To think being frugal is just another form of selfishness?

[BoldPoster]

People love to brag about being frugal but isn’t it just hoarding money instead of contributing to the economy and helping others?

Wow........that's quite the stretch

I hope you did some stretches before taking that leap.

Erm, no I think people are usually frugal because they have very little money to start with.

Some people are frugal because they are saving for something and need to budget for it. Others are miserly tightarses who delight in performative frugality. There is a massive range here.

Why do people keep making these batshit claims in aibu? And often never returning to the thread either. If I was more sceptical, I'd say they're planted here for engagement.

This is like some basic debating topic provocation. Don't you have any details or situation that's spurred this revelation? Otherwise it feels rather bot-like.

Someone once said I "hoard" money as I save for the sake of saving, which a specific purchase in mind.

But I paid off my mortgage at 33, so I'm good...

Being self-reliant instead of living off society's charity you mean?

Not, it's not.

Nah, I'm just poor. Go shame someone else. 😅

Ex would consider themselves frugal. I won’t describe them so kindly. I would say ex is incredibly selfish because their need to be frugal was and is more important than what DC needed. Not wanted …needed.

To an outside observer bring very frugal is as baffling as being a complete spendthrift.

Clickbait methinks, but I'll add my bit

I'm frugal but only because I only buy what I need as opposed to what I desire.

Not every thought needs to come with a personal anecdote. The idea stands on its own - do you agree or disagree?

Yes - I selfishly paid off my mortgage early by scrimping and saving, and by being very frugal and overpaying the mortgage and then very selfishly took early redundancy and retirement, used my savings to buy a house in France and then moved here permanently.

The money I saved in a building society account, and used to pay off the mortgage would have been used to give another person a mortgage, and the high level job I gave up went to someone else to do. Really selfish.

Well, why are you asking? What do you think?

It's really nothing to do with you.

Maybe being frugal is a necessity at a time when there is very little money. In that case, it’s probably simply to survive.

If someone is being frugal when they have money, then they either have been used in the past to counting the pennies, enjoy a bargain, or perhaps just mean.

Who knows.

It can be an unpleasant personality trait if someone who clearly isn't struggling for money is tight with it e.g. not buying a round, not putting heating on when others are cold, etc.

But generally I think people are frugal because they are being careful/ sensible with what they have.

Also I think very few people spend money purely for the purpose of contributing to the economy.

People spend money on things they want/ need. They don't think about the economy.

I’m pretty frugal but have no problem spending on things I really want/need. I love holidays so prioritise them but never buy takeaways get my nails or eyelashes done.

For me I feel it’s important to save for retirement and just for general security. I also aim to reduce my consumption generally so try to make things last where I can.

Helping the economy by buying unnecessary stuff that will add to the destruction of the planet and clutter up my home? When I can instead save for an early and comfortable retirement and hopefully help my kids out with with house deposits? No, thanks.

Besides, money held in banks and investments helps the economy in a different way. It's not like it's under the mattress.

haha this made me laugh.

Surely people should be able to do what they want with their money whether they spend it or save it? Nothing selfish about that.

Frugal is (to me) not spending money you don't need to spend like meals out, holidays, new car etc. I don't think this means you are hoarding your money. Doesn't hoarding mean there is some kind of mental disorder that means you can't get rid of things like personal possessions?
Are you suggesting the 'rich' should be sharing their wealth with the 'non-rich'?

Go and earn your own money and stop envying what others have. It is theirs to hoard, give away, spend on drink, wild parties, Netflix, etc. Mind your own business. Let the government tax to provide the social net for others who don't have.

The reason we pay tax is for that very reason - to contribute to the social pot that is used to help others. The rest of the money we are left with is ours to hide under the bed for the rats, if we so choose.

LOL.
What a load of cobblers.

wtf???

You don't need to buy unnecessary stuff.

For example my MIL will buy the cheapest possible budget yellow sticker processed meat even though she has millions in the bank.

Whereas I will leave the yellow sticker stuff for people who would really benefit from making that kind of saving.

In covid when everything was rare she was stocking up on essentials, whereas I was buying normal amounts of the more expensive brands/versions so there would still be reasonably priced stuff for other people.

And I definitely don't have millions in the bank.