BellaOnline Forums Money Frugal Living What couldn't you give up?

What is the one item, service or activity that you could never give up in the name of frugality?

I'm not talking about in desperate times because you do what you must do in an emergency. But when you're ok financially but trying to merely cut back, what is the one thing you need? One woman I know said she could never do without a weekly manicure and fill for her acrylic nails. She said that she made this clear to her fiance before they married. I only get my nails done occasionally and never acrylics. Just a regular manicure to clean up the cuticles, etc.

Most of us wouldn't give up our Internet connections, although you can get that free at the library if you had to.

What couldn't you give up? Pets? I don't know what I couldn't live without besides my family. I'm pretty open-minded and flexible.

This is an excellent question, Lori!

I think my iphone. I am super attached to it. I think i'd pay for that bill before anything else.

i am looking around me. There are many things I like and want to keep, but very few things I would not give up.

It would be hard to give up a necklace my dad made for me.

In terms of lifestyle, i'd hate to give up living in Arizona. If i had to move to, say, the east coast or midwest to survive, I think i'd be pretty unhappy.

What would you not give up?

I seem to be pretty attached to the internet, but i've learned from camping that I don't need to pay for it at home. Free WIFI is becoming ubiquitous. It's certainly easy enough to sit in a cafe and do what I need to do. And it makes me actually be more efficient, knowing i don't have as much time as I would lolling about at home.

I've discovered I can live on rainwater, without trash service, or propane heating. I discovered I can spend a minimal amount on electricity if I am smart and creative. Eventually I will be totally on alternative power, and it won't be that hard to get there.

I've discovered I can even wash my own clothes, grow my own food, and make my own wine.

People lived this way for thousands of years; it's only recently that we've come to expect technology to take care of us. Not that we should not appreciate it. But I don't think we should blindly rely on it.

I still think the main thing i would not want to give up is my smartphone.

I couldn't give up our dog no matter what our financial situation was.

I'm not sure. Today, the Internet seems pretty essential, just to be informed and plugged into the global community.

I used to joke that it was toilet paper.

I second the pets! There is NO WAY I would give up my two cats. They would be fed before I would eat.

I agree with Kim. My cats would come first.

As for growing your own food or making your own wine I think there is a certain satisfaction you derive from doing those things that more than offsets what you would be giving up. Many times you probably would actually be gaining something.

My coffee!!!

I don't drink it for the caffeine as it no longer keeps me awake.

Something about the taste is like my reward for getting up each day

When times are good - I get the expensive stuff. On the off days, it is the cheap stuff while I complain while drinking it.

Love the question and responses...

Angela, I love my decaf coffee, and used to buy the expensive flavors. And then the coffee prices rose up all at once and I decided to just buy the cheap stuff and flavor them myself. So i add cinnamon and vanilla to my grounds, and it is almost as nice.

The savings add up!