What is the difference?
Don’t worry, I’m doing 0% research and there will be no “according to Webster Dictionary the definition is…” in this post. So, what is the difference? Let’s begin by getting one thing clear, I am cheap. To understand how cheap I am, we will start with my wife.
Frugal
This beautiful lady coupons with the best of your grandmas and her friends from the bingo hall. Seriously, she tells me all about how she used this coupon code, paid with a gift card that she bought for some % off the Raise, all while ordering it through Honey shopping service browser add-ons that give her a % back. She usually loses me at finding the coupon code. I try googling coupon codes and…it never works. However, she saves a considerable amount of money and stretches the budget like that bag in the diaper pail. You know, I can squish one more in there and pretend like I didn’t realize it was getting full.
Ms. Frugal always looks for a deal and she loves to shop around until the deal is right. Amazon, leave it in the cart. It’s ok though, she leaves it there to watch the price and think more about the purchase. Impulse buying is never good for your budget and many times after reading some reviews and sleeping on it, you may decide not to purchase it. This works for the frugal one. Now, let’s change it up and talk about me.
Cheap
Proud to be cheap. Don’t worry I’m not a psycho cheapskate. I don’t eat a stranger’s leftovers at a restaurant. I certainly don’t use reusable rags instead of toilet paper. The phrases I like to live by are “FREE-99” and “FREE is the price for me”. Sometimes I have problems throwing things away. I tell myself it is healthy hoarding. I save usable parts and throw away the parts that are not. I may have a hard time determining that something isn’t usable though. We do move about every year or so and that helps reduce my hoarded items. My problem is that I would never choose to buy anything in the amazon cart if possible. My wife will say I can do this and that and this and that and in total we will save 75%. My responses are typically: “Can you get it for free?” or “Maybe they will pay us to haul it away.”
How to be Cheap and Frugal
So, how does Mr. Cheap live with Ms. Frugal and not become Mr. Lonely? Mr. Frugal has to be realistic. Sometimes you have to spend some money. Sure, you can choose to sew up the holes in your socks and wear free t-shirts, but the rest of your family may need some new cloths from time to time. By the way Mr. Cheap, Ms. Frugal will find that deal… so let her. She will also save things in that cart and if you have real conversations about what needs to be purchased, sometimes you can do your thing and find or make it for free.
Cheap Isn’t For the Faint of Heart
For those out there asking how do you get things for free? Being Mr. Cheap is not for the faint of heart. I pick up every coin I can find because each penny matters and adds up. I find things on trash nights when I roll through the neighborhood. My wife wanted a garden but I didn’t want to buy soil. So, in the fall I collected every old pot or potting soil bag on the side of the road. By springtime, I had enough soil to plant that farm she wanted. Not really a farm because we live on a military base right now but she is happy and that is what matters. Facebook Marketplace is great and we got a lot of the kids Christmas gifts off there last year.
Work Together and Be Realistic
Mr. Cheap, just breathe! Sometimes you have to spend money. You have a budget and if it fits in it it is probably going to be just fine. Ms. Frugal, show that cheap person in your relationship some grace. Give them a few items to find or repurpose that are on your wish list. When you work together you can complement each other and reach financial peace!
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