In our series on defining what it means to be frugal, we officially defined the word and dove into understanding what it means to value one’s resources. As we explored these issues, we also alluded to the competiveness of being frugal.
It’s funny, but my picture of the word “frugal” was not always a positive one. Yet recently, because of many changes in our economy and people focusing on saving rather than spending, frugal is the new “in” thing to be. You can see the word everywhere- on blogs, the news, stores, I bet there’s even a t-shirt out there somewhere!
In all seriousness, I know many people are hurting due to the economy and I want to see it get better as much as everyone else, but I do like the new focus on saving, rather than spending these days. It seems that everything was getting too excessive and the view of buying bigger and better was getting way too out of proportion.
Unfortunately along with this popularity of frugality, comes competition. Now, I agree that some competition can be a good thing, if it is for fun, but when taken too seriously, it can lead to two types of wrongs: judging others and belittling oneself. Judging occurs when people start making value judgments about a person because of his or her purchases. People become boastful and others are ashamed of what they are buying.
How can we judge another person when we don’t know what their budget, savings account, or income looks like?
And yet, many others are comparing themselves to others, wishing that they were more frugal. They belittle themselves when they aren’t saving as much as the next person. The truth is that no one is perfect when it comes to finances (or anything else). We all miss a great deal, forget that coupon, or just feel like splurging every once in a while. And there is always room for improvement.
Being frugal is about valuing one’s resources, which is different for each individual and family. Where some people may decide to save, others may want to splurge and get something that costs a bit more, while still staying within budget. Instead of judging each other, we can encourage each other as we make improvements. Each of us should be proud of ourselves for the money saving changes we make each day, even in the smallest way.
So, how do you feel about the competitive nature of being frugal? Do you compare yourself to others or is this not an issue for you? As always, I welcome your thoughts!
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