's not impossible and with a little creative thinking you can find a way to get produce cheaper.

 

[Katie's Butterflies]

I am reading here about coupons. I look through the coupons in the newspaper and in the junk mail which comes to my house and do not like them. Every once in a while I will find one worth using and do so. I am on a special diet though so at least half of my plate is supposed to be vegetables, and none of the coupons that I see are for fresh produce. They are for convenience foods, which tend to be high in fat, high in carbohydrates, high in calories, and just high in all of the things that I wish to avoid. Does anybody else have this problem, or am I just seeing the coupons in the wrong places? I do not want to buy something with a coupon that I normally would not buy at all.

Every week, we get a flyer for a local small Hispanic market. They ALWAYS have (local) fruit, veggies, and fresh meat on sale. (to give an example, 6 lbs of oranges for $1!)The big stores, however, rarely have produce or meat on sale. (and when they do, it's like $2 a lb instead of $2.50.) so check out the local markets in your area. They might have amazing deals!

 

[leadfootlevi]

There are only 2 of us at home - our children are grown and married. We have 2 incomes but I still use coupons and look for bargains. I clip coupons and send away for coupons and save at least $25 or more every grocery shopping I do. I use BBB coupons for coffee, garbage bags, etc. and they never expire. A woman I work with always has to make a comment and snicker. I tell her, it gives me more money for vacations, etc. If she wants to pay full price then go ahead.

What are BBB coupons?

 

[DawnM]

I really don't care what people say about my cheapness....I can all the way to the bank.

We have soooo many friends who are struggling financially and many, many times it is due to their choices.

We are well on our way to living like noone else and have paid off everything but the mortgage, have over 6 months' worth of living expenses in the bank and pay CASH for everything, including Disney trips. We do Disney cheaper than most feel comfortable with.....so be it, it works for us. I can't enjoy the trip nearly as much knowing I spent 4 times as much for the vacation.

Dawn

 

[Ava]

I am the cheap one at my office. We live in a resort area and to go out to lunch is at least $15. I am just not willing to spend that. But yes I have a new car and an Iphone and other things. I just try to make smart choices about how I spend my money. But they know if they are going anywhere out to eat other than the deli at Publix that I will most likely say no, unless its been a really bad day at work and I need to run away.

Same here, I work in midtown Manhattan & lunch out costs at least $10 unless you are buying McDonald's. For this reason I rarely go out for lunch. I'd rather save all that money for a year & go to Disney World!

 

[Soben]

What are BBB coupons?

I was wondering that too--bed bath and beyond? better business bureau? bibbity bobbity boutique?

 

[Sagginit]

Same here, I work in midtown Manhattan & lunch out costs at least $10 unless you are buying McDonald's. For this reason I rarely go out for lunch. I'd rather save all that money for a year & go to Disney World!

hey me too! i have a food allergy and use that as an excuse too. my coworkers complain about the costs though and still do it, i dont really complain i just bring my lunch and dont admit im too cheap to buy out. even fast food for lunch is $15 in that area. we get free coffee, tea etc and i dont understand why people go out 3 times a day to get it. we even have filtered water on hand and people go out to get a bottle of water.

my issue with co-workers is im cheap in areas like car, cell phone, coupons, food etc. they dont see these things and its frustrating they assume b/c i dont live paycheck to paycheck i must have the easy life. they can have that life too if they have willpower and plan ahead.

 

[sameyeyam]

I know the coupons do have a lot of pre-packaged foods. So I just got my new Eversave coupons in my email and decided to see what "healthy" foods they had coupons for. Here is what they offered that (at least in my opinion) was healthy this week:

Butterball Turkey, sausage, franks, bacon & turkey breast roast.
Fiber One bread
Total cereal
Green Giant frozen veggies
Pistachios
Deli Cuts lunch meat
Fruit 2 Day
Fisher Nuts

So I'm not sure why people think that all the coupons are for junk food and that nothing healthy ever has a coupon. Heck, if I was shopping for those items and used coupons, I could save enough money to buy fresh produce.

 

[hereyago]

Sometimes at work I get teased because I bring my own lunch. Always a PB and J sandwich. BUT: wait for it: I am the only one who really goes somewhere on vacation.

One of my co workers would buy breakfast, lunch and these stupid ringtones. She was younger then I , but when I was at her age, I had special ordered my first "new" car and taken a 2 week trip to Europe with my frugal self.

So she would joke about it then when vacation time came around this would be me" what are you doing for vacation, her "nothing, can't afford to'. Me: I am going on a cruise, Disneyworld, Hawaii. I would mail you a postcard, but I don't want to spend money on it or people who want to tease me.

 

[PatriciaH]

We tend to not use the processed foods coupons either. Sometimes Pilsbury, Morningstar Farms, Kashi, Lara Bars, pickles/condiments, dressing, baking goods, pasta sauce. etc. We use a lot for paper goods, cleaners, razors, toothpaste/mouthwash, hair products, etc.

 

[apnep]

In all honestly there is a difference between cheap and frugal. I was raised to frugal..getting the best quality at the best price. And then there is cheap. Which is just buying the cheapest thing whether it holds up or not.
I love to get discounts it makes me so proud to get something I need at a really great price....

I agree, there is a difference, but I'm not cheap I am frugal. Just because I like to use coupons, wait before purchasing, or want to make sure I get the best deal on something doesn't mean I'm cheap. My kids think I am though because I prefer they shop around instead of buying the first thing they see. I agree, that you get what you pay for, but that doesn't mean you have to pay full price for quality!

 

[sameyeyam]

I don't really care if people call me cheap or frugal. Basically it's all the same. I don't bother getting into the fine lines of exactly what definition a word is, nor does it really matter to me. We all know the person saying it means that we don't spend our money freely (like the rest of the broke people in our country).

BTW, I have a friend that is a Geological Relocation Specialist...but I'm still going to call him a Dump Truck Driver! Cuz they are both the same thing!

Sometimes I think it doesn't matter what word you use...it's more the tone of voice that you use, that defines what context you were meaning to say it in.

Cheap
Cheap
Cheap
Cheap
Cheap Date