OzBargainers - Are You Stingy, Cheap, Frugal or Thrifty?

scotty on 05/07/2024 - 14:11

Came across this post on r/ausfinance where someone asked about the difference between stingy, cheap, frugal and thrifty. And one of the top voted answer defined them as:

A stingy person is mean with money.
A cheap person is tight with money.
A frugal person is sensible with money.
A thrifty person is resourceful with money.

I know these aren't really 4 different mutually exclusive categories but have lots of overlaps instead. However I am wondering which trait best defines you as an OzBargainer? I don't think I am stingy/mean (or at least I hope I'm not). Unfortunately I'm no longer that resourceful, having time to hunt down all the bargains other than keeping up with OzBargain. However when a good deal turns up here I might lose my sensibility (buy first, ask later). By elimination I somehow ended up being "cheap".

If voted "Other" — what adjective would define you as an OzBargain?

Poll Options

  • 11
    Stingy
  • 46
    Cheap
  • 450
    Frugal
  • 213
    Thrifty
  • 29
    Other (please explain)
  • 65
    I have no money
General Discussion

Comments

  • S Baldrick on 06/07/2024 - 00:12

    Frugal is probably the most relevant one for me, though I try to buy good quality things when on sale - not a fan of buying eg. cheapo electronics that'll fall apart after a year.

    I try to minimise dining out etc. to fund the above.

  • p1 ama on 06/07/2024 - 00:14
    +1

    Why each group uses OzBargain:

    • Someone who is stingy uses OzBargain to monitor prices of things they already want, and jump when the price is low

    • Someone who is cheap monitors OzBargain for a price error, to then either harass the store into honouring it, or harassing their local Officeworks into price-matching it

    • Someone who is thrifty enjoys the fun of finding a rare bargain, and gets a kick out of scoring a win

    • Someone who is frugal is in it for the practicality, helps to save a bit of money, but also nice to find some cool bargains, and perhaps might get some useful things at good prices

  • payless69 on 06/07/2024 - 03:04
    -1

    Do we have internet?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKQhrNKUjTc

  • morse on 06/07/2024 - 06:07

    I’ll say thrifty based on these definitions. I invest money so I guess that means being resourceful, i.e. spend money to make money. Also I like to make sure I get go value, e.g. travel and eat well, but make sure I get the best deal for what I choose and make good use of points. But also a little frugal, as in make sensible choices like Japanese cars over European cars. And a tiny bit cheap, e.g. I’ll never buy discretionary foods from the supermarket full price unless they are the supermarket house brand. My kid has known since he was 3 and when we’re at the shops asks “is it on price?” and accepts that if something not being on special or too expensive as a reason not to buy it.

  • FocusRider on 06/07/2024 - 06:10

    What do we call this person?

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/382306

    • morse on 06/07/2024 - 08:38

      Stingthrift

  • kevkay on 06/07/2024 - 08:55

    It depends on my mood, and if I don't look at my bank account balance.

  • payless69 on 06/07/2024 - 09:20
    -1

    Add poll option: Splurgy: I ONLY shop at Gerry and are very proud that the RSPCA given me a reward to pamper his dog….

  • cnrmlj on 06/07/2024 - 09:44
    +1

    Happy to spend money on what i see value in. Don't want to overpay. Love a good deal.

  • wfh on 06/07/2024 - 09:45
    +1
    • Will hop onto an Ozbargain if is a pricing error or an absurdly cheap price (if there is a slight chance I will need it)
    • Will check for coupon codes / promo codes on every online purchase
    • Will buy an expensive higher quality product if there is a rare sale / i.e. stuff that never goes on sale often, but this would be after a lot of research / observing the market.

    Although then I sometimes use my ozbargaining to justify splurge purchases or dinners…

    I also tend to avoid lower tier brands for consumables, electronics, clothes.

  • TightLikeThisx on 06/07/2024 - 09:48
    +3

    I think you missed a group of people that this site caters to..

    bargain hunter: a person who is not concerned with how much they spend or what they spend it on. What matters most to them is how little they are paying relative to market price of an item or service.

    • cnrmlj on 06/07/2024 - 09:53
      +1

      This is me. We have plenty of free cash flow but i'm not going to waste it or spend more than i have to.

  • LFO on 06/07/2024 - 10:27

    Other (please explain)

    Smart !

  • CheapskateNotFrugal on 06/07/2024 - 10:27
    +1

    Username says it all

  • 2esc on 06/07/2024 - 11:31

    Im a combination of all.

  • Reveen on 06/07/2024 - 12:28
    -2

    None of the above - I'm a hacker.

    A hacker finds ways around systems so applying this to shopping is how to pay the lowest price possible.

    • Reveen on 08/07/2024 - 12:01

      Tough crowd.

  • Speckled Jim on 06/07/2024 - 12:45
    +1

    Frugal 80% of the time. If non-urgent, I wait for a good deal. Here's a rare exception:

    Few weeks ago, our crappy Anko microwave gave up and I wanted an immediate replacement to warm leftovers for dinner. It was a pasta dish that you can't really do stovetop. We also rely on microwave for re-warming our coffees and cereal in winter too. Couldn't wait!

    Within an hour, settled on an LG 23L model from TGG locally. Their website had an automatic $5 off feature on a timer (and it turns out, a hyperlink to offer it). It went from being same price as HN and Retra to $5 under, so was an insta-buy with click&collect. Now at $172, I didn't really research it. A good warranty so decided to risk it. Had annoying chip tunes at end of heating, lucked upon the button combo (Stop+Inv Cook) to mute it. Now it's perfect.

    The other 20% of the time, I'm penny wise, pound foolish. A recent example, this bullhead watch was $179 — pretty good deal. However, get the look for under $25. It went up a few bucks, on Thursday it was $23.xx delivered inc GST.

    Now, it's a Mini Focus, not Citizen. Buuuuut, the latter is just a quartz anyway, and not even Eco-drive. Both also glass crystals, and I'm betting a Miyota (Citizen) movement in the cheapie. I know the quality can't be as good, but herein lies the folly that consumes 20% of my discretionary spending.

    It's cheap fun, so I don't stress about it, but I will acknowledge it here.

  • Uchuujin on 06/07/2024 - 14:18

    Cheap most of the time, happy to suffer some discomfort or inconvenience to save some bucks. But somewhat thrifty as i'm happy to spend big on my hobbies (and essentials), but only as long as i'm getting the best bang for buck i can. Can't take the money with us when we die, but not going to spend more than i have to!

  • sauce2k on 06/07/2024 - 16:38

    Makes zero sense for the amount of people voted frugal. I thought ozbargain average income 400k

  • GreenRomeo on 06/07/2024 - 19:54
    +2

    I think it can also depend on your income and time.

    Spend 15 minutes hunting for a coupon to use for your cart, or fiddle with multiple sites to buy and swap gift cards to save 5% of an order less than $50, or patiently wait for a $2 or $3 cash back offer to pull the trigger… I guess are probably some of the most common activities in OzBargain.

    If someone’s a poor student with plenty of time and do that, I’d consider them thrifty. But if they’re a whirlpooler earning $200k+ (probably $250k+ now) and busy with work and family, but still want to do that, I’d consider them cheap!

    Unfortunately if someone’s stingy then they most likely always remain stingy regardless of how their income may change.

  • Brianqpr on 06/07/2024 - 22:20

    When I want something, I want to pay the best or close to the best available price for it. That's about it. This site is a great way to know what that price is.

    Also if course I end up getting stuff I didn't know I wanted thanks to this place.

  • outlander on 06/07/2024 - 22:42
    +1

    Are You Stingy, Cheap, Frugal or Thrifty?

    I'm autistic. What matters to me is that the process conforms to The Rules (In My Head)

  • maverickjohn on 06/07/2024 - 23:26

    Buy now regret later… Whatever that option is.. I end up buying stuff I never needed but looked good at the time as it was cheap.. aka retroid pocket 4 pro…
    Sometimes I feel I should not be on here lol

  • morebunnings on 07/07/2024 - 07:47

    Cheap frugal, but becoming Frugal Thrifty as cheap stuff is not worth it a lot of the time.

  • ajm07 on 07/07/2024 - 10:55
    +1

    Other : Lucky

    Luck being what happens when preparation meets opportunity.

  • burns13 on 07/07/2024 - 13:10

    Hey that's me!

  • THICKnSLOW on 07/07/2024 - 13:30
    +1

    Stingy - is usually a third party perspective of how generous another person is, nobody ever refers to themselves as stingy. I would avoid people who criticises others of being stingy.

    Cheap - as opposed to being luxurious and grand, it's connotation refers to someone who achieves a goal on a budget.

    Frugal - brilliance especially when coupled with fvcking adjective

    Thrifty - grandpa's hand me downs are sexy to all the sexy ladies, no shame

  • whyisave on 07/07/2024 - 16:01

    Being an OzBargainer comes from spending experience;
    Spending experience comes from being a poor OzBargainer.

  • Scrooge McDeal on 07/07/2024 - 20:30

    It's hard to define myself in one word.
    Personally it depends on my financial situation. There was time in my life that I was a stingy person not by choice but by life. Also I was a cheap person, a frugal person and a thrifty person.
    Fun fact, when I was a very young kid (5 years old) I was asking my parents if we had money for every little thing they put in the shopping cart. Also any money I got for birthday, I used to save it in a money box (and later on lend that money with interest to siblings etc).
    Nickname Scrooge it's real. I had it from a young child.
    But there were times in my life that I couldn't care less about money. I was just to busy living life.
    It's good to keep the balance.

  • OzB4Me on 07/07/2024 - 22:44

    I like aeroplane jelly

  • RefusdClassification on 08/07/2024 - 08:26

    Other: I have a manic-depressive relationship with money. Most of the time I am financially disciplined (cheap in your terminology), which is like a 'depressive' phase, but occasionally I have 'manic' phases where I binge spend and go into debt for that month. Sites like Temu try really hard to trick you into purchasing things you don't really need; I lost it the first time I visited Temu but have been cold turkey for 4 months now; my only discretionary purchases now are older, heavily discounted PC games like those on the Steam sale running now.

  • Jolakot on 08/07/2024 - 10:05

    I use OzBargain to avoid choice paralysis, there's always only a few deals going at a time for something I need like a new mattress, so it narrows it down from 100 options to 3-5 options.

    Also helps justify spending more than the minimum amount necessary for something that I've already decided to buy, as it tips the price-performance ratio closer to what I'd consider reasonable.

  • AS2035 on 10/07/2024 - 21:47

    I was brought up with 'buy only what you need'.. a sale is not a sale unless you need it.

  • ThadtheChad on 12/07/2024 - 12:16

    I guess frugal?

    I spend good money on things I value and find important, and I love it when there is a deal that allows me to buy something expensive for a lower price. Both the Mrs and I are strong advocates in the "buy it for life" camp and don't mind reaching out to the top shelf for somethings.

    For things that are not as important, my wife and I tend to favour the best bang for the buck. We have a budget for discretionary items, and "splurges" and as long as our financial goals are being hit we want to enjoy the journey of life.

  • AlienC on 13/07/2024 - 09:03

    I'm stupid with my money.. Sometimes smart but mostly stupid

    • mapax on 13/07/2024 - 10:10

      Are you still baking whole Strasburg sausages for dinner?

      • AlienC on 13/07/2024 - 10:12

        Nope and I do not plan to for a very long time

        • mapax on 13/07/2024 - 11:38

          How come?

  • inasero on 16/07/2024 - 11:47
    +1

    How does one answer this question realistically? The terms "mean", "tight", "sensible" and "resourceful" are all value-laden and relative to the individual. Also people value the relative importance of goods/services differently (just have a look at all the EV-related posts as a case in point)

  • isthisreallife22 on 16/07/2024 - 12:10

    https://youtu.be/aDEBsZmXnyQ?t=54

    My answer is 54 seconds into this video

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