Am I taking frugality too far?

[Sephiroth]

Like a lot of people I've had to really restrict my spending habits in this tough economy. Its been especially painful during the holiday season, when ever gift I buy feels like another drop of blood out of my arm. Some of the ways I'm doing this are pretty basic like buying more generic products instead of name brand, clipping coupons, keeping the temperature in my home lower than usual, things like that. But some other things I find myself doing seem a little weird-and perhaps worst of all, they are the very things I used to make fun of my grandparents for. I find myself grabbing handfuls of napkins or condiments at restaurants and using them at home to stretch out my supply, I've become very conscious of not using the gas when I drive downhill, and all my clothes are now from the clearance racks at stores. This week I think I may have crossed a line because I've been taking plastic containers to my job; since I work in a department store, all the various sections of the store are having their holiday parties-I wait till they are over and then go in and scoop some of the leftover food into a container to take home. I look at it as a free meal that does not come out of my grocery budget, and a way of stretching my food money even further. The reason it feels so especially weird is because previously these things seemed incomprehensible to me, but now they make perfect sense. Have I officially gotten crazy about this?

[Rican]

Nope. None of that seems unreasonable to me. Good for you. I wish I was more disciplined like that.

[VenomFang]

I am being a lot more frugal these days and I dont do anything that you wrote but I do other things. I prefer to buy things when they are on sale usually. I dont buy dvds anymore since they are outdated and since I'll only watch the movie once. I dont buy much psychical media anymore. I wont buy clothes only from clearance but I prefer to get them when they are on sale and I do have a price limit of what I wont go over. I wont buy a shirt if it costs more than $30. Same thing with food and other needs. If I need a jar of mayonnaise for example, I wont get it unless its on sale for $2.99. Gas is expensive so Ill only drive if its some place I have to go to I wont go for rides like I used to.

[Piccolo]

Definitely not taking it too far, and good for you! There was a reason our grandparents learned to do things that way, and it's good to have all of those tips and tricks down so that when another economic downturn comes around, you know exactly how to handle it.

[Alex Shelley]

I do/have done all of that, so it's not too far to me at least.

I haven't bought ketchup, mustard or mayo in years.

[Piccolo]

It's weird, because I used to believe 100% that "real" food cost more than prepackaged foods. Since the economy's gotten bad and I've started paying attention to how much my food costs, I've realized it's the exact opposite. Cheese and meat are expensive, but staples like bread, canned beans and veggies, and fresh produce really aren't bad at all. I'm eating way healthier, AND way cheaper. It's one of the few things in this situation that's a win-win.

(Walking instead of driving would be a similar win-win, if it wasn't winter. I'm gonna keep driving until the weather gets a little warmer.)

[Sephiroth]

Thanks for words of support. Truth is I am kind of worried about getting obsessive about it-I kind of have a track record of being the obsessive/compulsive type, even though I've never been diagnosed with OCD.
The other part that worries me is the one area I am still permitting myself to spend more freely is booze. I drink more than I should, I am aware, and its in no small part because I am frustrated at my current situation. The only difference now is that I buy the cheap liquor, which is so weak I have to drink more and more of it to get a good buzz on. Feels kind of self defeating.

[VenomFang]

Dec 24, 2011 1:09:10 GMT -5 Sephiroth said:

The only difference now is that I buy the cheap liquor, which is so weak I have to drink more and more of it to get a good buzz on. Feels kind of self defeating.

Cheap liquor isnt necessarily weaker. Thats a myth.

[kidglov3s]

Dec 24, 2011 1:11:23 GMT -5 VenomFang said:

Dec 24, 2011 1:09:10 GMT -5 Sephiroth said:

The only difference now is that I buy the cheap liquor, which is so weak I have to drink more and more of it to get a good buzz on. Feels kind of self defeating.

Cheap liquor isnt necessarily weaker. Thats a myth.

Yeah, 80 proof is 80 proof, etc. However, I have found it to be harsher. When I first started drinking I would only drink the cheapest vodka, which led to me developing a general aversion to alcohol that keeps my drinking at a minimum. My friends and I did find that filtering the cheapest vodka through three or four passes in a brita filter helped mellow it a little.

[Piccolo]

Dec 24, 2011 1:09:10 GMT -5 Sephiroth said:

Thanks for words of support. Truth is I am kind of worried about getting obsessive about it-I kind of have a track record of being the obsessive/compulsive type, even though I've never been diagnosed with OCD.
The other part that worries me is the one area I am still permitting myself to spend more freely is booze. I drink more than I should, I am aware, and its in no small part because I am frustrated at my current situation. The only difference now is that I buy the cheap liquor, which is so weak I have to drink more and more of it to get a good buzz on. Feels kind of self defeating.

Is there any way you can channel that frustration elsewhere, other than booze? It seems like a habit that will eventually be kind of hard to break, so it might be better to figure out something else that can give you that sense of well-being without the downsides of drinking a lot.

As a runner, I'd recommend that (you get endorphins, which make you feel awesome, and it's free as long as you've already got a pair of sneakers), but maybe others could offer other suggestions?

[Sephiroth]

Dec 24, 2011 1:15:23 GMT -5 kidglov3s said:

Dec 24, 2011 1:11:23 GMT -5 VenomFang said:

Cheap liquor isnt necessarily weaker. Thats a myth.

Yeah, 80 proof is 80 proof, etc. However, I have found it to be harsher. When I first started drinking I would only drink the cheapest vodka, which led to me developing a general aversion to alcohol that keeps my drinking at a minimum. My friends and I did find that filtering the cheapest vodka through three or four passes in a brita filter helped mellow it a little.

Thank you Mythbusters

And unfortunately when its not booze its junk food-particularly late night junk food. I have become an 11 pm regular at my local Burger King. Either way I am not exactly saving money despite all my other efforts.

[Cranjis McBasketball]

Won't be long before you become a hoarder...enjoy!

[Alex Shelley]

Dec 24, 2011 1:09:10 GMT -5 Sephiroth said:

Thanks for words of support. Truth is I am kind of worried about getting obsessive about it-I kind of have a track record of being the obsessive/compulsive type, even though I've never been diagnosed with OCD.
The other part that worries me is the one area I am still permitting myself to spend more freely is booze. I drink more than I should, I am aware, and its in no small part because I am frustrated at my current situation. The only difference now is that I buy the cheap liquor, which is so weak I have to drink more and more of it to get a good buzz on. Feels kind of self defeating.

If you're an obsessive/compulsive type or suspect OCD, you need to be careful with alcohol. Obsessive/compulsive types have more of a tendency to form addictions (which makes perfect sense), and it's harder to rehab an addiction if one does happen.

I can't tell you that you shouldn't drink at all, as that's up to the individual, but if you already feel like you drink too much, I'd start paying closer attention to that, and the increased addiction tendency is something you should at least be aware of. I thank the world every day that somebody clued me in on that bit of information, because it helped me really sit down to think about my ability to control myself once I've started with something, and my addiction tendencies, so that I could set my own personal limit on alcohol (which, for me, had to be none at all).

[Red Impact]

Yeah, you're not taking it too far yet. When you start going to restaurants and taking food off other people's tables after they've left, then you'll have taken it too far.

I can say this having been to Christmas parties and having had parents who have hosted them. Hosts often want people to take leftover food off their hands. People bring way too much food to parties, and they don't want to be stuck with it, so they're probably happy if someone is taking food home. That means it's less that they have to worry about.

[Deleted]

If you're paying for ketchup/napkins/knives/forks/spoons you're a fool. I load up on those each time I go to a restaurant.

[riseofsetian1981]

Absolutely not. Even before the tough economy I found myself saving money, and not to brag or anything, but I've always been good with saving money because I am not a huge spender. I do admit that I buy cd's, dvd's, books, and on certain days I will buy some new shirts and pants.

But as far as being a big spender now? No. A lot of my expenses now go towards grocery shopping and gas. Having a pet though is very expensive and that tends take a lot of money too. But there's absolutely nothing wrong with what you're doing. My friend would go to places like Five Guys, Burger King, or McDonalds to get packets of ketchup so he wouldn't have to buy it.

[chefboyardee2010]

Dec 24, 2011 0:44:46 GMT -5 Sephiroth said:

Like a lot of people I've had to really restrict my spending habits in this tough economy. Its been especially painful during the holiday season, when ever gift I buy feels like another drop of blood out of my arm. Some of the ways I'm doing this are pretty basic like buying more generic products instead of name brand, clipping coupons, keeping the temperature in my home lower than usual, things like that. But some other things I find myself doing seem a little weird-and perhaps worst of all, they are the very things I used to make fun of my grandparents for. I find myself grabbing handfuls of napkins or condiments at restaurants and using them at home to stretch out my supply, I've become very conscious of not using the gas when I drive downhill, and all my clothes are now from the clearance racks at stores. This week I think I may have crossed a line because I've been taking plastic containers to my job; since I work in a department store, all the various sections of the store are having their holiday parties-I wait till they are over and then go in and scoop some of the leftover food into a container to take home. I look at it as a free meal that does not come out of my grocery budget, and a way of stretching my food money even further. The reason it feels so especially weird is because previously these things seemed incomprehensible to me, but now they make perfect sense. Have I officially gotten crazy about this?

i take a ton of napkins and such from restaurants.what i do is ill order a hashbrown for 89cents then take a ton of straws ,napkins or whatever else they got i aint picky but i get my 89 cents worth lol

[angryfan]

I'm very frugal/cheap when it comes to myself. I will alaways ask the question, "Is this absolutely necessary right now?" and if the answer is no then I won't do it. I've stretched EVERYTHING that I can, as often as I can, because I can always find more important things that need to have money spent on them.

Thing is, I'm only that way for myself. When it comes to other people I will spend money like it's no big deal.