by Joan Inong

Created on: May 09, 2009

Frugality and cheapness are two different notions. Frugality does not only mean that you want to save money, but you are saving it for some purpose. Cheapness generally has a bad connotation because people think that being cheap is all about not wanting to spend so much money because the person can't part with the money. At any rate, I am both frugal and cheap, and it depends on the circumstances.

I am frugal when I need to be. For example, I will become very frugal if I feel that I don't have as much money as I should have in my checking account. So, I start cutting down on my wants and just focus on my needs. Frugality does not necessarily mean that I am cutting back on my spending just because I can't let my money go. I do not want to spend money because I can't afford to.

People generally don't have frugal behavior, because frugality calls for economic responsibility. If you are frugal, then you have less chances of owing others money. You won't need loans. You won't have a large bill of debt.

However, I am cheap sometimes without meaning to be. One very good example is when I go shopping. You can tell that I like to be cheap. That is because even if I want to buy something, like a pair of jeans, I only want to spend so much on it. I always have a price cap on the clothing that I buy, and even if I do appear to be cheap, I don't mind. Usually, my cheapness while shopping only emerges if I find that I don't have a lot of money. If I do have money, though, I can be seen as frugal instead. I will take a certain amount of money, and leave the rest at home with the intent of saving it for something else later.

Whether I am cheap or frugal, I find that either one will save me money in the long run. I can pay attention to other people and try to be frugal instead, so I appear to be less "greedy," but sometimes being cheap is necessary because frugality might just not cut it.

For example, when I go on vacation, I usually find myself being frugal. I will have money on me and I will spend it, but I don't go overboard. Being cheap on vacation is like being full before going to a buffet. It just doesn't make sense. So, in order for it to make sense, I have to make myself be frugal. Some people will think that it isn't right to be either one, but I find that that type of lifestyle in which money flows freely through my hands makes it too easy for me to ruin myself financially.

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