The stages of cheapness

Firstly sorry for the delay in new posts, I have had a head cold from hell, and not being able to breath has severely affected my ability to think.

The topic today is all about frugality, the reason why?  Well the other day a very dear friend of mine called me cheap, I called her a bitch.

Let me explain why she called me cheap.  We were at a kids birthday party and Diggle called me over as he needed to blow his nose.  I patted down my jacket pockets in the vague hope I that had something and came out with a bundle of toilet paper.  Hence I am too cheap to buy tissues. 
Now in my defense, I would not usually even have had toilet paper....yes I am one of those moms, the ones who do not carry tissues around for their kids, The polar opposite of my Mom who always had a tissue rolled up in her sleeve.  The only thing I used to carry for my kids was a few snacks in my bag, but that stopped once the monster dog figured my bag was a good place to look for something to eat.  Let's just say chocolate covered granola bars and dogs stomaches are not a good match.
In fact. I only had toilet paper bundled in my pocket as we went ice skating two weeks ago, and after skating Diggle had a nosebleed in the change room.  I staunched the flow of blood with what ever was handy (toilet paper) and stuffed some extra into my jacket pocket in case it started up again on the way home and forgot about it till the runny nose incident.

I saved money cause
it was all on sale!
Image by Iracema Silva

Now I will admit I am  frugal, some would even say thrifty, but I deny being cheap.  I  do use coupons where I can, sadly we don't get anywhere near the coupons like they do down the in the USA, but there are a lot out there if you are willing to look for them. I also like to hit the clearance racks and sales for my clothes, and I relish getting a deal on things.  But if it is something we need or want I will spend the money.  Also I know there are certain things you can go cheap on, and others are a definite no.  Something like toilet paper for example, you don't want to go cheap on this household item, for obvious reasons, and if you are someone who does not care about wiping your butt with sandpaper, then please at least put decent quality paper in your guest bathroom for your poor guests.  I am betting all your family will start using that bathroom more and more and you may be able to piece the puzzle together as to the reason why.

My mother always raised me to be money wise, to not overspend, and to save where you can.  That being said, I love to shop, buy stuff for myself, the house, the kids, (ok, more for myself), but who doesn't ?  And of course when I do spend money on myself I don't feel guilty as I know I have more than saved that money by being frugal in other areas.  I don't have budgets that we adhere to, we spend as and when we need to. If I can get all items I need at one shop in one trip,  I wont take the time to go to two different shops because an item is cheaper at them.

Over all it balances out as I managed to marry a man who is decidedly not frugal, who will not compare prices on general things (he will on large purchases especially photography equipment and electronics - which are pretty much the only things he is in charge of purchasing).  Maybe thats what we look for in a spouse, someone who is opposite of us, after all my friend who called me cheap is married to a man who is even more frugal than me....now see how nice I was there?  I could have called him cheap.