Comments on: Put Your Spending into Reverse Gear http://zenhabits.net/2007/09/put-your-spending-into-reverse-gear/ Simple Productivity Sun, 07 Mar 2010 05:06:07 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Lily http://zenhabits.net/2007/09/put-your-spending-into-reverse-gear/#comment-23943 Lily Thu, 17 Jan 2008 22:11:32 +0000 http://zenhabits.net/2007/09/put-your-spending-into-reverse-gear/#comment-23943 I agree with FirstTimePost and Mia and the not-hostile posters... It's easy to be noble, wise and frugal when you have to, but what if someone who can actually spend money decides to be less consumeristic? Should we throw stones at a person who is acquiring conscience? I agree with FirstTimePost and Mia and the not-hostile posters… It’s easy to be noble, wise and frugal when you have to, but what if someone who can actually spend money decides to be less consumeristic? Should we throw stones at a person who is acquiring conscience?

]]> By: Trost Osler http://zenhabits.net/2007/09/put-your-spending-into-reverse-gear/#comment-16747 Trost Osler Thu, 01 Nov 2007 15:02:24 +0000 http://zenhabits.net/2007/09/put-your-spending-into-reverse-gear/#comment-16747 That is beautiful insight. That is beautiful insight.

]]> By: mia http://zenhabits.net/2007/09/put-your-spending-into-reverse-gear/#comment-16741 mia Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:21:13 +0000 http://zenhabits.net/2007/09/put-your-spending-into-reverse-gear/#comment-16741 You know, as a South African I can understand why some people would have a bad reaction to points of the article. As someone who literally drives past at least, AT LEAST 10 to 15 beggars a day to and from work, who has 5 homeless people sitting on my office doorstep and street hawkers on every corner, the dichotomy of peoples experiences is ever present in my mind. Would many people, especially non Americans, find the examples illustrated in the article somewhat condescending? Maybe. But is the posters heart in the right place? Yes, I would say so. Even asking yourself the smallest question can lead you onto an entirely different path. I applaud anyone who lives in a hyper consumer society and steps slightly off that path. I'm not sure that I would ask the questions that I do of myself every single day if I were not confronted with how inherently fortunate I am. Frugality has less to do with how much money you spend and more to do with how appreciative you are of the things you have. Being able to appreciate the things you have always had is hard enough; acknowledging how much more appreciative you could be is amazing. You know, as a South African I can understand why some people would have a bad reaction to points of the article. As someone who literally drives past at least, AT LEAST 10 to 15 beggars a day to and from work, who has 5 homeless people sitting on my office doorstep and street hawkers on every corner, the dichotomy of peoples experiences is ever present in my mind.

Would many people, especially non Americans, find the examples illustrated in the article somewhat condescending? Maybe. But is the posters heart in the right place? Yes, I would say so. Even asking yourself the smallest question can lead you onto an entirely different path. I applaud anyone who lives in a hyper consumer society and steps slightly off that path. I’m not sure that I would ask the questions that I do of myself every single day if I were not confronted with how inherently fortunate I am.

Frugality has less to do with how much money you spend and more to do with how appreciative you are of the things you have.

Being able to appreciate the things you have always had is hard enough; acknowledging how much more appreciative you could be is amazing.

]]> By: FirstTimePost http://zenhabits.net/2007/09/put-your-spending-into-reverse-gear/#comment-14676 FirstTimePost Mon, 01 Oct 2007 21:21:42 +0000 http://zenhabits.net/2007/09/put-your-spending-into-reverse-gear/#comment-14676 Wow, this is the first post I've read and I loved it but based on the comments I feel like I shouldn't bother with the main page. Some of you seem angry that she spent the $200 on a pair of jeans, resentful, maybe jealous. How sad. Personally I've started to down size myself much like this poster, but it was from buying flats that were $400-500 to a $120 pair that was very cute. So there. You know nothing about my salary or what a small percentage of it that it or of my total overall savings, but go ahead flame away. Wow, this is the first post I’ve read and I loved it but based on the comments I feel like I shouldn’t bother with the main page. Some of you seem angry that she spent the $200 on a pair of jeans, resentful, maybe jealous. How sad. Personally I’ve started to down size myself much like this poster, but it was from buying flats that were $400-500 to a $120 pair that was very cute. So there. You know nothing about my salary or what a small percentage of it that it or of my total overall savings, but go ahead flame away.

]]> By: snit http://zenhabits.net/2007/09/put-your-spending-into-reverse-gear/#comment-14149 snit Sat, 22 Sep 2007 18:33:02 +0000 http://zenhabits.net/2007/09/put-your-spending-into-reverse-gear/#comment-14149 It is good to be attached to little. But it is a negative to think you are holier than thou in being so. In thinking you are better than the rest of us, you are still a slave to your ego, albiet expressing this differently than buying stuff. Is judgement of others very zen? It is good to be attached to little. But it is a negative to think you are holier than thou in being so. In thinking you are better than the rest of us, you are still a slave to your ego, albiet expressing this differently than buying stuff. Is judgement of others very zen?

]]> By: Phoenix http://zenhabits.net/2007/09/put-your-spending-into-reverse-gear/#comment-14078 Phoenix Fri, 21 Sep 2007 17:41:33 +0000 http://zenhabits.net/2007/09/put-your-spending-into-reverse-gear/#comment-14078 @Adrian, I agree with you that those are some big warning signs when "frugal" turns into "scrooge". I think it brings up another way that minimalism in terms of "stuff" can bring happiness (and hey, money is still stuff in a certain sense), and that is in being attached to little. Although the post written is helpful from a financial point of view, when someone starts doing the things you described (especially the lying/cheating to save money...that's just sad) then they're not a slave to their possessions anymore, they're a slave to their money. @Adrian,
I agree with you that those are some big warning signs when “frugal” turns into “scrooge”. I think it brings up another way that minimalism in terms of “stuff” can bring happiness (and hey, money is still stuff in a certain sense), and that is in being attached to little.
Although the post written is helpful from a financial point of view, when someone starts doing the things you described (especially the lying/cheating to save money…that’s just sad) then they’re not a slave to their possessions anymore, they’re a slave to their money.

]]> By: Jasi http://zenhabits.net/2007/09/put-your-spending-into-reverse-gear/#comment-14077 Jasi Fri, 21 Sep 2007 17:15:58 +0000 http://zenhabits.net/2007/09/put-your-spending-into-reverse-gear/#comment-14077 O! Fantastic! O!
Fantastic!

]]> By: Adrian Koh (www.couplehood.net) http://zenhabits.net/2007/09/put-your-spending-into-reverse-gear/#comment-14051 Adrian Koh (www.couplehood.net) Fri, 21 Sep 2007 09:32:13 +0000 http://zenhabits.net/2007/09/put-your-spending-into-reverse-gear/#comment-14051 @Jasi: Hmmm, I guess clean & neat's okay for hand-me-downs. I totally agree on that germophobia thing :) @Jasi: Hmmm, I guess clean & neat’s okay for hand-me-downs. I totally agree on that germophobia thing :)

]]> By: Jasi http://zenhabits.net/2007/09/put-your-spending-into-reverse-gear/#comment-14041 Jasi Fri, 21 Sep 2007 02:11:02 +0000 http://zenhabits.net/2007/09/put-your-spending-into-reverse-gear/#comment-14041 @adrian: I agree. Frugality is cool, stealing ketchup is tacky. But I don't see anything wrong with people wearing only hand-me-downs if that's what they dig. I have a few friends who love the "new to me" freecycle wardrobe they rock. As long as it's clean and neat, what's the harm? My idealism agrees with that thinking, but my germaphobia keeps me in new threads. Oh well. @adrian: I agree. Frugality is cool, stealing ketchup is tacky. But I don’t see anything wrong with people wearing only hand-me-downs if that’s what they dig. I have a few friends who love the “new to me” freecycle wardrobe they rock. As long as it’s clean and neat, what’s the harm?

My idealism agrees with that thinking, but my germaphobia keeps me in new threads. Oh well.

]]> By: Adrian Koh (www.couplehood.net) http://zenhabits.net/2007/09/put-your-spending-into-reverse-gear/#comment-14031 Adrian Koh (www.couplehood.net) Thu, 20 Sep 2007 18:42:58 +0000 http://zenhabits.net/2007/09/put-your-spending-into-reverse-gear/#comment-14031 I'm not sure if this has ever been commented on - but how frugal can we get until we are entirely cheapskate? I've heard of cases of people pilfering MacDonald's for sauces and napkins - that's extreme. But I'm thinking the threshold is broken if you cross these lines: - Saving money to the point it's affecting someone else's convenience - Your arguments with people are usually about safe-guarding your money - Cheating/lying to save money - Attitude of "getting things free" instead of "getting things cheap" - Only wear hand-me-downs (I actually know someone like that) I’m not sure if this has ever been commented on – but how frugal can we get until we are entirely cheapskate? I’ve heard of cases of people pilfering MacDonald’s for sauces and napkins – that’s extreme.

But I’m thinking the threshold is broken if you cross these lines:

- Saving money to the point it’s affecting someone else’s convenience
- Your arguments with people are usually about safe-guarding your money
- Cheating/lying to save money
- Attitude of “getting things free” instead of “getting things cheap”
- Only wear hand-me-downs (I actually know someone like that)

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