Thrifty People Are Not Cheapskates

 

A misconception among many is that thrifty or frugal people are cheap.  That could not be further from the truth.  Thrifty people simply prioritize where there money goes.  I personally am quite content with owning less stuff, living in a smaller home, paying lower utility bills and eating simple meals.  It has nothing to do with being cheap.  I just know what I'm willing to spend my hard earned cash on and what I am not.

 

I am willing to spend money on experiences.  Occasionally I will go out to dinner at a restaurant with friends or family because I treasure that time spent together.  For me, it is more about the experience than the meal.  So going through the drive thru or ordering take out on a regular basis is not something I wish to do.  I find no value in doing that and prefer to eat my own cooking anyway.

 

I do prefer a new car over used, that is my personal priority

My vehicles are nothing fancy, but they are good quality.  I purchased both my car and truck new, which I know is not something a lot of people feel is a good way to be thrifty.  However, it is one thing I do prefer to do as long as I can afford it.  Both my truck, which I purchased in 1997 and my car, purchased in 2015, were on clearance.  The new models were in and these automobiles were priced very low in order to sell them off.  Compared to used options available at the time I was only looking at a difference of a couple thousand dollars in savings.  The idea of paying the extra amount for something brand new that had no previous history (accidents, poor maintenance, aggressive driving, worn tires, clean, etc.) made it more than worth it to me.  And because I tend to keep my vehicles for a very long time as well as typically pay cash for them I knew it would pay off in the long run.  So far it has.

 

These slipcovers have worked out amazingly well for us

When it came to furnishing my home I was practical in the sense that I have children and pets, both of which will do damage, it is just how it goes.  I am willing to replace damaged items more frequently knowing this so it is even more important for me to find what I want for less money.  Even still, I'm not one who has a disposable or a don't really care mentality.  I still want to maintain my furniture and rather that toss it out I will repair it or slipcover a worn item such as our dining room chairs (Amazon $19.99) which are still comfortable and sturdy.  After several years the leather upholstery on our sofa began to crack and give way so rather than send it to the landfill I ordered a slipcover (Amazon $29.99) for it and it looks really nice.  The sofa is still sound so it makes sense at this time to do this.  When the frame on my recliner broke and could not be fixed we replaced it with one we found secondhand on Facebook.

 

I'm very patient and willing to wait for sales, clearance and markdowns or the good fortune to fine something used which saves me a lot of money on pretty much everything I choose to buy.  This has been true for clothing, household items, tools, food and even some services.  It is less about how much I money I can save (anytime you are spending money you save nothing), but rather what is the least amount I can pay for what I need or want and still get the best quality.  Those are my thoughts on the subject, I'd love to hear yours.