What's the line between being frugal and being mean?

Thrifty tips, ideas, news & experiences on anything around the home to shopping to re-cycling etc.
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taff
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What's the line between being frugal and being mean?

Post by taff »

Is there one? Is it all about perception?
to err is human..to moo, bovine...
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essentialequine
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Post by essentialequine »

definatley all about perception and also what one person can aford another cant, so in that persons eyes the other person could be being waistfull. JMHO
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Mo
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Post by Mo »

Obviously I'm frugal.
You are either very wasteful or extremely mean, depending on how you compare to me.
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wendy
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Post by wendy »

Definately.
What one thinks is being frugal another can think is someone just being measley and tight.
It should be what ever suits you and your situation really, as long as we are all trying to help this planet out. Now one should be criticised.
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you will just have to be a horrible warning
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Babycakes
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Post by Babycakes »

I think it's a difference in attutde. There are plenty of people who are frugal but are as generous and kind as anyone. If someone is "mean" it means to me they begrudge spending and would be "mean" for the sake of it, if you know what I mean
(I'm not sure I do, this is about the 10th attempt at exaplaining what I mean LoL)
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kate egg
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Post by kate egg »

Babycakes that makes perfect sense, and I think that is the true meaning. So we need to rename Illona 'FrugalQueen' cos I'm sure she isn't mean :-D
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taff
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Post by taff »

Maybe it's the difference between you have the money, but you don't want to spend it, or you have very little money, so you have to find ways of not spending it.
I admit that the post about the toilet cleaner got me thinking about it, but I have to point out, I did not think that anything was meant by kate's remark, it just got me thinking about it all.
to err is human..to moo, bovine...
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kate egg
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Post by kate egg »

"but I have to point out, I did not think that anything was meant by kate's remark, it just got me thinking about it all."

What have I said? notmee
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taff
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Post by taff »

the second hand cleaner thing...I knew people would put two and two together, and it might look like I was having a go, or sneakily being nasty, so I wanted to make sure I explained I wasn't.
to err is human..to moo, bovine...
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Stig
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Post by Stig »

I sometimes worry about being perceived as mean. The kids definately think I'm a miser (still using a playstation 2 for goodness sake! Poor things..).

I seem to feel less comfortable with spending money as time goes by. Treated myself to a quite expensive jumper in the outdoors shop the other day, PANGS of guilt... Maybe being frugal is addictive, and we are in serious need of help!
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kate egg
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Post by kate egg »

taff wrote:the second hand cleaner thing...I knew people would put two and two together, and it might look like I was having a go, or sneakily being nasty, so I wanted to make sure I explained I wasn't.


I'm sure no one gave it a second thought.

I just cannot imagine using someone else's thing that had been in their loo :shock: :-D :-D :-D
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taff
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Post by taff »

Stig wrote: Treated myself to a quite expensive jumper in the outdoors shop the other day, PANGS of guilt... Maybe being frugal is addictive, and we are in serious need of help!


In the way that you have something that have control over, and that to break your deal with yourself, you are letting yourself down, and resolve to do better next time?
I'm not explaining any of this very well am I?
to err is human..to moo, bovine...
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Stig
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Post by Stig »

I think you're saying "Don't do it again or you'll be banned from this forum for ever", but that could just be the guilt speaking to me again!!
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Babycakes
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Post by Babycakes »

I don't know if I am addicted to "frugalling" as him indoors has named it, I'm definately a confirmed shopaholic...but I have found that shopping has lost it's appeal recently. It feels to easy. I've been so enjoying the thrill of the hunt so to speak, searching through charity shops, boot sales, freecycle etc. when I need (or just want) something "new" - there is no challenge in just walking into a shop and lifting something off a shelf filled with identical items. Add to that the warm feeling of helping a charity AND getting a bargain...maybe it is addictive..?
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Meanqueen
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Post by Meanqueen »

Frugal - mean - tight? This question came up in the filming. The working title being, 'Who is the Tightest Person in Britain?' there are several other people in it.

There are serious reasons why I am reluctant to spend more than I need to. I have worked for 44 years, now time is precious to me, I am happy to be frugal with my spending, only buying what I need, at a price I want to pay, because it buys me freedom. If I don't spend it, then I don't need to go to work to earn it, more free time to do what I want to do. :razz:

Another reason I am frugal is that I want to do my bit to help the planet. I think it is criminal the way we plunder the earths resources, +cry+ we should be borrowing and putting back where ever we can. We should be re using everything.

Babycakes, you cannot be a shopaholic and be frugal. If you are frugal you don't go into shops for a browse, there's no point. Just because it's there, and it's seems like a bargain, you don't have to buy it. If you don't go into a shop in the first place you would never have seen (for example) a plasma tv for £10, you only wanted it because it was there, it's only a bargain if you needed it.

I am frugal where my own living expenses are concerened and it only affects me, but I am not mean or tight. Having free time means I can raise money for charity, I can help people out, I can volunteer, I can say, I'll do that for you', it gives me pleasure. I can give away my excess vegetables, I can take in other peoples cats when they don't seem to care about them.

One of the questions that the film ladies asked, when I explained that my central heating does not work and all hot water has to be heated in the kettle, was, 'Why do you put yourself through all this?' I was explaining about having a wash down in the kitchen. I was gobsmacked, and said, 'I am not putting myself through anything', this is how we washed when I was a child, it's no hardship to do the same thing now'. My combined gas and electricity bills are £70 - £80 per quarter in the winter, less in the summer. This is being frugal.

Somehow, FrugalQueen doesn't have quite the same ring about it as MeanQueen, so I'll stick with it. :-D

Ilona
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