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Frugal by choice or necessity?

7K views 66 replies 63 participants last post by  Goodwin17 
#1 ·
My point I guess is people think I am nuts when they see my baggies drying on a special line in my kitchen window, and my big backstocks of things like toilet paper and laundry powder that I only buy when extra cheap and then stock up. They think since I am earning similar incomes to them I should be able to spend a lot more. I am sort of frugal by necessity, as if I do not save then I will get no where, but I do save a lot of my earnings as I want to be able to buy a house one day (goal for end of next year at the moment).

So I wanted to know how many people are frugal to get ahead or frugal just to get by? TIA :p :cheer4:
 
#2 ·
My answer is both.

Right now by necessity as DH is once again layed off - Trucking Industry is slowly getting hit. I am also frugal by choice because I want to always be debt free and have a little stuck back for retirement.
 
#6 ·
I am the oldest of 8 children and my dad was/is a teacher. Got married young and DH was enlisted in the USMC, and was for 10 yrs. I have very frugal roots but lost my way after he joined the civilian world and started making more money. I got lazy over the last 9 years and went from being extremely frugal to not caring because we had the money. It's only been since the first of the year that I've been returning to my frugal ways. While frugality isn't a necessity, it has made us feel more at peace.
 
#7 ·
It's been back and forth between the two over the years, but right now, it is by necessity. It's not extremem necessity, but it could easily be and that's why I'm frugal today...to stop that from happening. Lots of changes going on in dh's work and in the world in general. Need to stay frugal to stay on top of it and not let it take us over.
 
#9 ·
By choice - like AmyBoz, I'm trying to be proactive should hard financial times ever hit our household. Also, we have a very aggressive savings goal related to wanting to leave corporate life and do other things at a relatively early age. Since neither DH nor I is going to inherit vast sums of money, frugality is my tool of choice to reach this goal.
 
#11 ·
The amswer os "both" for me as well.

My income has increased dramatically over the past five years. Frugality has allowed me to pay off all of my debts except the house. Things are easier than they were before, so once in a while I go a little crazy with the spending.

But overall, I remain frugal because I am a single mother and I never want to be as poor as I used to be. I have had my utilities cut off for lack of payment and I have had to eat Kraft dinner for a month straight.

"Poor" is doing without because there is no other option.

"Frugal" is going without because that is the option you pick.
 
#12 ·
We are frugal by choice...by making good sound choices, we have been fortunate to have it be a choice rather than a necessity. Ever since we married 23 years ago, we lived on only one salary. Whatever the business profited we banked, and my title officer pay was used for bills. We continued this our entire married life...saving has always been a hugh priority as well as debt free type living. Take care, Katy
 
#13 ·
Being frugal on the things that aren't as important to me, has enabled me to have two houses. We don't eat out, I watch the grocery bill and I walk to work. Some would say that it is too much of a sacrifice. But then those are typically the ones who wonder how we afford it. I think it is all about choices, but then our jobs have never been in jeopardy....
 
#15 ·
I'm sort of an obsessive saver. So I'm sure I could blow through a lot more cash if I wanted, but the idea of buying stuff just for the sake of having the latest and greatest kind of makes me ill. In my life, I've found that the people who have all the latest toys, designer this and that, flashy cars and McMansions tend to be in debt up to their eyeballs. While, some of the wealthiest people I know look like average joes.
 
#16 ·
I have had to be frugal for both reasons in the past. 4 years ago I decided to make frugal living a choice and ever since I have felt much better with my decisions. I have felt financially empowered. I am not making much more money today than I made 4 years ago, but I am able to save money each month and feel good about that :).
 
#18 ·
I guess both but anymore with the economy it feels more like by force. Either way, it is better to make the most of what I have
 
#19 ·
Depends on when you ask me.

It started by necessity but grew to a choice and now its a necessity again. I keep reminding myself that it is a choice because the other option is to loose everything and go on welfare. See I do have a choice I just don't like the other option. :)

There lots of things that will never change. I will never ever no matter how much money I have buy a 350.00 hand bag again. Wish I could have that 350.00 back. So yes its become a choice.
 
#20 ·
I don't -have- to be frugal... I choose to have things like electricity and food :lol:

For us, it's both. Trying to stay afloat in an increasing world. We could eat non-generics, we could get extended cable...

We could spend as little as possible on the things we do want -- which is what we do. Like many people, we are living payday to payday. We live within those paychecks. No credit cards, but no EF yet either.
 
#21 ·
Mostly frugal by choice. And I choose to NOT have to be frugal by necessity! But who knows the future? I want to have a lifestyle that will find me ready.
 
#33 ·
Same here. We never know what the future will bring and I would rather be prepared than panicked if things ever went south.


--Michelle
 
#22 ·
By choice now and in the past. Its always a choice even if you think at the time its a necessity. I could have wasted my money in the past but then I wouldnt be where I am now if I had.
I had very little money so I choose to spend it wisely or go into debt. It was my hard earned cash and I was not going to give it away to make someone else rich.
I am lucky that I am frugal minded by nature (taught by my mum who had 7 children helped )
I started of living in a council house and have ended up owning several houses across England and in Bulgaria.
We were also able to break from being wage slaves 6 years ago. It would have been impossible had I not been frugal.
I love being frugal as I hate waste
 
#27 ·
For us it is both. I grew up in a frugal household. We choose not to spend on certain items. We also chose for me to stay home and finish my graduate degree.
Being a single income household, we have to be frugal. But I could quit school and work and then we would not have to be as frugal.
I believe that even if we had more income, we would still choose frugality. However, we would not need to be as frugal as we are now.
 
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