{"id":138003,"date":"2021-04-18T02:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-18T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/milesopedia.com\/?p=138003"},"modified":"2024-05-31T14:12:38","modified_gmt":"2024-05-31T18:12:38","slug":"frugal-smart-minimalist-or-stingy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/milesopedia.com\/en\/personal-finance\/frugal-smart-minimalist-or-stingy\/","title":{"rendered":"Frugal, smart, minimalist or stingy?"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading el_id=”frugal_smart_minimalist_or_stingy_” text=”Frugal, smart, minimalist or stingy?” google_fonts=””][vc_column_text el_class=”checkmarks”]I am interested in earning credit card<\/a> and rewards programs <\/a>points. The goal is essentially to allow me to do trips that I could not do otherwise<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

You know, business class on a long-haul flight that costs close to $5,000… I wouldn’t pay fort that. Or just being able to treat my own. Let’s go, three plane tickets to the Magdalen Islands. It makes everyone happy and the expense is small. I’m a hybrid type: both a minimalist and a smart consumer<\/strong>. I mean, I think so.<\/p>\n

I’ll tell you right away: on the Web, there is no consensus on the use of the different concepts related to the world of expenses, but I’ll present you what I remember.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading el_id=”what_type_are_you_” text=”What type are you?” google_fonts=””][vc_custom_heading el_id=”the_frugal” text=”The frugal” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” google_fonts=””][vc_column_text el_class=”checkmarks”]Some people have the same hobby as me, but their goal is different: they are aiming for cash back<\/a> on the daily expenses they incur with their credit cards<\/strong>. You should see their Excel spreadsheets that show their earnings optimization.<\/p>\n

Of this group, some stand out by claiming that if their expenses become less than what is earned, they can use the difference to pay off debt, save or invest<\/strong>. Not crazy. They are even aiming for retirement at age 40<\/a>. Well, let’s say fifty for others. The phenomenon has a name: frugality<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The frugal person aims to spend as little as possible because he or she wants financial autonomy above all else.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In this same line of thought, many young people aspire to become (or already are) digital nomads. They work from their computers in a part of the world they like and live on a small budget: little earning, little spending. As Wikipedia would say: \u201cWork less and live better, even if it means earning less<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n

, a good example of frugality.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”126315″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded”]

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<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading el_id=”the_smart_consumer” text=”The smart consumer” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” google_fonts=””][vc_column_text el_class=”checkmarks”]They are the expert in optimizing their spending in all categories. They only use credit cards and know which one to use where<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

They bring their balances to 0 every month and never miss a promotion to multiply the airline<\/a> or hotel<\/a> points they collect. They use coupons, gift cards<\/a> for which they have earned several points.<\/p>\n

Among them are specialists in \u201c2 for 1\u201d, \u201cGroupon\u201d vouchers and, for those who have cars, full tanks of gas<\/a> on Tuesdays, because once again, the aim is to turn expenses into profits<\/strong>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”126311″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded”]

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<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading el_id=”voluntary_simplicity_or_the_minimalist” text=”Voluntary simplicity, or the minimalist” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” google_fonts=””][vc_column_text el_class=”checkmarks”]I have met other profiles of thrifty people who do not aspire to stop working in their forties, nor to exile themselves under the palm trees. They have families with children<\/a> who attend daycare or school and enjoy their place in the sunshine of the job market, often on a part-time basis.<\/p>\n

They are part of the minimalist, solidarity-based movement of<\/strong> RRR: <\/strong>recycle, reuse, reduce.<\/strong><\/p>\n

They can go to the public markets at the end of the day to take advantage of the falling prices, buy clothes in the second-hand shops and also buy toys for the children. As long as there is no missing piece to the puzzle, why not?[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”93519″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded”][vc_column_text]But above all, minimalists know the value of things.<\/strong> They own little, but aim for quality and durability. <\/strong> <\/p>\n

Minimizing expenses, controlling the budget, avoiding over-consumption is their leitmotiv.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text]

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<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading el_id=”and_the_quot_stingy_quot_one_” text=”And the "stingy" one?” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” google_fonts=””][vc_column_text el_class=”checkmarks”]I wondered at what point the boundaries of frugality, minimalism and smart consumption were crossed in favour of cheapness?<\/p>\n

For example, would I be offended to be invited to a restaurant and have my partner pull out a \u201ctwo-for-one\u201d coupon, cutting his spending in half? Honestly yes if he invited me, we don’t know each other very well and he didn’t say a word to me beforehand, but not at all if we are both in on it.<\/p>\n

The big difference between the stingy and the others, according to my readings and observations, is that the stingy one ignores the connection with others, because what matters is money.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Where the smart consumer is happy to use a coupon or cash back credit card<\/a> that reduces the purchase amount of a good bottle of wine, the frugal and minimalist are happy to have taken their wine from a local winery in a recycled bottle.<\/p>\n

The stingy brings nothing to the party or deprives himself of the party so as not to have to spend money.<\/strong> Their quality of life is questionable.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”53570″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded”]

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<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading el_id=”shall_we_recap_” text=”Shall we recap?” google_fonts=””][vc_column_text]Who do you think these behaviours belong to?<\/p>\n