I agree 100%. My hubby and I had a good laugh when we paid for a meal with a gift card. The poor server was crestfallen when she saw it. We enjoyed speculating how she would feel when she saw we tipped on the entire amount of the check! We don't mind tipping because we only eat out for a treat.
To me frugal is being a good steward of my money. Cheap is often hurting someone else to save money. Not tipping, not picking up the check when it's your turn, expecting things for free all the time, not buying needs for your family.
Yes I absolutely love their responses to the nasty comments! I learn a lot from Hope n Larry! Well done, very inspirational with money, morals and attitude!!
I would be so proud to call you my kids! Exactly how we have always tried to live and now being 81 and 83 we have a nice home, car, memories and money in the bank all from living under the median our whole married life and now can live very happily and nicely on Social Security and hire help as needed. I do need my hamburgers and diet Pepsi. One of the fun things we like to do is anoymous gifts to someone who has a real need. Smiling as I listened.
What's interesting to me is that a frugal lifestyle was the norm (and was respected) in the 1940's-1950's. Then something happened that made people accept long-term debt as a way of life and over-buying as the norm. I don't know what it was, but I live in hope that people will begin to question why they are actually buying all the "stuff" that they buy.
Corporate greed, advertising, and consumerism is mostly what happened. Throw away society, convenience, and living for the moment is more of what happened 🙄.
Being frugal isn't about missing out, it's about getting the life that is important to you. For us that meant we were able to do 5 years of IVF and finally get our beautiful son. We could never have done that if we didn't live a simple, frugal life. It's about focusing on the important things.
Wow these people are so rude. Some of our happiest family memories have happened during lockdown when we spent nothing! Just family time together eating ,playing games and walking. My children are 6 and 3. They are a bit sad now lockdown is over as we've less time together and seperated more
I think a lot of families discovered the joys of being together during lockdown. We saw so many of our neighbors outside playing with their kids. I hope some of that continues now that we are beginning to open up again.
We live in a tiny home. We took a 30ft camper and gutted it and built it how we wanted. Rewired and replumbed and put our own walls in and everything. Lots of work but I love it even more now that we worked on it all by ourselves.
I volunteer for a program that prepares migrant kids for apprenticeship program. They're not used to having money. So this week for the math lesson, I took them through a simple budget worksheet and we talked about the importance of putting money in savings every month, even if it's just a little bit. It was a very rewarding lesson and they took me very seriously. I get why you do this.
I love how you mentioned the importance of tipping. I was a waitress for 10 years and once at a high end place in Portland, and I noticed that the wealthier people were often the worst tippers and I always found it interesting.
What's sad is that I've had waitresses tell me that people who stop to eat after church are often not good tippers. We've always made certain that our wait staff knows how much we appreciate their hard work.
I have an air popcorn popper bought in 1983. I'm still using it. Yep, I'm frugal. Also, I think frugal people are very giving people, while cheap people tend to be more selfish (for lack of a better word). Great video!!
I think that there is a deep spiritual joy that happens when we bless others without any thought of repayment. It makes me sad that some people miss out on that.
I worked a lot of years at a job that did not give me fullfillment or satisfaction. My retirement dream was to volunteer at several different places and give back, but also give meaning to my life. To test my idea at age 60 I decided to take a bucket list trip and did a volunteer vacation. I left my apartment in a big city and did a 27 hour solo drive to Mission Wolf in Colorado and volunteered at a wolf sanctuary. Since I only committed to a couple of weeks I had to be totally self sufficient, bring in my own tent and food., I was allowed to use their shower once a week. It was amazing to hear the wolves howl at dawn and dusk and it was my first experince working in the thin air in the mountains. It was amazing and also inexpensive once in a life time experience. Five years later I am retired and volunteeering at a food bank and Ronald MacDonald House and I have my name in to dog walk for the SPCA, help on the palliative ward at the hospital, and to build tiny homes for the homeless. But I also learned the value of a vacation so I am going to take August off from volunteering to roller-blade in the morning and sit by an outdoor city pool in the afternoon. You don't need a lot of money to be happy.
I was an only child. My parents owned a very reputable restaurant. Clearly, they could have spoiled me very much! Like your brother-in-law, I was raised to not be extravagant. They even had me take out a loan for college. They had me pay on it for a year, then paid it for me as a birthday present. I can tell you because of them, I’m a better, more kind, caring and giving person. 🥰
Some people have to put other people down to feel good about themselves. You have to take those comments with a grain of salt. I think you two are fabulous!
I definitely agree with your definition of frugality. If more people followed some of these steps and didn’t worry about what others thought, they would be better off financially.
My husband was raised in a wealthy family - everyone went to college, they owned companies, traveled the world, knew lots of famous people and dined with presidents. I was a foster kid and when I lived with my birth family - - we were on welfare. His mom once told him, “You’re never so rich you can afford to buy poor.” I was the first person in my family to graduate from college! When we got married I shopped mostly at WalMart for clothing and was always buying clothes every season. My husband still has some clothing he had before we were married! I’ve learned it is often better to buy some quality pieces that last years. This is something that has proven true in all kinds of areas of life!
I grew up poor, and I'm slowly realizing the differences between cheap and frugal. My family was cheap from a long history of cheap, for a variety of reasons. It takes effort to make the shift to being frugal. I just didn't know any other way to live but now I want our kids to live differently. Thank you for all your honesty, insight, and hard work, Larry and Hope!
hello from boston ma. i always enjoy your content. some poeple say to me when do you get to enjoy the money. because we have spent 4 years paying everything off but our house. i was so tired of giving the bank tons of money in interest. we even went to a 15y mortgage. and cut the interest almost in half. well i tell them i have a 24x40 pool in my yard and a 700sq foot living room. i retired my 2000 camaro and bought a 2016 toyota avalon hybrid. and now the happy owner of a yard tractor. which is going to save so much labor. all paid for with cash no payments. we never knew a budget was so powerful. we wish we started doing this 20 years ago. heres to happy living
Love you both! The people commenting you are out of date, are the people that aren’t happy with what they have. Always wanting the latest trip or purchase to make them happy. They are watching because you are happy and they want what you have!!!
Loved the way you cleared up the confusion concerning those two words. A couple of years ago I had the privilege to visit Norway where my grandparents are all from. I went with my sister and brother-in-law and a cousin. We stayed in Air b&b’s and cooked our own meals. Our Norwegian family insisted on us staying in their vacation house for a good part of our trip. I saved money for this trip so not one Penny went on the credit card! It was a dream vacation to be sure!
I AGREE with everything you say about what frugal people are. Frugal people are very giving without expecting anything in return. You got cheap people spot on!! Lol I know a few.. too many actually.
Lol I agree .. now my bf’s mother is definitely CHEAP! A Canadian Scottish who’s so selfish when it comes to things and money! Now it just confirmed it!!!!!
Thanks for taking the high road in your responses to certain comments. I have never thought either of you are greedy, cheap, or anything else with negative connotations. I think it’s easily seen how happy and contented you are in your lives and that’s why you both are sharing tips and recommendations on how other people can live fulfilling and frugal lives. Please continue doing what you’re doing and thank you!
Awe, thank you, HawkStrong, you are so welcome. We so appreciate people like you. We are overwhelmed at the support that has been conveyed in the comments from people like you who truly understand. Thanks for your support!
Frugality is a mindset different from our current consumerism lifestyle in the USA. Many of us remember our grandparents talking of the Depression and many of their habits. My grandfather loved tea and reused his teabags. My grandmother was very frugal and was a good seamstress. My maternal grandparents were older and talked of paying their bills as soon as they came in the mail. No debt was incurred by either set. You saved your money for what you needed. My grandmother cried at how awful life was during the Depression. They were all frugal but not cheap. I wish I had learned more from them b4 they passed away. I did not always have a frugal mindset. I was cheap in my young years but was heavy into consumerism. In my 30s learned money management and Frugality. I was not always successful but did try. I am very frugal now and trying to pay off debt is main priority. It is never to late to learn!
Yeah, I don't get it either. I was always taught if you can't say anything good then don't say anything at all. Many aren't taught good manners and etiquette today. It really shows up on UA-cam and FaceBook comments. I think it's good to address a hand full of them are ignore most of them.
Hi Hope and Larry, I can't be total frugal (at this moment), but 100% agreed that people should not be wasteful. Cheap is very different than frugal. Thanks for making this video.
My husband and I discovered you can never make everybody happy when we were throwing over half of our combined income toward paying off our student loans, but still went out to eat once a week. There was a huge group of people that accused us of being frivolous and not focusing enough on our debt, and there was an equally huge group of people that claimed we weren't living our lives to the fullest. At the end of the day, smart people are going to budget around their priorities, and they're going to accept that everybody has different priorities. We aren't having children, we don't pay for gym memberships, 95% of our clothing is from thrift stores, and we don't have an #aesthetic apartment. But we don't judge people who value raising children, exercising at a gym, or having a well-designed home or fancy wardrobe. By the same token, we hope people understand that we prioritize good food, prepping for retirement, and traveling to see our loved ones and experience the world.
We research and save for the best quality we can afford. We then make it last for years and years. We don’t spend much but spend wisely. We budget for trips, holidays and days out.
Vivian, it's interesting that I believe that the same ideals were prominent in the United States in the 1930's during the Great Depression. Not a lot of money and family was really important.
I'm 30 and I love your channel. For years my family and friends have called me "cheap" when I'm really just frugal. I want to have nice things so I work for them, and when I finally get it, I intend to make the purchase once. For me: Frugality is using your resources so you can live an abundant life rather than fund somelarge corporations CEO to live their abundant life.
I think there’s def a difference between being frugal and cheap! I think being frugal just means you want to get as much value as you can from what you spend your money on
"Sweat equity" - such a good explanation. How much more satisfying to work for what you want. Gives you a sense of pride and you are so much more likely to take care of it.
In the last 18 months my husband and I would not be where we are which is horribly poor if we hadn’t been extremely frugal … we would have been worse. We haven’t ate out at our favorite places in that time. Unless we have been gifted a gift card. Our bills are paid every month but there is zero extra. I listen to u a lot . Thank you for your help! Frugal is good!
Agree with your definitions, one thing I did throughout my life, especially with computers and other technology is that I would only purchase things that would allow me to learn things in areas of my field which I didn't have an opportunity to learn otherwise. Sometimes would try to get my employer to pay for them (usually that failed unless it could be directly applied to their existing infrastructure). It was never about earning more money, but instead was about making myself more valuable to my employer (or future employer).
Great comment, DJ! Good use of computer hardware. I purchased a computer from Bradley when I was working at WTVP so I could do the station logs from home during pledge drives and sickness. They didn't fund that purchase, but it gave me more time at home - certainly was worth it. (It was a Mac Color Classic.)
Enjoying life is not stressing about bills, being able to do my hobbies without stressing, and living a calm lifestyle. Living life does not mean spending money!
Michael, you make some great points. We are really comfortable being in our own space, spending quality time together, and really don't feel that we need to spend a lot of money to make life more interesting.
i'm a minimalist, frugal and low waste .. i enjoy not spending more than i need to and material possessions don't make me happier than i already am .. i love not having to clean, maintain, repair stuff .. so the less i have, the less i need to do that .. however i looooooove to travel, but i'll use air miles and find cheap flights BUT if i'm flying over 6 hrs i fly business class ....... yup that's my luxury .. my money, my life, my choices, my CO2 too ! .. i live overseas from u guys and the minimum wage here is 4k p.m. including waiters so tips are included .. the whole US concept needs to be re-thought to give people a decent living wage .. but when in america i tip too but it confuses the hell out of me LOL ..
You both are so secure and gracious in your responses. I loved this topic because sometimes I get scared that I’m not doing YOLO (you only live once) and what really helped me with that was contentment. My parents and siblings passed away very early and I know from experience that the most important things in life are not things or amazing experiences- relationships with those we love is. Sure experiences are fun but so is game night and walks together. I just feel like no one runs to the phone to call someone on a plane like during 911 to tell them to protect their stuff - it’s always to tell their love ones that they love them. Also love how you reminded us that thrifty just means making our money stretch and doesn’t have a closed fist, greedy spirit
OMG!!! LOL!!! I agree with Maria Hurley!!! It is none of anyones buinsness weather you are having fun or not. Good for you Larry and Hope for not taking these comments so seriously and personal!!! The world needs to be responsible and stop living beyond their means!!!!Im proud to say, I am a frugal gall and yes, I agree with your defination!! Unless you ever lived a life on afixed income, you learn to live life the best you can with what you got, and you can't miss something you don't have!!! You guys Rock!!! I want a tiny house living next door to you guys!!!.... You would make great neighbors! I tip my waiters big time because I worked in the resturant feild and know how hard it is to work in the service indrustry! i also tip my mail man and even made him holiday cookies which he share with his coworkers. It's not easy since Covid! I would love to find a cheaper place to live, but its near impossible, yet its near impossible......
I seriously love how you guys change the stuff on your shelves behind you been noticing them in most of your videos such personalities you guys are such fun
I keep food storage and durning the pandemic I helped a neighbor with hand sanitizer because they needed it for work . I always give food for hurricane or tornados I’m glad I can help others
I always follow ur channel. I love that u both are always kind. I use frugality to decide what I truly want. Now that my children are all grown and doing well I am selling my house and all my furniture. I will move into a much smaller condo. I have spent many years remodeling my house and it is worth 4×what I paid for it. I love it but frugality tells me to move on to something different. I love the new direction to my life.
Thanks both, there is nothing cheap about having common sense and intentionality about using your money and resources wisely. I don't understand people who just assume or outright state that you're doing it wrong if your way is different to theirs - As Money Mom always says it's called personal finance for a reason, our lives and priorities are different from each other - Keep up the good work 😊 P.S I missed the bloopers today 😉
Those comments are disrespectful and crude. Those questions also could have been asked more civilly and maturely. I appreciate your kindness, cheeriness, and really helpful knowledge.
People need to learn how to save their money cuz by the time they have to retire they will have no money the government is not the solution. Love you guys ❤
We rent a home from a friend in a very high end neighborhood. He charges us minimal rent as he doesn't want the house empty and as a thank you (won't go into details but thank wasn't expected.) It's on a river & he wanted the river access. It gets a little wonky when I put our clothes on a drying rack & grow veggies & herbs. Not for our friend (he's a farm boy that made it big) but none of our neighbors embrace us as they seem to see us as the paupers of the neighborhood. We have had to take a deep breath & keep standing in our truth.
Fun like beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I find it fun to save money. It gives me more satisfaction than spending a ton of money. There is literally no pleasure for me going on a spending spree, buying expensive items, etc. Seriously.
Yes. You said it right. Many ideas are just about making wise decisions and being smart with your hard earned money. I will boil a kettle and put the extra in a flask for later. I'll fill my coffee cup at home rather than picking one up when I stop for fuel but I'll also meet up with family for coffee or lunch a few times a month because it's important to me to share time together with them. I bought an expensive kettle and toaster after researching lots and, being arty, I just loved the design and style. 2nd toaster and 3rd kettle in 25 years so that's not bad plus because I shopped around, I got the last kettle in a shop for half price because it had a bashed box....I don't need a box to boil water. I will go on holiday (not far away) & I make it full of happy memories with family. We share the cost of accommodation & travel to get the best value and once there, we walk, hike, picnic, enjoy treasure hunts or go geocaching, barbeque by the lake shore and ..... so much more. I am careful not to waste fuel or buy magazines anymore that cost more than a book!!! I bulk cook from scratch and freeze portions. I rarely get fast food/pizza deliveries anymore. I bulk buy food and household items when they are on offer which means savings that can go towards paying for that holiday. It's all about being wise so the things that matter most can be enjoyed. Thanks for your fabulous videos. I am learning new things when I watch every one. They are great and you both make a great team.
After my husband and I started our frugal journey one of the things on my bucket list was to go to Alcatraz. Well, San Francisco is very expensive :-) but I was going with my husband, my brother and his wife, my niece, my son and his wife. So rather than all of us getting hotel rooms and eating every meal out we chose to rent an Airbnb for the time that we were there. We all split the cost of the rent which came out quite a bit less expensive than renting a hotel room. We went to the grocery store and bought all of our food for breakfast lunch and dinner with the exception of us going out to dinner one night. It was a very frugal trip that could have been very expensive and I don't think we were cheap at all. We did all of the things that we wanted to do. And it was definitely a memorable time
Great video! I totally agree with all of your definitions and all of your ideas on living a frugal life. That is how I live and I never feel like I do without anything. I live in joy.
I think that if your are happy you should not listen to the rude comments . Because it's your life and you live it not they're. You are my role models. I learned a lot of your UA-cam channel. Thank you for your help. Don't change nothing you are perfect. 🤗
Per those who criticize: People have different priorities. Those who live frugally aren't necessarily hoarding money, nor are they necessarily broke. They are PREPARED, and usually better prepared than most! Frugal people also teach their children to be fiscally responsible. It's all good!
Be frugal is being practical with your purchases. My husband puts a certain amount of money into my grocery account. If I have something else that I also want or need to get, He checks the joint account and checks to find out what still needs to be paid (rent, utilities, etc.). If we can spare it, he will transfer to my grocery account. If not, I find out what food or paper product can wait for another month. If not there, then it get put onto a back burner for a possible future purchase. Some things are worth waiting for. I have found that most people I know that are happy, don't have money.
I love your home and your decor. I can imagine it’s nostalgic for you. It seems as though it holds a lot of great memories for you and your Children and ultimately that’s what matters!
I think being frugal is just about understanding the true value of items to you personally. It's being intentional with your spending, not being wasteful, and honoring your priorities. There should be no shame in that, and most frugal people I know are neither cheap nor poor.
Thanks for this video. Everything makes sense. I agree with making intelligent purchases. My favorite vacations weren’t necessarily the ones that cost the most. As they say “A fool and his money are soon parted.” I would consider myself frugal. I coupon and get more then I need but I have given toiletries and food to 5 community centers that help those in need.
My dad has accrued a lot of wealth over the years but we lost our mum to cancer in 2018 when she was only 59. My dad would trade all of that for mum to be still with us today. There are more important things than money.
Your bean burger and food show on bulk cooking and so on, gave me ultimate confidence not to go in debt. The food idea was good and they are tasty! Thanks a lot!
I can be cheap, I admit it. It isn't the end of the world. Ditto, my happiness factor has zero to do with money. Keep on keeping on friends, so many appreciate your excellent advice and all the time and effort you put into sharing!
I have always been frugal and also very generous because I have the money to be so. I don't like owning lots of expensive things as they don't make you any happier and in fact would make you worry more about losing them.
I absolutely love both of you sweet, admirable people. I have learned so much from watching your channel, now God bless you both continuously, you both are so very very smart, and able to explain everything you are trying to get across to your viewers. You both are the kind of people that I would personally love to have as my true friends. I feel blessed just to be able to watch you both, and utilize some of your frugal ways in my life. Blessings for continued health and happiness.
It is entirely possible to be frugal and generous at the same time, thank you for pointing that out. You can be dirt poor and still be a generous person. Often I think about whether people think I’m frugal or cheap as lots of people I know spend their money unwisely in my opinion. I’m a frugalist in my heart and mind, always was. You guys have helped my actually define what I have always believed in, so thank you so much for your wise and thoughtful input.
Where there is your treasure Thereis your heart also? Oh, how much I had joy after being frugal and was able to give to others. The joy can now buy with money.
Just an overall fantastic video - well done ! We have been frugal all our lives and we were both raised on family farms with a good solid work ethic and frugal mindset exemplified to us - it’s almost like we don’t know any other way ! When the tiny house topic came up it made me feel compelled to share our story ... 10 yrs ago we considered this ; we had a beautiful 160 acre piece of land that we wanted 2 live on , but no proper home on it . We didn’t want to borrow money for one & with just the 2 of us we thought ‘ tiny home ‘ but when we looked into the time and cost we actually ended up purchasing a vintage mobile home & moving it onto our property . We paid only 5000$ for it - it was a labour of love ; as we moved it ourselves , did the septic , hydro , every single aspect of set up ourselves - saving 10s of thousands of dollars & at just under a 1000 sq ft it truthfully is a tiny home by many folks standards today ! The beauty of it also was that for us & how we are wired to not like to see waste & where this mobile home was on a rather remote farm needing to be moved , truthfully if we hadn’t taken it on it probably would have just went back to the land . Such a waste. We love our little trailer home - I always say it has everything we need & nothing we don’t ! Love and continued blessings to you and your family from our Manitoba farm !!!🌷❤️🌷
Buying, used, second hand, consignment, yard sale, etc. is called Recycling. Plus a lot of times it benefits a charity, ex: church sales, Goodwill, Salvation Army, St. Vincent DePaul, animal shelters, etc
I think you have done an exemplary job of defining each word here. I so appreciate what you're giving back to the world. It's helping me reach my goal of being debt free (except the house) by September and giving me ideas on how to willingly embrace frugality. After September will really ramp up saving for a "nused" car. Starting to research now. Thank you. Best to you both.
Excellent ♥️ I would add, though, that sometimes giving to those who cannot afford to pay is as, or more, meaningful than giving or bartering amongst people who can afford to pay. In my opinion being cheap or submerged in greed or avarice is never giving but always expecting something in return.
Beautifully explained! Not wasteful and giving to others is indeed what frugality means to me. It's true, what I read in other comments, people go for instant satisfaction nowadays. Everything has to be shiny, new, and quick to get. I live close to an outlet village, for Dutch standards it approaches what we might point out as typical American malls I guess. 20 years ago, that village was not for the average family, more for the wealthiest people. Nowadays you're an outcast if you don't shop there and claim to enjoy it. Well, we intentionally moved away from that city, away from the noise, the traffic, the sickening sight of people putting stuff over family or friends. People who define a great day as one in which they shopped the whole day spending money they really can't miss. It's heartbreaking to hear those people, who used to be our friends, call us cheap. However, it is heart warming to see we now live amongst like minded people, who actually care more about other people than about money or stuff. Who work less, so they can spend more time with their kids and elderly. To enjoy the company of neighbors from all ages and talking about life and learning from each other. Thank you for your beautiful channel, it really is a blessing 💖 Love from Holland
Just got your e-book. Thank you so much. Living frugally is about attitude. I don’t have a lot of money but I have more than I need. I feel like I’m very rich.
A note on a tiny house. Only have enough house to be comfortable in & live a life you can enjoy. A one bedroom cabin on a few acres with huge working pantry & root cellar is my goal.
I totally agree with you! I’m not just saying this but I am truly! I am happy to be the way I am! I’m not cheap and I enjoy life! I buy things that make me happy so that’s just me. I’m not stingy but I do believe in not being wasteful! By the way Hope I think you are beautiful and love your hair! Larry is a great person with wonderful ideas and he is creative! Love you Larry! Stay as you are and do what makes you happy!!
There is a saying on Facebook that says something like Teach your children to value each other. Family etc. Not how to judge things by their dollars worth.
This is how I see it!
frugal: at your own expense (taking cold showers, not eating out)
cheap: at other's expense (not tipping your server)
Wow! I love that perspective!
Exactly!
YES! My coupon usually allows me to tip more and be more generous and still be able to save money! Win win, all around!
That's a very good way to explain it!
I agree 100%. My hubby and I had a good laugh when we paid for a meal with a gift card. The poor server was crestfallen when she saw it. We enjoyed speculating how she would feel when she saw we tipped on the entire amount of the check! We don't mind tipping because we only eat out for a treat.
To me frugal is being a good steward of my money. Cheap is often hurting someone else to save money. Not tipping, not picking up the check when it's your turn, expecting things for free all the time, not buying needs for your family.
You nailed it 😊
@@nancyevans5502 pretty much it
That is right on. 👍
Absolutely!
Amen
Your kindness and non-defensive responses inspire me.
me to!
I think you guys are amazing 😉
Thank you for your kind words, Joan. We appreciate it very much.
Yes I absolutely love their responses to the nasty comments! I learn a lot from Hope n Larry! Well done, very inspirational with money, morals and attitude!!
I absolutely agree.
I think of frugality as being purpose-driven, where cheapness is a close cousin of selfishness.
Great comparisons.
I agree a 100% with you 🤗
Being frugal means that you don't spend money on things that don't matter to you so that you can spend money on things that do.
Well said.
Absolutely right!
Absolutely you nailed it 😊.
That’s me!! I am her!
Frugal is buying toilet paper on sale. Cheap is splitting the two-ply onto two rolls. ;)
Hilarious
Definitely cheapskate. However, you end up using more to get the job done so it might as well be left two-ply. 😉
Or cutting up squares of newspaper 🤣
😂😂😂
LOL! I'd have to agree.
I would be so proud to call you my kids! Exactly how we have always tried to live and now being 81 and 83 we have a nice home, car, memories and money in the bank all from living under the median our whole married life and now can live very happily and nicely on Social Security and hire help as needed. I do need my hamburgers and diet Pepsi. One of the fun things we like to do is anoymous gifts to someone who has a real need. Smiling as I listened.
What a nice comment, Dora. Way to go on the finances. That's our target as well. Enjoy those hamburgers and Pepsi!
Delayed gratification isn’t the normal in America. Probably why most live paycheck to paycheck. Keep up the good work and ignore the naysayers! 👍😎
What's interesting to me is that a frugal lifestyle was the norm (and was respected) in the 1940's-1950's. Then something happened that made people accept long-term debt as a way of life and over-buying as the norm. I don't know what it was, but I live in hope that people will begin to question why they are actually buying all the "stuff" that they buy.
I agree a 100% with you. As kids growing up our Dad taught us to save up for what you want. I am still practicing it today. That's why I am debt free.
@@UndertheMedian It’s the advent of credit cards in the 80s. People suddenly had the capability to buy things they couldn’t afford to previously.
Corporate greed, advertising, and consumerism is mostly what happened. Throw away society, convenience, and living for the moment is more of what happened 🙄.
Being frugal isn't about missing out, it's about getting the life that is important to you. For us that meant we were able to do 5 years of IVF and finally get our beautiful son. We could never have done that if we didn't live a simple, frugal life. It's about focusing on the important things.
Awww... I loved your comment. congratulations on that sweet son!
Wonderful! I'm saving up to cashflow an embryo adoption so I can be a midlife mum. I just passed the halfway point of my goal!
@@myoldvhstapes , awesome! We are always up to welcoming more "kids" into the fold. LOL!
That’s lovely ❤️
Wow these people are so rude. Some of our happiest family memories have happened during lockdown when we spent nothing! Just family time together eating ,playing games and walking. My children are 6 and 3. They are a bit sad now lockdown is over as we've less time together and seperated more
I think a lot of families discovered the joys of being together during lockdown. We saw so many of our neighbors outside playing with their kids. I hope some of that continues now that we are beginning to open up again.
Because it's priceless 🤗.
I love your channel. Frugal=commonsense/patience. Cheap=instant satisfaction
Great thoughts!
You are a 100% right.😁
We live in a tiny home. We took a 30ft camper and gutted it and built it how we wanted. Rewired and replumbed and put our own walls in and everything. Lots of work but I love it even more now that we worked on it all by ourselves.
That’s amazing! I’m so happy for you guys that you were able to do that. Enjoy!
I volunteer for a program that prepares migrant kids for apprenticeship program. They're not used to having money. So this week for the math lesson, I took them through a simple budget worksheet and we talked about the importance of putting money in savings every month, even if it's just a little bit. It was a very rewarding lesson and they took me very seriously. I get why you do this.
We love what you do! Thanks for being an important part of your community in such a meaningful way.
I love how you mentioned the importance of tipping. I was a waitress for 10 years and once at a high end place in Portland, and I noticed that the wealthier people were often the worst tippers and I always found it interesting.
What's sad is that I've had waitresses tell me that people who stop to eat after church are often not good tippers. We've always made certain that our wait staff knows how much we appreciate their hard work.
I made more money as a waitress in an ice cream restaurant than in te fanciest places i workers at
@@UndertheMedian sadly the waitresses don't want to work Sundays and have to deal with the after church crowd.
I have an air popcorn popper bought in 1983. I'm still using it. Yep, I'm frugal. Also, I think frugal people are very giving people, while cheap people tend to be more selfish (for lack of a better word). Great video!!
We think people are really missing out on something special if they never give to others.
Frugal is money smart, cheap is selfish. It's such a blessing to be debt free and help others with both our time and money.
I think that there is a deep spiritual joy that happens when we bless others without any thought of repayment. It makes me sad that some people miss out on that.
Exactly! True happiness is not the sum of our balance sheet! Loved Larry's comment about your hair! It melted my heart!
A polite way to answer.. I've been called cheap, but frugal fits me better.
I worked a lot of years at a job that did not give me fullfillment or satisfaction. My retirement dream was to volunteer at several different places and give back, but also give meaning to my life. To test my idea at age 60 I decided to take a bucket list trip and did a volunteer vacation. I left my apartment in a big city and did a 27 hour solo drive to Mission Wolf in Colorado and volunteered at a wolf sanctuary. Since I only committed to a couple of weeks I had to be totally self sufficient, bring in my own tent and food., I was allowed to use their shower once a week. It was amazing to hear the wolves howl at dawn and dusk and it was my first experince working in the thin air in the mountains. It was amazing and also inexpensive once in a life time experience. Five years later I am retired and volunteeering at a food bank and Ronald MacDonald House and I have my name in to dog walk for the SPCA, help on the palliative ward at the hospital, and to build tiny homes for the homeless. But I also learned the value of a vacation so I am going to take August off from volunteering to roller-blade in the morning and sit by an outdoor city pool in the afternoon. You don't need a lot of money to be happy.
I was an only child. My parents owned a very reputable restaurant. Clearly, they could have spoiled me very much! Like your brother-in-law, I was raised to not be extravagant. They even had me take out a loan for college. They had me pay on it for a year, then paid it for me as a birthday present. I can tell you because of them, I’m a better, more kind, caring and giving person. 🥰
Some people have to put other people down to feel good about themselves. You have to take those comments with a grain of salt. I think you two are fabulous!
Thanks, Tangerine. We don't pay much attention to them.
Don’t cut your hair, it looks beautiful.
I'm so in agreement with you, Virginia. Bless you.
I agree - my sisters and I are all over 50 and all have beautiful long hair. I still get complemented on my long hair.
True!
I am over 50 and have no plans to chop off my crowning glory. I have so many styling options and I get compliments on my hair as well.
@@kerihatgirl8990 , that's what I like about long hair. There are so many possibilities for styling it.
I definitely agree with your definition of frugality. If more people followed some of these steps and didn’t worry about what others thought, they would be better off financially.
Absolutely!!! I have never lived nextdoor to the Smiths or Jones'. Therefore I have never kept up with them.😉
You are "The Wise Wares" 😉
Another great video.🙂
My husband was raised in a wealthy family - everyone went to college, they owned companies, traveled the world, knew lots of famous people and dined with presidents. I was a foster kid and when I lived with my birth family - - we were on welfare. His mom once told him, “You’re never so rich you can afford to buy poor.” I was the first person in my family to graduate from college! When we got married I shopped mostly at WalMart for clothing and was always buying clothes every season. My husband still has some clothing he had before we were married! I’ve learned it is often better to buy some quality pieces that last years. This is something that has proven true in all kinds of areas of life!
I love how you guys emphasise giving to others as part & parcel of frugality
I grew up poor, and I'm slowly realizing the differences between cheap and frugal. My family was cheap from a long history of cheap, for a variety of reasons. It takes effort to make the shift to being frugal. I just didn't know any other way to live but now I want our kids to live differently.
Thank you for all your honesty, insight, and hard work, Larry and Hope!
hello from boston ma. i always enjoy your content. some poeple say to me when do you get to enjoy the money. because we have spent 4 years paying everything off but our house. i was so tired of giving the bank tons of money in interest. we even went to a 15y mortgage. and cut the interest almost in half. well i tell them i have a 24x40 pool in my yard and a 700sq foot living room. i retired my 2000 camaro and bought a 2016 toyota avalon hybrid. and now the happy owner of a yard tractor. which is going to save so much labor. all paid for with cash no payments. we never knew a budget was so powerful. we wish we started doing this 20 years ago. heres to happy living
Good for you! Nicely done.
I love how you both are so secure with yourselves that you don’t take these comments personally. That’s a really difficult thing to do sometimes.
Love you both! The people commenting you are out of date, are the people that aren’t happy with what they have. Always wanting the latest trip or purchase to make them happy. They are watching because you are happy and they want what you have!!!
LOL! That could be true. Thank you, sage.
Loved the way you cleared up the confusion concerning those two words. A couple of years ago I had the privilege to visit Norway where my grandparents are all from. I went with my sister and brother-in-law and a cousin. We stayed in Air b&b’s and cooked our own meals. Our Norwegian family insisted on us staying in their vacation house for a good part of our trip. I saved money for this trip so not one Penny went on the credit card! It was a dream vacation to be sure!
I AGREE with everything you say about what frugal people are. Frugal people are very giving without expecting anything in return.
You got cheap people spot on!! Lol I know a few.. too many actually.
Lol I agree .. now my bf’s mother is definitely CHEAP! A Canadian Scottish who’s so selfish when it comes to things and money! Now it just confirmed it!!!!!
Thanks for taking the high road in your responses to certain comments. I have never thought either of you are greedy, cheap, or anything else with negative connotations. I think it’s easily seen how happy and contented you are in your lives and that’s why you both are sharing tips and recommendations on how other people can live fulfilling and frugal lives. Please continue doing what you’re doing and thank you!
Awe, thank you, HawkStrong, you are so welcome. We so appreciate people like you. We are overwhelmed at the support that has been conveyed in the comments from people like you who truly understand. Thanks for your support!
Frugality is a mindset different from our current consumerism lifestyle in the USA. Many of us remember our grandparents talking of the Depression and many of their habits. My grandfather loved tea and reused his teabags. My grandmother was very frugal and was a good seamstress. My maternal grandparents were older and talked of paying their bills as soon as they came in the mail. No debt was incurred by either set. You saved your money for what you needed. My grandmother cried at how awful life was during the Depression. They were all frugal but not cheap. I wish I had learned more from them b4 they passed away. I did not always have a frugal mindset. I was cheap in my young years but was heavy into consumerism. In my 30s learned money management and Frugality. I was not always successful but did try. I am very frugal now and trying to pay off debt is main priority. It is never to late to learn!
Frugality is using money wisely and prudently. Cheapness is a short-sighted focus on cost without regard to other considerations.
Yes! I think that's why quality is equally important to price for frugal people
I will never understand why people feel the need to be so insulting. If you don't like the content of a video-just don't watch them anymore. SMH
Yeah, I don't get it either. I was always taught if you can't say anything good then don't say anything at all. Many aren't taught good manners and etiquette today. It really shows up on UA-cam and FaceBook comments. I think it's good to address a hand full of them are ignore most of them.
One of the great things my Dad taught me was "Take good care of your stuff, and your stuff will take good care of you."
Hi Hope and Larry, I can't be total frugal (at this moment), but 100% agreed that people should not be wasteful. Cheap is very different than frugal. Thanks for making this video.
Generosity is the core of being frugal in my experience. Frugal to then bless others in need.
Also praise God for your upcoming vacation!!
Thanks, Jude. We are super excited to get away with all four boys.
My husband and I discovered you can never make everybody happy when we were throwing over half of our combined income toward paying off our student loans, but still went out to eat once a week. There was a huge group of people that accused us of being frivolous and not focusing enough on our debt, and there was an equally huge group of people that claimed we weren't living our lives to the fullest.
At the end of the day, smart people are going to budget around their priorities, and they're going to accept that everybody has different priorities. We aren't having children, we don't pay for gym memberships, 95% of our clothing is from thrift stores, and we don't have an #aesthetic apartment. But we don't judge people who value raising children, exercising at a gym, or having a well-designed home or fancy wardrobe. By the same token, we hope people understand that we prioritize good food, prepping for retirement, and traveling to see our loved ones and experience the world.
We research and save for the best quality we can afford. We then make it last for years and years. We don’t spend much but spend wisely. We budget for trips, holidays and days out.
Excellent!
We do, too. Quality counts for us.
what matters is joy and happiness. In our country, Kenya most people do not have a lot of money but we love one another and contented.
You have found what is MOST important, Vivian.
Vivian, it's interesting that I believe that the same ideals were prominent in the United States in the 1930's during the Great Depression. Not a lot of money and family was really important.
I'm 30 and I love your channel. For years my family and friends have called me "cheap" when I'm really just frugal. I want to have nice things so I work for them, and when I finally get it, I intend to make the purchase once. For me: Frugality is using your resources so you can live an abundant life rather than fund somelarge corporations CEO to live their abundant life.
I think there’s def a difference between being frugal and cheap! I think being frugal just means you want to get as much value as you can from what you spend your money on
"Sweat equity" - such a good explanation. How much more satisfying to work for what you want. Gives you a sense of pride and you are so much more likely to take care of it.
Larry , your hair looks in beautiful condition too ! Didn’t want you to feel left out!
The saying “buy it nice, or buy it twice”, reminds me of your bookshelf story!
Personally, (as a too poor to afford but too rich for help, in the crack person) I embrace your frugal tips. You are like a pocket advisor.
I so agree with you. Also, I have always said money can't buy happiness.
No, it sure can't.
In the last 18 months my husband and I would not be where we are which is horribly poor if we hadn’t been extremely frugal … we would have been worse. We haven’t ate out at our favorite places in that time. Unless we have been gifted a gift card. Our bills are paid every month but there is zero extra. I listen to u a lot . Thank you for your help! Frugal is good!
I love the way you called out your haters😂❤ I am a single 40 year old woman with a small amount of money to live on. Thank you for all the great tips.
Agree with your definitions, one thing I did throughout my life, especially with computers and other technology is that I would only purchase things that would allow me to learn things in areas of my field which I didn't have an opportunity to learn otherwise. Sometimes would try to get my employer to pay for them (usually that failed unless it could be directly applied to their existing infrastructure). It was never about earning more money, but instead was about making myself more valuable to my employer (or future employer).
Great comment, DJ! Good use of computer hardware. I purchased a computer from Bradley when I was working at WTVP so I could do the station logs from home during pledge drives and sickness. They didn't fund that purchase, but it gave me more time at home - certainly was worth it. (It was a Mac Color Classic.)
Enjoying life is not stressing about bills, being able to do my hobbies without stressing, and living a calm lifestyle. Living life does not mean spending money!
Michael, you make some great points. We are really comfortable being in our own space, spending quality time together, and really don't feel that we need to spend a lot of money to make life more interesting.
i'm a minimalist, frugal and low waste .. i enjoy not spending more than i need to and material possessions don't make me happier than i already am .. i love not having to clean, maintain, repair stuff .. so the less i have, the less i need to do that .. however i looooooove to travel, but i'll use air miles and find cheap flights BUT if i'm flying over 6 hrs i fly business class ....... yup that's my luxury .. my money, my life, my choices, my CO2 too ! .. i live overseas from u guys and the minimum wage here is 4k p.m. including waiters so tips are included .. the whole US concept needs to be re-thought to give people a decent living wage .. but when in america i tip too but it confuses the hell out of me LOL ..
That's the way to travel. Good for you!
Apparently, playing easy listening music in stores makes people feel relaxed and they buy 25% more than if there was no music.
Yes, they talked about this on a previous video. Marketers have all kinds of tricks unfortunately.
I don’t know about anybody else, but I work really hard for my money, I think just mindlessly blowing it would be doing an injustice to myself.
You both are so secure and gracious in your responses. I loved this topic because sometimes I get scared that I’m not doing YOLO (you only live once) and what really helped me with that was contentment. My parents and siblings passed away very early and I know from experience that the most important things in life are not things or amazing experiences- relationships with those we love is. Sure experiences are fun but so is game night and walks together. I just feel like no one runs to the phone to call someone on a plane like during 911 to tell them to protect their stuff - it’s always to tell their love ones that they love them.
Also love how you reminded us that thrifty just means making our money stretch and doesn’t have a closed fist, greedy spirit
Love the question!!!! There is a huge difference between frugal and cheap. Some people are rich but are cheap.. and are wasteful!
OMG!!! LOL!!! I agree with Maria Hurley!!! It is none of anyones buinsness weather you are having fun or not. Good for you Larry and Hope for not taking these comments so seriously and personal!!! The world needs to be responsible and stop living beyond their means!!!!Im proud to say, I am a frugal gall and yes, I agree with your defination!! Unless you ever lived a life on afixed income, you learn to live life the best you can with what you got, and you can't miss something you don't have!!! You guys Rock!!! I want a tiny house living next door to you guys!!!.... You would make great neighbors! I tip my waiters big time because I worked in the resturant feild and know how hard it is to work in the service indrustry! i also tip my mail man and even made him holiday cookies which he share with his coworkers. It's not easy since Covid! I would love to find a cheaper place to live, but its near impossible, yet its near impossible......
I seriously love how you guys change the stuff on your shelves behind you been noticing them in most of your videos such personalities you guys are such fun
I thought the little chap on the shelf was Howdy Doody. Thanks for clarifying that for me. Good show today!
I keep food storage and durning the pandemic I helped a neighbor with hand sanitizer because they needed it for work . I always give food for hurricane or tornados I’m glad I can help others
I always follow ur channel. I love that u both are always kind. I use frugality to decide what I truly want. Now that my children are all grown and doing well I am selling my house and all my furniture. I will move into a much smaller condo. I have spent many years remodeling my house and it is worth 4×what I paid for it. I love it but frugality tells me to move on to something different. I love the new direction to my life.
Thanks both, there is nothing cheap about having common sense and intentionality about using your money and resources wisely. I don't understand people who just assume or outright state that you're doing it wrong if your way is different to theirs - As Money Mom always says it's called personal finance for a reason, our lives and priorities are different from each other - Keep up the good work 😊 P.S I missed the bloopers today 😉
Those comments are disrespectful and crude. Those questions also could have been asked more civilly and maturely. I appreciate your kindness, cheeriness, and really helpful knowledge.
People need to learn how to save their money cuz by the time they have to retire they will have no money the government is not the solution.
Love you guys ❤
I'm frugal & cheap & darn proud of it. I demand VALUE & if someone doesn't like it, they can sit on it.
We rent a home from a friend in a very high end neighborhood. He charges us minimal rent as he doesn't want the house empty and as a thank you (won't go into details but thank wasn't expected.) It's on a river & he wanted the river access. It gets a little wonky when I put our clothes on a drying rack & grow veggies & herbs. Not for our friend (he's a farm boy that made it big) but none of our neighbors embrace us as they seem to see us as the paupers of the neighborhood. We have had to take a deep breath & keep standing in our truth.
Fun like beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I find it fun to save money. It gives me more satisfaction than spending a ton of money. There is literally no pleasure for me going on a spending spree, buying expensive items, etc. Seriously.
We agree. We just find joy in simple pleasures. We, honestly don't feel that we've deprived ourselves. We just haven't had a lot of needs.
Yes. You said it right. Many ideas are just about making wise decisions and being smart with your hard earned money. I will boil a kettle and put the extra in a flask for later. I'll fill my coffee cup at home rather than picking one up when I stop for fuel but I'll also meet up with family for coffee or lunch a few times a month because it's important to me to share time together with them. I bought an expensive kettle and toaster after researching lots and, being arty, I just loved the design and style. 2nd toaster and 3rd kettle in 25 years so that's not bad plus because I shopped around, I got the last kettle in a shop for half price because it had a bashed box....I don't need a box to boil water. I will go on holiday (not far away) & I make it full of happy memories with family. We share the cost of accommodation & travel to get the best value and once there, we walk, hike, picnic, enjoy treasure hunts or go geocaching, barbeque by the lake shore and ..... so much more. I am careful not to waste fuel or buy magazines anymore that cost more than a book!!! I bulk cook from scratch and freeze portions. I rarely get fast food/pizza deliveries anymore. I bulk buy food and household items when they are on offer which means savings that can go towards paying for that holiday. It's all about being wise so the things that matter most can be enjoyed. Thanks for your fabulous videos. I am learning new things when I watch every one. They are great and you both make a great team.
After my husband and I started our frugal journey one of the things on my bucket list was to go to Alcatraz. Well, San Francisco is very expensive :-) but I was going with my husband, my brother and his wife, my niece, my son and his wife. So rather than all of us getting hotel rooms and eating every meal out we chose to rent an Airbnb for the time that we were there. We all split the cost of the rent which came out quite a bit less expensive than renting a hotel room. We went to the grocery store and bought all of our food for breakfast lunch and dinner with the exception of us going out to dinner one night. It was a very frugal trip that could have been very expensive and I don't think we were cheap at all. We did all of the things that we wanted to do. And it was definitely a memorable time
Great video! I totally agree with all of your definitions and all of your ideas on living a frugal life. That is how I live and I never feel like I do without anything. I live in joy.
I think you are happier than most people I know.
Awe, thank you, Nicky.
I think that if your are happy you should not listen to the rude comments . Because it's your life and you live it not they're. You are my role models. I learned a lot of your UA-cam channel. Thank you for your help. Don't change nothing you are perfect. 🤗
Per those who criticize: People have different priorities. Those who live frugally aren't necessarily hoarding money, nor are they necessarily broke. They are PREPARED, and usually better prepared than most! Frugal people also teach their children to be fiscally responsible. It's all good!
Be frugal is being practical with your purchases. My husband puts a certain amount of money into my grocery account. If I have something else that I also want or need to get, He checks the joint account and checks to find out what still needs to be paid (rent, utilities, etc.). If we can spare it, he will transfer to my grocery account. If not, I find out what food or paper product can wait for another month. If not there, then it get put onto a back burner for a possible future purchase. Some things are worth waiting for. I have found that most people I know that are happy, don't have money.
I love your home and your decor. I can imagine it’s nostalgic for you. It seems as though it holds a lot of great memories for you and your Children and ultimately that’s what matters!
I have so much fun finding a bargain. My daughter's and I go to garage sales etc. We have fun and family togetherness.
I think being frugal is just about understanding the true value of items to you personally. It's being intentional with your spending, not being wasteful, and honoring your priorities. There should be no shame in that, and most frugal people I know are neither cheap nor poor.
Good observation, Heather.
Thanks for this video. Everything makes sense. I agree with making intelligent purchases. My favorite vacations weren’t necessarily the ones that cost the most. As they say “A fool and his money are soon parted.” I would consider myself frugal. I coupon and get more then I need but I have given toiletries and food to 5 community centers that help those in need.
My dad has accrued a lot of wealth over the years but we lost our mum to cancer in 2018 when she was only 59. My dad would trade all of that for mum to be still with us today. There are more important things than money.
I agree with your definition of frugality
Your bean burger and food show on bulk cooking and so on, gave me ultimate confidence not to go in debt. The food idea was good and they are tasty! Thanks a lot!
I can be cheap, I admit it. It isn't the end of the world. Ditto, my happiness factor has zero to do with money. Keep on keeping on friends, so many appreciate your excellent advice and all the time and effort you put into sharing!
Totally agree with your definition of frugality!
I don't care what other people said whether I'm cheap or frugal. How I spend my money and how I live my life is nobody business...
I have always been frugal and also very generous because I have the money to be so. I don't like owning lots of expensive things as they don't make you any happier and in fact would make you worry more about losing them.
I absolutely love both of you sweet, admirable people. I have learned so much from watching your channel, now God bless you both continuously, you both are so very very smart, and able to explain everything you are trying to get across to your viewers. You both are the kind of people that I would personally love to have as my true friends. I feel blessed just to be able to watch you both, and utilize some of your frugal ways in my life. Blessings for continued health and happiness.
Thank you so much for your kind words. We truly appreciate having you as a member of the Under the Median family.
It is entirely possible to be frugal and generous at the same time, thank you for pointing that out. You can be dirt poor and still be a generous person. Often I think about whether people think I’m frugal or cheap as lots of people I know spend their money unwisely in my opinion. I’m a frugalist in my heart and mind, always was. You guys have helped my actually define what I have always believed in, so thank you so much for your wise and thoughtful input.
Where there is your treasure Thereis your heart also? Oh, how much I had joy after being frugal and was able to give to others. The joy can now buy with money.
Just an overall fantastic video - well done ! We have been frugal all our lives and we were both raised on family farms with a good solid work ethic and frugal mindset exemplified to us - it’s almost like we don’t know any other way ! When the tiny house topic came up it made me feel compelled to share our story ... 10 yrs ago we considered this ; we had a beautiful 160 acre piece of land that we wanted 2 live on , but no proper home on it . We didn’t want to borrow money for one & with just the 2 of us we thought ‘ tiny home ‘ but when we looked into the time and cost we actually ended up purchasing a vintage mobile home & moving it onto our property . We paid only 5000$ for it - it was a labour of love ; as we moved it ourselves , did the septic , hydro , every single aspect of set up ourselves - saving 10s of thousands of dollars & at just under a 1000 sq ft it truthfully is a tiny home by many folks standards today ! The beauty of it also was that for us & how we are wired to not like to see waste & where this mobile home was on a rather remote farm needing to be moved , truthfully if we hadn’t taken it on it probably would have just went back to the land . Such a waste. We love our little trailer home - I always say it has everything we need & nothing we don’t ! Love and continued blessings to you and your family from our Manitoba farm !!!🌷❤️🌷
Buying, used, second hand, consignment, yard sale, etc. is called Recycling.
Plus a lot of times it benefits a charity, ex: church sales, Goodwill, Salvation Army, St. Vincent DePaul, animal shelters, etc
I think you have done an exemplary job of defining each word here. I so appreciate what you're giving back to the world. It's helping me reach my goal of being debt free (except the house) by September and giving me ideas on how to willingly embrace frugality. After September will really ramp up saving for a "nused" car. Starting to research now. Thank you. Best to you both.
Oh, and I am so excited for you to take your trip and enjoy the fruits of your labor! ❤️
You two are absolutely lovely❤️ The way you handle and respond to negative comments is inspirational.
No one should have to explain the way they live that is best for their life. Don't let others judgement effect your life choices 😊
Excellent ♥️ I would add, though, that sometimes giving to those who cannot afford to pay is as, or more, meaningful than giving or bartering amongst people who can afford to pay. In my opinion being cheap or submerged in greed or avarice is never giving but always expecting something in return.
Beautifully explained! Not wasteful and giving to others is indeed what frugality means to me.
It's true, what I read in other comments, people go for instant satisfaction nowadays. Everything has to be shiny, new, and quick to get. I live close to an outlet village, for Dutch standards it approaches what we might point out as typical American malls I guess. 20 years ago, that village was not for the average family, more for the wealthiest people. Nowadays you're an outcast if you don't shop there and claim to enjoy it.
Well, we intentionally moved away from that city, away from the noise, the traffic, the sickening sight of people putting stuff over family or friends. People who define a great day as one in which they shopped the whole day spending money they really can't miss.
It's heartbreaking to hear those people, who used to be our friends, call us cheap. However, it is heart warming to see we now live amongst like minded people, who actually care more about other people than about money or stuff. Who work less, so they can spend more time with their kids and elderly. To enjoy the company of neighbors from all ages and talking about life and learning from each other.
Thank you for your beautiful channel, it really is a blessing 💖
Love from Holland
What a sweet comment, Mo Kopia! Bless you. You've found the things that are the most important. Way to go.
Just got your e-book. Thank you so much. Living frugally is about attitude. I don’t have a lot of money but I have more than I need. I feel like I’m very rich.
A note on a tiny house. Only have enough house to be comfortable in & live a life you can enjoy. A one bedroom cabin on a few acres with huge working pantry & root cellar is my goal.
I totally agree with you! I’m not just saying this but I am truly! I am happy to be the way I am! I’m not cheap and I enjoy life! I buy things that make me happy so that’s just me. I’m not stingy but I do believe in not being wasteful! By the way Hope I think you are beautiful and love your hair! Larry is a great person with wonderful ideas and he is creative! Love you Larry! Stay as you are and do what makes you happy!!
Awe, thank you, Jackie. You are living right, for sure.
There is a saying on Facebook that says something like Teach your children to value each other. Family etc. Not how to judge things by their dollars worth.