Frugality is chic? & other stuff

[shootingstar]

Apparently being thrifty is chic these days??? I'm SOOO out of it.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/...rticle1555518/

Excerpt

And it’s why now that Mr. La Rosa has a decent-paying office job, he considers it ludicrous to see his peers unnecessarily live like paupers, trying to one-up each other by buying the cheapest, nastiest brands of beer and wearing threadbare clothes. One acquaintance, for example, is “a trust-fund kid but he dresses like a hobo.”

But because of the lean economy and concerns about the environment, frugality has become fashionable as people seek ways to reduce waste and consumption to save the planet and their pocketbooks. And, as they regard thriftiness as a challenge or test, some are taking it to the extreme – cutting back in ways that are sometimes even unsanitary.

In an interview published by Britain’s The Observer last week, Hollywood actor Vincent Kartheiser, from the hit television show Mad Men, revealed he has given up all material possessions, including temporarily a toilet.

“My house is just a wooden box,” he said, adding he uses his neighbour’s facilities and relishes his austere lifestyle.

So that makes regular cyclists, chic..'cause we're also saving money transportation-wise? Boy, let's capitalize on this, by riding on the frugality-hip trend ..for cycling!

[Tuckervill]

He uses his neighbor's facilities?? That's not frugal--it's being a user. That guy's making a boatload of money and he lives in a box? That just sounds greedy to me.

I like when people don't flaunt their wealth, but this is going too far in the other direction.

Karen

[shootingstar]

He uses his neighbor's facilities?? That's not frugal--it's being a user. That guy's making a boatload of money and he lives in a box? That just sounds greedy to me.

I like when people don't flaunt their wealth, but this is going too far in the other direction.

Karen

+1

Wonder if he could be so motivated to live extreme frugally for the next..ie. 10-20 yrs.?

[staceysue]

I've been "cheap" for years. We use recycled everything and grow as much of our own food as possible. We can our own food, etc., because we like to live sustainably and also so we can afford to buy those things that are really important to us. This way I don't feel so guilty buying things like new cycling clothes, for example.

I've been shopping the thrift stores (Good Will and St. Vinnie's) for years and it's come as a huge surprise to me that there are long waits in line this year. I've never had to wait in line before but the last time I was at St Vinnie's there were 8 people in line ahead of me.

My old highschool friends, family, coworkers and I regularly compare our yard sale purchases on Facebook. It's definitely become chic!