# Spending Habits



## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

I'm a cheapskate and proud of it. Spending money is something I don't like. Free is my favorite price. I come from a family of tightwads; maybe it's genetic.


----------



## Dreamcatcher (Nov 8, 2003)

I spend in moderation. But when I was a teenager, I had a big problem with spending, I was spending my $$ before I even got it.


----------



## Jnmcda0 (Nov 28, 2003)

I remember going to the flea market one time and I found something (don't remember what) I wanted to buy. It was five dollars. I bargained with the guy to give it to me for $4, then I paid him with a five dollar bill. :lol

I'm definitely frugal, but every now and then I'll go on a spending spree. I tend not to spend much on myself and won't spend much if I go out by myself, but if I'm with a group, I'll spend more.

Even though I have more money than most people my age, I'm very concerned about saving for the future. Between company stock and 401(k), I take $100 a week out of my paycheck. I look at it this way: I'm getting free money by investing in this. The company matches my 401(k) contributions up to 3% of my gross pay. As for the stock, I get a 10% discount when I buy it through the company (UPS), so as long as the stock price stays the same or goes higher, I am making at least 10%. Granted, it could go down, but a solid company like UPS usually grows over the long term.


----------



## Amande (Feb 5, 2005)

Queen of cheapdom, I am. I take penny pinching to a new level.


----------



## OneIsALonelyNumber (Mar 28, 2005)

I'm pretty cheap, but I'll spend money when I need to (automobile upkeep etc).


----------



## Lonelyguy (Nov 8, 2003)

I spend some and save some. I figure I can't take it with me when I'm gone so I might as well enjoy a few luxuries. All I do is work and go home at the end of the day, so I guess I'm entitled to treating myself to a few things every now and then. I don't go overboard though, I save more than I spend and I have a pile of my savings invested in time certificates. Of course now the interest rate is going up since after I already invested it :roll


----------



## Mork (Apr 11, 2005)

I'm a penny pincher. I'll spend money if I see a good reason. For example my apartment is on the expensive side, but it is a 5 minute drive to work (well, it was when I was working), and it has a sunny kitchen, and a small fenced off patio where I can sit outside, and is quiet. On the other hand, my car is very cheap, but it gets the job done and a fancy car wouldn't really add anything to my life.


----------



## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Amozza said:


> Queen of cheapdom, I am. I take penny pinching to a new level.


A new level, huh? I bet my oldest brother could beat you.  He picks up used clothing dropped off at his community center and if it fits he will keep it. It it's too small for him he offers it to his friend. He'd be perfectly willing to wear another man's underwear if they fit. Can you top that? When I say he loves to get into another man's pants, that may not be a reference to his sexual orientation -- it literally means he wears pants others guys has thrown away.


----------



## ghostgurl (Sep 20, 2004)

I have no money, so I can't go and spend no money on stuff. Although my mom has been known to let me have too much stuff. :blush


----------



## LoneStar (Jul 4, 2004)

I frugal to a point. I do save a lot money for retirement because I really want to retire in my early 60's, if possible. Nowdays, you can't rely on Social Security being there for you.


----------



## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

I actually save most of my money. I figure I may need it someday. There are times where I will spend some and not think twice. It depends. I am extremely cautious with my credit card (yes, I only have one!).


----------



## Melusine (Jun 19, 2004)

I don't like to spend money, these days i don't work so i scounger all money from my birthday and christmas and keep it in a card in my room and try to think of things to spend it on. I don't like the prices on stuff these days, skin care maintenance prices are through the roof and clothes are hard to find at low prices and good brands. Lately i bought i got a couple comedy dvd's and sun tan lotion for my daily sunbathes..Thats it so far.


----------



## meggiehamilton (Nov 12, 2003)

I am frugal but not to the cheapskate status. My brother and my father tease me about how much I tip people from time to time.


----------



## SebFontain (Jan 27, 2004)

I am frugal, but I have been known to spend money here and their. Like my last vacation for instance. I vacationed for 7 days at Cape Cod on the East Coast and spent close to 2 grand. Boy ooohhh boy was that fun!! If I could go back in time i'd probably spend even more than that :lol


----------



## Piscean Wisdom (Mar 11, 2005)

UltraShy said:


> Amozza said:
> 
> 
> > Queen of cheapdom, I am. I take penny pinching to a new level.
> ...


I would be more than willing to wear used clothes if it's free. Not underwear though... :um But I'll take anything else! I've saved almost all the money I've had, and my fear is that it'll all become worthless by the time I decide to use it. :um


----------



## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

i voted third.


----------



## Lisa (Jul 8, 2006)

UltraShy said:


> A new level, huh? I bet my oldest brother could beat you. He picks up used clothing dropped off at his community center and if it fits he will keep it. It it's too small for him he offers it to his friend. He'd be perfectly willing to wear another man's underwear if they fit. Can you top that? When I say he loves to get into another man's pants, that may not be a reference to his sexual orientation -- *it literally means he wears pants others guys has thrown away*.


OMG! :lol


----------



## Neptunus (Oct 29, 2007)

I spend too much, but I'm steadily becoming more frugal...mostly because I have to! The last few years (thanks to my precarious job situation) have really hammered home the value of a buck. It has been a good (albeit humbling) experience. 

Oh, and UltraShy, I think your motto should be "if it's free, then it's for me!" Things always sound better when they rhyme.


----------



## coldmorning (Jul 4, 2007)

I don't spend a lot but I wouldn't say I'm cheap. And I usually feel it's worth it to spend more for quality. e.g. I buy expensive tires because they're worth the money. I can also be a very good tipper because I've worked in food service before and know how hard the job can be. But I don't buy a lot of stuff... if I go to a mall, I genuinely can't find anything I want to buy (until I get to the computer store). And I hate having to overpay for stuff (like at airports, etc).


----------



## copper (Nov 10, 2003)

I try to save most of my money, but I don't do without. Right now I have been spending a little money to fix things around my house. Last summer I had a new furnace and water heater put in. The furnace was 45 years old and the water heater was 20. Now when summer comes I have to get the old clay sewer pipe replaced. Then the roof needs to be re shingled.


----------



## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

You guys manage to dig up a poll of mine that's been buried for nearly 5 whole years. You're like archaeologists.


----------



## tutliputli (Feb 22, 2009)

I voted 'I spend every cent I have ASAP.' I'm terrible with money and I only work part-time so I don't earn very much. But I'd rather be skint than work full-time in the ****ty job I have currently. I spend too much on payday and in the week or two after payday, so I always end up scraping by for the last 2 weeks of the month. Everything is so fricking expensive. :bah


----------



## whiterabbit (Jan 20, 2006)

I'd say I spend in moderation. However, when I move out of home in about a month I can imagine I'll become a huge cheapskate through fear. I will live in the cold and the dark and adapt to a wartime ration diet. Though, I can't very well live without the internet and I'll probably have to get a tv license. The essentials must be covered.


----------



## bowlingpins (Oct 18, 2008)

I am definitely a cheapskate, this way I save money so that can I bathe with it. Seriously, I don't remember the last time I spent money for personal, recreational reasons (maybe, it was back in March 2009 when I bought the Half life game). It helps that most of my interests/hobbies are free.


----------



## Dub16 (Feb 28, 2010)

I definitely dont save as much as I ought to. Most of it is on nice food or drinks.

I hate clothes shopping and all that, but for some reason when I go food-shopping I just run round grabbing everything I see. For a skinny fella, I eat like a hungry animal!


----------



## nothing to fear (Mar 23, 2005)

i am an expert in the art of frivolous spending


----------



## zomgz (Aug 17, 2009)

If I manage to get money it will be spent within the first couple days lol.


----------



## WineKitty (Nov 26, 2004)

I save money but I will spend in moderation. As Lonelyguy said, you cannot take it with you so you enjoy some of your money. What good is money if you never treat yourself to anything.


----------



## IllusionOfHappiness (Sep 6, 2007)

Life is exhaustingly overpriced. Why in the hell should I feel like I have to spend more than I really need to?


----------



## IllusionOfHappiness (Sep 6, 2007)

WineKitty said:


> I save money but I will spend in moderation. As Lonelyguy said, you cannot take it with you so you enjoy some of your money. What good is money if you never treat yourself to anything.


Waiting for that day when I can treat myself to more than groceries and an internet connection.


----------



## nubly (Nov 2, 2006)

I think I'm mainly cheap. I do have two hobbies that I overspend on but I can be very cheap on most other stuff.


----------



## Dempsey (Jun 27, 2009)

I buy stuff I want and I manage to save quite a bit. I'm easily pleased I guess.


----------



## Futures (Aug 27, 2005)

I'm frugle, but I feel like I'd spend more if I actually HAD money coming in.

I also always have it in the back of my head that I one day want to buy a condo or house. So I'm always trying to build up my savings for that.


----------



## ifp (Jan 4, 2009)

UltraShy said:


> You guys manage to dig up a poll of mine that's been buried for nearly 5 whole years. You're like archaeologists.


 
Mine's No1 - extreme cheapskate, not by design but by necessity :rain


----------



## tutliputli (Feb 22, 2009)

IllusionOfHappiness said:


> Waiting for that day when I can treat myself to more than groceries and an internet connection.





WineKitty said:


> I save money but I will spend in moderation. As Lonelyguy said, you cannot take it with you so you enjoy some of your money. What good is money if you never treat yourself to anything.


I know that when I move out and start working full-time in a poorly paid job, I'll probably only have enough money to cover my living costs. That thought is really depressing to me. :| So until then, I'll make the most of living at home and having spare cash by splurging at every opportunity.


----------



## estse (Nov 18, 2003)

I spend all my money on trying to become Batman.


----------



## imt (Sep 22, 2008)

I spend in moderation only because I mainly buy things I need, not so much things I want.


----------



## Groundskeeper (Feb 6, 2010)

I'm cheap, but I'm not afraid to spend.


----------



## AlwaysOnTheOutside (Jan 11, 2010)

I'm frugal, but not an extreme cheapskate. I am very generous with tipping usually and when I'm with other people I always pay my fair share or more, but when it comes to my own personal expenses I keep them very low. I'll rarely make a purchase of any significance without careful deliberation.

I am, however, actually working on getting less frugal. Hopefully I'll have a nice paying job next year and I'd like to live a little and do some traveling and make my pad nice.


----------



## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

A five year old thread of mine is dug up. What next, a trip the the grave yard with a shovel?

I'm really not the ultimate cheapskate. I really care more about value, which combines quality & price. I'm not going to buy junk just because it's a bit cheaper. I'm willing to spend a bit more if it can be justified by sufficiently greater durability or functionality.


----------



## livefast3315 (Apr 22, 2010)

Shopping is like therapy for me.
I must have, like, everything.
I only settle for the best.

I love new stuff.. :boogie


----------



## Just Lurking (Feb 8, 2007)

Hmmm.. somewhere between frugal and 'moderate spender' (closer to moderate)


----------



## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

I drop money on things all the time to support my lavish lifestyle. I only get the best of the best or I don't get it at all.


----------



## SusanStorm (Oct 27, 2006)

Usually I don't have that much to spend and I always pay the bills and make I've got enough money for food before I spend anything.
Not great with saving,but usually the few times when I have some extra money I like to give myself a treat or I buy something that I need.

I could probably be a little bit more picky about buying clothes, not just 'Oohh,I like that' and then when I get back home I put it on a hanger where it stays just to be taken out and looked at lol.
And making sure that it fits me and looks good on me.Don't get me wrong I don't spend hundreds of dollars on clothes every month,I'd just like to give it some more thought when I do shop.

Geez,I sound grown up,the 18 year old me would go :no and :roll


----------

