on being frugal

**M55FF** · 03-25-2008, 10:08 AM

I was thinking this morning that to be frugal you can never be poor...
poverty is associated with helplessness, being frugal is about choice and helpfullness.
If you live a lifestyle of frugality by choice, you will never want for anything and end up with everything you need.

comments?

**jamie79** · 03-25-2008, 10:11 AM

Not all poverty is associated with helplessness sometimes its a matter of circumstances

**M55FF** · 03-25-2008, 10:15 AM

all circumstances have to dealt with...
as in a mindset.. people either adjust and find new ways or they give up.

that is the point to my post... to adjust mentally to come out of whatever dark place you have landed.

Circumstances are never permanent... they are situational and all circimstances can have a postive outcome.
New doors can open... no matter what. Sometimes when things seem darkest, what the person is experiencing is the dark before the dawn and the many blessings that come come from "circumstances".

**sunshine** · 03-25-2008, 10:27 AM

Well, I was in poverty at one time - and used frugality to get myself to a better place. . . but there was a time when I was both -- frugal and desperately poor.

**M55FF** · 03-25-2008, 10:32 AM

sunshine me too...

if it werent for what I call :
INSPIRATIONAL unhappiness...

I'd still be where I was at 18.

I've been poor, had cancer... all kinds of things... but NEVER gave up.

**C@rol** · 03-25-2008, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by jamie79

Not all poverty is associated with helplessness sometimes its a matter of circumstances

ITA!

I was thinking this morning that to be frugal you can never be poor...

To me they are two totally different things.

Frugal: you choose to be conscience of your
resources and finances.

Poor: Lack of money to provide for a basic
lifestyle. Most times not a choice.

**magaka** · 03-28-2008, 11:10 AM

I see what you are saying. I am furgal out of need. Or that is how it started. The money situation really has not changed but my MINDSET has changed. If I kept thinking "I HAVE to be frugal" then I felt like I was missing out, but when I changed my mindset to "I am furgal to save money and be able to do more" then it became a game of sorts, and makes it much easier on me to not feel hopeless.

Most (although not all) things can be delt with better when you change how you look at it. Sadly I am not a master of this, but I sure do work on it! LOL

**larabelle** · 03-28-2008, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by magaka

Most (although not all) things can be delt with better when you change how you look at it. Sadly I am not a master of this, but I sure do work on it! LOL

I completely agree!!!

**dianne9106** · 03-28-2008, 11:41 AM

I enjoy being frugal because I HATE to waste! Things can always be recycled, reused or just plain reduced.
I have been dirt stinking poor, hand to mouth, not a pot to pee in or a window to throw it out of. But nowadays if I am not frugal - I will fritter all of our savings and earnings on shiny baubles and pieces of string and so will my husband!
I can't tell you how financially lucky we have been this past year - it amazing the turn around we have been through.

But if we do not live by a budget and live frugally - we will be back to struggling - in a very bad way. But because I hate to waste - that helps me in my frugality as well.
I do not believe that poverty equals helplessness at all. I believe a totally broken spirit leads to helplessness, thus making a poverty a way of life instead of stopping off point on one's road.

**mmy2grls** · 04-08-2008, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by magaka

I see what you are saying. I am furgal out of need. Or that is how it started. The money situation really has not changed but my MINDSET has changed. If I kept thinking "I HAVE to be frugal" then I felt like I was missing out, but when I changed my mindset to "I am furgal to save money and be able to do more" then it became a game of sorts, and makes it much easier on me to not feel hopeless.

Most (although not all) things can be delt with better when you change how you look at it. Sadly I am not a master of this, but I sure do work on it! LOL

Exactly! Thats how I try to do things.

**krissyre** · 04-08-2008, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by magaka

If I kept thinking "I HAVE to be frugal" then I felt like I was missing out, but when I changed my mindset to "I am furgal to save money and be able to do more" then it became a game of sorts, and makes it much easier on me to not feel hopeless.

I know just what you mean! I was just discussing this with dh the other night.

We've been living pretty frugally for years now, mostly by choice, as we tried to save up money for a down payment on a house. Well, we just bought our home in November, and had to do all sorts of work just to make it liveable. We hadn't had time to build up our savings again when WHAM -- my hours at work were cut in half starting last month. We're struggling to make ends meet, so we have had to cut back pretty drastically.

I was feeling really depressed and realized that it's actually much easier (for me, anyway) to be happy and frugal when times are good than when times are tight.

When I'm being frugal by choice, it's a game and I'm proud of myself for saving money. When I went to the grocery store this week ... well, I didn't feel "frugal". I felt "poor". And, yes, helpless.

I realized that I have to give myself a good kick in the rear and realize that I am NOT helpless. I know that I can change things, slowly, if I just keep working at it. I guess I just have to keep reminding myself of that, when I start to feel down.

**kaykwilts** · 04-08-2008, 11:23 PM

Dave Ramsey says "I've been broke but I've never been poor. Poor is a state of mind.

**Lady_V** · 04-09-2008, 08:02 AM

I've been down on my luck and money, but as tight as things have been, I never considered myself poor... just broke

For me, poor would have been no income, no roof over my head, no help, no signs of changes to come. Broke is having little money to do the things that need to be done. You'd be amazed what you can do when you have to.

Being frugal is a state of mind. You can be rich and frugal (saving money by buying second-hand, planning purchases, creating weekly menus) and poor and non-frugal (buying things full-priced, no coupons, and spending too much because something wasn't completely thought out) .

It's a matter of what you do with what you have.