trying to be frugal is hard

I think that the problem is with YOU. If you are doing what you want, why in the world are you concerned about what "they" (whomever they are) think?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with living simply and frugally, if this is the kind of life that you want to live. So stop worrying about what other people think, and "do your own thing".

Take pride in what you can accomplish , dont feel its a "second best" way of life. Dont bother comparing yourself with those who question you.
think in terms of needs and wants. youll find that what you really need is not on a big list.
Read Thoreau, see what he said about living a simple life.
Im not the paragon of frugality so im not the greatest for advice, but we find that living out in the boonies helps . We enjoy the simpler things that are tied to the earth. Most things I do dont require the newest sneakers or electronics gear. and , when we see friends , we are so glad to see each other that we dont have time to compare toys.
Dont feel put down by your conscious decision to live simply, when you have to be defined by your possessions, you are naught but a sheep thats been trained to plop cash whenever some new gizmo comes on the market.
Look at all that kitchen appliance junk out there and feel proud that you have skills to chop your own onion without dragging out some 5 hp French tool to do it. I get a kick out of kitchens in new custom houses. its now possible to blow huuge amounts of money on a "commercial" kitchen full of 5 and 10 thousand dollar appliances . aND, what the USDA found in a study, What do you think that the people who own these grand kitchens have in common?


any idea?





tHEY EAT OUT AT LEAST 4 DAYS A WEEK. Talk about conspicuous consumptery, think about these poor fools whove spent a large amount of money strapping a small restaurant onto their new mickey mansions. other studies have shown that most of these people dont save a cent and are living week to week, no matter what they make.

I can understand being bombarded from all sides. your job is to find a way to feel accomplished and comfortably smug in your own frugal lifestyle. When your friends give you their lectures and , semi-rude questions, just smile slightly and state that you sleep the sleep of a small child , and arent worried about stupid payments on your walk-in refrigerator. 9after all, how big can a piece of food be that you need to walk in beside it) Most people just dont get it,so , another track you may need to follow is, like in addiction therapy----you get new friends cuz you may have to leave the old ones behind.

Fifteen years ago I moved away from the city to an isolated village of about 150 people where there are no Jones's to keep up with. It is heaven! I got rid of anything I owned at the time that wasn't what I considered necessary.
The more you own the more you have to look after and worry about .
If your friends don't share your ideals find some who do - you don't have to "get rid" of the old ones but try to spend some time with someone who shares your interests even if it is long distance. There are websites and forums devoted to simple living.

I hear ya Heytherek. I'm going through the same thing. I have some kind of a mental block to overcome when downsizing anything. I feel strangely self-conscious about driving a cheaper car and know that once I downsize my living arrangements I will feel very awkward the first time friends visit me in a "lesser house". This, despite the fact that I am now believe that my current home (and the majority of what's in it), and much of my "lifestyle" serve only to give me a false sense of self-worth. I've operated for years paying no mind to the cost of most things with the mentality that I can always make more money.
I've been thinking this way for many months now, but the other night I thought nothing of spending $300 on dinner and a movie. Stupid, I know, but old habits die hard.
I've always considered the almighty dollar the measuring stick by which I judged my own success, and nothing more. I never really thought I gave a rat's ass what "the Jones's" thought... but I guess I was just fooling myself. I believe that once I overcome this misguided subconscious instinct that I have something to prove, I will be much more content. The wise respondents above are absolutely correct (farmerman's example is a little further over-the-top than I've ever been, but I identify with the fools described therein nonetheless). I remain grateful that I don't have bigger fish to fry.
Good Luck!