Are you unnecessarily frugal?

[Khan]

My 'unnecessary frugality' has enabled me to buy a new car, water heater, washing machine as the old ones wore out.

[Danmar]

I am trying to figure out a plan for spending some of the portfolio principle over time. We don't need to spend any of it as we can get by very nicely on pension and dividends. Was thinking of extracting any excess returns (maybe defined as half the excess over cumulative inflation) and putting it in cash to be spent on big or special items. Not sure.

[WhoDaresWins]

If frugal means not spending on stuff you don't need to pay cash for things you do, I'm all for it.