Tag Archives: extreme frugality

Frugal Gripe

I admit that I have tried quite a few frugal practices myself. Some of them have worked out and some have not. But there are some frugal practices that I have no intention of doing. In fact, I can’t stand it when others do them either. For me, I draw the line at taking advantage of people or businesses to do something that clearly isn’t intended. So while I will happily clip coupons and do deals in order to get free or low cost food, I won’t get free products online through a promotion and then lie about purchasing them … Continue reading →

More Extreme Frugality

When does frugal get too extreme or cross over to being cheap? My definition is that if a frugal practice actually creates real hardship for a family or unfairly takes advantage of someone else, then it isn’t frugal in the true sense of the word. The following are some recent stories about frugal practices that I have heard about. Read them through and make a decision about them. Would you do (or have you done) any of these? Are they smartly frugal or just plain cheap? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Writing on post it notes in pencil, … Continue reading →

Would You Be This Frugal?

Every once in a while I come across stories of such extreme frugality that I often wonder if the line has been crossed from being frugal to being miserly (in a bad sense.) Some of these stories are in the news, while others come to me through e-mail, private messages and blog comments. Some stories come to me via “a friend of a friend.” I’m not going to make any judgments, of course. Frugal people need to stick together. And what is extreme to one person may be everyday living to another. You can read these stories for yourself. You … Continue reading →

How Far Will You Go to Be Frugal? (2)

In a previous post, How Far Will You Go to Be Frugal? (1), I shared some of the more..um..let’s say extreme ideas that people practice to be frugal. Some of the ideas I have tried myself or modified for my family, while other ideas are too extreme for me. I judge not. I think that every frugal person has to find what works for her family, and some of these ideas may just inspire you. Collect the rain water off of your roof in a barrel and use it to wash your clothes. I wonder about this one. How clean … Continue reading →

How Far Will You Go to Be Frugal? (1)

Do you know someone who is extremely frugal? From using coupons on groceries to raising chickens in the city for free eggs, a frugal person has to find her own level of frugality. Here are some of the more extreme ways I have heard about, when it comes to being frugal. Some of these ideas may just leave you shaking your head and thinking, “There is no way I would do that!” Or, you may just be inspired by some of the things people do to be frugal. Either way, this is going to be fun. Rather than letting your … Continue reading →