Procrastination: The Essence Of Frugality
The essence of frugality… or at least procrastination is what family and friends call it when I wait to purchase something. I call it waiting (or looking) for a bargain.
It is not “procrastination” that is the mind set here, it’s the mind set that your bank balance is more important that the “thing” you want to buy. Only when the “things” value reaches a point in your mind that it is more valuable than the money do you decide to buy. Only us frugal types set an awfully high mental barrier wall around the pile of money and it’s not easy to overcome it.
Actually it’s second nature to us frugals but not easy when you first make the change to frugality… but it’s only a mind set and anyone can make the change if they are intent on it.
Generally, if I see something I want and after due consideration it is something I really want to own and decide to buy it then I usually start looking for either a steeply discounted new one or (depending on the item) an acceptable used. Sooooo… I might spend a couple of months looking for something or waiting for a sale while my friends keep telling me to, “Stop Procrastinating And Just Buy It.” I keep telling them I’m being frugal (they in turn call me cheap… LOL). I might also decide while waiting and looking that I really didn’t need it after all. Money saved!
How often do you get this sort of “Just Buy It” attitude from your own family and friends?
Does your desire to be frugal clashes with their “c’mon, lets get it now” mentality? You ever been the last of your acquaintances to get the big screen LCD Flat Panel TV but you paid less than 1/3 what they did and got a better (and bigger) model/brand all because you waited for prices to come down?
Have you ever put up with cold showers for a month while waiting for the Annual Sale on New Water Heaters that you know is going to happen the next month?
Conversely, how often do you get to gloat that you got the same thing they all have but because you waited and bought it on sale (and for cash because you had the money or saved up for it) you saved enough money to pay for a weekend getaway for you and your partner while they stay home (green as your dollars with envy) and eat Mickey D’s Dollar Menu while paying off the credit cards?
They can call it procrastination all they want… I call it the essence of frugality.
Photo credit: stock.xchng.
I had never thought of been frugal as procrastinating. I think I tend to get called “stubborn” by friends. If I am looking for something and the sales person tries to pressure me to buy now that is sure to make me ask more questions, stop and normally not buy at that point of time. In fact you can almost guarantee if I do buy it later that shop won’t get the sale.
This is particular the case with large purchases – I don’t know how many times I have heard car sales men (and they tend to be men) say that this is the best deal on offer and if you don’t buy it today then you will regret it tomorrow. The same thing applies to Real Estate.
All I can say is I have never regretted not buying something immediately – often you find you don’t really need it – but have regretted buying some things on a whim.
One of the best things was moving country six years ago – it is amazing how you can suddenly get rid of a lot of things which you thought you could never do without.
Roland: Like Mark above, I’m a minimalist. I moved often in my late twenties and learned too that you just don’t need a lot of stuff. I don’t consider myself to be particularly frugal, but since I really dislike going shopping – my lack of consumerism has provided me with my essence of frugality.
I’ve told this story before on this site, but when my wife wanted a new PDA she found one on sale for $250 (usually $360). She said “If we buy it now we can save $110!” I said “Yes, but if we don’t buy it now we can save $250, and if we wait for another week, and THEN don’t buy it, we can save $360.”
Roland, my brother is exactly like you. And strangely enough, I’m the exact opposite. We were raised by the same parents, but he got the frugality gene and I got the spending gene. But slowly, I’m learning to a little more like him. Good tips!