Do you associate living frugally with being poor?

I also do not believe in waste. I don't have a lot of money but even if i did, i would still not be wasteful and would recycle things and stuff. i prefer finding furniture like chairs and tables that people are throwing out and i bring them home and give them new life. i find a lot of pieces that i can make into my own and they are unique. i can't see buying something new if i don't have to. when i do buy something new i have to be happy with the price and quality of it. i color my own hair, i always have. i don't get my nails done, i can do it myself. i don't see the need to pay someone to do something i can do myself. i don't have a housefull of material possessions because i just don't need them. i have an expensive pair of pajamas that one of my daughters bought me and i feel pampered when i wear them. i shop in thrift stores sometimes and they have really good clothing that is very reasonably priced. i cook from scratch because i love to cook and homemade always tastes best. i don't use credit cards and if i need to make a large purchase i save money for it. i think a lot of people try to fill a void in their lives with stuff and i know that doesn't work. i don't consider myself to be cheap or anything, i just can't see spending money on stuff that you don't need to.

living frugally may be a choice or forced way to live. if it is a choice, then there is no way that we can associate it with being poor. but if it is forced because there is no other way to live but that way, then we can associate it with being poor. having a choice of living frugally means that it is a decision to live that way such as recycling goods and being thrifty. but the poor have no choice but to live frugally because they can't afford to live other way but live frugally.

I don't think people that live frugally are poor. I think that they might hate waste and or want to live economically. It is great to get bargains when shopping. It is superb to mend instead of buy new. I spend most of my money on traveling because it is my top hobby. My aunt knows a wealthy family and they have hardly any furniture and few possessions. Hug.

We do try to live frugally and we're not poor, but we are not rich either. By save where we can, we are able to put our children in a private school. This would not be possible if we were driving new cars and eating out several times a week. For us it is about priorities right now. But even after the kids have graduated I'll not start squandering my money, but rather invest for my golden years.

Living frugally is just a way of life to me. it has always been because i needed to & i still do. i don't do w/out things i need but my wants & needs are very low. i have what i need in my house, buy most everything i want at the grocery w/in reason but have never been able to blow alot of money in. when i would have wanted to i couldn't now i don't want to.

Nope, I don't think so either. We have the money to spend, but we don't believe in squandering it on unnecessary or expensive items (especially branded goods. I enjoy a comfortable life, and I don't need to spend a lot for such.

My thoughts on this is any person who feels if you are frugal with buting things, etc. and people think you are poor, most of them are just to luxiourious with their spending is all. There are many people I know who have gotten quite far with being frugal and I feel in this Economy you almost always have too for sure. Personally I think if people want to think that, let them, but personally I feel as long as you have a roof over your head, have a Job, and food in your cupboards you are doing better than a lot, and who cares if you have to pinch pennies from time to time just to have a little extra.

Nope, I never associate the two together. Being poor, you have no choice but to live frugally. But those that can still afford the finer things in life but choose not to, then they want to live that way. Being frugal means not being wasteful. In my house, I don't cook too much because I don't want to waste food if the left overs will not be eaten. I always believe in saving for a rainy day. What we can save for living frugally at the present will benefit us in the future.

I guess a lot people really associate frugal living with poverty. I used to think so to, I didn't see why I have to be frugal with the way I spend since I have enough money or can generate more. But when I became a mom, I became more wise with the way I spend our money. I want to be able to give the best for my kids, and with that I don't mean expensive branded toys or clothes. I want to be able to afford the best education for my kids and many others. I also want to be a good steward of the resources that was given to me, because whether we admit it or not, all our resources are limited only. I am proud to be called frugal, its a lot better than being wasteful.

Being poor is what got me to live this way. And frankly I think everyone should be "poor" @ some point in their life so they can know the value of a dollar and if hardship should occur what they can do to cut costs & survive.

No not at all...Its being smart. And having the wisdom not to waste and make the most of what we have.

Hi marguicha, I agree with you. Living frugally does not mean that one is poor or cannot afford to spend. It is being careful with your money and spending it wisely. After all we have to work hard to earn any kind of money and that money should be well utilised for the right things. I am not too good at being very frugal, but I have a lot of admiration for those who are able to do it. I try to be like them so that I get to use my money in a wiser manner...all the best

Hello marguicha, my view is that if I didn't try to live frugally I would soon be poor. If you have always had the habit of saving and living within your means it is an easy principle to apply. I have seen many people come to live here and squander their money on nothing more than self indulgence and then when something like illness strikes they have a cold hard shock about the reality of finances especially when living in a foreign country. Happily here it is not a very materialistic society and the simple things give pleasure, such as the beauty of the area, the sea and beaches, and the fruits of the olive trees.

I consider living frugally with being smart not poor! I come from a big family and my mom and dad always had to make things stretch as much as they could. If there was anyway to use it at all then it was never throwed away. This has went over with me in my marriage, although I did not have a big family I was still able to save by frugal living so my children could have and enjoy what other children had. We also always took the kids on a vacation in the summer because this was a way we bonded as a family and stayed close. These things could not have been accomplished if I had been wasteful. It really upset me to see how people throw things out anymore just so they can get new. There is nothing wrong with the item being throwed away other than they are tired of it and just want to waste their money on something new. This is money that could be saved for a rainy day. flutterby

i can see how this would be associated with being poor. some people have no choice but to live frugally. hubby and i have lived frugally for a very long time, way before doing so became 'cool' or a necessity.

I think most of people who live frugally are poor or not so poor but not rich. There are also people who are rich who live frugally of course but the numbers are fewer than for the poor. It's just that when we don't have money, we are obliged to count our money and not spend because there is no money anyway, there is no choice. For the rich, they don't have to do that unless it is in their nature to be frugal. Anyway I might be wrong, that's just what I think. Take care.

No, I don't feel that living frugally is associated with being poor. I think it's a choice. There are luxury items that we buy, and we like to try to eat organic foods as often as possible. So we watch our spending in other things and in other areas of our life. We recycle every chance we get, and make sure we save energy as much as possible too. Not throwing things away that can be used again or made into a different item isn't being poor, it's living a eco friendly life.

For me, living frugally means living smart. Wasting is bad especially on food. so to be frugal is not to be poor. It is just being smart !

no i don't think that being frugally is like being poor , i always tried to live frugally but my husband is the oppisite he likes to spend money and i like to save it i am trying to teach my children that but so far no luck, i treat myself every once in awhile but i try to do what i can to save as much money as i can i have 4 children plus i would like to take them on a nice vacction .

Well, I don't associate the 2 together. I will say that I'm one who live frugally, and try not to throw away things if possible, especially if it can be re-used. I also believe in not buying branded items, and not buying too many clothes/bags/shoes etc... I do take other peoples' used clothes for me and my kids to wear. All this does not mean that I'm poor, although I'm not rich too... Well, it's really up to individuals of what they think and feel. I can't control what other people think...