frugality

And you thought we were just thinking small. A recent Gallup poll said that 62% of us would rather save money than spend it, up significantly from 48% of us in 2001. That would seem to confirm what most of us here at WalletPop have been trying to tell you lo these three years: Thrift is...

Who needs a U-Haul when you have the 7 and 1 trains? Young Min, who became an underground symbol of frugality by moving a truckload of possessions to a new apartment via the New York City subway system, has no regrets. He told WalletPop that he saved about $1,100 in relocation costs. Beyond that,...

Since the economic crisis reared its ugly head in the U.S., many Americans who previously would have scoffed at shopping at a dollar store or purchasing something off-brand, have changed their tune: Frugality is no longer something to snicker at, but something to admire. In short, it's hip to be...

Enough of us are apparently experiencing frugality fatigue that it's not only made it into the lexicon but may well soon be declared an official psychiatric disorder. I am personally so relieved. Perhaps someone will come up with a 12-step program fashioned to control it? Forget group hugs; let's...

Consumers are notoriously fickle in their allegiances and interests -- remember those food-assembly kitchens that were all the rage a few years ago? But the recession has sobered buying habits, and increasingly, more companies are viewing Americans' recent conversion to thrift as a long-term trend,...

In her book In Cheap We Trust, author Lauren Weber deftly lays out America's bipolar relationship with thrift. At times, the message of 'economic virtue' from Franklin's Poor Richard and the asceticism of Calvinism have convinced us to pinch our pennies. When the economy grows sluggish, however, we...

While evidence of a new frugality keeps adding up, Americans still aren't saving enough for emergencies. A survey commissioned by HSBC Bank USA found that 61 percent of us would only have enough savings to live on for three months or less if we lose our jobs. More than a third of U.S. households...

Long before frugal living and keeping your finances tight became part of the daily life of making due during the recession, the Amish had it covered.They watch what they spend, learn to save at an early age, are entrepreneurs, and have a network of friends and family to help in emergencies.When is...

Dear America: the Recession is not, like Lent, over in six weeks, and it's OK to cheat on Sundays. This USA Today article claims that people are so over being frugal, because we've done it for what, months now? "Frugal fatigue" is the new buzz-phrase, and spending reports indicate we may be...

This is the second in a periodic series on economic trends in the United States. Along with usual adjustments that businesses, particularly small and medium-sized businesses, are making to cope with the economic downturn -- elimination of optional expenses, more cautious inventory purchases,...