Comments on: The Ethics of Frugality http://almostfrugal.com/2009/02/02/the-ethics-of-frugality/ Learning about frugality Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:11:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Carmenhttp://almostfrugal.com/2009/02/02/the-ethics-of-frugality/#comment-3785 Carmen Thu, 19 Feb 2009 19:30:49 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/?p=2489#comment-3785 I think this point is INCREDIBLY important. Cheaper is not always better - even for the frugal minded. Their is a certain amount of responsibility one needs to take with regards to how they spend their money. Great post! <abbr><em>Carmen´s last blog post..<a href="http://cre8andrecre8.blogspot.com/2009/02/cre8-eco-friendly-pre-school-birthday.html" rel="nofollow">Cre8 an Eco-Friendly Pre-School Birthday Party</a></abbr></em> I think this point is INCREDIBLY important. Cheaper is not always better – even for the frugal minded. Their is a certain amount of responsibility one needs to take with regards to how they spend their money. Great post!

Carmen´s last blog post..Cre8 an Eco-Friendly Pre-School Birthday Party

]]> By: Katie @ Making This Homehttp://almostfrugal.com/2009/02/02/the-ethics-of-frugality/#comment-3674 Katie @ Making This Home Fri, 06 Feb 2009 20:50:42 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/?p=2489#comment-3674 What a great point. My husband and I talk about this all the time. I'm an American living in Berlin, and I really hate going back home to see the super cheap (and really bad quality) products and to hear people rave. I'm a big believer that we vote with our dollars (or euros!), so thank you thank you for writing this post. Katie <abbr><em>Katie @ Making This Home´s last blog post..<a href="http://www.makingthishome.com/2009/02/06/sharing-american-chocolate-chip-cookies-in-germany/" rel="nofollow">Sharing American Chocolate Chip Cookies in Germany</a></abbr></em> What a great point. My husband and I talk about this all the time. I’m an American living in Berlin, and I really hate going back home to see the super cheap (and really bad quality) products and to hear people rave. I’m a big believer that we vote with our dollars (or euros!), so thank you thank you for writing this post.
Katie

Katie @ Making This Home´s last blog post..Sharing American Chocolate Chip Cookies in Germany

]]> By: Jerryhttp://almostfrugal.com/2009/02/02/the-ethics-of-frugality/#comment-3666 Jerry Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:54:01 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/?p=2489#comment-3666 I have struggled with this problem for a while. The $3 T shirt from Walmart was probably horrible quality and won't last and be worth the money because you're have to buy another sooner than later. I've shopped at Walmart because I thought it was going to be insurance for our budget. I found the opposite. The quality is so bad that I had to replace things that I bought from there. It's not worth it and the bad quality leads to more money coming out of your pocket. Not to mention the child labor most likely used to make the items... Jerry www.leads4insurance.com I have struggled with this problem for a while. The $3 T shirt from Walmart was probably horrible quality and won’t last and be worth the money because you’re have to buy another sooner than later. I’ve shopped at Walmart because I thought it was going to be insurance for our budget. I found the opposite. The quality is so bad that I had to replace things that I bought from there. It’s not worth it and the bad quality leads to more money coming out of your pocket. Not to mention the child labor most likely used to make the items…
Jerry
http://www.leads4insurance.com

]]> By: Lissahttp://almostfrugal.com/2009/02/02/the-ethics-of-frugality/#comment-3650 Lissa Wed, 04 Feb 2009 02:44:09 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/?p=2489#comment-3650 I hate and despise Walmart and what that company has done to hurt our country. IMO they are truly Satan's store. I hate and despise Walmart and what that company has done to hurt our country. IMO they are truly Satan’s store.

]]> By: Nicolehttp://almostfrugal.com/2009/02/02/the-ethics-of-frugality/#comment-3648 Nicole Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:07:15 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/?p=2489#comment-3648 So here's my thing: I live in a tourist community that booms in the summer and dies in the winter. We have a grocery store, a hardware store, and other local businesses that make up a downtown that stay open year round. I could do all my shopping half an hour away and probably save 10% but to me it's important to support the businesses that allow me to live where I live, even if I do pay more. I also come from a line of small business owners and I know how tough it is for them to make a go of it and if I can help by spending my money there, I will. Because if an extra $0.25 means that my cashier has health insurance or that I can go buy milk without driving half an hour, that's worth it to me. So here’s my thing:

I live in a tourist community that booms in the summer and dies in the winter. We have a grocery store, a hardware store, and other local businesses that make up a downtown that stay open year round.

I could do all my shopping half an hour away and probably save 10% but to me it’s important to support the businesses that allow me to live where I live, even if I do pay more. I also come from a line of small business owners and I know how tough it is for them to make a go of it and if I can help by spending my money there, I will. Because if an extra $0.25 means that my cashier has health insurance or that I can go buy milk without driving half an hour, that’s worth it to me.

]]> By: Daisyhttp://almostfrugal.com/2009/02/02/the-ethics-of-frugality/#comment-3647 Daisy Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:28:55 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/?p=2489#comment-3647 I'll be in the minority and say that for me, it's all about price. If Walmart is willing to sell me a $3 t-shirt that is of reasonable quality, I'm buying it. I love Walmart. Lot's of people talk bad about Walmart but yet, their prices are awesome and whenever I go to the store (in Northern NJ), it's always packed with shoppers. I've heard of all the issues regarding how they treat their employees and how they can get their prices so low, but in these times, if they're offering the best prices, I'm there. I’ll be in the minority and say that for me, it’s all about price. If Walmart is willing to sell me a $3 t-shirt that is of reasonable quality, I’m buying it. I love Walmart. Lot’s of people talk bad about Walmart but yet, their prices are awesome and whenever I go to the store (in Northern NJ), it’s always packed with shoppers. I’ve heard of all the issues regarding how they treat their employees and how they can get their prices so low, but in these times, if they’re offering the best prices, I’m there.

]]> By: Kristy @ Master Yourhttp://almostfrugal.com/2009/02/02/the-ethics-of-frugality/#comment-3646 Kristy @ Master Your Tue, 03 Feb 2009 06:30:41 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/?p=2489#comment-3646 I think it depends on the purpose of the product. For example, I'm on my feet all day long at the credit union, so I need comfortable shoes that still look professional. That's no easy feat for women. I found this brand of shoe that is made from the most comfortable material on the inside and they're really cute on the outside. The catch? They're $80 a piece. That's a lot, but I reason that these are good quality shoes that will last me a long time. In that case, the product justifies the price. I'll admit that I shop at Wal-Mart, not as much as I used to, but occasionally I will stop in and make a purchase. Usually I'm buying small replacement stuff, or like today, I picked up a digital voice recorder for my political science class. I don't buy my clothes there, but admittedly, I'm pretty selfish in this department. I don't give a lot of thought to what the price of the item is doing for anyone but me. I spend what I can afford at the time. I should probably consider this topic a little more. <abbr><em>Kristy @ Master Your Card´s last blog post..Discover Open Road Card Review</abbr></em> I think it depends on the purpose of the product. For example, I'm on my feet all day long at the credit union, so I need comfortable shoes that still look professional. That's no easy feat for women. I found this brand of shoe that is made from the most comfortable material on the inside and they're really cute on the outside. The catch? They're $80 a piece. That's a lot, but I reason that these are good quality shoes that will last me a long time. In that case, the product justifies the price.

I'll admit that I shop at Wal-Mart, not as much as I used to, but occasionally I will stop in and make a purchase. Usually I'm buying small replacement stuff, or like today, I picked up a digital voice recorder for my political science class. I don't buy my clothes there, but admittedly, I'm pretty selfish in this department. I don't give a lot of thought to what the price of the item is doing for anyone but me. I spend what I can afford at the time. I should probably consider this topic a little more.

<abbr>Kristy @ Master Your Card´s last blog post..Discover Open Road Card Review</abbr>

]]> By: Anna O'Reillyhttp://almostfrugal.com/2009/02/02/the-ethics-of-frugality/#comment-3645 Anna O'Reilly Tue, 03 Feb 2009 02:03:08 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/?p=2489#comment-3645 I agree with many of the comments. I despise Wal*Mart, but shop there because at this point in my life I don't have the extra money to spend $0.30 more per item at a local grocer or office store. For me, it is all about how little I can actually spend, simply because I don't have enough money. Our budget is so tight, that the average I spend on my lunch or dinner is $0.75 and I skip breakfast to save money. I am always trying to find ways to buy used. All of the furniture in our home has come from yard sales, thrift stores like Salvation Army, and other places where we are benefiting from not spending a lot of money, and the people we buy from benefit directly. It is incredibly depressing though, to think about all of the people in third world countries who are abused by American manufacturers. Because the standards are high in America, no one here makes anything anymore because there is no monitoring in China/India/Malaysia and many other countries. <abbr><em>Anna O'Reilly´s last blog post..<a href="http://annaoreilly.blogspot.com/2009/02/i-discovered-this-awesome-notebook.html" rel="nofollow"></a></abbr></em> I agree with many of the comments. I despise Wal*Mart, but shop there because at this point in my life I don’t have the extra money to spend $0.30 more per item at a local grocer or office store. For me, it is all about how little I can actually spend, simply because I don’t have enough money. Our budget is so tight, that the average I spend on my lunch or dinner is $0.75 and I skip breakfast to save money.

I am always trying to find ways to buy used. All of the furniture in our home has come from yard sales, thrift stores like Salvation Army, and other places where we are benefiting from not spending a lot of money, and the people we buy from benefit directly.

It is incredibly depressing though, to think about all of the people in third world countries who are abused by American manufacturers. Because the standards are high in America, no one here makes anything anymore because there is no monitoring in China/India/Malaysia and many other countries.

Anna O’Reilly´s last blog post..

]]> By: JessTrevhttp://almostfrugal.com/2009/02/02/the-ethics-of-frugality/#comment-3644 JessTrev Tue, 03 Feb 2009 01:23:47 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/?p=2489#comment-3644 I definitely will pay more for something if I can send a message through my purchase that accords with my beliefs (ie, helping create a market for a safer, healthier, more sustainable product) but I totally agree with the above commenter who noted that you can pay top dollar for a designer product that is still made in a sweatshop. I try not to pay more gratuitously. That's why I like independent certifications (although that, too, is tricky, since I like to support farmers at the farmer's market, many of whom don't have official labels...but that's in a case where there's an actual relationship). Anyways, I won't pay more for something from, say, Whole Foods, unless it's actually organic or whole grain and not just part of their line of slick marketing. I liked the Omnivore's Dilemma because it pointed out how much of a middleman the grocery stores all are. I source all of my meat directly from a farm now. And back to cost? I will pay top dollar for something I cannot find used, like, for instance, children's pajamas without flame retardants. That's a message I'd love to help send the market. BPA free sippy cups, metal reusable bottles, that sort of thing. Of course, anything I *can* get secondhand, I'm all over it! <abbr><em>JessTrev´s last blog post..<a href="http://www.greenphonebooth.com/2009/02/hermans-hermits.html" rel="nofollow">Herman's Hermits</a></abbr></em> I definitely will pay more for something if I can send a message through my purchase that accords with my beliefs (ie, helping create a market for a safer, healthier, more sustainable product) but I totally agree with the above commenter who noted that you can pay top dollar for a designer product that is still made in a sweatshop. I try not to pay more gratuitously. That’s why I like independent certifications (although that, too, is tricky, since I like to support farmers at the farmer’s market, many of whom don’t have official labels…but that’s in a case where there’s an actual relationship). Anyways, I won’t pay more for something from, say, Whole Foods, unless it’s actually organic or whole grain and not just part of their line of slick marketing. I liked the Omnivore’s Dilemma because it pointed out how much of a middleman the grocery stores all are. I source all of my meat directly from a farm now. And back to cost? I will pay top dollar for something I cannot find used, like, for instance, children’s pajamas without flame retardants. That’s a message I’d love to help send the market. BPA free sippy cups, metal reusable bottles, that sort of thing. Of course, anything I *can* get secondhand, I’m all over it!

JessTrev´s last blog post..Herman’s Hermits

]]> By: Kikahttp://almostfrugal.com/2009/02/02/the-ethics-of-frugality/#comment-3643 Kika Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:42:09 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/?p=2489#comment-3643 Overall I want to know we are receiving quality in our food and clothing rather than just the cheapest price. Living in a small town I've felt the impact of Walmart too - as smaller shops have closed down. I do much of my shopping in the city (because I don't have much choice) but where I can, I'll shop locally to support local business and farms. I love pottery and choose to buy from the local talent rather than shopping in chain stores. You brought up such an important idea - one that I hope to keep working through to come up with the best solutions for my family. Overall I want to know we are receiving quality in our food and clothing rather than just the cheapest price. Living in a small town I’ve felt the impact of Walmart too – as smaller shops have closed down. I do much of my shopping in the city (because I don’t have much choice) but where I can, I’ll shop locally to support local business and farms. I love pottery and choose to buy from the local talent rather than shopping in chain stores. You brought up such an important idea – one that I hope to keep working through to come up with the best solutions for my family.

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