What a question to ask isn't it?!?! But I was thinking of this earlier. My husband and I are both pretty thrifty, but have slightly different philosophies concerning money. His being "It's just money, don't worry, I'll make more" and my being "The great depression is coming!" Ha, Ha. Makes for some interesting times!

-- Melissa (me@home.net), December 10, 2001

Answers

I would have to say my husband! Before we married, I was a spendthrift and was in debt. My husband paid off my bills and we have not got any since (that was 27 years ago). His frugality has rubbed off on me and I am just about as frugal as he is now, and it has certainly paid off! Now that we can afford it more, we have to remind ourselves sometimes to spend some as we know we can't take it with us!!! I believe moderation is the key.

-- Barb in Ky. (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), December 10, 2001.

Probably depends on what day of the week it is. He is, I'm not, He's not, I am. I think we both went so long without hardly any money at all and both having been homeless-together and separately, we try harder sometimes-really concerned-and at other times, we know we'll get by no matter what. (I am better at saving on the electric bill and he's better at saving on gasoline.)

-- Cindy (SE. IN) (atilrthehony@hotmail.com), December 10, 2001.

I think it depends on what your idea of thrifty is. Kinda like frugal. Does that mean you buy things at the lowest cost, or you buy things at the best value.

My wife tends to want things now and will look for the best price at that time. She will shop and shop to find the lowest price dress. However because the bought cheap the the dress doesnt last as long as if she had spent a little more. So she has to buy another cheap dress in time..

After I know what I want, Ill look and look and look and wait till it meets my price point and then buy. I buy quality even if its more money. I know it will last longer. Do I buy a tools for $50 that will only last 5 years or do I spend $200 and buy a tool that will last a life time. Which one is more frugal?

-- Gary (gws@columbus.rr.com), December 10, 2001.

Goo point Gary! It sure would be nice to find a $50 tool that would last a life-time. I like to buy high-quality items if I know they will be around for a while. But with some things I go for the cheapest price instead. Just depends...

-- Melissa (me@home.net), December 10, 2001.

I agree this is a good point. I usually buy cheapest price if it is something that will only be used short term or not very often. For instance, I buy cheap dress shoes for church but get myself a good and more costly pair for every day wear because they will get much more wear and the better ones last longer, being cheaper in the long run. Clothing for kids, I always bought mostly cheap because they outgrow them so fast. My husband loves tools and fortunately he uses them! I finally convinced him it is better to buy the best and not fool around with the cheap Chinese tools that won't last. Much better bargain in the long run, I feel.

-- Barb in Ky. (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), December 10, 2001.

Thats a toss up-we are both pretty tight but we would both spend if we had it! I'm much better at day to day shopping-he would wreck the grocery budget in no time! But he is fantastic at finding great deals on the Net-he found a part for the car on-line for 20$-the mechanic in town said it would cost 200$! He's also great out of making something nice out of nothing-he'll spend some time scrounging around the barns and noodling in his shop and come out with a piece of furniture, or he will fix things with wierd things that always work better than before he fixed them.

-- Kelly (Ksaderholm@yahoo.com), December 11, 2001.

My friends think that I am ridiculously frugal, keeping things they'd throw away. But my husband makes me look like a spendthrift!! If my jeans get holes, I'll keep wearing them until the holes show up in area that would expose me. My husband's jeans are one patch overlapping another, and where there is not a patch, the facbric is thin and I can see that another hole or tear will be there soon. He will wear socks until there is a hole in the heel, then turn the sock so the hole is opposite his heel, and keep rotating the hole until it is just about impossible to wear it any longer. Then the foot and heel area gets cut off, and the top of the sock becomes a baby wipe rag. He will wear t-shirts until the back is peppered with holes. Then it gets re-used as a diaper. His coat is tattered, the seams are ripped open, the lining was gone a long time ago, the bottom edge is ragged and hangs in strips. I asked him how long ago he got this coat and when he was going to give up on it. He said that he found it at the dump quite a while ago! Then he went and got another just like it, that had been found at the same time. He had worn it before, and put it away when it got old, to wear the one that's now in rags. Now the first one looks new by comparison! My sister thinks we are so funny, I don't really mind it. This way we have money to spend on things that we really want.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), December 11, 2001.

I am, by a hair's breadth. Neither is a big spender. We swap out who cares for the personal account. Right now, she's got it.

-- Randal (randal@rhyme.cjb.net), December 11, 2001.