I just found out that one of my best, best friends rented a house for the week for her first vacation after the pandemic. She’s paying $910 a night (plus tax and cleaning fees) for a 4 bedroom, 3 bath house with a heated pool, one block from the beach. In all my living years, regardless of how much money I either had or didn’t have, I would NEVER pay an amount of money like that for any kind of vacation. She’s paying over $7,000 for a weeks’ vacation. In the off-season. I can only imagine what the price would be in-season.
There’s been a lot of hype out there, now due to inflation, on who and how anyone can get the least price on the best item. Blogs and YouTube channels are touting ’50 Dinners For Under $100′, ‘The .32 Cent Lunch’. ’10 Things I No Longer Buy’. ‘5 Things I Do Still Buy’……….It’s enough to make any frugalista sick. This isn’t a contest, people. This is real life. Either you live within your means or you don’t. I have no respect for anyone who pay’s over $7,000 for a week’s vacation. And I have no respect for anyone who eats a 32 cent lunch. These people are extremists and as far as I am concerned, don’t live in reality. They don’t impress me much.
Frugality to me is all about getting the proper value for your money. It’s living within your means and living within your stature. It’s about putting on blinders and living your best life, now. It’s about NOT caring what the other person is or isn’t doing. It’s about doing what is right and just for you and your family. It’s about having intelligence and the foresight to manage your life and your money with courage and fortitude. Whatever it is, it certainly isn’t a contest to see how much you can spend or how little you can spend.
I never heard of keeping up with the Frugal Jones’s……..did you?
If there’s a competition going on to see who is the frugalist, I’m bowing out of the competition. That is not what I am all about. Neither should you be. Who cares who gets the best price or eats for less? Who cares who pays the most or gets the best? If there’s a frugal war going on out there, I’m on neutral territory. I am not playing in any frugal war games. Besides, if you come in first, what do you win? Money? A 32 cent lunch? No thanks.
I want to enjoy my life. Not fret over it. Haven’t we learned anything from the pandemic? Life can be short. Very short. How do you want to spend it? (no pun intended) The frugal philosophy is more about having it all … than it is about hardship or settling for less. Salute the new day and start afresh.
Like this post? Sign up for free emails whenever I write a new post. You can also follow this blog, for free. Sign up links are posted on the upper right hand corner. I also accept donations when you buy me a cup of coffee and a croissant. Links are posted on the right hand side wall. Thanks for reading my blog!
Ciphers From Cindi 
Hi Cindi, suppose during the pandemic your friend invested $2000 in stimulus and made more then the cost of the vacation and then still had the $2000. This house and vacation are basically free and fulfilled a dream she had while being isolated..
LikeLike
Lara, it’s a question of common sense not money. It’s a question of value. I’ve seen photos of the house she’s renting and it’s not worth it. This person doesn’t own a home. She lives in an apartment in a shady part of town because that’s all she can afford. There were plenty of other rentals more appropriately priced, including a pool that were about $250 a day. Doesn’t matter if she got it for free or not. In my own plush years, I could have bought a bigger home or a Mercedes but I never did. The longevity was never there.
Of course, it’s her money, her life and she can do as she pleases. And then again, it’s just another reason why she still doesn’t own her own home, or any other assets and her children are crammed into a two bedroom flat with nary any access to clean, outside, simple fresh air. Nor ample play areas. Priorities, I suppose. This flash in the pan seemed to suit her. But at the end of the week, she has nothing. But photographs and memories. Good luck with that.
LikeLike
I know it’s was very possible
LikeLike
This women definitely has crazy priorities and lacks good money sense. I got together with a group of fully vaccinated seniors recently that previously were being guided by my IBM mentor. One of them was splurging on an expensive family vacation but most of them are very worried about the high inflation and saving and reinvesting dividends in more preferred stocks. All have eliminated credit card debt to lower their monthly bills. We had a bagged lunch get together at one of the members house to do her outside cleanup since she was recovering from a fall. We had so many laughs that we decided to make it a habit and do outside clean up weekly and draw from a hat who hosted next. Friday’s worked for us all. Sincerely, Lara
LikeLike