Comments on: What does it mean to be frugal? Here’s one perspective. http://thecouponproject.com/2009/08/what-does-it-mean-to-be-frugal-heres-one-perspective.html Discover a better bottom line. Tue, 22 May 2012 16:58:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Maegen http://thecouponproject.com/2009/08/what-does-it-mean-to-be-frugal-heres-one-perspective.html/comment-page-1#comment-144134 Maegen Thu, 29 Mar 2012 23:20:24 +0000 http://localhost/wp_coupon/?p=1339#comment-144134 I always think of the way folks Used to live. When my mom was growing up she had two or three dresses she wore to school and one for Sunday. That was it. It wasn't because they were poor; it was because not so long ago we didn't all have the urge to consume (and I'm including myself here, believe me). I was very close to my Grandparents and my Great Aunt and Uncle. They had lived through the depression and both World Wars, so it simply wasn't in their nature to waste. You didn't pour more cereal than you were going to eat; you didn't shop because you were bored. At the same time, they were very generous people, and they never hesitated to buy something lovely and useful. They just didn't buy things simply to buy them or because they were a bargain. They were frugal, but they lived rich lives. I always think of the way folks Used to live.

When my mom was growing up she had two or three dresses she wore to school and one for Sunday. That was it.
It wasn’t because they were poor; it was because not so long ago we didn’t all have the urge to consume (and I’m including myself here, believe me).

I was very close to my Grandparents and my Great Aunt and Uncle. They had lived through the depression and both World Wars, so it simply wasn’t in their nature to waste. You didn’t pour more cereal than you were going to eat; you didn’t shop because you were bored. At the same time, they were very generous people, and they never hesitated to buy something lovely and useful. They just didn’t buy things simply to buy them or because they were a bargain.

They were frugal, but they lived rich lives.

]]> By: Carrie http://thecouponproject.com/2009/08/what-does-it-mean-to-be-frugal-heres-one-perspective.html/comment-page-1#comment-2301 Carrie Tue, 12 Jan 2010 10:54:40 +0000 http://localhost/wp_coupon/?p=1339#comment-2301 As someone who started life as one of the "pay more, keep it forever" people (with a closetful of 10-16 year old "expensive" sweaters), and who has now morphed into the "couponing, bargin hunting" type - I LOVED THIS POST! I think you can do both. My goal is to find good deals on quality stuff (i.e. right now I'm wearing a classic L.L. Bean wool sweater that I got on sale and has lasted for years). I love being able to save money at the grocery, but I had to curb my beginners coupon enthusiasm and bring it back to a down-to-earth-I'd-buy-it-anyway reality. If I kept my grocery list the same, but found coupons for those items, then I was saving money. If I had coupons for items I wouldn't buy normally, then I wasn't saving anything. [SIGH] I know there is middle ground, but I'm just arriving and it has been a long trip. :-) Thanks for helping me know I'm not alone! As someone who started life as one of the “pay more, keep it forever” people (with a closetful of 10-16 year old “expensive” sweaters), and who has now morphed into the “couponing, bargin hunting” type – I LOVED THIS POST! I think you can do both. My goal is to find good deals on quality stuff (i.e. right now I’m wearing a classic L.L. Bean wool sweater that I got on sale and has lasted for years). I love being able to save money at the grocery, but I had to curb my beginners coupon enthusiasm and bring it back to a down-to-earth-I’d-buy-it-anyway reality. If I kept my grocery list the same, but found coupons for those items, then I was saving money. If I had coupons for items I wouldn’t buy normally, then I wasn’t saving anything. [SIGH] I know there is middle ground, but I’m just arriving and it has been a long trip. :-) Thanks for helping me know I’m not alone!

]]> By: Taylor http://thecouponproject.com/2009/08/what-does-it-mean-to-be-frugal-heres-one-perspective.html/comment-page-1#comment-2300 Taylor Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:18:39 +0000 http://localhost/wp_coupon/?p=1339#comment-2300 I just wanted to say thanks for posting this-- not many of the deals blogs have articles like this one. Your thoughts are exactly the thoughts I have been having recently. Couponing is something to be done in moderation, otherwise at the end of the day, you can realize that in running after all the deals, you have missed out on greater opportunities in this life-- like being the wife and mother I am suppose to be. Hard-core couponing brings out some parts of me I don't like-- how I am excessively crazed about saving every dollar when I am doing my deals, how I am so "focused" when I am doing my deal runs (so much so that I glaze over other opportunities, like talking with an older lady who stops to admire my kids-- how much it would make her day to chat a few minutes with her! But NOOOO, I've gotta do my deals before someone else in the stores gets them before me!!) I don't like going into stores and everyone knows me as the couponer. I also don't like the tons of stuff that just lingers around our home that we don't need. I have always thought of myself as environmentally conscious (recycling and all), but am I really when I have bought enough plastic and cardboard-packaged stuff to fill a dumspter? Well, I am really rethinking my role in the coupon world. Where is the middle ground-- and what is it all worth? Thanks for sharing what's on your mind. I just wanted to say thanks for posting this– not many of the deals blogs have articles like this one. Your thoughts are exactly the thoughts I have been having recently. Couponing is something to be done in moderation, otherwise at the end of the day, you can realize that in running after all the deals, you have missed out on greater opportunities in this life– like being the wife and mother I am suppose to be. Hard-core couponing brings out some parts of me I don’t like– how I am excessively crazed about saving every dollar when I am doing my deals, how I am so “focused” when I am doing my deal runs (so much so that I glaze over other opportunities, like talking with an older lady who stops to admire my kids– how much it would make her day to chat a few minutes with her! But NOOOO, I’ve gotta do my deals before someone else in the stores gets them before me!!) I don’t like going into stores and everyone knows me as the couponer. I also don’t like the tons of stuff that just lingers around our home that we don’t need. I have always thought of myself as environmentally conscious (recycling and all), but am I really when I have bought enough plastic and cardboard-packaged stuff to fill a dumspter? Well, I am really rethinking my role in the coupon world. Where is the middle ground– and what is it all worth? Thanks for sharing what’s on your mind.

]]> By: niki http://thecouponproject.com/2009/08/what-does-it-mean-to-be-frugal-heres-one-perspective.html/comment-page-1#comment-2299 niki Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:21:19 +0000 http://localhost/wp_coupon/?p=1339#comment-2299 This was a great article...you really hit the nail on the head! Thanks for sharing. I am new to your blog and enjoying it so far. Come by and visit me sometime. :) This was a great article…you really hit the nail on the head! Thanks for sharing.

I am new to your blog and enjoying it so far. Come by and visit me sometime.
:)

]]> By: Angela Russell http://thecouponproject.com/2009/08/what-does-it-mean-to-be-frugal-heres-one-perspective.html/comment-page-1#comment-2298 Angela Russell Mon, 03 Aug 2009 13:44:29 +0000 http://localhost/wp_coupon/?p=1339#comment-2298 I think it is so easy to stress about getting every deal. But doesn't that defeat the purpose of trying to achieve a better balanced life? Life is to be enjoyed, not wasted stressing over a missed Walgreens Register Reward! LOL! Thanks all for your comments. I think it is so easy to stress about getting every deal. But doesn’t that defeat the purpose of trying to achieve a better balanced life? Life is to be enjoyed, not wasted stressing over a missed Walgreens Register Reward! LOL!

Thanks all for your comments.

]]> By: Laura http://thecouponproject.com/2009/08/what-does-it-mean-to-be-frugal-heres-one-perspective.html/comment-page-1#comment-2297 Laura Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:41:09 +0000 http://localhost/wp_coupon/?p=1339#comment-2297 That was EXACTLY what I needed to read today. Thanks. :) That was EXACTLY what I needed to read today. Thanks. :)

]]> By: Kelley http://thecouponproject.com/2009/08/what-does-it-mean-to-be-frugal-heres-one-perspective.html/comment-page-1#comment-2296 Kelley Mon, 03 Aug 2009 09:25:26 +0000 http://localhost/wp_coupon/?p=1339#comment-2296 Nice! Thank you for this, I've been stressed about missing out on deals and I stay home instead but feel "guilty" that I didn't go for it anyway! Silly right?? Thanks for the permisssion to sit back and think. You don't HAVE to do every deal. Especially when you have no room in your freezer/fridge/cupboards anyway! Nice! Thank you for this, I’ve been stressed about missing out on deals and I stay home instead but feel “guilty” that I didn’t go for it anyway! Silly right?? Thanks for the permisssion to sit back and think. You don’t HAVE to do every deal. Especially when you have no room in your freezer/fridge/cupboards anyway!

]]> By: Angela Russell http://thecouponproject.com/2009/08/what-does-it-mean-to-be-frugal-heres-one-perspective.html/comment-page-1#comment-2295 Angela Russell Mon, 03 Aug 2009 09:13:59 +0000 http://localhost/wp_coupon/?p=1339#comment-2295 The flip side to this (that I didn't delve into) is that potentially a person who spends good money on quality things could also be considered frugal provided he/she enjoys and uses all those things. So someone that spends $100 on a nice sweater and wears it often could be conisdered more frugal than someone who buys 10 for $100 and never wears them. Interesting thought, huh? The flip side to this (that I didn’t delve into) is that potentially a person who spends good money on quality things could also be considered frugal provided he/she enjoys and uses all those things. So someone that spends $100 on a nice sweater and wears it often could be conisdered more frugal than someone who buys 10 for $100 and never wears them. Interesting thought, huh?

]]> By: Keri http://thecouponproject.com/2009/08/what-does-it-mean-to-be-frugal-heres-one-perspective.html/comment-page-1#comment-2294 Keri Mon, 03 Aug 2009 08:25:36 +0000 http://localhost/wp_coupon/?p=1339#comment-2294 Great article, Ang!!! I love the unexpected surprise of checking your blog for deals this morning, only to find myself checking my heart instead. :) I love the last quote-not too much, not too little, just right. Makes me think about God's design for our planet-He made it pefectly sustainable, but we've created the excess junk! Wait, does that mean that God is frugal?!!? Alrighty, that's a whole different topic so I'll end now. Thanks for your thoughts. Great article, Ang!!! I love the unexpected surprise of checking your blog for deals this morning, only to find myself checking my heart instead. :) I love the last quote-not too much, not too little, just right. Makes me think about God’s design for our planet-He made it pefectly sustainable, but we’ve created the excess junk! Wait, does that mean that God is frugal?!!? Alrighty, that’s a whole different topic so I’ll end now. Thanks for your thoughts.

]]> By: Jennifer http://thecouponproject.com/2009/08/what-does-it-mean-to-be-frugal-heres-one-perspective.html/comment-page-1#comment-2293 Jennifer Mon, 03 Aug 2009 07:36:01 +0000 http://localhost/wp_coupon/?p=1339#comment-2293 Great thoughts! You've really made me stop and think. Great thoughts! You’ve really made me stop and think.

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