I have long ago finished “Cheap: High Cost of Discount Culture.” But my friend, Ellen Ruppel Shell convinced me to revisit my spending habits, particularly in a world filled with economic uncertainty. I have tweaked my spending habits and embraced a new frame of reference. I now consider myself something of a frugalista, a term that Ms. Shell discussed in the latter chapters of her book. It’s a real word which is defined as someone who is fashionable and frugal. In fact, according to the Oxford University Press’s Blog, frugalista was one of their 2008 word of the year finalists. It seems that these ideas are not mutually exclusive, although I think that, in practice, frugalista has a broad range of definitions.
I still look for bargains – you can’t take the fun out of shopping. Cheap is a mind-set, a belief that more is more, rather than more is less. And it can influence our lives in ways that are at first subtle until they become overwhelming. How do I know, you may ask? I just cleaned out my closet. Enough said….
On The Road Book Club 
Hi Rebecca. I just noticed all of your Blogs, wow! I love them all and I especially like your Kitchen Blog, yum. Your previous post was really interesting but I was unable to make a comment there. Have you seen the Gruen Transfer or now called Gruen Planet show? It’s an Aussie show that looks at advertising/marketing in a humorous way. http://www.abc.net.au/tv/gruenplanet/
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Thank you for visiting my blogs!! So glad that we connected over the “blogger” miles. Every one of your posts are thought provoking – I look forward to seeing what you will write about next. I checked out Gruen Planet, but am unable to access the videos from Canada :(. Looking forward to our continued dialogue. We should have many interesting discussions.
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Frugalista–interesting word to make the Oxford University Press Blog’s final choices.. I am curious as to what meanings the Oxford Dictionary gives to this word. I will have to look it up.
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I agree – it is interesting. While the term may have been a recent addition to the dictionary, our parents and grandparents were masters at creating abundant lives with very little resources!
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Frugalista – well I’m going to comment before I read this article so I’m not influenced by what it has to say. I have a friend who lives by the adage, “Buy cheap buy twice” and I am at the other extreme, “If it’s not a bargain I don’t even consider it.” I always go to the Sale Rail first, I always look at the cheapest thing on the menu, if something’s discounted I’m halfway to buying it!!
But along the way I have considered whether this sale rail mentality is bad for me. I think attitudes towards money say alot about us. Is this cheap mind set spilling over and making me feel that I’m only worth so much, that I reside at the cheap end of the market. That the high end is not for the likes of me.
I’m going to read the article now. That’s what’s so great about your blog. Always something thought provoking to get you going in the morning.
Love Corinne
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I love when you stop by for a visit and your comment – Buy Cheap, Buy Twice – was so appropriate. In a time of economic uncertainty, everyone wants to be frugal. The real issue is reducing consumption, which is a more difficult conversation. Consumption has come to be a way to determine quality of life. Maybe we should start the conversation from a different perspective.
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