The Ultimate Different: Being Frugal vs. Being Cheap

Sometimes, I’ll get emails from people about this site, complaining about the prices of the garments I feature on the blog. It’s not “broke” enough for a lot of people and, honestly, I’m okay with that. There are tons of blogs that’ll show you designer knockoffs (recognizing that they’re knockoffs), $5 shirts, PVC/plastic shoes, etc… Unfortunately, Broke & Beautiful is not one of them.

When I feature pieces that are $100 or $100+ – there’s a reason. It’s because they’re worth a helluva lot more than that, usually. As you may notice, I rarely feature big, designer label stuff here unless it’s at least 70% off – and even then, it’s only from a designer who has high standards of quality, and stuff that you CAN’T find anywhere else.

Why the diatribe-esque intro? Well, my darling FB (Fabulously Broke in the City) made a comment on the difference between being “frugal” (she hates that word, and so do I) and “cheap” that hit the nail so on-the-head that I had to mention it here.

For the record, being frugal (a word I hate), means:

  • being a conscious consumer
  • spending your money only on what makes you (and only you) happy
  • making choices with limited impulse buying
  • searching for the best deal for the money and quality you are getting
  • buying quality for what you deem is important
  • having priorities about what’s important in life (a cute new bag or food on the table?)
  • things you buy in the long run cost you LESS

In contrast, being cheap, means:

  • refusing to pay tips or treat others when you go out to eat for various reasons
  • hunting for sales and buying useless items just because they’re cheap
  • spending time, money and gas to chase a buck (no optimization)
  • choosing the cheapest option, ALL THE TIME
  • compromising your sanity by counting toilet paper squares, stepping on different tiles each day, etc
  • being afraid to spend anything and sacrificing yourself
  • things in the long run cost you MORE

Now, I’ve never heard of the tile-stepping bit, but if I heard someone was doing it, I’d definitely make fun of them.

cheapfrugalshopping
Lindsay: Probably watching Netflix.

View Comments (8)

  • That is a little guide that many people have to follow!

    And honestly, quality even on sale will cost more than a cheap something that will only last a season.

    Linda Katherine´s last blog post was I read this once!

  • AGREES! I can't stand cheap but I'm definitely conscious about buying.

    Thank you for offering designer pieces at affordable prices instead of cheap sweatshop knockoffs. *applauds*

    Birdie´s last blog post was Combatting Casual Wear!

  • Yes! I completely agree. Well-made, slightly more expensive items will wear ten times longer than cheap pieces...and, therefore, save you money. I'd rather get a more expensive piece that I can wear for five years than something cheap and poorly made.

    Jen´s last blog post was The Next Big Thing: Revival Ink!

  • Its true - the real cheap items won't last as long, and means that you'll have to buy again soon, whereas spending a bit more saves money in the long run. I avoid really cheap clothes because I know the quality isn't that good and it won't last as long.
    Also cheap clothes mean that I'm buying more junk that I'm unlikely to wear.

    Sherin´s last blog post was I love high-waisted skirts!

  • Your blog is titled "BROKE & beautiful," not "CHEAP & beautiful" for a reason. Going broke & buying quality when you can afford is is much better than feeding shopping addictions with cheap crap.

    Ashe Mischief´s last blog post was Generation Y in the Work Place!

  • The tile stepping bit comes from a story about an old woman who kept stepping on different tiles in her home each day just so that they'd wear EVENLY

    I had never heard of such crazy, ass up the monkey nonsense in my life.

    She had a problem.

    *HUGS* thanks for the link love :) You know I adore the blog and it's quality, cheap finds. Honestly, my budget is around $100 too because when you see REALLY cheap things for $5... they look like they cost $5.

    Fabulously Broke´s last blog post was 10 Tips to save money on Groceries each month!

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