I used to be "too cheap" when buying either clothes or furniture. But, I finally figured out that it was worth spending a little bit more money on something because I discovered it will last longer.

However, I am still waiting for someone to make a really good quality appliance (DW, washer, dryer) that only has 2 or 3 buttons. I only use 1 or 2 programs on the washer and dryer and object to spending money on a really good quality appliance and winding up with 15 programs that I will never use.

I'm not too cheap; my problem is that I can't seem to make a decision or find what I want and then just give up. So I can see how some people may be thinking "is she EVER going to repaint that ugly wall or get something more appropriate for the TV."
I do think for some people, it's more a game or adventure to seek out the best deal or make a sale than it has to do with cheapness. And thrifty isn't cheap.

I'm frugal but will only spend so much time at it. My free time's limited and I just have other things I'd rather do than spend a lot of time working on being a tightwad.

What puzzles me is that even though I am too cheap I would not buy most of the stuff on Craigslist - who buys it?
And also, even though I am so cheap, I'm not rich. That is also mystifying. Some say that if you don't spend it you can't attract it, but others point to the rich people who drive their Volvos for 29 years.

My neighbor finds amazing things on Craigs list and I've sold a few things on CL; but whenever I've searched for something -- nothing but junk. It's hard to know when to just give it up and give it away, or spend the time trying to get a few dollars (and sometimes dealing with some kind of scary people. I gotta hand it to Leafy, selling her garden plants and hedge! I wish I had thought of that!

annie1971 - you are my sister from another mister! I hate knowing what I want, not being able to find it and giving up leaving another project unfinished for way too long!

javachik: Yep, it's a curse. Good news is that I'v passed through phases and trends without spending any money and never had to change a thing!

I wish I were more frugal. My problem is when shopping for anything, and I mean anything, my first choice "item" seems to always reveal the highest price tag upon closer examination of all of the options. Thankfully, I really don't like to shop (other than gourmet or whole foods), We don't change out our furniture until its past being worthy of even Craigslist. In that regard, I guess I could be considered frugal.

I love seeing many of the CL scores here on GW. Problem being is I hate to wait. When I decide I need something for our home, I usually don't have the patience for it to appear on our oh so nothing at all worth buying CL. As far as selling on CL, I don't do that either. If I want to eliminate something or make a change, I usually can find a friend or family member who will either take it off of my hands, or know someone who is in need.

One thing that I really don't like about trying to sell on CL or other similar place, is the advertising where I live. Being in a rural area, without much everyday-type traffic, I don't want to attract strangers. DH is adamant about the safety factor.

Great thread. I never realized you could sell a hedge of bushes on CL.

I'm not very frugal, but DH is. Just one example: He sold banana tree pups from our yard on CL for $10 each, and the people had to dig them up. He sold every one of them! BTW, he got the original banana trees for free on junk pickup day from a neighbor.

It's interesting to me because he grew up in an affluent family and we are certainly not poor. I think it is fun for him.

I don't think I am one, but I do have a few tightwads around me.
It can be difficult when dining out, for example. The tightwad relative will want to go to an inexpensive restaurant, or want to only pay their exact share. (Does it really matter if you didn't have a cup of coffee like the rest of us?)
I think there is a difference in being frugal and being a tightwad. I think that as long as it doesn't effect those around you, then to each his/her own.

Jamies, you asked a great question--who DOES buy most of the stuff posted on CL? I used to live in a large metro area, and I could find nice stuff on CL among the dreck, but where I live now, it's like people buy particle-board furniture, use it for five years, pay a cat to scratch it up, and then try to sell it on CL for 3/4 of the original price. Insanity!

As a seller, I was surprised at some of the stuff I sold and who bought it.

Work in progress, I have the same problem. I can be looking through dozens of lamps, rugs, whatever on eBay or a website, and I'll think "Wow, now THAT's a nice lamp!" and you can bet it costs many times the price of the others I've skimmed over. I would never pay $600 for a lamp, but boy can I pick one!

Ellendi--those kinds of tightwads make me nuts, too. I had one friend who always asked to split a menu item because she didn't want to pay for a whole one. And I'm not talking about pate and truffles here, I am talking about an order of fries! Made me crazy.

Selling your hedge was genius, lol.

"Good news is that I'v passed through phases and trends without spending any money and never had to change a thing!"

So true! I think that is my style, lol. It does have an up side.

We call it frugal.

DH and I go for walks with our plastic bags in hand so we can pick cans for the nickel deposit as we go. We feel it's a win win win....it becomes a "treasure hunt" for us making the walk more interesting, we get our walk in which is exercise and we recycle and help clean the environment which is good for mother earth. The scary part is how many are beer cans and how frequently they are accompanied by a little shot bottle....there are more people drinking and driving than you think!

The other "frugal" thing we do is we recycle bday/valentine/anniversary cards with each other. The sentiment stays the same, so why not?

I am a proud tightwad, so our list is long:

Wash and reuse plastic quart and gallon.freezer bags and tin foil
Make our own cleaning solutions with vinegar, etc.
Use later towels very, very sparingly, maybe 4 or 5 rolls a year (mostly for dog, uhh, accidents).
Obsessively turn out lights when not in use or we are not in the room, and no outside lights on unless we expect company or need them for something else.
We have two interior clothes lines and two outside lines, so all clothes are line dried year round, I honestly can't remember the last time I used the dryer.
Buy a lot of our clothes at thrift shops.
Wrap presents in newspaper, butcher paper, etc. (that is decorated by dd).
Make our own greeting cards.
Use handkerchiefs instead of Kleenex.

Sandyponder, and, yes, I am from New England, why do you ask??

I'm not a tightwad, but I am a bargain shopper. For example, for the second part of our Florida trip, we needed a place for 5 days, Monday thru Friday. Many places only offer to rent for a week but I found 3 very nice places that had openings that exactly matched our dates. These three turned out to be very willing to bargain with us because we filled days would probably be wasted because there was no weekend attached. I told them that I would be getting together with my family to discuss the options the following evening and would let them know right away. All of them emailed me back with a small enticement. One offered to waive the $150 pet fee. One offered to waive the $300 security deposit. And one offered me a great bargain flat rate including pet, cleaning and taxes ($1200/week usually, but I got 5 days for $600) So we went with the last one.

I'm also a Craigslist shopper, auction goer. I think it's because I love the hunt. We live in a very rural area but I found 2 lee industries chairs last year for $100 the pair. My sofa is from the 1960s, cream colored, and absolutely immaculate. $60.

I'm currently on the hunt for a flying scot sailboat.

I learned my frugal ways from my mother but I definitely have my limits compared to her. However, her frugality enabled our family to live quite well on my father's federal government salary (vacation home, trips to Europe, etc). They skimped where it didn't matter as much but the money saved enabled them to use the money for things they valued more (education, travel, etc). So we never had expensive cars, clothes were not name brand when I was younger, she was/is a diehard sale shopper and coupon user, etc.

As an adult, I appreciate that her frugal ways enabled us to do things that many of my other middle class friends didn't have (fully paid private college education, international travel, vacation home, etc). OTOH, I hated wearing Toughskins while my friends were wearing Levis and other knockoff clothing when my friends had Levis, Izods, Docksiders, etc. We also rarely ever ate out in restaurants. As places like TJ Maxx, Marshalls, etc popped up, my mother started shopping there, and she does buy brand name clothing, but only if she finds a good bargain and almost never pays full price for anything.

I will bargain hunt where I can, and have no problem buying things like furniture on CL (I've found better quality nice bedroom furniture for my kids for much cheaper than the poorly made overpriced things found at places like Pottery Barn). I do buy my kids name brand clothing, but mainly on sale, but do draw the line at certain things (like my 2nd grader does not need Uggs when knockoffs are fine at her age). I've found that my mother's frugal ways definitely rubbed off on me in a good way in that I do bargain hunt and shop sales, but I also am not as extreme as she was (and my kids eat out way more often than we ever did!).

What I wonder is: do self-described frugal people have a different view of time and effort than people who say they're not frugal? IOW, it's not simply that someone is a tightwad and someone else isn't; it's that their perceptions of what's worth the effort differ.

Take "proud tightwad" sandyponder who shops at thrift stores for clothes and makes cards. Can I assume, sandy, that either you enjoy those activities enough to do them and/or you think your gain is greater than your effort? I used to shop at a thrift store regularly because it was about 5 minutes from the house, and, over a week, for example, I could almost always find great casual clothes. Now that I've moved, the nearest thrift store is far enough away that there are good odds I won't find anything on any one trip. OTOH if I drive about the same distance, I can be at a clothing store that has great prices and that also regularly has really good sales. Result is, it doesn't always make sense for me to shop thrift stores these days - what I might find usually can't make up for the resources expended to find it. However, other people might feel very differently about the time needed to go to that thrift store, or they might simply enjoy the treasure hunt aspect enough to take time & use up gas.

Same deal with CL - would I be correct that people who sell on CL (a hedge - pure, inspired genius!) either enjoy the effort or at least don't find it too onerous?

I have quite a lot of things I might be able to sell on CL, and I think it might be worth the effort. Any money I might make is not going to change my financial status in any way, but we could have some nice evenings out, and, like Annie said, it could be a win-win because things are being sold, not thrown away.

lynxe, I can only speak for myself. My selling and buying things on CL is purely a matter of living on a pretty limited budget.

So, if I can sell something I am not using but which many others would (just as sensibly) donate or throw away, I often do. I guess I feel like the money I make that way is "free money" and I don't have to fret about spending it on luxuries--like perennials for the garden or having someone else groom my poodle.

It takes me less than five minutes to list something on CL, so even if I have to post the item for four or five days (rare), I've spent half an hour. I always have buyers pick up at a time I would be home anyway, so no time is spent on that end.

As you pointed out, it isn't thrifty to drive all over town and not be able to find what you want, whether it's at a thrift store or anywhere else. I buy almost all my own clothes online, and feel that it's the most cost-effective way for me personally. I don't see a million other things to be tempted by as I do when I am out in shops, I don't take an hour walking from one store to the other at the much-too-large mall near me, and I don't end up spending another $10 on eating out.

Now the hedge--I'll be honest. I wanted it gone *and* I didn't want to do the digging. So I sold it as-is and had the buyer dig it. Getting money for it was secondary to wanting it removed.

As for why I won't spend $800 on a media cabinet for my TV? I don't know....I think that I could paint the one I have for $25 and be just as happy, so it's $775 wasted to buy one. The trouble is taking the time to do the painting!

I'm a whole lot like you, sandyponder. Plus, I wouldn't dream of BUYING glass or plastic food storage containers when all I have to do is not recycle the jars and containers that the food I buy comes in! Right? And I cook mainly from scratch, though I do like to eat out - if I have a coupon - as often as I can. I do use my clothes dryer, though. Fun thread.

Edited to ask: They dug up the hedge AND paid you money for it?? As someone else said, PURE GENIUS!!! Why don't I think like you do?

This post was edited by sunnydancer on Fri, Mar 8, 13 at 12:15

"chairs I found in my neighbor's trash"

serious visual goes with that -- made me burst out laughing!

I think you have a small problem, leafy : )

Although I'm with you most of that way -- I have sold clerodendrum seedlings, an apple tree, a rose (don't shoot me), that folks dig up while I'm there...given away sedum, though. I just can't in good faith make someone pay for sedum when it's a tougher weed than the weeds...I actually look for people selling plants on c's list when we're getting something - esp. shrubs or trees. They're often much less expensive than in garden centers.

The chairs I found in the neighbor's trash were like these. There were two of them, kindergarten sized.

I drove them home, assigned one of the kids to windex them, posted them on CL and sold them for $50 within a few hours of listing them.

The guy who came to buy them looked like Rick Ross, paid cash from a roll the size of a softball, and drove away in his Escalade a happy man. I was happy, too.

Leafy, you are not alone in taking someone else's trash.

My neighbor, a plastic surgeon, was moving out and rather than take the time to go through his stuff and donate what he could, he rented a large dumpster and threw absolutely everything away. Brand new designer shoes that had never been worn, large, expensive pots from landscaping on his back deck, bags and bags of clothes that were hardly worn, brass light fixtures he'd removed while updating his home that were perfectly usable, and plenty of other things. My other neighbor was the one who decided to go "dumpster diving" so dh went over and had a good laugh helping him go through the stuff - an entire box of Polaroid photos of breasts from his patients (he does breast reconstructive surgery).

After they pulled out the salvageable stuff, I took the light fixtures and sold them on CL for about $50, then took all the clothing and things no one wanted and had Purple Heart pick them up from my front porch. It was really disheartening to see someone too lazy to take the time to donate things that needy people could really use but he is absolutely clueless that way (and he spends/wastes money like it's growing on trees).

A friend of mine salvaged some Ethan Allen chairs from her neighbor's house on bulk trash day and asked me if I wanted them as she knew I was looking for chairs that style for my living room. They were only a few years old - the problem? His cat had peed all over the seat cushions as an act of defiance. He tried cleaning them but couldn't get the smell out. He said he'd put them out for bulk trash but I could come get them if I wanted them - I removed the cushions and threw them out, then had a seamstress replace the seat cushion and make me slip covers for less than $400 total. And they are so comfortable! Not ashamed to have saved them from the dump!

But really, normally, I am not digging through other people's garbage! We don't have bulk trash day in our neighborhood, but in my friend's neighborhood they do. She told me that the night before and early in the morning, it's pretty typical to see people driving up and down the streets looking for things to salvage and often times, there really is perfectly good stuff that people just don't want to be bothered to find another home for or have to transport it to a charity when bulk trash will pick it up at the curb!

Cute chairs! Had to google Rick Ross, I'm embarrassed to say...funny that he would come buy those kids' chairs...

I did my fair share of sidewalk shopping, when I lived in NYC. Got some great Danish modern furniture that way, actually. But it was never people I knew.

Maybe it is something about people in the medical field, but I saw the same thing. I lived for several months in an apartment building that had a number of medical professionals there short term. The dumpster diving was heavenly.

I was forever dragging things into my apartment - my husband said it looked like a K-Mart exploded. My best score was 5 sets of Metro steel shelving units, complete with wheels. And this was before they were being sold in retail stores.

I'm not a tightwad, but I am frugal. I attribute it to being a child of a child of the Big Depression. I reuse foil, use few paper towels, and then get one more use of the paper towel before it is thrown away by wiping the floor and picking up dog fur with it. My soda cans get crushed and donated to the local SPCA.

Also believe there is a major difference between cheap and frugal. My story is always to compare my dad and my husband. When I was growing up, my dad would buy shoes at places like KMart, ultra cheap. And within 6 months they would fall apart and he was constantly muttering about how poor quality things were, couldn't buy anything that lasts etc.

Then I met my husband. He buys a particular brand of shoes that cost about $100--much more spendy than anything from KMart or Target! However, the shoes are quality leather and made to last. So that pair becomes his work and public occasion pair. The pair he is replacing (same style, same price) become his work-around-the-house shoes. The pair from 2 purchases ago (yes, same style, same price) become his grubby-jobs-get-filthy-who-cares shoes. In the end he probably pays much less in terms of cost/wearing by getting decent quality and by continuously recycling which is possible due to buying decent quality.

So, my dad was cheap. My husband is frugal. BIG difference there!

I'm not a tightwad BUT I am smart with money/spending and like someone else mentioned - can find a good bargain!

tina

Funny story about a neighbors trash. We walked our dog pas this neighbor and found a copy machine. It needed an ink, we kept it for many years. One day I saw another neighbor with her car in front of this house getting a small table. She appeared embarrassed that I saw her but I said, "Smart of you, they throw out good garbage here!"

To aswer lynxe's question, for example, making a greeting card is, for me,a creative outlet and fun. It also saves $$, I think $3+ for cards is high and I won't pay it. It also means that I don't have to use gas and time to make the 16 mile round trip to a drugstore to purchase a card. WRT shopping at thrift stores, we happen to have two in the same town that's 8 miles away, and I usually go once a month on a Saturday morning. The closest mall is 40 miles away, but I'm not even sure what stores are there, I've only been there once or twice in the years we have lived here, I'm just not a recreational shopper and I hate paying full price, so if I do go to a retailer, it's TJ Maxx or Marshall's, they have a great selection and good prices.

I do think there is a distinction between being frugal and cheap, for instance, I'm not one to skimp on a tip, never ever, and I buy the best, say, turkey breast at the deli counter or 95% lean ground beef because Iike the more expensive cuts of meat. But when it comes to cars, I drive a low end Civic and mr. sandyponder drives a 10 yera old Jeep. I will pay for vacations, dinners out, good quality furniture (retail or, my obvious preference, CL) and recreation, but bring all my potted annuals in every fall and overwinter them in the house, I just can't see paying $200 each year for flowers when I can invest in them once and reuse them.

I think some folks here and IRL confuse frugal with cheap, IMO cheap is undertipping the server, or as a former neighbor of my parents did, buying LL Bean clothing at garage sales and returning to LL Bean and asking for a refund because the item was defective. They called that frugal, I call that theft (and *of course* they were fundies who were holier than thou, loudly). I call my quirks frugal, and by not using the dryer, we save about $50 a month. In the summer that's gas for the boat and in the winter for the snowmobile. I said I am a proud tightwad and I am, not ashamed at all, but the conspicious consumption glorified in the MSM makes me sick, so we don't have cable, but we do have Netflix, cuz I do enjoy watching HBO shows, just not paying for them.

I would much rather be called cheap than extravagent, to me one is a compliment, the other a slur.

sandyponder

Graywings I could have written your last paragraph for myself. I, also am a child of a child of the Big Depression. I rinse and reuse most ziplock gallon and quart baggies, unless they've had something greasy in them. I use reusable bags and any plastic bags that I have from stores are used as garbage can liners in my bathrooms. My husband saves me shower caps from motel trips when he travels and I use them as food bowl coverings... and I clean and reuse them as well. I could go on and on. But I leave nice tips. I buy nice gifts for others. I like bargains but appreciate quality made items and seek out deals on those. I agree. There's a big difference between frugal and cheap.

I am very fugal but not by choice. We have been doing a little traveling and are planning our next big trip with my brother in-law and wife. The plan is Demark and Sweden next year. I buy a least half of my interior stuff off craigslist, garage sales or discount stores; I do most of my own art work, build many other things and am the handy man and yard person along with husband. We are not in the $ bracket to do it all high end. I truly think I could have noteworthy interiors if I had the dough but IâÂÂll settle for interesting as long as I can see the world. Being frugal can be exhausting though as it is almost a full time job. I even bought a bulk of nice used pavers off craigslist, husband and I laid over 1900 sf ourselves and then I restacked and sold the leftover pallets for what the bulk cost me, plus I made 50 bucks lol.
I am very tight on wasting food. When my sons lived at home they could touch nothing in the freezer until the all perishables were gone. I consider freezer food emergency food when one canâÂÂt make it to the store. The only time freezer food can be used (other than its all thatâÂÂs left) is when itâÂÂs made with perishable foods like fruits or veggies into a meal.
We are not tight on dining out and tipping or traveling so there is some relief.

The students in my classes all know that my favorite store is Goodwill : ) We share that, actually, and I see students there frequently--we share finds -- it's a great English language learning exercise : ) One time when we were talking about what we did last weekend, one man said "I went to *my mall*." We had to ask him what he meant--he was referring to GW, of course : )

I feel like you can pretty much always find what you need there and not have to spend retail on it. There are some things I won't buy used (pretty obvious things--and I have to say I can't buy used shoes, although I see lots of people who could buy new doing it), but in general it's the place I go unless I need something right away.

One of these days I should start totaling up savings.

Yesterday DH rebuilt the first bicycle wheel he'd done in a long time -- he found a high end wheel with a high end tire on it at GW, and then the next time he went to GW, found a truing stand (one of those things that only cycling people know what it is), and he had a great time saying he was making a GW bicycle : )

My daughter and I love Salvation Army and Goodwill. She is 19 but we both love picking up great deals. LLBean pinpoint oxford for $2.99? Yes! Our Salvation Army has tons of J. Crew, Gap, Banana Republic, and Talbots items. I view shopping at thrift stores part entertainment, part smart money management. We also enjoy the Re/Store which is the Habitat for Humanity thrift shop for furniture and building materials. In all cases the profits these stores make goes to fund important social programs. Our shopping helps people in need which makes it that much more gratifying. I would not say we're particularly cheap, although we drive old cars and don't have any debt (except our mortgage really). Like others here, we have other expenses. College tuition it a biggie w/two kids in school and we'd rather travel (when we can) than wear new name brands.

I've never sold anything on Craigslist because I haven't wanted people I don't know showing up at my door. We live a half mile from the street and are too secluded to comfortably invite total strangers in that way. We have a gate and can give out a temporary code but neither DH nor I wants to fool with that or deal with shoppers.

Everything we get rid of is recycled by donation to a local women's center that has a thrift shop. Three different cohorts benefit from our donation: the center gets the proceeds, they hire a lot of help (usually the " chronic unemployable) and they are providing high quality goods to poor people at very affordable prices.