Frugal Fatigue

[robbase]

Really? do we need another made up problem? from the Today show (this morning's episode)

www.hulu.com/watch/218391/nbc-today-show-don%E2%80%99t-succumb-to-%E2%80%98frugal-fatigue%E2%80%99

[zuzu]

To me, this implies that a lot of people aren't making "permanent" changes but are only doing what they have to go get by for the short term. They can't wait to get back to their spending, borrowing ways.

[shanendoah]

Not having seen the clip, I can understand "frugal fatigue" though perhaps not in the way its being presented. When DH first lost his job, we had a ten month intensive debt paydown period where every dollar not required for bills and food went toward debt payoff- that included all monetary gifts. This was required in order to get us to a point where we could live on my salary. It was certainly fatiguing.
However, we had a goal in sight, so once we got all the consumer debt paid off, we were able to loosen our belts a little, and now we each have an allowance and we have an eating out budget.
If we had tried to stick to our budget from that 10 months permanently, we would have failed big time, and we'd probably have another few thousand in cc debt.

[cronewitch]

From 1983 to 1985 or so was poverty for my brother and his family. Construction ground to a halt so he seldom had work. He heated with firewood and didn't buy anything hardly. They would run out of things like peanut butter or milk while raising kids. I grew a garden in their yard the summer of 84 when is wife was off at college all summer. That winter his truck had to have a radiator repair so he lost his antifreeze. Every night he would drain the radiator and refill it in the morning so he didn't need antifreeze and there wasn't any money for wants. One semester his wife couldn't afford tuition to go to college so my parents paid it. They got burned out on being that poor. Dad gave us each 13K in the fall of 85. My brother bought a side of beef, truck load of firewood and a hot tub. The hot tub was the first luxury in years, they really needed a luxury. His DW will retire in less than 4 months after using all that education the last 25 years. Poverty ended by 1989 first kid left home, wife working full time not much more college expense just masters and enough credits for a doctorate so she could make more money. Now the youngest kid is 38 and poverty is ancient history.

[Frugal Nurse]

Feb 24, 2011 16:12:18 GMT -5 shanendoah said:

Not having seen the clip, I can understand "frugal fatigue" though perhaps not in the way its being presented. When DH first lost his job, we had a ten month intensive debt paydown period where every dollar not required for bills and food went toward debt payoff- that included all monetary gifts. This was required in order to get us to a point where we could live on my salary. It was certainly fatiguing.
However, we had a goal in sight, so once we got all the consumer debt paid off, we were able to loosen our belts a little, and now we each have an allowance and we have an eating out budget.
If we had tried to stick to our budget from that 10 months permanently, we would have failed big time, and we'd probably have another few thousand in cc debt.

I wouldn't call living on a strict, very-tight budget permanently frugal, I'd call it being poor, and living paycheck to paycheck. Being poor would certainly be no fun. Living frugally is fun, because I am able to save money on things that i need but don't bring joy to my life (like food, toiletries, laundry soap) and that frees up money to spend on the things that do bring me joy (attending plays, traveling, going out with DH).

[Deleted]

But people do not know how to find the deals so they just cut the fun and yes that gets tiring. People need to learn how to be frugal and get used to it as a lifestyle, not something to do when they have to other choice.

[sapphire12]

I'm with frugal nurse. I willingly cut back on unnecessary purchases. I find it challenging and exciting to see how much can I not shop for things and still not feel deprived. I only cut back on buying things. I lowered my directv package; don't miss the other channels. I lowered my cell phone bill; not going back. I never stopped traveling the past three years. I don't miss my former spending. I'm enjoying watching my net worth grow. I carry no debt other than my mortgage, which I"m slightly ahead on my payments. People are going to do what they are going to do whether it's good for them or not. The pieces will fall where they may.

[kittycat]

Due to a recent setback, DF and I have had to eat all but one weekly meal at home and it is fun. It reminds me of being a child and sitting with the family and talking over the day over the meal. I agree that being poor is rough but being frugal can be fun sometimes. Also, I hope to lose weight due to the better diet.

[luckyme]

Feb 24, 2011 17:07:18 GMT -5 @gin1984 said:

But people do not know how to find the deals so they just cut the fun and yes that gets tiring.

Or you know all the deals, and still have to cut the fun. That doesn't equate to poor, just lower income. BTDT for my entire life.

Last year I started having health issues, it was a long horrible year. I now find myself with frugal fatigue. Yes, we have a DD heading for college in another two years, but I am done saving every penny I can and putting it somewhere necessary. We went to WDW in Sept, it was a fabulous vacation, and I haven't had such a great time w/ the moody 16 yr old in a very long time. I know that money could have gone somewhere more productive, but time is running out rapidly, so I am forcing myself to spend and not save. Luckily, DH is now making a decent income, we have enough savings in case of an emergency.

I have a feeling this thread will die a quick death, because most here view frugality in the area of fun to be frugal, not have to live that way out of necessity.