Frugal or Tightwad ?

Tightwad. Definitely!

You need to enjoy your life now. And you can still save as you do this. It seems that tightwadding has become a bit of an addiction for you - it's like you get an adrenalin rush each time you discover a "bargain". Be nice to yourself

Total tightwad, Is there something in particular you are saving for? How long can you keep this type of living up for? I know I would go crazy after a week or die of malnutrition!!!!!!

The malnutrition thing could be quite serious - I can't imagine you would get much fruit or vegetables for €10 a week. I suppose you could just live off rice and spinach ...but where is the joy in that?! If you are really that desperate to save some money why don't you get a part time job to supplement your normal salary? That would be less painful

I have to admit I am a very frugal saver, I tend to put a fair chunk of my monthyl salary into a savings account and have done so for years, I had paid off my previous mortgage only to move house and get a much bigger mortgage! D'oh. But after having spent time of out of work for 11 months I tend to see my mortgage as a real pain and take pleasure knocking lumps out of it with a view to be mortgage free within hopefully 4 or 5 years. But I think this attitude of mine has softened a lot, being a new daddy bear now has made me much happier and more in tune with the present and enjoying what life has to offer. As the song goes 'you search for money then you die'. Sorry to morbify (word?) this thread!!

Stobear is spot on! When little bears come along the priorities of life and how you spend your money change somewhat! You've got to have some fun, otherwise what's it all about Alfie?

Thanks all for your replies on the subject,
I have taken notice of all the advice
I'll try to adopt a more easygoing attitude if I can, while trying to get the most out of things.
This is a great site - wish I had stumbled on it alot sooner..!!

the great idea of saving before spending should be promoted.

A bit of self-denial while saving and then some satisfaction when treating yourself. Cant forget the last bit though, else why be killing yourself working. Theres no pockets on a shroud, and your moral obligation to the next generation maybe shouldnt go beyond a good education and possibly a deposit on a house (I'd like to be able to do at least that for them (what dont yet exist!!!) as benfitted myself a bit).

What are the general thoughts about how much to provide for next generation???? Theory that overprividing is bad is floating about - no value on money etc. etc.

possibly a deposit on a house

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With the new 100% mortgages they can surely provide this themselves!!!!
I agree that children can get too much these days but am guilty as charged already on my 2 small ones of buying loads of stuff for them. Maybe its to compensate for working full-time?

Everyone does need to save for their future and people should get into the habit of saving for things rather than always getting things on credit. THere is no need to be too frugal though and not enjoy life in the present.

somebody defined a miser as someone who made a bad companion but a great ancestor.
like most contributors I think you have to balance everything. your kids will spend what you save anyway... enjoy life now & save a bit to enjoy peace of mind.

I had a "friend" who used to ring me for two rings of the phone and then hang up. He knew I had a caller I.D. on my phone. I would ring him back and he would mutter that he must have got cut off or that there was something wrong with my phone. It was only later that I realised that he was effectively getting me to pay for the phone calls. I don't do it anymore and guess what the calls have stopped.....sad really.

I know a few people who do that too. I understand if someone is really broke though. But if they are doing it just to be a skinflint then it is very, very rude.

"What are the general thoughts about how much to provide for next generation????"

I find myself bouncing between two views on this.

1. My parents put me through college, but did not endow me with any significant capital over and above this; I am happy with my life, so perhaps I should just do roughly the same for my kids.

2. My father had a reasonably lucrative career. I also went into a reasonably lucrative career. If I had wanted to be an artist or an actor, I would now probably be struggling with poverty. Fair enough - that would have been a choice. But if I now had to struggle with relative poverty, I think I might feel bad about imposing this lifestyle choice on my children. So if my children want to make these or similar lifestyle choices, it might perhaps be nice to be able to endow them with sufficient capital so that my grandchildren do not have their life choices limited, but instead have the same freedoms enjoyed by their parents and grandparents.

Maybe I worry too much.

worried about your grandchildren? says it all. your grandchildren will (DV) earn more than you will ever earn. own ( + owe )more than you will every own (+ owe ) know more than you will every know. and wont worry too much about their grandpa.