I spotted a killer deal at the grocery store the other day… These Bitchin’ Chipotle Sauce things are usually $7-8 each at Costco… but I found them for only $1 at the 99c store! Woohoo!
After stacking about 15 into my shopping cart, I took a celebratory photo and sent it to my wife… She was very proud, having taught me most of the deal-hunting tricks I use today.
I don’t know about you, but I think being frugal is a cool thing. It’s something we should celebrate more and share more with the world.
Here’s some cool stuff you may not know about why being frugal is awesome…
Being Frugal Makes You More “Attractive” 😘
According to this survey done by Slickdeals a couple years ago, 92% of Americans consider frugality an attractive quality in a partner or potential partner. 92%, yo!
Not only that, 79% of people think it’s “perfectly acceptable” to use a coupon on a first date! 🤯 Woohoo! Keep on clippin’, you handsome couponers.
The survey also talks about the difference between being “frugal” and being “cheap”… While frugality is a turn-on, being cheap is a turn-off!
Being frugal:
- Buying off-brand items ✅
- Shopping at second-hand stores ✅
- Seeking deals and using coupons ✅
- Keeping & using old electronics ✅
- Watching movies & drinking alcohol at home instead of going out ✅
Being cheap:
- Not leaving a tip ❌
- Not paying when it’s your turn ❌
- Eating expired food ❌
- Relying on others to pay ❌
- Skimping on hygiene & self care ❌
Frugal Habits = Comfortable (and Earlier) Retirement
Last month, Personal Capital released a survey to find out “Have Americans Become More Frugal”? The short answer is YES! And for good reason…
Here are the key survey takeaways:
- 90.4% of respondents claim to have “frugal habits”
- The No. 1 reason they adopt frugal habits is “to save for future investments”
- Of those who have adopted frugal habits, 50.7% are now considering early retirement!
Wow. “Early” retirement is one the rise! It’s not just a pipe dream – more and more people are getting their financial lives together, using frugality as a cornerstone.
Mindful Spending Means More Value For Dollars
Imagine Joe and Steve each have $100 to spend.
Joe buys tickets to a ball game ($50), hot dogs ($20) and some items at the stadium gift shop ($30) on the way out. In all, Joe spends $100 to experience a ball game.
Steve is more mindful with spending… He buys tickets to the same ball game ($50), but eats food at home beforehand ($0) and doesn’t buy souvenirs ($0). Then, the following weekend, Steve buys tickets to another entire ball game ($50).
Both friends spend the full $100, but Steve’s frugal habits allow him to experience 2 ball games where Joe can only experience 1.
Simply put, spending less on things that don’t provide long-lasting value means you can spend more on things that do provide you value.
Frugal Humans Help the Environment 🌱🌎
When you buy less “stuff,” humans manufacture less “stuff.” When humans manufacture less, we use less of the Earth’s dwindling natural resources. Quite simply, really.
Did you know that humans use more natural resources each year than the Earth can actually generate within the year? Doesn’t take a genius to figure out that this is not sustainable, and one day, all the resources will be GONE.
Having a frugal mind-set and lifestyle can help reduce your environmental footprint. Living in excess and consuming more than you need is the opposite. 🙅
DIY Projects Increase Your Resourcefulness
If you can grow things yourself, make things yourself, and fix things yourself… you are less dependent on others. And isn’t that what we are all kind of shooting for — independence?
I’m not talking about doing everything yourself in life. There is a balance between DIY and outsourcing.
But frugal people understand that the more problems they can solve with their own two hands makes them more resourceful and gives them more options and control.
Frugality Improves Social Connections
Sometimes people are afraid to admit they are frugal… They’re worried others might shun them or cut them out of future invitations.
But I’ve experienced the opposite! The more open I am about my lifestyle, the more people I seem to connect with.
It’s refreshing when other people admit they are trying to save money, get a good deal or waste less. Frugality actually brings people together.
A big part of being frugal is sharing, swapping, giving and receiving. All these activities improve social relationships. Think about Buy Nothing groups, co-op organizations, and even potluck meals. Sharing is caring!
*****
So, what do you reckon? Do you think being frugal is cool? Or is my vision warped? (Could also be the cheap sunglasses I’m wearing, which I got for a bargain. Just sayin’ 😎)
Wishing you all an awesome Friday and great Super Bowl weekend!
Love, Joel
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I definitely agree with all the awesomeness of frugality listed – except for one.. I never shy away from “expired” food in our house! I’ll check the dates listed, and then inspect for signs of expiration. If it still looks and smells good, i’ll go in for a taste test! 9 times out of 10 its still good!
hahahah!! And what about that 1 time out of 10 that’s not good? :) Still, those are decent odds I guess. I think there’s a lot of wiggle room with the “best before xx/xx” language because afterwards it might not be the best but sometimes it’s still pretty dang good.
“Being cheap:
Not leaving a tip ❌
Not paying when it’s your turn ❌
Eating expired food ❌
Relying on others to pay ❌
Skimping on hygiene & self care ❌”
I personally disagree with these, doing all of these allow you to save more which is the basis of frugality.
Taking a look at the first one “Not leaving a tip” is a great way to save an extra 1-50 dollars.
“Not paying when it’s your turn ❌” is another great way to potentially save yourself a couple hundred, it’s alright to lie to friends or a date and say you forgot your wallet. There’s no shame in doing it, money is money and it just so happens that friends come after.
“Eating expired food ❌” A number is just a number, there’s tons of people who eat “worse” food than expired foods.
“Relying on others to pay ❌”, As with the “not paying when it’s your turn” one, this is one isn’t wrong to do and one we should actively encourage especially for men on dates with women. The feminist movement allows for female empowerment, it’s time they start using it. I don’t want to name hairs here but there’s a certain political figure that can fix this problem entirely.
Skimping on hygiene & self care ❌” Remember in the 1800s when people took a bath once a week in a river? We should apply that today! Waterbills are at ATH’s so you should be investing that money rather than spending it on a bath.
Honestly a pretty good article disregarding the afromentioned, good job Mr Joel I look forward to seeing Monday’s report.
Haha agree with Steveo that the expiration date is merely a suggestion. Speaking of which, how are you going to eat all that sauce!?
I don’t think I’ve used a coupon on a first date, but definitely a gift card. Is that better?
I don’t want to name any names…. But someone (who I am married to) has consumed about 7 of the tubs of sauce already. :). Some we froze, and we gave a couple away too to neighbors.
Gift cards on first dates are awesome! They need to be used sometime!
I’m on a hunt here in CT for that sauce now – never heard of it – but it looks like it’s getting a pretty good recommendation from Joel & his wife :)
haha! Check Costco, and i believe Whole Foods carry it. Only problem is they might charge a lot. I would ship you one of my tubs but my wife would never forgive me. :)
Good points. Except I have read several articles on how expiration dates don’t really need to be followed. Now of course, I’m not talking on perishable items. However, you can use expired milk as “sour milk” in pancakes, waffles – I do it all the time. You can also eat expired yogurt if it smells okay. You can look up these articles if you wish. Also, things can be kept in the freezer for very long periods of time. I like watching organizing/homemaking Youtube channels and they always talk about throwing out expired foods. If they only knew. lol.
Love it! I’ll have to look up some of these! Milk around my house only lasts a couple days, because I work from home and have about 6 bowls of cereal every day :)
I’m not sure if being frugal makes anyone more “attractive”, but it definitely is a good habit to develop. I totally follow 3 of the reasons you listed here. Here’s why they work for us. Reason #1: While friends have suggested my husband and I upgrade our house, we love not having a mortgage and the freedom that gives us. Plus, we put the savings towards our retirement. Reason #2: Having a smaller house allows us not to buy so much “stuff”, because there’s nowhere to put it! Bonus: we use the stuff in our house! Reason #3: We’re intentional/mindful about how we spend our money. We look for quality over quantity, so when there’s something we really want (like our canoe or furniture), we look for products that will last a long time. I love being frugal!
I find that I don’t need coupons as I don’t buy much that uses coupons. You can’t buy fruits and vegetables with coupons. I usually buy generic detergent that sometimes has a coupon attached. My grocery shopping includes the fruit and vegetables, sometimes chicken and mot much more. I’m not a vegetarian although I rarely buy meat. Even the household items I purchase don’t have coupons. I don’t buy air fresheners or boxed foods, expensive detergents or fabric softeners. I’m a pretty basic buyer.