is living a frugal life cool?

Question

i drive older cars that i own, and fix up. i live in a house that i own and am rebuilding. i shop at used stores to buy close and stuff that i need. i have a injoyable home intertianment center. but its not all brand new. i save plenty of money for buying my tools, and traveling , and have a nuff money saved in case i want to change my life, i am not in a trap. am i missing out ? i feel like woman dont think i am good enough for them because i dont have the flashy things, but i would rather live this way than the other way (in dept all the time) am i missing out ? should i change ? how do people really look at me what do they think ? men and woman both. and i allso have plenty of money to buy good beer, dark and light. but i prefur dark i like it all as long as its a micro. help me should i change and expereince what its like to have more and live in dept is it worth it ?

Answer 1

yes

Answer 2

Nothing wrong with frugality. As you say, it leaves more money for spending on the good things in life.

You do have to decide where frugal stops and skin-flint starts though. And that limit might not be the same for another person as it is for you.

At least you can choose to live your life that way. Some people have to become artists at stretching a pound because that is how life has dealt the cards out.

It is interesting that while you are being ultra careful about how you spend your money, you happen to own your car, your house and your tools. Some people rent all that, pay the cards and when their life takes a funny turn are left with only the clothes they are wearing.

As the saying goes, look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves...

God! I miss a good pint of real ale brewed in Kent! Good thing we have EasyJet, RyanAir and all the others. I can actually consider flying up to England from Spain for a pint of beer and spend less money than I would to travel 600 kilometres within Spain! Frugality has its bonuses!

And the tip about that microbrewery in Portland reminds me about a new Bavarian microbrewery that opened recently here. Must check it out. Obviously have to get the hang of this frugality thing...

Answer 3

Hello!, And I am proud to say Hello, to someone with a good head on their shoulders.
There are far to many people out there living high and do not pay their bills, or at least not on time. They have to have the newest this or that. They do not know the satisfaction of being happy with saving and doing with what you have. They also party with no concern for bills or the fact they are cheating when that check bounces. They live a very dishonest life and I personally do not know how they sleep at night. I will sleep well knowing my bills are paid on time and I don't have charge cards to the max. I may not wear fancy clothes but mine are clean and decent and that is all that matters. I don't need the latest new items on the market and I love shopping at the dollar store. Frugal is cool.

Answer 4

I live in an ex-council house with a small mortgage, we have 2 cars corsa and zafira, we are a family of 4 (+3 step children at the weekend) I shop at asda, we eat out sometimes. We live comfortable, both of us are on average wages at the moment. I believe that if you haven't got it you can't spend it, therefore we have no credit cards, loans etc. My point is we are a happy family getting along without massive luxuries and we are not in debt (other than the mortgage). It's really whatever suits you, if you are happy that way that is fine because you are happy but my view is that you are too long dead and you need to grab every oportunity to make your life something because before you know it, it will be gone. You don't need to be in debt if you want to change!!

Answer 5

Living a frugal life is VERY cool, for a lot of cool reasons, and no I don't think you're missing out. First of all... everything you have is YOURS, to a degree that somebody who's making minimum payments on a slew of credit cards can never really understand. You know intimately how the things in your life work, fit together, and are constructed -- because you put them there. And as you get more practice with your tools and with your projects, you can begin to change things to suit your own tastes, preferences and style.

And if you encounter a woman who thinks you're not good enough for her because you don't have flashy things... consider that she's not good enough for YOU because she's hung up on flashy things. You just need to hang out with a better class of woman, one who understands and appreciates what you're doing.

Debt is bad. People who are in it tend not to understand HOW bad. It sucks away your life, because the debt lasts SOOOO much longer than the stuff you buy with it, so you have to buy more things, which means you have more debt... and sooner or later you reach the point where you can't buy new things any more because you have too much debt.

So no, I live in a very similar way -- no car payments, and only a small balance on the card I use for business travel (which means I get reimbursed, which means I keep it paid down). My only debt is the mortgage, and we're working on paying that down as fast as possible. And what our lives lack in latest/newest/flashiest, they more than make up in character, individuality, and freedom.

What's that worth to you?

(And as for good beer... next time you're traveling, come to Portland, Oregon and check out the McMenamin's string of brewpubs. And if you can't make it up here, at least look out for Black Butte Porter if you like dark beers.)

Answer 6

We shop thrift stores. Every week we sit down and make a budget and don't spend any more than that. We have cut out eating out. Also, instead of buying bottled water, buy a filter for your tap. They even make ones that will flavor your H2O. They cost about $25 but this will save in the long run. Lastly, stay away from the inner aisles of your grocery store. That is where the most expensive and unhealthy food is. Believe it or not fresh is cheaper. I have cut my grocery bill by $30 a week by doing this.

Answer 7

its whatever make you happy, not someone else. if yopu start jumping thru hoops to please a prospective other... its gets boriing very quickly.

im in the same boat, my volvo is 19... my council house is still owned byt he council, and i last went on holiday in 1986... yet im happy. my sound system is from teh 70's, (its quality) my PC is 3yrs old, my clothes are from charity shops..where else can you buy a paul smith shirt for 3 quid, or levi 501 for a fiver?

and guess what, NO DEBT... i sleep soundly at night. as do my wife and kids. mind you i do have 5 motorbikes... and some very expensive camera gear... but its wht i choose to spend it on. really, if theres a roof over your head, you eat 3 meals a day and have a job, then your better off than 90% of the rest of the world...

and if a woman is only interested in bling..then shes onviously a glodigger and not worth the effort. rich or poor we are what we are. clothes do not maketh the man. intellect does.

Answer 8

Yes, of course it is.
2 live a life without Debt is far more rewarding than having all the mod-cons & stressed-out.
round of applause from me.
don't ever change.
may i make a suggestion?
ur looking 4 the wrong sort of woman if they don't find ur life interesting & cool.
i'm spoken 4 but i would definately give u a go.
where do u find a girl like me?
try the local internet cafe.
a library, book store or health-food shop.

good luck, she's out there somewhere.
don't give up now.
:)

Answer 9

Come on the Hoop's! Go scotland

Answer 10

Actually, if you like to live your life in this manner, then it's your choice, don't change youself for anyone, only if you love someone so much that you cannot live without them, only then and then only should you try to change yourself.

Answer 11

It sounds good, but you could do with improving your literacy. Not being rude - it's a genuine tip and there's loads of free courses available to help with this :)