Is Frugality the New Black?

I just had to laugh when I read this post by Melissa, who along with Shelley, writes the blog Stockpiling Moms. I get their daily emails and they really put the work into writing a helpful and informative blog on saving money.

I laughed as I remember feeling like the "odd man out" for many, many years just as she did! People would think it was great that I saved so much but they would think it strange and would never, ever try it themselves no matter how many receipts or spreadsheets on my savings I would show them! Unfortunately it had to take the Great Recession for some people to realize that the money that is saved when shopping is tax free income! I routinely save over 50% a year (yes I DO keep a spreadsheet!)! That adds up to literally thousands of dollars that I don't have to share with the IRS or the State of Wisconsin. Why should I go out and get a part time job for minimum wage, have to punch a clock and pay taxes on my income when I can spend maybe 5 hours a week and save thousands per year? I don't get how people just don't get it....here is Melissa's post reposted here with her blessings.


Frugality is the new black!
by Melissa on June 2, 2010

Is frugality the new black? Have you noticed how many couponers are out and about each time you shop? It is amazing to me. When I first started using coupons and building my stockpile I felt like I was “odd man out”. Now it seems to me that frugal “is in”. Because of the recession it not only became a necessity to use coupons and stockpile but it became a way for people to survive. Now I find that being frugal is “in” and I like it!

Every time I am out on a coupon run I find myself bumping into so many people with binders just like me. I see people of all ages and gender strategically using coupons. If I don’t see a person with a coupon binder I almost always see someone with their small accordion file or envelope of clipped coupons. It seems to me that the person without coupons is the person who is in the minority these days.

I decided to look up the definition of frugality. According to Webster – Frugal is characterized by or reflecting economy in the use of resources. According to Wikipedia – Frugality is the practice of acquiring goods and services in a restrained manner, and resourcefully using already owned economic goods and services, to achieve a longer term goal.

I definitely feel like frugality is the new black! I no longer feel “abnormal” using coupons or that I am doing something wrong when I net a free product. It is very “in” to use coupons strategically and to save money. What do you think? Do you agree that Frugality is the new black?