Do you find it necessary to be frugal or is it your choice to be frugal?

Both! But I find that the more I do things frugally, the less I am inclined to do them any other way that would cost more. "I'm not paying those prices!" is now a common refrain in our household. *grin*

I am in the both camp.

I was raised in a small bayouside community. My grandfather was a fisherman and had to work hard for what he had; he taught his children to be wise with their resources and be responsible. These were my early experiences with it.

I am married a fisherman and learned quick for myself that money gets tight in the off season and all income is left to the mercies of weather, season and if the engine doesn't blow up. We had to save today to make it through off seasons and down times. When my husband switched to a different field, it is still subject to off times and we still have to save to make it through.

 

Yes, both for me too. I grew up in extreme poverty, so learned a frugal way of life from my Mother from necessity.

My husband and I are educated professionals with good jobs but it just makes sense to use our income and resources wisely.

Prudent planning for the future is also wise, so living a frugal lifestyle makes sense for us as we pursue that goal.

SS

ocd dad:

Do you find it necessary to be frugal or is it your choice to be frugal?

 

Isn't everything a choice?  I know people who make more than me and less than me, who choose not to live frugally.   Some end up OK and some, especially those hit with a medical debt and/or job loss, do not end up OK.  A few manage to be be not OK even without those factors but rather by just building up too much debt.  So, it's hard to know if it's necessary for me to be frugal.  It's necessary if I want to avoid the stress of debt, the fear of job loss and the potential of a bankruptcy, but that's true for most americans who don't choose to live frugally.   I suppose I'll say it's a choice for me, but I figure even breathing is a choice.

 

 

Both for me though it hasn't always been so. The feeling now is that some things are way overpriced so I won't pay for them then there's the thrill of getting bargains and of being able to comfortably spend more on occasion. AM

ocd dad:

Do you find it necessary to be frugal or is it your choice to be frugal?

 

Bare with me I am typing with one hand the other is wrapped up in a tight bandage I call it war wound bragging rites of tendentist.     Ok first good question that you have asked do I find it necessary yes I have been poor all my life mom and dad Im living with out of affordable living for me I was homeless mainly pride then I did not wnat no one after I walked out of a bad bad marriage and homeless living in a 5th wheel and drove around in a old pick up that had a ticking time bom gasket it finally blew 3 years ago the pick up was 25 years old but it did its job so now yes I will be poor for the last half of my life stuck here with my senier parents for the rest of their lives I will be helping them so turn around is fair game in life no sometimes life can be nothing but a joke its how you make it poor or not just enjoy life its so short.  It be nice to have money pay off the morgage it be nice to have a place and a job I did not pick this life carma bit me in the neck and Im making the best out of bad fortion so Im going to sit here and cry about it no Im going to enjoy what I have and toast to life in general.

I  was raise frugal  I always knew we had money  Dadddy was generours as was my Mother in law   then later I got my Mothers  estate  I knew we came from money

we choice to live frugal

Both really.  We never had much money when I was a kid but I never realized it until I got older.  In the past I had no choice but to be frugal as a teen single mom.  Later, as I worked my way up, things got easier.  But with the economy the way it is, I want to feel secure so I choose to live frugally because I think it's important to save and not be wasteful.  Prices are rising and wages are not.  I definitely see that in my budget!  I see my parents struggle and I want to get to a point where I can help them as they age.

I've always been frugal, but only "had" to be when I was in my early 20's.  The ex and I made oodles of money and spent freely while saving (me saving...he was a spender).  We traveled extensively and enjoyed life...but the marriage was awful and stressful.

Now, I'm frugal because I want to be.  My house will soon be paid off and while the ex left me with some debt, he didn't want any of the house so I think I made out ok.  I could be paying minimum on the debt and live the good life, but I want my retirement years to be enjoyable so I'm focusing on the debt now.

While I was frugal in my 20's because I had to be, I'm frugal now because I want to do more to save the environment.  Purchasing less new avoiding packaging to fill the land fills, and reusing items found in thrift stores and my own home. Just being a good steward of my blessings I guess. Little or no meat because that might mean one less abused animal. For the same reason (and health reasons), I buy chicken and beef that are grass fed and organic (no hormones or antibiotics) and 90% of my non-meat purchases are organic.