What is it you don't like about frugal living?

**Dancing Lotus** · 12-03-2007, 03:02 PM

I gotta be honest, I love streaching my food budget to the max. I like chaseing the next deal on Toilet paper, LOL . I know IM sick. But what I dont like is my clothing budget. Thats the one thing I just dont wanna be cheap about. I have to be but I dont want to be. I think some of it has to do with my size. I am not a skinny girl so a lot of the clothing that I like doesnt come in my size. I can buy clothes that are my taste but I have to pay more for them. And honestly If i like something I dont care what it costs but I have to care becuase I just cant afford not to.

What is the one thing that you would change if you have the money to blow?

**guest002** · 12-03-2007, 03:05 PM

I'm not frugal on my clothes or makeup. I'm just not. I'd rather be frugal on grocery, household items, and utilties. They are much less noticable to me.

**Cricket1** · 12-03-2007, 04:12 PM

I could EASILY be the type of person that shops daily (for anything--clothes, food, etc.) because I've always viewed it as fun and recreation. The fact that I CAN'T do that every day, is one thing that I don't like!!!

**yonksgirl** · 12-03-2007, 04:17 PM

I would say I am not frugal on clothing, makeup, or hair products. Pretty much anything that touches mine or my family's skin ex. soaps ect. Granted if I find it on sale awsome but I have the brands I like.

**DAAC3DEC** · 12-03-2007, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by Cricket1

I could EASILY be the type of person that shops daily (for anything--clothes, food, etc.) because I've always viewed it as fun and recreation. The fact that I CAN'T do that every day, is one thing that I don't like!!!

this is me as well, shopping is shopping to me, it is all fun---feeling down- shop, happy-shop---it is my cardio!!!!

(oooops....was)

**tbs727** · 12-03-2007, 05:15 PM

I love buying new clothes. I have to be careful and I HAVE to budget for it, otherwise I will spend way too much! Other than that, I don't like doing really monotonous things like cleaning things to reuse. If it's not fun, I won't stick to it.

**acidcookie** · 12-03-2007, 05:54 PM

I just don't like having to be constantly aware of what I'm doing with my money. Sometime I just want to do whatever i want--get that latte and then stroll through stores, buy some interesting jewelry I see, and then say "sure, let's go to dinner and get some ice cream!" Ya know?

**Jamauk** · 12-03-2007, 06:19 PM

It would have to be my clohting budget (or lack of one). I'm always excited to get great finds for the kids (Gap shirts for $3, Gymboree pants for $5, etc...) but I would never let them go without something. For instance, my older son right now really needs a few new sweatshirts as he just went through a growth spurt - so I'll head out tomorrow and pick some up, as cheaply as I can.

But I just can't do the same for myself. I desprately need some new shoes. I have no winter shoes that will keep my feet dry. I wore my running shoes yesterday in a down pour/snowstorm and my feet got soaked. I'm ordering a new pair of boots tonight on line and I'm just P.O'd about having to spend the money - even though we won't miss any meals because of it.

I just have a hard time buying something that I *need*....I guess its the martyr in me!

**PrairieRose** · 12-03-2007, 06:22 PM

I'm frugal in some areas and not so in others. I do buy clothes but always on sale, on the clearance racks, at the thrift stores BUT then I buy junk jewelry.....sigh. I always buy it on sale for about 80% off but really I don't ever need anymore, as long as I live....I'm trying to work on that impulse. Most of the time, I'm.trying

**Dancing Lotus** · 12-03-2007, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by acidcookie

I just don't like having to be constantly aware of what I'm doing with my money. Sometime I just want to do whatever i want--get that latte and then stroll through stores, buy some interesting jewelry I see, and then say "sure, let's go to dinner and get some ice cream!" Ya know?

Yhea I do know, I couldn't have said it any better. Sometimes I feel like I am at war with the retail world and I need to retreat.

**amlitrocks** · 12-03-2007, 11:20 PM

I hate worrying about every penny. I guess wondering if I have a coupon for this or rebate for this. It is exhausting!

**Kitten20** · 12-03-2007, 11:29 PM

Acidcookie summed it up best for me. There isn't really one particular thing I don't like. I don't need much in the way of entertainment or shopping, but it sucks that when I get the itch to go out for dinner or buy myself somethin', I need to think twice - or three times...

Well, I just thought of something else. My DBF is somewhat of a spendthrift and I am the money manager of the household (aka Nerd), so I am always the bad guy who has to say NO! I could really do without that.

Originally Posted by acidcookie

I just don't like having to be constantly aware of what I'm doing with my money. Sometime I just want to do whatever i want--get that latte and then stroll through stores, buy some interesting jewelry I see, and then say "sure, let's go to dinner and get some ice cream!" Ya know?

**forHISglory** · 12-03-2007, 11:35 PM

Hi, I could have written almost everything you all wrote. Clothes were my big luxury. I always justified it that I needed to keep up my professional wardrobe, which was true..... to a point. Now that I'm retired, I have a closet full of professional clothes that I wear once a week to church. But does that stop me from looking? from touching the fabrics on the racks? from dreaming? no.......

The other things that I miss are my hobbies. I love to read, and a great pleasure to me was getting coffee and strolling thru the bookstore, sitting down to read a bit and buying the book. I still read, but some of what I want to read has to wait a bit now until the library gets it, or I find it second hand. I also like to scrapbook, and I loved looking at and using the latest stamps, papers, etc. Any ideas out there about really cheap ways to scrapbook?

This will sound strange, but when I retired, I actually went through a grieving stage, mourning the life I had had. Part of that included having the extra money for some of those little luxuries.

Excuse me now while I settle down with a cup of home brewed coffee and take a look at my latest second hand book!

**chatterweb** · 12-03-2007, 11:53 PM

Originally Posted by Kitten20

Well, I just thought of something else. My DBF is somewhat of a spendthrift and I am the money manager of the household (aka Nerd), so I am always the bad guy who has to say NO! I could really do without that.

I am in the same boat, but my Hubby is getting better.

When I ask him to leave his credit card at home, he does.

It is the trips he takes that he needs 200.00 for I get anxious about.

**mickee311** · 12-04-2007, 12:07 AM

The main thing I don't like is the fact that I can't buy anything for myself w/o feeling incredibly guilty and taking it back, whatever it may be. I haven't bought new clothes in I don't know how long, done anything for myself for as long as I cn remember...The second I get a hold of extra money, it goes towards something for the kids or the house...Or a bill that isn't even close to being due. I just fel like I don't need anything and I'd rather do for everyone else before myself. Ugh. I just feel so guilty even thinking about shopping for myself! Even after losing 160 lbs I couldn't bring myself to buy anything but a couple pairs of jeans (off Ebay) and a few clearance shirts at Old Navy that weren't more than $3 a piece. And that was a couple of years ago. I really piss myself off sometimes because I know I need stuff but I pick everyone else over myself. lol I haven't even bothered with maternity clothes, I just wear yoga pants and DH's shirts.