Frugal early retirement freaks

[EMJ]

Re-use rags to wipe your ass to save a buck
No TV
No smartphones
Cars? The Devil's work
Bike everywhere
Eat out? What!
Track every cent you spend
Vacations? For fools
Make your own clothes
Grow your own food

The arrogance of this movement is stunning. I'm all for saving, investing, and no debt, but this is ridiculous. To each his own, but it's really interesting to read just how superior these folks seem to feel over the "morons" who own cars, own TV's, and grab a steak dinner out with their families on the weekend. It's a bit out of control.

An example I came across in the comments section of an article:

Yesterday I was going to the hardware store to purchase materials for a home project that I could have paid someone else to do. I knew I had a $5 coupon, but couldn't find it. The idea of burning 5 bucks totally annoyed me.

I ended up digging through the garbage and finding it there. It was wet from some kind of garbage-liquid.

I stood there with the dirty coupon, feeling the rush of victory because it was still scannable. And I realized, "A normal person wouldn't do this."

I, on the other hand, popped it into a ziploc bag as a kindness to my cashier and went to the hardware store to use it.

[GH85Carrera]

I don't understand it it at all.

[creaturecat]

arrogance? i respectfully disagree. it's called being a responsible human being. small steps at a time.
50% of the items on the list work for me.
no reusable ass rags, please. : )

[BlueSkyJaunte]

I bust my ass now so that when (if) I retire I can do it in comfort. Not so I can suffer for the remainder of my life.

[1990C4S]

Originally Posted by EMJ

I, on the other hand, popped it into a ziploc bag as a kindness to my cashier and went to the hardware store to use it.[/I]

I find it unlikely that this sort of person would waste a ziploc bag as a kindness to the cashier.

[Tervuren]

When I bought my Jaguar, the salesman at the dealer was shocked when I pulled out a phone 10+ years old. Every little financial decision adds up. If someone enjoys not shelling out large fixed expensives, then let them enjoy it. If an older person may mention some of the things we have may not be necessary, show some respect. My car's aren't necessary, but I enjoy them. If I were in debt for them, the advice to change might be quite sound.

If you can grow some of your own food - you'll probably have a lot less health issues being closer to the supply chain, and being your own quality control. If you retire, you have the time - advantage.

A lot of retirees do not get enough exercise and this results in failing health. If you can make it without a car, the exercise can't be harmful.

No TV - If only more of us did this.

Social Security is broken, retirement funds can go away with a blip of a button. If you setup yourself up not to rely on these, you can enjoy life a LOT better. I couldn't fully retire, I'd have to have something somewhere to do.

[ckelly78z]

I fully plan on retiring in 9 years at the age of 60. I have the house paid off, no credit card debt, no car payments, and a sizable 401K with a nice 25 year pension. It's not about being stupidly frugal, it is all about being disciplined and not impulse buying....whether it is an expensive meal out, a new car, or even designer clothes.

I kinda look at it like trying to get the best gas mileage I can get, but still driving a diesel truck and a Porsche.....I don't hypermile or am overly frugal in my purchases, I just use common sense.

[Evans, Marv]

What BlueSkyJaunte said - except I'm already retired. After I retired, I found out what it meant to hear somebody say, 'I don't know how I had time to work before I retired." After some years, I got ahead of things to where I can pick & choose what/when I want to do something. Not that you might want to do some or all of the things on the OP's list, but it would suck to be in a position where you HAD to live like that. I enjoy doing things DIY and enjoy physical work and exercise. However, for you younger guys; you begin to slow down; get tired quicker; lose some strength & stamina over time; plus like the rest of life's progression, your priorities usually change and you find you don't like things you used to and like things you used to not. So basically you need flexibility, and it would suck to have to scrounge and scratch for the rest of the life you have left when you no longer care to live that way or can manage it.

[EMJ]

I'm all for not being wasteful, but it seems these people think anyone who drives is a moron. That's the arrogance I mention. Eat out? Moron. Don't hang your clothes on a clothes line? Idiot. It's really hilarious.

[EMJ]

I read somewhere that a guy and a wife share a tooth brush to not have to spend the extra two bucks!

[tadd]

What, Y'all don't wash out and reuse your condoms???

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by EMJ

I'm all for not being wasteful, but it seems these people think anyone who drives is a moron. That's the arrogance I mention. Eat out? Moron. Don't hang your clothes on a clothes line? Idiot. It's really hilarious.

In some parts of the country living without a car is possible and no big deal.

It is pretty much impossible around here. One can get around some on a bicycle but I can't see using a bike to go to the store as very practical, especially for the standard weekend project. I almost never get away with just one trip. The closest hardware store to me is down several busy streets and four miles away. Two round trips would be a chore especially with a bag of concrete or fence post.

[wdfifteen]

I don't see the concept as arrogant. I don't know any of these people, so maybe its the people who are annoying.
They may be like Volt owners. The Volt message boards are crawling with self-righteous hypermilers who can't be happy with their own cars, they have to make snide remarks about dino car owners. Some of those guys make PARF look civilized.

[EMJ]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

I don't see the concept as arrogant. I don't know any of these people, so maybe its the people who are annoying.

Totally agree the people can be arrogant, not the concept.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Can't knock it. If they're happy, what's the harm? There might be something to be said for not being a slave to a paycheck just to get occasional consumer indulgences occasionally.

There's a lot more to life than money and the consumption it enables... Maybe they're onto something. Or maybe they're just crazy, dunno.

[BE911SC]

If you retired early and do all that then you should have kept working. Either that or you have some form of mental illness. OTOH, if you are not a burden to anyone and keep to yourself then go for it.

[HardDrive]

I've lived like a crass pig. Drank good whisky and wine, driven many german sports cars at 3x the speed limit, traveled the world. I did all of those things when I was young and full of life. WTF would I want to pack away every penny just so I can get a few extra years of playing bridge with the other cheap asses in some lower grade retirement slum in Florida?

E'ff that schit. Live fast, die young and leave a beautiful corpse.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

IWTF would I want to pack away every penny just so I can get a few extra years of playing bridge with the other cheap asses in some lower grade retirement slum in Florida?

I hear you. My son in law is kind of like that. He's got a great job making 6 figures and only works a 40 hr week. He plans to retire at 50. But his hobby is weightlifting. Why he wants to retire early so he can lift weights is beyond my comprehension.

[gprsh924]

To each his own, but you only get to go around once. I am going to enjoy it.

I can always make more money, I can't buy time.

[aigel]

Like any extreme, it may be a bit too much. But seems like it becomes a sport, a challenge, so I can appreciate that.

There is a tremendous freedom coming from being financially independent and being able to walk away from your job. I am there now. And I don't even have to re-use my wipes. But I am fairly conservative on spending in areas where it really counts. I.e. never upgraded houses, when everyone around me is in a 1.5 mil mcmansion now, paying 20k in property taxes a year. I never buy new cars and only drive them 3 years etc. etc.

What is great is if your boss knows you don't need the job. They will treat you a lot better, i know this from experience!

G