America discovers the basic conservative tradition: Frugality

The Washington Times ^ | Jan. 2, 2009 | Jennifer Harper

[RobRoy]

Here is the problem in a nutshell:

I have told people that if everyone spent their money the way my wife and I do, this economy would collapse overnight.

I believe a significant portion of our population IS starting to spend their money the way we do.

Watch for results of this.

[RobRoy]

>>Well..., I’m frugal, too — brew my own coffee and usually finish off the pot, even if it is a lot later (use the microwave a lot... LOL...).<<

Me too. You gotta get it all before the mold starts to grow though. I trust it for about three days tops.

[RobRoy]

Best coffee on the planet is Costco whole bean Columbian.

On threee separate occasions I’ve made coffee and out of the blue someone will say, “holy cow that is good coffee! What kind is it?” I was one of those at a friends house and it’s why I get it.

[HighlyOpinionated]

I went from debt free to buying grandkids too much to learning how to be debt free (Unsecured Debt) as of the first of this year. I turned my back on nearly $21,000 of credit card debt. Legally. Patriotically. The Bank Bail Out should have been used to zero out all the credit card debts the banks owned. But they preferred bonuses, perks, trips, etc. Too bad, they had their bail out and now I have mine.

[TheConservativeParty]

Frugal yes, but I still contributed to the Freepathon!

[Mr Ramsbotham]

There is nothing like surfeit to dull the edge of pleasure.

[hunter112]

Anybody know the URL’s of any good frugality websites? I consider myself reasonably frugal, except I won’t give up my gourmet coffee or craft brewed beer (even though I have thrifty ways of obtaining both!) but I’m sure I could use a few more tips.

[pa_dweller]

Enter "make your own laundry soap" into the search engine of your choice.

I've never tried it myself.

[SisterK]

Frugal is easy. Just hang out with farmers or folks who have been through the first Great Depresssion and you should be able to pick up frugality through osmosis. Or, live out of a footlocker while in a third world country, for a year or so, and you will be amazed how life gets honed to the barest essence. Low maintenance is very liberating.

[hunter112]

Enter "make your own laundry soap" into the search engine of your choice.

Ha! When I moved in with my lady over a year and a half ago, I found she had enough laundry soap stockpiled to last until we get rid of Obama! The woman has a bit of a buying compulsion, we haven't had to buy bar soap since I moved here, either.

Really, about all I have to buy around here to be ready for meals are perishables, like meat, produce, dairy products, and the occasional canned good. Maybe we're almost all set up for the coming Obamanation. Too bad we live in a condo-townhouse, and there's no room for a vegetable garden. Herbs on the back porch would be nice, though.

[hunter112]

Sister, maybe that's why I'm as frugal as I am, heard all about Mom's putting her chewing gum in a glass of water overnight! We were the poorest people in our neighborhood, because everybody else who made what my Dad made would not have sacrificed as much to be able to live in that neighborhood!

A bit late for the third world thing, I'm not even set up with a travel document that would let me come back from Canada, and at my age, the Army would burn my draft card if I still had it!

[SisterK]

so you are an old fart trapped in Canada?

[hunter112]

so you are an old fart trapped in Canada?

Nope, but I was born there. Adopted as an infant, and brought to the states, naturalized about fifty years ago!

I haven't been to Canada since 1999, and while I do plan to go again someday, I've not been in a hurry.