Top Three Excuses People Make to NOT Be Frugal

The most common thing that married couples complain about it money. And single people worry about finances as well. Still, adopting a completely frugal lifestyle is not as popular as you might think. The excuses people make to not be frugal range from convenience and quality to perceptions of societal acceptance. The following five excuses people make to not be frugal are common, and really quite silly if your goal is to spend less and save more.

Excuse to NOT Be Frugal - Takes Too Much Time

Many people have the opinion that saving money takes more time. Compare, for example, stopping at the corner store to grab a gallon of milk at a higher price, with purchasing enough at the supermarket at a lower price. The latter may take more time, but what you really need is a bit of planning. Planning correctly for your weekly grocery needs can save you time because you will not need to stop at the convenience store at all.

The old adage, "Time is money," is true with frugal living as well. Spending more time to find a quality used car instead of buying the first good deal you see will save you time at repair shops and with sweaty tow-truck drivers later on.

Excuse to NOT Be Frugal - My Spouse / Child Would Never

Wives often get the bug to be more frugal if they are handling the household shopping and budgeting. Some complain that their husbands will never go for generic chips and soda with the football game or getting rid of the huge SUV to buy a compact car. If this is your excuse for not going frugal, point out that savings in some areas can be used in other areas. Will your husband give up brand name chips if the mortgage could be paid off five years early?

Likewise, children are another big excuse to not go frugal. However, giving to your child indiscriminately often turns them into a brat. Could they earn some of their own money? And do they really need the latest sneakers, video game, music gadget, or boy band poster?

Excuse to NOT Be Frugal - Quality Costs More

In some things, quality does cost more. However, it is not true in all things. If you want to begin practicing a frugal lifestyle, you do not have to sacrifice quality. Do comparison testing. Do the two hundred dollar sneakers really last longer on your teenage son's feet than the thirty dollar sneakers? Does his shaggy haircut need a twenty dollar barber visit, or could you snip a little here and there at home.

Quality in clothing and food are some of the biggest arguments against frugal living. However, homemade food is vastly better for you than store bought processed junk, and it costs a lot less. While most will not begin to make their own clothing at home, you can find sturdy and hard-wearing fashions at discount and thrift stores. The label does not create quality.