For some reason, there seems to be some negativity attached to being frugal. People find it odd that I don't have cable TV. When I was driving my 18 year old Corolla, I had multiple people express their concern that I was driving it... still. I've had people laugh at the fact that I buy clothing at the local Community Aid. I've been called obsessed. And I've been called CHEAP.
I do believe that there is a significant difference between being CHEAP and being FRUGAL. A cheap person wants something for nothing, the lowest price possible regardless of value for money, or will save a buck at someone else's expense. A FRUGAL person wants the maximal value for dollar spent, not necessarily the lowest price tag. They will not save money at someone else's expense (say, they will not go out to a restaurant and short change the waiter/waitresses tip to save money... if they don't have money for the tip, they won't go)
There are so many areas where this differentiation comes in when one is trying to save money. I think with food it comes down to looking only at overall low cost of food regardless of health value vs. finding low cost food with high nutritional value.
There are gazillions of coupon sites that will tell you how to get 3 bags of potato chips, 2 candy bars, and a bottle of soda for 27¢. That's the biggest problem with most coupons for food... they are usually for highly processed, poor nutritional value food. And I hear the argument all the time... the least healthy foods are the cheapest.
But have you ever compared the weight and cost of a bag of potato chips to a bag of potatoes? One has nutritional value, and one really doesn't. The dollar burger, dollar french fry, and dollar jumbo soda can be reproduced at home for far less than $3, and if you watch your preparation, you can use products that are of much higher quality and nutritional value.
Now, I don't think there is anything wrong with junk food in moderation. I just think if you are on a restricted food budget, those purchases should only be made after all the necessary healthful items are purchased. For me, there is also value in purchasing some items that are organic (though more expensive) vs. conventionally grown.
Are you cheap or are you frugal when it comes to grocery shopping? How do you define this?
I know some people who are cheap and I also know some people who are frugal. There is definitely a HUGE difference between the two. I think you explained it well. have you even heard of the phrase...."penny wise and pound foolish"? I think that definitely applies to the "cheap" person. a frugal person is penny wise but not pound foolish. It's all about being a good steward of all the recourses God has blessed us with. I think frugal people tend to be positive and good stewards wouldn't you say?
ReplyDeleteI think you are correct tatrec!
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