I can understand why people complain about travelling halfway around the world. To get home it takes me minimum on a plane 14 hours. More with connections and that’s if there’s no delays and minimum 2 connections. Usually around 16 hours without tailwind.

Frugal would be never going. Now I no longer visit on the holidays, and only go when I see cheap, ie $700 airfare. Ouch.

I will probably need a new car next year (for me). I consider it frugal and a smart move to buy a used one due to depreciation. To me, that isn’t it cheap, its frugal and a good decision.

Trust me, we still go on vacation. With a young kid and one on the way, it is not as much anymore, but we still go. I am planning one for when the new baby is one. I would go sooner, except that I don’t like to leave babies overnight until they are a year.

We are driving to see my parents, 7 hours, for Christmas. If I were cheap, I wouldn’t go. Flying is not an option, it would take just as long and we would have to switch flights.

We choose to save 20% right off the top, then spend as well please. Yes I still think about purchases and I am always trying to figure our how to cut stuff out of the budget, but I don’t consider myself cheap.

My point is that everyone has things that they want to purchase and that is fine, what is frugal for one is normal for another person, so we really can’t judge.

I enjoy myself. Right now I just got out of visiting the in-laws at the expense instead of going vacation with them.

Sigh. I am about to blow $2k on a 7-10 day vacation for two. We shall see. Oh well, I take comfort in that tickets to see my in-laws are $650/each, so at least $1300 and to go home to hawaii $1300/each so $2600 minimum for those dates at Christmas. And no mileage seats either for hawaii. Not including dog boarding in either scenario.

We’re getting away at least somewhat cheaper. So frugal? Frugal would be not visiting, and trust me I was praying that would happen. But we’re not frugal so on vacation we go.

Perfectly describes my MIL. I feel sorry for her. She is incredibly wealthy (net worth in the many millions) and she refused to buy herself a wedding dress when she got remarriedlast year. She has had the same pair of glasses for the past 15 years, because they are “perfectly fine”, and the list goes on and on and on. She won’t spend a dime and keeps saving and saving. No vacations, no new clothes, no cell phone, 15 year old car. She grew up in poverty with 15 brothers and sisters in a 3 bedroom farm house that didn’t even have indoor plumbing until she was 15 years old. I guess that those “survival” times never really left her. It makes me sad because I would really like to see her enjoy things and to travel while she still can.

Great post – am going to link this

O.k., maybe not helpful. There definitely are people who take it too far, but who knows what “too far” is for anyone. And nowadays, I can appreciate the security of having a large savings account/emergency fund.

As for me, I think I’m pretty balanced. I penny pinch in some areas and spend more in others that mean more to me, but it might be easy for some people to just see one side or the other.

We do enjoy spending money on other things, like eating out. It is one thing that I really enjoy doing. And not just McDonalds, we like to go to a nice Italian restaurant or sushi. If only I could get my DD to like sushi….