How frugal is too frugal?
photo by jonboy mitchell
People who practice frugality are often at different ends of the spectrum. Some people are in total guerrilla frugality mode to survive, while others simply enjoy getting a good deal. Some readers comment that what I share is too frugal, and others say it’s not frugal enough. For me, you’ve gone overboard with frugality if it harms or takes advantage of someone else. I’ll list some frugal “tendencies,” and you can tell me if you think they’re over the top or perfectly practical for you. If you consider yourself a real tightwad, tell me about your frugal ways and why you think you are.
DRINKING STRAWS: Could you use, wash, rinse, put away and reuse them a few more times?
HEATING AND AIR: Could you easily go without air conditioning during August? How low will you turn your thermostat during months that require heat? Is 55 F too low?
FACIAL TISSUE: Let’s say every day you clean your eyeglasses and dry them with facial tissue. Would you toss the tissue or set it aside, let it dry and reuse it again?
CLOTHING/TOWELS: Will you use a towel or clothing more than once before washing?
TRICKERY: Could you place store-brand products in name-brand bottles in your home to save money? How about diluting products so they last longer?
COFFEE GROUNDS: Could you reuse coffee grounds for a second pot? Do you toss your grounds or compost them?
CURBSIDE MALL: Awesome shopping place or wouldn’t be caught dead doing? Could you dumpster dive?
LEFTOVER BUCKET: Do you have a container specifically for leftover foods that you can use to make something else? Would you scrape the food off your own family’s plate and save it? Or do you toss it? For example, if a family member ate part of an apple and tried to toss it, would you either finish it freeze it and make applesauce when you had enough? Or boil it in water with cinnamon to use as potpourri?
TIMED SHOWERS: Would you enforce limited shower time in your household? How about reusing bath water to water plants?
REGIFT: Could you give a gift that you received to someone else? Could you easily give a secondhand gift?
LEMONADE: When in a restaurant, could you order ice water with a lemon slice? Add free available sweetener, and you have lemonade for free.
WHITE LIE: Could you tell friends you’re going away for the holidays to delay gift buying until after-holiday clearance sales?
COMPARISON SHOP: If you bought an item and noticed it dropped in price and the store had a price guarantee, would you go back to the store with your receipt to get the sale price?
BOOKS: When you hear about a great new book, do you head to the library instead of the bookstore?
CLEANING PRODUCTS: Could you replace your cleaning products with vinegar and baking soda?
MAKE A CALL: Could you call a manufacturer using a toll-free number and request free samples or coupons? Could you give them as gifts?
NO SPEND: Could you dedicate a weekend, week, month or year to no additional spending outside of the basic necessities?
UNPLUG: Would you unplug everything not in use to be sure you’re not paying extra for phantom electricity?
MOVIE SNACKS: Is it acceptable to sneak your own snacks into a movie theater?
PENNIES: Would you take time to pick a penny off the ground?
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Whoa. i just found your site recently and have to laugh laugh laugh. every single thing you listed here i learned to do in my childhood. to everyone else around us, we seemed like a normal, suburban family (other than the 1/2 acre garden in our front yard), but inside, we were an efficient machine of frugality. my dad emigrated from war-time england and my mom has old yankee values. heck, we even saved our soap chips growing up. i find myself teaching my own children the same ideals. sure, kids look at them sort of funny when they bring their lunch everyday and it’s often unidentifiable in the world of prepackaged everything, but that’s good too. frugality isn’t always about reuse/recycle. it’s also about riding a bike or walking when you can. it’s about swimming at the high school gym instead of the posh club around the corner. it’s a state of mind. i absolutely feel i’ve come home in finding your blog. many thanks.
sus
acton, ma
I do save my left overs for another meal. I make all of my cleaners. I use personal cloths instead of toilet paper and I make my own monthly pads. When my kids were at home I would eat very little at dinner because I would finish their plates when they were done. I re-use almost all plastic and I wash out plastic bags for re-use. I use a hankie instead of tissues. I make my dogs food and treats instead of buying it. I dont own an air conditioner and my heat never goes over 65. I do wear my clothes more than once exept for socks and underwear. I only buy store brands and I cook strickly from scratch.
Maybe I am to frugal. I live on SSI and I am debt free with a comfortable savings. I think its smart to be frugal…so sue me! LOL!!!
sus, Happy to meet you. Growing up, I didn’t know we were frugal.
Tracy, Love your “so sue me” haha I don’t think you’re too frugal.
I’m a married working mother of three. Occasionally, I feel like a conservative freak compared to other mothers who seem to encourage over-indulgence or wastefulness for the sake of convenience. Here’s what I think about the frugal “tendencies.”
DRINKING STRAWS: I wash & reuse until they crack. Why not?
HEATING AND AIR: Windows are open whenever possible at our home, but heat and high humidity result in cranky individuals, so the ac comes back on in that case.
FACIAL TISSUE: Yes, I would reuse the tissue from my glasses (put in bedside drawer), but I wouldn’t expect anyone else in my family to reuse same tissues.
CLOTHING/TOWELS: Anyone who washes clothing or towels after only one use when they’re not dirty or smelly needs a serious lesson in conservation (of energy, water, and time).
TRICKERY: Why go to the trouble of using the name brand bottles? If a store brand works, it works. Diluting is a favorite trick of mine. If it still works as well, do it.
COFFEE GROUNDS: Reusing grounds doesn’t appeal to me, but if people still like the taste, more power to ‘em. I compost.
CURBSIDE MALL: Can’t get away with this in a small town. I think freegans (dumpster divers) are terrific. I wish this would catch on.
LEFTOVER BUCKET: Depending on how much is left, I would keep and save partially eaten food for later, but just within my family. I encourage visitors to put just a little on their plate to try. They can always get more if they like it.
TIMED SHOWERS: If it got to the point they were in there too long, showers would be timed. I have girls. I raise them to know that water is not to be run on a whim.
REGIFT: It’s okay if you know they will use it or be pleased with it.
LEMONADE: If you want it that bad, pay the restaurant to give you the kind that tastes good.
WHITE LIE: If you did the clearance sale thing, you’d already have gifts bought from the previous year and wouldn’t have to lie. It takes pre-planning. I’m not that good. No clearance sale gifts from me.
COMPARISON SHOP: Yes, if I had time and didn’t have to spend gas money to get the sale price.
BOOKS: I’d get on the library waiting list, unless I have to read it NOW.
CLEANING PRODUCTS: I’m trying hard now to replace with vinegar and baking soda. Makes me feel better when it goes down the drain.
MAKE A CALL: Could you call a manufacturer using a toll-free number and request free samples or coupons? Could you give them as gifts? —This seems tacky.—
NO SPEND: Could you dedicate a weekend, week, month or year to no additional spending outside of the basic necessities? —Always up for a challenge.—
UNPLUG: Would you unplug everything not in use to be sure you’re not paying extra for phantom electricity? —This is hard. There’s always some little red or green light on somewhere, especially in the tv or computer area. I’d have to see some real savings to do this.—
MOVIE SNACKS: Only okay when you sneak it for small children.
PENNIES: Sure I’d pick it up, if only to repeat the silly ‘Find a penny, pick it up . . .’ saying.
I have done many of these things glad to see others do.
DRINKING STRAWS:We don’t use drinking stores very much but I am sure they can be rinsed and reused. I do that with plastic baggies.
HEATING AND AIR:We live in Georgia and I am very asthmatic so we do have air conditioning. But we have window units now instead of the central.That way we control where we want the air conditioning to run. We have a unit in our bedroom,and one in the living room.We also have a ceiling fan in the dining room and a attic fan at the other end of the house.It is a lot cooler in the back of the house so we use fans there when needed. We also will open the front and back doors and the attic fan will draw in the cool air so lots of times we do not use the AC until afternoon.
FACIAL TISSUE: Don’t use facial tissues I have these little cloths that the eye doctor gave me years ago that I still use.
CLOTHING/TOWELS: Yes
TRICKERY:No Brand names don’t interest me and I make most of my cleaners and put them into clean containers. I add vinegar to dish detergent(about half and half)It works great.
COFFEE GROUNDS:I reuse the grounds once and then recycle them. I rinse the coffee filters out and dry them. They can be used a few more times before I recycle them. Mostly I perk coffee on the stove.
CURBSIDE MALL: We live way out in the country so no curb sides it is illegal to dumpster dive here. It would be great though. Except I wouldn’t go into the dumpster but if there was stuff left beside the dumpster that would be ok.
LEFTOVER BUCKET:I save left over food in different containers: bits of meat in one,veggies in the other this is to make soup later in the week along with left over rice or noodles. Sometimes though we might cup up the meat and add it to the cats and dog food. But no fat or bones. Ham and beef bones are good for soup also.If its a big beef bone the dog can have it after it has been “souped.” Sometimes if its left over corn or peas or carrots I will give it to our hens as a treat. But not potatoes;not good for them.
TIMED SHOWERS: We take short showers;give the water in the dish pan to the garden. Pail in the shower is used for the house plants. We also collect rinse water form the washing machine(several gallons and we use it in the garden.
REGIFT: Yes I have given gifts that way(make sure you don’t give the person back their own gift.) I have bought things at a thrift store to give to folks Lamps, jewelry, but I do mention where I got them from and I make sure its something that I know they will really like.
LEMONADE: Cool idea will have to do that.
WHITE LIE: No
COMPARISON SHOP: Did that with a radio once.
BOOKS: Library
CLEANING PRODUCTS:I make most of my own cleaning products and laundry soap and use vinegar in a lot of them.
MAKE A CALL: Never done it but sounds good.
NO SPEND:We have been doing that for years
UNPLUG: yes
MOVIE SNACKS: Haven’t been to the movies in years but yes we could.
PENNIES: Yes!
Many of these things I do now!! Some not so much. I think I’m and “uber-frugal” wannabe.
Straws: Do this one all the time. Dishwasher them.
Heating n AC: AC does go on when it is 85 inside, themostat is set at 67 in winter do have a programmable to drop and raise temp when we are not at home.
Tissue, would reuse
Trickery: no family has accepted off-brands a long time ago, and I mean sub-store brand
Clothing towels: Oh yeah towels get washed every 2 weeks. They are just wet, you are clean when you get out right?
Coffee grounds: I did try this one. Couldn’t make it last. When I did it, I need to try again. I did add a fresh sccop to the old grounds then threw them out on the second day.
Curbside mall: I belong to a freecycle group. Practically the same thing.
Left over bucket: NOPE sounds gross to me, growing up we fed the scrapings to the animals
Timed showers: no but do have a low flow shower head
regifting; oh yeah, to whomever I can get away with it.
Lemonade: have done this one, now I am kind of grossed out about the bacteria on the lemons
WhiteLie: Sometime if I know that I will not see the person till after the holidays I will go by the gift one the sales
Comparison shop: I have asked for a “price match” discount on big ticket items.
Books : Can’t remember when I bought a book. I usually wait for someone else to pass it along, or to the libary
Cleaning products; These I do buy but not many I make due with a cheap all-purpose cleaner for alot of things.
Make a call: I am a big couponer. Download alot of them then copy more.
No spend: I like to see how long I can go during the work week till I dip into my pocket money.
Unplug: I need to do this one, pure laziness
Movie snacks; I saw someone’s tote get searched, ans I have been leary ever since.
Pennies: Oh Yeah!! My kids find more money than I do! Lower to the ground??
Happy to see some fellow frugalitarians. I don’t dilute products as often anymore. I definitely will add a little water toward the end of laundry soap or shampoo, but don’t want to dilute 50% of a product and impact the efficiency of them. I still water down juice or use a lot of ice in my drinks, but I could never make weak coffee.
Books I still buy. Sometimes full price and sometimes not. We love the library and the thrift stores have been wonderful in helping me build my childrens’ library here at home. I love love love our used bookstore. I’m totally hooked on old cookbooks, too. So any secondhand source is awesome. I had sworn off collecting for the last 10 years (used to buy and sell antiques and collectibles), but am truly enjoying building up a vintage cookbook collection.
But even with some of my “not the cheapest chick in America” ways, I am still quite frugal in how I live my life. I’m just no longer extreme and have found a comfortable balance. I like knowing there are always strategies I can pick up again if I choose/need to. That balance is my key to staying motivated to reach my goals. I also think that some of my time is best spent making money than looking for ways to save money. That’s another thing that will vary from person to person according to their priorities and goals. Years ago, when I was in guerilla frugality, I didn’t think that way.
CLEANING PRODUCTS: Could you replace your cleaning products with vinegar and baking soda?
Had never thought of that. I generally buy cleaning products as cheap as I can get them. I’m not by any means a clean freak either.
MAKE A CALL: Could you call a manufacturer using a toll-free number and request free samples or coupons? Could you give them as gifts?
Yes and maybe
NO SPEND: Could you dedicate a weekend, week, month or year to no additional spending outside of the basic necessities?
I can and have.
UNPLUG: Would you unplug everything not in use to be sure you’re not paying extra for phantom electricity?
No Those clocks come in handy.
MOVIE SNACKS: Is it acceptable to sneak your own snacks into a movie theater?
Yes but I can go two hours without eating so I just don’t.
PENNIES: Would you take time to pick a penny off the ground?
OF course.
Oh my gosh! I Googled ’salvage supermarket’ and clicked your link.I knew I’d found kindered spirits when I viewed the colored straws. My family is forever debating weather to reuse or toss.
So glad I found this community! And where can I locate salvage supermarkets north of Boston? The type featured on Inside Edition, not the large chain stores( Shaws, Stop & Shop etc).
THANK YOU!!!!
I am planning to make my own tp and monthly items. I boycotted use of the dryer. I have everything plugged into power strips and the juice gets turned off when not in use.
Had to laugh! We do so many of these things, and the reminders for a few others was nice today. A few were even: Of course we don’t take food into the movies because we don’t waste money by going to a movie theater! (Well, maybe every ten years or so, but there must be a very good reason.) So, no, none of these things indicate TOO much frugality! Just common sense, and in many cases, common courtesy to the rest of the planet.
hello Sara
your column made me think of smthg my husband and i did for years. on our anniversary to save our very limited funds we would go to a card store, each of us looking for a card that expressed our tenderest feelings for each other, exchange cards right there, read them, put them back in their slots and happily leave the store not only with a renewed affection for each other but with our budget still in tact. now that was a mutually agreed upon practice and
we had such “fun” doing it!
i like to write my own poems and verses in cards so have many times
no one has complained, not to me anyway. it’s now in vogue with the present “going green” trend.
bought blank cards to send. in very recent years i got the idea of
recycling the beautiful cards we have received over the years from
others. went thru them all and set aside the ones i couldn’t bear to
part with and cut the front pictures from the rest. it not only freed up space in the drawer where i keep letters and cards but has given me smthg very nice to write personal notes and verses on. now i buy a nice card for someone with a verse or blank, and instead of writing in it and signing our names, i write a verse or personal note on the back of one of these recyclable pictures, and add smthg at the end like “you can send this card to someone in the future, let’s save the trees.”
one other way to save the trees is to stop all the junk mail. when smthg comes in the mail with an offer and a “no postage required” envelope enclosed, i write on the application in red ink, “please take our personal info off you mailing list and do not share it with anyone, lets save the trees.
” i always draw in a cute smiley face so as not to offend. have been doing this for years as well. if the return envelope needs postage i look for an 800 number and call the company instead.
i’m not sure i would be comfortable giving a gift i had received. i’m
too sentimental for that, would worry about hurt feelings, also it seems a bit ungrateful. could not give a second hand store item as a gift either, (depending on what it is) altho nearly all my clothes and most of our furniture and electricnonics come from second hand stores. but i do browse the clearance racks and tables and if the price is too good to pass up, i would buy it for future gifts.
my first vacuum was a Kenmore i found on the curb in front of someone’s house on junk pickup day. the householder told me it was shorting out so they put it out for junk day. with their permission i took it home unscrewed some screws found the problem and used it for probably ten years or more. it was the best vacuum i’d ever owned. i think i remember going back to see if they wanted it back since it was fixed but they had already purchased another.
presently our dishwasher is a low end GE that we found on a curb. again a few screws removed revealed the soap dispenser prob she told me about and we have been using it for going on 9 yrs! there’s somethg to be said for the dumpster!!
to carpet my daughter’s bedroom, she and i went to carpet stores and
bought up samples, some were free. we used masking tape when laying it out. it lasted untill she left the nest. we still get them for our front and back doors. they make excellent car matts, are easier to cleanand can be replaced when looking worn.
instead of buying expensive plastic containers for left over food, save widemouth glass jars and other suitable containers to use instead. glass is much better than plastic anyway. i save the glass gallon jugs that apple juice comes in to store rice or dried beans in.
if one keeps an ice cream bucket with a tight fitting lid in the freezer, the family’s dinner plates and all the table scraps, bones etc can be scraped into it and when full, boiled with a little salt and vinegar to dissolve the calcium from the bones, strained, and used to make a delicious and very healthy broth for soup making, or to heat and sip when one is ill. even wilted lettuce or cabbage leaves, potatoe pealings, celery leaves etc can be used in this way. also instead of throwing away the juice from a can of peas, beans, corn etc pour that into a container in your freezer to use for soup broth. i used to keep two separate such containers.
this story could go on but you get the picture, am i too frugal?
you know Sara, …. i had never thought that asking for a slice of lemon with my water at a restaurant was like getting free lemonade! i never did like water but would drink it, instead of buying a drink, if i could get a slice of lemon. have never added the sugar from the table! thanks for bringing that to my attention. i just may rethink this one and try to do without the lemon!!
Janet M
Sara…
My family uses their towels for one week before washing. Likewise, we try to wear our clothes more than once before washing unless there is evidence of dirt or sweat. I refill name-brand bottles with generic products and I definitely think it’s fine to regift.
When my daughter was small, Guess jeans were all the rage. I received a couple pair as hand-me-downs and after she outgrew them, I removed the Guess emblems from the back pockets. I went to a department store, bought some inexpensive jeans and stitched the emblems on them. I reused the emblems several times. My daughter and her friends thought she was wearing Guess jeans for several years, and I saved a ton of money!
Kathryn in Waco
I buy half a Rotisserie Chicken for $1.29 at the local grocery store. I save the left over to add to the ramen noodles the following day.
Sapporo Ichiban Chicken Ramne $0.90 w/ hard boiled eggs, green onions (scallions) and the left over chicken. You can add some greens (recommneded: Bok Choy) and some carrots. This takes a difference for a dull noodles.
Confession Time!
Instead of buying our own sodas, my husband and I will share a $1.49 soda at a fast food restaurant and then refill it.
We got to restaurants like Olive Garden for lunch instead of dinner and then just order the Soup or Salad, not even both!
I will take family members leftovers home from a restaurant if they don’t want to.
Are we terribly cheap?
Rhiana from A Frugal Life´s last blog ..Frugal Food: Sweet Potato Salad
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