Has Scrooge been wrongly demonized?

[nun]

There's a widespread feeling that it's bad to be careful with money, mean, frugal.....to be like Scrouge in Christmas Carol. Of course it's bad to treat others unfairly and I see generosity to others as a positive character trait. But is it bad to be frugal when it comes to your own spending? Some people seem to think so. For example I keep my heating at 62F and a visiting friend recently said my house was cold and I was being "too mean", but I bumped the temperature up to 68F for her because I wanted her to be comfortable......it went back to 62F when she left.

The thing is I like being frugal. It's a sort of game to see how little I can spend and still be comfortable. So I cut the cable cord and found other ways to watch programs; I cook and bake a lot which is cheap, fun and tasty and now. I just had an unexpected $11k expense for new furnaces which consumed a third of this year's budget and I could dip into reserves, but I wonder if I can trim spending by 33%. I'm going to try and even if I only do 20% or 10% it will be worthwhile and an enjoyable challenge....I do actually mean enjoyable.

 

[Big_Hitter]

some people consider stinginess a character flaw

 

[Alan]

Looks like you've been frugal with your spelling as well. Would you like me to correct the thread title? (wromgly to wrongly)

 

[NW-Bound]

Years ago, I read Andrew Tobias who said that "cheap is how you treat others, not how you treat yourself". I completely agree with this philosophy.

On the other hand, Scrooge is cheap towards everybody, himself included.

 

[travelover]

......... For example I keep my heating at 62F and a visiting friend recently said my house was cold and I was being "too mean", but I bumped the temperature up to 68F for her because I wanted her to be comfortable......it went back to 62F when she left............

When I was single. I found the women considered 72 to be a lot better temperature to get naked....Just sayin'

 

[Looking4Ward]

I've always been "frugal". Being so has served me well. I enjoy saving money and getting the most for every dollar spent. I watch others spend their money without a thought as to whether or not what they are purchasing is worth the price they pay and struggle to understand how that can even be possible.

It's just how I'm wired, I guess.

 

[nun]

Looks like you've been frugal with your spelling as well. Would you like me to correct the thread title? (wromgly to wrongly)

Yes please correct it. It's was caused by big thumbs on a small phone.

 

[Alan]

Yes please correct it. It's was caused by big thumbs on a small phone.

I knew it had to do with frugality, you need a bigger phone

I'll fix it.

 

[aja8888]

There's a widespread feeling that it's bad to be careful with money, mean, frugal.....to be like Scrouge in Christmas Carol. Of course it's bad to treat others unfairly and I see generosity to others as a positive character trait. But is it bad to be frugal when it comes to your own spending? Some people seem to think so. For example I keep my heating at 62F and a visiting friend recently said my house was cold and I was being "too mean", but I bumped the temperature up to 68F for her because I wanted her to be comfortable......it went back to 62F when she left.

The thing is I like being frugal. It's a sort of game to see how little I can spend and still be comfortable. So I cut the cable cord and found other ways to watch programs; I cook and bake a lot which is cheap, fun and tasty and now. I just had an unexpected $11k expense for new furnaces which consumed a third of this year's budget and I could dip into reserves, but I wonder if I can trim spending by 33%. I'm going to try and even if I only do 20% or 10% it will be worthwhile and an enjoyable challenge....I do actually mean enjoyable.

After reading this, the thought occurred to me that you may not even need the furnace (could have saved the $11K). A few strategically placed space heaters may suffice. And if you have a fireplace, maybe some fire wood on a cool night?

 

[papadad111]

Has Scrouge been wrongly demonized?

When I was single. I found the women considered 72 to be a lot better temperature to get naked....Just sayin'

+ 100

Use real soap too. And deodorant. And Minty toothpaste

Some things while frugal just won't get you where u need to be ...

It can go too far and become obsessive compulsive ...that's an illness

Everything in moderation. Including frugality.

 

[nun]

Years ago, I read Andrew Tobias who said that "cheap is how you treat others, not how you treat yourself". I completely agree with this philosophy. On the other hand, Scrooge is cheap towards everybody, himself included.

Yes I agree. Scrouge's meanness with money was an outward expression of his inner meanness and we know he's saved he celebrates with is relations and employees and expresses it by spending money. I always think that a nice ending would have has Scrouge at the end of the day being happy, but maybe still not lighting a second candle because generosity is very well, but there's no need to burn money.

 

[aja8888]

+ 100

Use real soap too. And deodorant. And Minty toothpaste

Some things while frugal just won't get you where u need to be ...

It can go too far and become obsessive compulsive ...that's an illness

Everything in moderation. Including frugality.

There was nothing like a little Everclear in the fruit punch to loosen things up too!

 

[Amethyst]

As long as someone is keeping the house at 62 degrees in order to save money to buy me more jewelry...nakedness and an electric blanket work well together. It's all about agreeing on the priorities.

 

[ziggy29]

Thrifty and miserly are not the same.

 

[REWahoo]

Looks like you've been frugal with your spelling as well. Would you like me to correct the thread title? (wromgly to wrongly)

Are you on a tight budget and unwilling to spend the effort to correct the spelling of Scrooge as well?

 

[nun]

After reading this, the thought occurred to me that you may not even need the furnace (could have saved the $11K). A few strategically placed space heaters may suffice. And if you have a fireplace, maybe some fire wood on a cool night?

Well now that you mention it I did buy some space heaters.......but they were for my tenants. I own a two family and the rental unit's oil furnace quit big time. It was very old and had to be replaced, you can't rent a flat without proper heating. I bought the tenants 3 space heaters to use until the new gas furnace was installed. I decided to have my 25 year old oil furnace replaced at the same time as the payback for the $5.5k extra expense was about 7 years. Sometimes being frugal requires you to spend money.

 

[Alan]

Are you on a tight budget and unwilling to spend the effort to correct the spelling of Scrooge as well?

In subsequent posts nun still uses Scrouge so I assume that he is either talking about the Scrouge who lives in the USA, or his thrifty phone has a spill chucker that keeps auto correcting to Scrouge

 

[travelover]

......... I decided to have my 25 year old oil furnace replaced at the same time as the payback for the $5.5k extra expense was about 7 years.

If you bumped the temperature up to 68 degrees, the payback period would only be 4.5 years.

 

[nun]

Are you on a tight budget and unwilling to spend the effort to correct the spelling of Scrooge as well?

You are right, my brain had the wrong spelling....nothing to do with poor typing in that error.

Still Scrooge's frugality expressing a meanness of inner spirit has become part of the zeitgeist and the distinction between his treatment of other people and his own penny pinching is rarely made. Without the excuse of some religious calling, is it possible to be frugal with money today and still be thought of as generous in spirit and living a full life?

 

[Texas Proud]

Sorry to say that my DW would be turning up the temp big time if she was with you...

Our temp downstairs is 74 and upstairs 72... really upstairs does not turn on much as the temp from downstairs does the job....



I do agree that if you want to be that frugal, then that is fine.... but if you kept the temp at 62, I would only come to your house once... I am not willing to come if it is that cold... my mother likes it very warm... like 78... she turns it down when I come over and back up when I leave... sure, it is YOUR house and you can keep it at any temp you like.... but if I am uncomfortable I also do not have to stay....

 

[UpAnchor]

Has Scrouge been wrongly demonized?

In subsequent posts nun still uses Scrouge so I assume that he is either talking about the Scrouge who lives in the USA, or his thrifty phone has a spill chucker that keeps auto correcting to Scrouge

So you're saying it must the British spelling, a la "colour"...

 

[Chuckanut]

Which Scrooge are we talking about? The one before the visits from the spirits, who would not allow Bob Cratchit to put coal into the stove? Or the generous and caring post visitation Scrooge who did his best to help others?

 

[Calico]

I am cheap/frugal when it comes to spending on myself, but generous when it comes to spending on others.

Examples:

I get my hair cut at Great Clips, but I leave a generous tip for the person who cuts my hair.

I take my lunch to work 98% of the time, but I contribute a nice gift to each baby shower, wedding shower, etc. at work.

Regarding the OP, the only area in my life I refuse to be cheap is the heat. I spent decades with the thermostat down, and for my 60th birthday I decided I am "too damn old to be cold" any longer!

When I am home, it is 72 during the day and 70 at night. Frugality be damned - I'm going to be toasty! I cut back in other areas to offset it (no cable, etc).

If I were your visitor, I would have rented a hotel room for my visit, and met you in well-heated venues - that's a win-win.

Oh, and I probably would have gifted you some nice warm socks.

 

[audreyh1]

Are you on a tight budget and unwilling to spend the effort to correct the spelling of Scrooge as well?

That was driving me nuts! I knew Scrooge was misspelled! Thanks, whew!

 

[ziggy29]

I am cheap/frugal when it comes to spending on myself, but generous when it comes to spending on others.

I'm pretty much in that camp as well. The truth is, I don't *want* much -- just security, food, shelter, basic clothing and health, and relatively cheap ways to amuse myself to pass the time. But I don't want to make others suffer because of my thrift. We have one restaurant in town, and the prices are low. It's common for two people to get out of there for $15 or less. But I refuse to tip less than $2 per person, which sometimes results in close to a 30% tip. But I feel cheap and tight if I tipped less.

To me, that is part of the distinction between being thrifty and being miserly. Thrifty means I'm a tightwad toward myself. Miserly means being a tightwad to everyone, even those who deserve better for the services they provided for you. I own frugal, but I'm not a miser.