I think it may just appear that way because women are traditionally the ones more involved with housekeeping/homemaking, & are thus more exposed to situations where frugality is easier to accomplish on a regular basis where it really counts.

I think there are more women on this forum than men aswell. Unfortunately gardening is most closely associated with flowers which are considered femenine, theres a stigma against men and gardening, to bad I hate yards eh.

I don't know if there is any significance to a gender theory. Consider all the stereotypes of women going out and shopping, while I know women like this, I myself detest shopping. My dad was always far more frugal than my mother, who favored credit card binges. and DH is a spender. I think it goes back to your attitudes about money, and what you equate "value" with. does something have value in a monetary way? a sentimental way? a useful way? And some people spend just to make themselves feel like they are "better" I am not sure gender has much to do with it, but I do think maybe upbringing, genetics and insecurities do.

Person A might want to spend because he wants have possessions to make it LOOK like he is doing well, but all the while his debt is mounting and he is miserable... that sadness leads to MORE spending because he wants to keep the image up, and enjoy the momentary joy of a new "toy".
While person B is content with the coffee grounds her husband brings her from starbuck's for fertilizer. flowers from the side of the road, and would be overjoyed at the thought of her spouse dumpster diving (carefully) for the necessities of the family. They are 2 VERY different people, but I am not sure the gender is the defining quality.

On the other hand... I wonder, how many of these frugal women are stay-at-home moms? Maybe that is one factor too. I know I search for little victories wherever they come and sometimes scrapping a needed item from someone who was going to toss it is a nice thrill in my little world :) And it goes without saying... necessity plays a HUGE role.

*watching the thread for other people's input and opinions*

45% of american households have more credit card debt than yearly income

I am not so sure I agree with that figure......I work with loan applications for a living and pull credit reports daily. I would expect the 45% figure to be on an identified segment of the population (such as the unemployed, single parents,renters, etc). The consumer is getting smarter, many are consolidating revolving debt with home equity lines. That said, there are still many households out there with revolving debt that can choke the family budget. The bankruptcy laws were changed for a reason. Suz

I got that figure from Eric Kufel, the new CEO of Rich Dad Poor Dad, not sure about the source they used but I figure if anyone is reliable its them.

RDPD is a huge marketing machine. I have read the original book and never recall that statistic. It's huge, and I would have used it in my finance classes. My customer base maintains about a 10% debt to income ratio on total debt, including installment loans (not counting real estate). The individuals that are deepest in debt are the college grads with student loans, car loans and paying the price for credit cards while in school. But even then, the majority are at 20% (total debt). Suz

My husband is the Frugal King!!
He would be proud that I am visiting this site.

He measures success in our home renovation project in terms of what percentage of the room was done using salvaged materials.
Examples:
Free living room and dining room carpet, sunroom carpet, sheet rock in several rooms, screen room all lumber free, free paint for several rooms, paint for exterior of house and shop, etc., etc..

And all are brand new materials except the indoor/outdoor carpet in the sunroom.

I on the other hand am impatient and usually pay too much for everything - he's working on me though.

Well my definition of frugal is "getting good value" not neccessarily not spending. I am frugal whenever possible so I can use my money for other things. I feel we live much nicer than a lot of our contemporaries because I shop sales,recycle laundry detergent bottles into watering cans and mini blinds into plant markers as well as making my own compost.

Kathy

One of the problems of being frugal (as experience has taught me by living with DH) is the JUNK that comes with the attitude. I am constantly having to deal with something we may or may not need in a few days or a few years. Nothing like having a set of tires laying around, or a neighbor's old window (or two) because we MAY make a cold frame or may take it to the cabin......very frustrating. Suz

I've only had one BF who was more frugal than I was, and he was just plain CHEAP! It finally broke us up, when he insisted that I and my son could drink store brand sodas, but he got name brand.

Most of the men I know are frugal in some things, and spendthrifts in others. Like my ex would buy clothes from thrift shops, but spend $150 on golf shoes, and always had to have the best golf balls. Now that we're split, he's way over his head in debt from buying a car he couldn't afford. He used to laugh at my frugal ways, but who's laughing now? I'm living on half of what he makes, and living pretty darned well too, own my own home, and don't really do without anything I actually need. He's working 60 hours a week to just pay the bills in a rented apartment. Yes, he has a new vehicle, but he eats Ramen Noodles three nights a week.

I just think most women put more thought into what they spend, and men act more on impulse.

"My customer base maintains about a 10% debt to income ratio on total debt, including installment loans (not counting real estate)"..

Hi,

Not counting real estate debt is leaving a BIG piece out of the debt equation. Especially now of days, as can be seen with the raise in interest only loans.

I read a few weeks ago, in the WSJ, that 70% of the households in the US, live paycheck to paycheck.

Living frugally and simply is the way to a worry free life.

Drafted,
Absolutely that's a big hole....That's what I do, figure how much more people can go into debt:)
Suz

I've only had one BF who was more frugal than I was, and he was just plain CHEAP! It finally broke us up, when he insisted that I and my son could drink store brand sodas, but he got name brand.

That's not a problem with frugality, that's just plain bad manners.

So Mandy, I have a question then. Do men or women have greater unsecured debt? My DH was awful with the credit cards, and finally I convinced him to do a low interest consolidation, and I closed all his accounts, and cut up the cards >:-)> Evil woman that I am :) But it would have been the reverse as far as gender for my parents. So in general... who has more unsecured? And who has more secured? And who has more debt in general? Or is it totally genderless idiocy that drives credit card debt? :)

*unsecured=credit cards, secured=debt against collateral, like a home loan, or car loan

This little article in Forbes. Pay attention to some of the notes about the vehicles chosen... it seems to suggest that women buy vehicles more for value, men more for power. But as evidenced by the land rover... women make mistakes too :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Forbes: best-selling cars by gender

Vernonia,
(Disclaimer here, this is based on my personal observations only!)

Believe it or not, I would have to break it down by married vs. single for the most debt. Married women (or recently separated women) carry more revolving debt than single women. Single men carry more revolving debt than married men. Overall, if I had to break it down, sorry to say, the ladies have the worse track record for having credit card debt.

That said, the ones I am really worried about are the folks that are cashing out the equity in their homes to payoff credit card debt, then do not destroy their credit cards....and rack them back up again. Bankruptcy laws are being changed, and it won't be long before these folks won't be able to walk away from their debt and will be forced into a restructure of debt. In this case, rightfully so. It's the families with the medical catastrophe that will never be able to recover, which is sad. (sorry, leaving soapbox now). Suz

Greening, yes, that too. hehehe

He dumped a lot of his old "unwanteds" at my house when I was out of town once. An old recliner that was horrid (he bought himself a new used one), a bunch of exercise equipment. I gave them all to Goodwill, but boy, did we have a fight over that!

There are so many factors that can lead to frugality. I was raised by 2 parents who were born in Europe during WWII and suffered the hunger and deprivation that came from being civilians in a war zone. Even in this country they never had much money--my dad was a starving artist raising 4 kids. I was the oldest and most aware of their financial difficulties. My husband also grew up in a not-so-wealthy home. To this day, even though we both make good salaries and have finally reached a point where we don't have to worry about our expenditures, we are both very careful about how we spend money, often being much more frugal than strictly necessary. It can be a hard habit to break. I fully understand how some wealthy people can be extremely miserly, and live in virtual poverty despite their assets!!

On the upside, our only outstanding debt is our mortgage! And I recycle, reuse, compost, etc.as much as possible, and I love this site!

I have to agree with Vernonia's first reply.
I am frugal,but only because my mother wasted so much money to "comfort herself"(it was retail therapy) over her supposed terrible life that she created by wasting money and having nothing left.

I learnt from her mistakes.

I am not frugal to point of obsession,but I have gotten over her issues that became mine,and I dont have to spend to compensate for my sorrows.

Shopping and spending money isnt always about the things you buy.

Women are more frugal...may be because the majority of them manage the household budget. Most females that I've known will think twice before buying anything, while men will buy on impulse.Women tend to be cautious and worry about tomorrow...Men are more... happy-go-lucky.
My thoughts.

Women are more frugal...may be because the majority of them manage the household budget. Most females that I've known will think twice before buying anything, while men will buy on impulse.Women tend to be cautious and worry about tomorrow...Men are more... happy-go-lucky.
My thoughts.
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Anyone that knows me knows better than that. I am one cheap SOB.