Frugal Is Cool Lifestyle Nowdays !!!!

The other day, a friend and I were talking about the things we do to be frugal. We were discussing all the tips and tricks we’ve learned to save money and cut down on waste. We were also discussing how, with the current economic downturn, more and more people are learning how to be frugal. They were seeking hints on any ways to save money.
Now, my friend is usually a pretty level headed guy who’s kind and understanding. But during our discussion, he dropped this bomb on me. He said “I really hate all these people who are suddenly trying to be frugal. A year ago, most of them were looking down on us, ridiculing us for being thrifty, couponing, shopping at thrift stores, and growing our own gardens. Now they want all our tips and hints that we worked so hard to learn. Nobody taught me how to be frugal. I learned it in the school of hard knocks and I think they should, too. I’m not telling anyone how to save money.
At first I was shocked, especially since this was coming from a guy who will loan you any tool out of his garage or help you with any repair. But when I thought about it, I did sort of see his point. It is difficult being the “frugal oddball” at times. We frugalities have put up with a lot of strange looks and nasty comments over the years. There are the cashiers (and patrons) who roll their eyes when you whip out a stack of coupons at checkout or ask for a price adjustment/price match. There are the people who mock your homemade gifts, even though those gifts are more useful and unique than anything that can be bought. There are the people who tell us we’re crazy for spending time hunting for deals and that we should “value our time” and just pay full price for something. There are all the comments about “missing out on life” because our frugal ways mean that we don’t have everything we want. But we’ve endured it all because we know the value of our way of life. And now that the recession is here, everyone else is coming around to the frugal way of thinking.
Now that being frugal is cool, more and more people want to know the secrets of the frugal life. The grocery store is more crowded on the day the new sale flyer comes out and there are more people with coupons in hand. Store brands are scarcer. The local seed store sold out of spring seeds about a week after they put them out. When things go on sale in the Sunday flyers, you’d better be there when the store opens or you’re out of luck.
So I see my friend’s point. The things we always took for granted and enjoyed as “secrets of the trade” are now more crowded and harder to find. This new “frugal is cool” movement is impacting those of us who have always been frugal. Our secrets are out and we’re competing with a lot more people for our deals. New converts have so much information at hand that will make it easier for them to become frugal. Those of us who have always been frugal, before it was popular, had to learn the hard way, through trial and error. There were few people or experts out there telling us how to cut costs and reduce waste