Frugal and Cheap living are not good ideas

[fritz]

Find all the words mentioned as simply "judgments" - used by people to describe others, or sometimes themselves - and not always used negatively. As they say: judge not lest you be judged....

[rmark]

The OP has a valid point in the difference in mental attitude to what is basically the same goal – saving and investing for your needs and interests.
I’ll use two different books as examples of this – ‘Your money or Your life ‘by Joe Dominquez and ‘The Wealthy Barber’ by David Chilton
In the first, that attitude is ‘count, count, count, so you can spend less’. With little said about the investing part. (In fact I think chapter 6 should be titled ‘Don’t do what you love because it might cost you money’, a position that I think the authors received in early feedback since that chapter is discussed in the forward).
In the second the theme is ‘invest first, spending the remainder mostly as desired’. If your goal is investing, then invest. Count later if need be, but invest first.

[NW-Bound]

By the way, here's my own example of "cheap", following Andrew Tobias's definition.

Back when I was with a megacorp, once a group of us went out for lunch on Friday. We all ordered different plates. At the end of the meal, we each tossed in what should be our fair share. As my dish was something less than $12, and I only had water to drink, I put in $20 and thought that would be quite generous. A friend sitting next to me did the same thing.

To our surprise, the guy at the end of the table whose task was to count the money, making sure there was enough for taxes and tips, announced that we were short!!!

Somebody was being CHEAP!!!

Later my friend told me that he observed that another guy only put in the same $20, but he had a more expensive dish, with drink, and dessert and coffee!

Now, that very same guy, at another time, tried to impress us by saying that when not finishing up a bottle of wine, he would put on a fancy bottle stopper with nitrogen injection, yet could always tell that the wine deteriorated when he drank it later. Ha!

I thought to myself that "You are CHEAP, buddy, no matter how exquisite a taste you claim to have". But I kept it to myself and simply replied that I had never tried that kind of nitrogen preservation, that my bottles were usually too cheap for me to do that, and that I usually drank them up each meal anyway.

[RonBoyd]

Henny Youngman Jokes
Over ten years gone (he died 2-24-98), but always in our hearts.

Quote:

A car hit a Jewish man. The paramedic says, "Are you comfortable?" The man says, "I make a good living."

[Delawaredave5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R I always thought "frugal" and "content" both had a mildly positive connotation. Now "cheap" can mean various things, especially for women, some not too positive.

I agree - frugal is "in" - I see folks much more receptive to the word than years ago when it was analogous to "cheap".

Quote I love: "Economy is the art of getting most out of life" (or something close to that....)

[rescueme]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NW-Bound Now, that very same guy, at another time, tried to impress us by saying that when not finishing up a bottle of wine, he would put on a fancy bottle stopper with nitrogen injection, yet could always tell that the wine deteriorated when he drank it later.

I guess I'm frugal. I never use nitrogen injection, and save the expense; if the bottle is opened, its contents are totally consumed ....

[NW-Bound]

In case I might be misunderstood, I will add that I never intended to knock people who use nitrogen to preserve opened bottles of wine, or whose palate can tell the difference. It was only my reaction to this pretentious guy who would not even pay for his own meal!

[rescueme]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NW-Bound In case I might be misunderstood, I will add that I never intended to knock people who use nitrogen to preserve opened bottles of wine, or whose palate can tell the difference. It was only my reaction to this pretentious guy who would not even pay for his own meal!

Understood; I just "attempt" to inject humor wherever I see the opportunity ...

As for myself? I could never get the cork back in what I normally drink - inexpensive (e.g. cheap) box wine...

[easysurfer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomG Or perhaps: being cheap is to spend as little as possible, even if it means being uncomfortable being frugal is to make yourself comfortable while spending as little as possible. It's been 108F around here, too. But I can drink a pitcher of ice water, stay mostly in one room that has both a ceiling fan and a high quality electric fan and feel cold even with the central air completely off

I see now.....

Frugal = being Cheap with success

108F, wow. At least that must be a dry heat. Ceiling fans are great, aren't they. I had a 52" blade ceiling installed in my living room a few years ago and I love it. It really circulates the air well, plus adds light right in the center of the ceiling.

[NW-Bound]

I have provided this quote from Andrew Tobias before and it is worth repeating here.

"It is possible to live well whether you are rich or poor. When you are poor, it just costs less." - Andrew Tobias

[Major Tom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NW-Bound I have provided this quote from Andrew Tobias before and it is worth repeating here. "It is possible to live well whether you are rich or poor. When you are poor, it just costs less." - Andrew Tobias

Great quote NW-Bound. I hadn't seen that one before. I think it will become my new inspirational quote. Thanks!

[dex]

a good one

[nun]

I'm frugal, but my life is abundant. An example would be my 2015 summer vacation; I spent $3k for a two months and rode by bicycle across the USA....... Not a lot if money for vast amounts if fun and adventure.


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[Major Tom]

$3K for so much exercise, experience, and fun is a great deal. Mooney very well spent, nun.

[Hyperborea]

Nothing wrong with being frugal. It is making the best and wisest use of the resources you have. Being frugal allows one to have more enjoyment per dollar.

[nun]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Major Tom $3K for so much exercise, experience, and fun is a great deal. Mooney very well spent, nun.

The exercise was free; the money went on a plane flight, food, campsites and some motels. I also took time out to do things other than riding and sightseeing like seeing a play in Port Stanley ON.

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[daylatedollarshort]

The second chapter of The Millionaire Next Door was called "Frugal Frugal Frugal".

[OldShooter]

When I buy something at a C-store and my change is a penny or two, often the minimum-wage clerk behind the counter asks if I want it. The implication is that it is too little to worry about. I take it.

I usually check CraigsList, Amazon-used, and eBay before I buy something new.

My wife clips grocery coupons.

My first and only car loan was right out of graduate school when I was young and dumb. Since then we have never bought a car that we couldn't afford to pay for.

We have more money than we will ever need. Last year we spent $40K on travel alone. All those years of picking up pennies, not necessarily buying new when used is available, and clipping coupons contributed to where we are today. You can call me anything you want. I call myself "happy." also "phenomenally lucky."

[brucethebroker]

+1.

[6miths]

My Scot Presbyterian grandparents would be rolling in their graves to think that someone was suggesting that the word 'frugal' could possibly have negative connotations. My life is wonderful partly because I am frugal. 'Content' is an excellent word. As is the idea of living a life of gratitude. Reminds me of the story by Kurt Vonnegut below that most have probably heard or seen.


'True story, Word of Honor:
Joseph Heller, an important and funny writer
now dead,
and I were at a party given by a billionaire
on Shelter Island.
I said, “Joe, how does it make you feel
to know that our host only yesterday
may have made more money
than your novel ‘Catch-22’
has earned in its entire history?”
And Joe said, “I’ve got something he can never have.”
And I said, “What on earth could that be, Joe?”
And Joe said, “The knowledge that I’ve got enough.”
Not bad! Rest in peace!'