[O-Wassa]

We recently lost half of our income so we have been cutting our expenses left and right to the part that I feel like am I being stingy or being frugal?

I asked my partner last night and he said no. I feel better but what are your points that you feel you are stingy than being frugal?

We don’t go eat out, cut lot of services like TV streamings and food deliveries, use one vehicle if possible and plan our grocery trips in one day, utilize food pantry once a week when we need can foods and grow couple veggies like tomatoes and bell peppers in a front yard.

[Carol]

That is normal, not frugal or stingy. You are doing great. You could grow more food and can/freeze/dehydrate it. I’m glad hubby is on board with you.

[Cindy]

I feel like you are doing great. Stingy is when you withhold necessities even though you can cover them without sacrifice. There is nothing stingy about what you are doing.

[Victoria]

I think you are on the right track for frugal. There are still plenty of options that you can add. Like set a budget to make sure your income will cover your expenses. Review what else you can eliminate, reduce or adjust. If you have charge cards – call customer service and ask if they will lower your interest rate for all new purchases. Before the Feds started and kept increasing the interest rate the answer was always yes if your account was paid on time for 6 months.

Now with all the increases that might be a no, but there could be other options that you can consider.

Do a whole house/apartment assessment looking for vampire electric use. Are things plugged in that aren’t being used? Especially phone and other chargers, electronic games, DVD’s, music options. Lamps plugged in for guest rooms, clocks, etc. Check for hot/cold air leaks, windows, doors, electric outlets, etc. Set heat/ac to comfortable levels like ac at 74, and when going to be out for 3 or more hours set the thermostat 3 – 5 degrees up. Turn ac off when the temperature outside is comfortable and open the windows.

Every option that you find and correct the lower your bills will be.

You can check also: My frugal win for this week

[Marilyn]

I do all of the things you mentioned except use food banks. I do not use food banks because our income is more than adequate. If I used a food bank that would be stingy because I would deprive someone else who actually needed the food. So I donate to food banks when I can. I do not believe frugal behavior is stingy. By limiting your use of your car and consolidating trips you are helping us all. By consuming more frugally we are actually being more generous, not stingy. By not buying so much we help everyone. This is the opposite of stingy.

A great many of the world’s problems are caused by overconsumption of goods and hoarding money by wealthy people. This is stingy. It demonstrats a lack of care for others and our planet. Not sharing what you have can be stingy. But fruality is not!

[Charlotte]

Stingy is when you have something and somebody else needs it worse than you do and you won’t share. I’m not necessarily referring to money, but giving food, warmth, clothing, or possibly paying a utility bill. Refusing to help, if you have the means, that’s stingy. You’re being frugal now, so you can help others in the future.

Would you also like to explore: Frugal gifting tip: do the dreaded, overlooked, or forgotten deed

[Lori]

Frugal is with myself, stingy to me means cheap with others, not willing to pay my way or do my share.

[Eileen]

You should have three months survival money in the bank before you even begin to feel stingy.
You can be generous in ways that are not monetary. Watch a tired mothers child for an hour. Walk someones dog. Visit a nursing home. Smile when you don’t feel like it. Wave at a neighbour.

[Stephanie]

That all seems pretty much like simply the way people used to live before we had a lot of these conveniences. Not even extremely frugal. I think of frugal as patching kids jeans and putting breakfast leftovers in a smoothie for lunch.

Also, check out: OK, My frugal friends have you priced out dishes lately? How CRAZY expensive!

[Ashley]

Definitely not stingy! That’s living smart

[Sheila]

Frugal is being careful with what you have. Stingy is refusing to spend money even though you have it. Big difference!

[Marie]

Frugal is living with less. Stingy is things like not tipping, trying to get free condiments (more than your share), taking more than your share at office events – things like that.

Don’t miss: Happy Frugal Friday! What did you do this week to save money?

[Author]

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