Have you ever been teased for being frugal?

**Shell** · 12-28-2002, 11:11 PM

A few years ago when I first read the TWG and was trying to pay off my cc's I was really teased and called a miser. I must confess it hurt. Years later, the ones who teased me are still broke or bankrupt. Now I look back and know I made the right choices with a new home and money in the bank. Have any of you been teased for watching your pennies?

**homesteadmamma** · 12-28-2002, 11:14 PM

Yes, but I learnt a long time ago that if I let it bother me, I'd be one unhappy lady and so I just let it pass.

Like you, those who teased are still paying off cc. We now have our dream home and we paid cash for it.

**heaven** · 12-28-2002, 11:15 PM

yes and you know what it is fine with me. I have to be, i just don't have the money to go spend like some people i know and that is fine. I would rather know that if something happens i will be prepared.

**halo475** · 12-28-2002, 11:52 PM

Mostly by my teenagers!! LOL They often tease me when I finally throw something away by saying-"are you sure you are done with that?? Can't you use it for something else" Laughingly and lovingly they tease.
I am slowly but surely trying to reteach them to be more frugal and much less wasteful-sometimes its like slamming my head against a brick wall though, and they just can't/don't/won't see the BIG picture.
Progress is being made though!!

**justjenn** · 12-28-2002, 11:54 PM

Yea, I get teased about it all the time at work. But, I don't let it get to me, because I know that it is helping us and not hurting us.

**Lori Biever-Launder** · 12-29-2002, 02:14 AM

My mom is my champion for me in Oklahoma, where a lot of my relatives live. One Christmas, my youngest cousin was cutting turkey off the carcass for our grandmother. Mom said, "Lori makes soup from the bones." Kim replied, "Oh, I couldn't be bothered." When Mom told me this, I said, "Well, now we know why Kim is living in a very ratty rental house (nothing against renters!) and we own a big old house to rattle around in!" I'll eat turkey soup every day of the year if it means I get my great old house for us simply because we're being frugal!

**captclearance** · 12-29-2002, 06:37 AM

Yes, many times..... Now I consider it a badge when someone calls me a tightwad...... My Sister was always my biggest fan on the money I saved, now she's a tightwad too !!!! Dh used to laugh at me, but not anymore !!!!!!

Mosrt peole don't know how cheep I am, they just think we are resourseful and imaginative !!!! and guess what ???? WE ARE !!!! It came from many, many years of thinking frugal.....

**Patchworkgirl** · 12-29-2002, 07:57 AM

Halo- my teenagers are the same way!! But I am hoping that years down the road when they are faced with their own budget that they will remember all the frugal things I did, and hopefully won't hesitate to do them also!!

**Shell** · 12-29-2002, 07:14 PM

Lori, I also make homemade turkey soup and have been teased about it. Not only is the soup frugal but I just love it on a cold day or when I am sick. Yummy!

**katiebug** · 12-29-2002, 07:33 PM

Most of my close friends are frugal, too.....actually, I was the last holdout, lol. Sometimes my spendthrift BIL teases me about the stuff I do, but it doesn't bother me at all. I am kind of careful, though, about how I share my frugality with not-as-close friends. I will share things like good deals on clothes for the kids with my not-as-close friends, but some of the truly tightwad stuff I do, I wouldn't share. I am proud of the way I handle our finances, and if asked, I would certainly share what I know, but some people just aren't ready to hear it yet.....they need to get in even deeper financial hot water before washing baggies and freezing leftovers sound like good ideas

.

**Darlene** · 12-29-2002, 07:53 PM

Sure I've been teased but this is what I say to my kids. Who is more silly ? Those who pay full price or those that pay less for the same thing? Let them laugh if they want...but who is going to be the one content with "money in the bank"? Put savings away for a rainy day and you will be rewarded with peace of mind and choices you may not have been able to make if you weren't so responsible and frugal.

**AmyBoz** · 12-29-2002, 09:59 PM

My friends don't necessarily tease, but they don't really get it either. However, an interesting thing happened this weekend. I got together with a few friends from when I was little and we were all talking about what we've been up to. My one friend who lives in NYC was talking about a recent shopping trip. She was telling how she bought a Coach purse on a whim, then looked at me and got an embarassed look on her face and started stammering about how it was a really good deal and not as expensive as they usually are. I just thought it was interesting that she was trying to defend her purchase to me. It was almost as if she realized that in my head I was thinking, "Good Lord! I could feed my family for 2 months with what she spent for that purse!"

At work, they are just amazed at what I save. They tease, but it's a loving type of tease, because they always ask me to explain how I do it, and even wanted me to teach a class on it.

**nealy** · 12-29-2002, 10:23 PM

I haven't had anyone make fun of me but I don't share many of the frugal things that I do. I have one friend that thinks my frugality is a good thing and has make changes herself. I don't tell many people that I haven't purchased new clothing for either of my children in over a year. I either go thrift If I need or I have things given to me. My step mother has other grandchildren and I get their hand me downs, gratefully. I get my furniture on the side of the road. My boys dresser was next to a dumpster. It is in good shape. My throw pillows are from the thrift store as well. I am proud of my frugal ways, it lets me have the best thing in the world, the ability to stay home with my family.

Nealy

**mrscornbread** · 12-30-2002, 01:08 AM

I could care less what people think of me as long as I know that I am doing all I can to better the lives of my kids and myself. How funny that is because they are the ones who tease me the most. I love finding things in the trash, about a month ago, I passed up a beautiful like new birdcage because they had a friend in the car with us and said they might "die" if he new I was a "trash picker"...I wish I had a badge that said trash picker on it, I would wear it to open house and pay them back for letting me let that bird cage go!

**dolphin** · 12-30-2002, 02:46 AM

All of my sisters and my mom made fun of me for shopping at the discount and thrift stores untill!!!!!!!! One year I made each of them beautiful Christmas baskets filled with all of their favorite collectibles for less than $10.00 a basket and I found my Mom a drop dead mother of the bride dress to wear to my sis's unscheduled wedding. Mom is hard to fit so when I found that gorgeous dress for under $25.00 she was thrilled. They don't laugh at me anymore.

They are all now shopping where I shoped. LOL

I have told people I work with that something like my shoes cost $1.00 at the thrift store and they would say. I wouldn't tell that. LOL I don't care. It's their fault they pay $45.00 for a pair of tennis shoes that I can get for $1.00.