Comments on: Sorta Frugal

By: lulugal11

lulugal11 — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 12:47:36 +0000

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By: Frugal Frauds Revealed | How I Save Money.net

Frugal Frauds Revealed | How I Save Money.net — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 12:03:06 +0000

[...] won’t give up Starbucks coffee. Dude!!! You are contributing to the Latte Factor that is making the economy go bad. No but [...]

By: Funny about Money

Funny about Money — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 12:15:19 +0000

I think I’m right about where you are…except I don’t drink Starbucks coffee. Not out of frugality, but because I don’t care for it much, so maybe that one doesn’t count. To make up for it, though, I buy top-quality coffee beans at an overpriced grocery store and brew my own. Cheaper than Starbucks, and ever so much mellower.

Tho’ I don’t have a timer on the shower, I do have them on all the outdoor hose bibs. Love ‘em!

And I very much agree that you get what you pay for. Buying a cheap pair of shoes that wear out in a year is penny-wise and pound-foolish: my shoes and also the clothes that I probably spend too much on last for quite a few years. On the other hand, if you don’t have $150 to drop on a pair of shoes, you don’t have much choice and shouldn’t feel unwise to opt for the cheaper pair.

By: DDFD at DivorcedDadFrugalDad.com

DDFD at DivorcedDadFrugalDad.com — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 12:24:12 +0000

Liane,

I like your use of the expression, “Middler”.

As to your comment on not wasting food, I thought of that a step further. If you buy the cheapest stuff and nobody eats it, it gets wasted. The money saved is overshadowed by the money wasted. I look for less expensive substitutes al the time, but I balance it with will it be used . . . we all need to watch out for what I call, “false economies”

By: Liane

Liane — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 12:06:30 +0000

New to your blog, too:
I think I’m a middler as well. I usually buy store brand groceries at a significant savings every week (I think a $150 grocery bill for a family of four including a two teenagers is not too bad – I’m striving to make it lower). We never ever waste food and I think someone who is frugal has a keen eye for quality. Cheaper items are usually not meant to last – they’re meant to be replaced. I bought a pair of Dexter leather clogs on sale about 12 years ago and there is absolutely no wear on the soles at all. I just touch up the leather with shoe polish a few times a year. The best pair of shoes ever!
I did do the cloth diapers when my kids were small. They were in diapers at the same time and we were a one-income family then. It definitely helped. And, I just started making my own powdered laundry detergent, and I have to say, I think it gets the clothes cleaner than the store-bought kinds and because I have the ingredients on hand, I don’t have to waste gas by running out for detergent whenever it unexpectedly gets low (again, I have two teenagers).
I think that being frugal is merely striving to be a good steward with the money that the Lord has so generously provided for us.

By: Pastor Judith

Pastor Judith — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:29:29 +0000

Being frugal is not a contest! It’s not: “I’m more frugal than you are,” or “You’re more frugal than I.”
I think being frugal begins in being grateful to God for what we have, and committing ourselves to gain and use our resources wisely.

And God does NOT take a dim view of pleasure! It’s really okay to like good coffee! It’s His creation and he made it for your pleasure! The Biblical model, I think, is that of fasting days, normal days, and feasting days; God intends them all in their season. And it’s like the 6 days of creation, on which He worked/we work, with the 7th day for rest and celebration.

In being frugal, we shouldn’t let ourselves become so ego-tied and never let ourselves relax and rejoice in what we’ve been given and worked for. We believe that God gave it to us, not that we guiltily snatched it from Him! The key is our heart of stewardship and our heart for Him.

Thanks for the blog. I’m new here (came through Being Frugal’s link) and I appreciate your letting me comment. God bless!

By: Financial Five, January 23, 2009 | Financial Reflections

Financial Five, January 23, 2009 | Financial Reflections — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:35:11 +0000

[...] frugal are you? GLB Guy at Gather Little by little says he’s sort of frugal. The post outlines all kinds of frugal things one can do as he evaluates himself. How do you [...]

By: how to manage personal finance

how to manage personal finance — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 02:46:39 +0000

Great post.

I can completely relate to this notion of “Sorta Frugal.” My wife and I have our favorites.

We LOVE to eat at really nice restaurants, but I can’t manage to buy a box of cereal for more than a couple of bucks!

Funny, isn’t it.

By: Personal Finance Ology

Personal Finance Ology — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 01:18:53 +0000

I’d say your are frugal, and so I am. The only problem I see is the coffee. You should maybe drop that but then again you have to have some pleasures. I don’t think you need 2 SUV’s, one should do the trick. You could get a mid-sized car for the other and be just fine.

Making your own laundry detergent is borderline extreme frugality.

By: Christy

Christy — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:57:42 +0000

Sorry – typo. That should read **1%** not 5%.

They aren’t THAT generous.