Comments on: When Frugality Becomes Fun

By: louise

louise — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 20:35:00 +0000

I have the same problem. My partner like the finer things in life whereas I am happy to go without to get ahead. I have found that spending(saving) the money as soon as it is in the account so that there is not much left is the best way. If it’s not there they can’t spend it. I have also opened up a savings account that he doesn’t know about and I put some in there each pay so far it is almost $2000.
We have the heating argument as well. He sits around in short sleeved shirts in winter with the heater full on! I love the guy like mad but we are just on different wavelengths about money.

By: One Frugal Girl

One Frugal Girl — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 16:13:00 +0000

Clever Dude --
First... I suggest making small, incremental changes, for example, change one light bulb, lower the temperature one degree a day, etc. Once you recognize that small changes are relatively painless, you'll be able to make bigger and bigger changes in your spending habits.

Second... Read 'The Family CFO.' Then ask your wife to read it. It will radically change the way you talk about money with your spouse. After reading the book, my husband and I listed our short term, mid-term, and long term financial goals. Up until that point most of our discussions about money involved day to day living. I think it became easier for my husband to save once he had specific goals in mind.

Good luck.

By: Clever Dude

Clever Dude — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 02:23:00 +0000

How does your spouse live with your frugality? I’m really leaning heavily towards a frugal lifestyle, but I can’t get my wife to agree to let me sell my new truck (drop 25k in debt right away), lower the thermostat, or just hang out in the warmest room of the house. Heck, we have 2 bathrooms, but we each use “our own” bathroom, and each uses its own water heater (stupid former owners)