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?

Same
I don't use schools, have never claimed benefits, don't use any social services, can't get an NHS dentist, can't remember the last time I saw the GP, am in good health so don't use medical services (I realise some of these are luck and are worth more than money).
I pay 40% tax plus NI plus Council tax, plus VAT (and any other taxes where relevant, e.g. stamp duty).

TBH I think more than enough of my wage goes to 'other people' and i don't get much back. What I want to do with the rest is up to me, so no I don't feel I should be putting more 'into the economy,' or to benefit others. If I buy something it's to benefit myself!

Most people aren't being frugal just to save for no purpose - they are not spending money on some things (often short term/luxury), in order to eventually spend money on something else (often long term/essentials).

Besides which, at SOME point it will go back 'in' anyway. Even if someone lives like a miser and never spends an extraneous penny, when they die those savings will either go to their named beneficiary who might very well spend it, or, if they die without a will and family, eventually be reclaimed by the government.

but the NHS treatment is usually only available at all because those people pay in

If we changed to a system whereby people could opt out of paying the percentage of their income based tax that goes to the NHS and choose to pay privately instead, and lots of people did so, then there wouldn't be an NHS to treat anyone, including those who can't afford to pay anything.

WTF! I'm frugal because I'm on disability benefits.
I have no savings.
Can't you understand hoarding money isn't possible for everyone

My father was very frugal, never wasted anything, wouldn't buy a takeaway coffee or an expensive brand of anything, wore his clothes to rags, but he paid in full for all of his children's (USA) university costs, funded music lessons, house deposits, donated very generously to many causes, gave money to friends who needed it: all without any comment or strings attached, ever.

Acquaintances would laugh at him for being a 'skinflint' but actually he was unusually generous.

It's disingenuous to defend taking NHS treatment with "but I pay tax", because it's blatantly obvious that the tax you pay is a lot less than the actual cost of running hospitals and employing medical staff. That's why the system is failing because everyone wants a service for free without wanting to pay what it's actually worth. UK tax rates are not even particularly high, so nobody can claim that the NHS is taking a huge chunk out of their earnings. It's a lot less than many countries that don't even have free universal healthcare.

If you just look at it with common sense and in the context of a capitalist society. If lots of people are willing to pay out of their own pocket for healthcare, then there's no chance the system could end up worse off than if all those people demanded the service for free.

All the talk about doctors potentially leaving to go private is hypothetical speculation. Being a 100% private doctor is not always enjoyable or profitable. The proof lies in the healthcare system of all other developed countries similar to the UK. Most doctors want to be part of the public health system, they want to be employed by hospitals and they want to take on interesting or complex cases. A lot of that simply isn't possible in a purely private setting.

The only thing that makes working in medicine uncomfortable is lack of resources, too much stress, too many patients, too many hours, and the impossibility of being able to care for everyone. That's exactly the case now because too many people who can theoretically afford to pay for healthcare don't do so and there is less money going to the people who take care of them.

has it occured to you that quite a lot of people can only survive because they are frugal? I am frugal (very much) but the alternative is racking up debt. Not everyone has loads of money to burn through. and if I had, I wouldn't just become a huge consumerist and spend spend spend.

My mum is doing ok for a widow on a pension, I only came to realise how being frugal helped as I got older- her asking would we not do a staycation as had been abroad the year before, asking were we totally sure we needed to change the car, would I not just let the dentist take out my tooth instead of a root canal, and recently when I said I had found a deal for a magazine subscription that was reduced to only €40 for the year, she said, oh but that much on magazines… 😅

I'm frugal because everything is too expensive. HTH.

@whatawonderfultime She doesn't sound frugal, she sounds mean! To me frugal is quite a positive word - being careful, not wasteful and knowing your priorities.

yeah she is more stingy than frugal to be fair, I was just saying that it's not always about excessive overconsumption

I think it’s more about spending your money wisely. Being frugal is nothing like being mean. The less you spend on things you don’t really need, the more you have to spend on things you don’t need - which can include savings not hoarding

Same here. I have no desire to accumulate 'stuff'- it's terrible for the planet. I try to buy only what I need.

My parents are frugal their savings will likely fund a care home surely that's better than if they spent it all.

I live fairly frugally- though of course it's all comparative.

It's how I manage to have £££ to spend on travel/holidays with my kids.

I’m quite sensible with money. I like to see my savings increase. I haven’t always been comfortable financially and there is nothing I could buy that would make me as happy as knowing I can afford most eventualities should anything go wrong.
I’m careful but will pay my share.
I suppose I’m not contributing as much to society as something who spends every penny they make but I genuinely don’t care.

This feels like a stretch.

I'm frugal. If that makes me selfish, then so be it. 😂

I keep thinking about being "selfish" with money.

It's really the only way to be.

Prioritising spending your money on the things you want and need to spend on, choosing to cut some costs to live within your means and not get into unnecessary debt is really an excellent option.

I could be less frugal - I could buy fancier loo rolls, spend more on branded goods, spend more on food & heating etc, buy more expensive clothing for kids (teens love a costly trending brand don't they?) but I don't value these things. Advertising doesn't really work on me anymore.

spending frugally is better for me & my family, better for the environment (buying 2nd hand when possible etc).

The things I really want I spend on. I've learnt the value of paying more - never buy cheap shoes! But I will never ever buy cut fruit in a plastic tub.

Breaking the habit of spending spending spending is really the best habit I've changed. I'm far from perfect with it, but I'm one million times better with money now than ever.

And a big part of that boils fine to selective frugality.

Not for an average cautious person but I do remember reading about how frugal some members of the royal family were - darning patches onto jumpers etc and feeling it was morally righteous despite sitting on huge amounts of wealth and in that case it was a bit nauseating

It is performative. Getting staff to sew a patch on your jumper, but taking a helicopter to your polo match.

Sounds like he was a wonderful man 🥰

I find that it's quite often people who ARE well off that are the most frugal! Two of the most well-off people I know are very tight with money,one of them refuses to put the heating on even when it's zero degrees outside,the other will never ever buy coffee from a coffee shop,and always buys the bargain brands when food shopping. One of these people has literally tens of thousands of pounds in the bank. But,who knows? Maybe they are so well off because they're so frugal?!

I'm calling click bait - 6 pages of responses & only 3 posts from original poster...... It's a funny old world!

I'm sure most are frugal through necessity but I have to admit it can be a really unattractive trait when it's not necessary and makes someone ungenerous yet shamelessly grabby ie selfish and greedy.

You’re right op, I’m selfish. I am frugal because 1) I like to save & 2) I don’t need lots!

To me frugal means only buying what I need most of the time. but that does not exclude treats or the occasional luxury. I just think about what I need/want at the time and balance the money available. Never get into debt over things other than Mortgage on house or new van for work.
I am aware of some using frugality for control. I was told quite sternly by a friend how much I would have saved if I had bought the paperback version of a music book. The book was well used over many years as I anticipated. It was a pleasure to use it.