Comments on: This is the new frugality? http://gearino.com/index.php/2008/12/16/this-is-the-new-frugality/ Just another WordPress weblog Sat, 19 May 2012 00:41:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.1 by: Tom http://gearino.com/index.php/2008/12/16/this-is-the-new-frugality/#comment-6622 Wed, 17 Dec 2008 02:17:32 +0000 http://gearino.com/index.php/2008/12/16/this-is-the-new-frugality/#comment-6622 Nah, as I read the article I kept saying did Harris Teeter pay for this article. If you looked at the list of saving pointers the article had in a side box, not one was going to the cheapest store. My wife has been a frugal buyer of groceries all our married life and she still says Food Lion is the lowest with Wal-mart next. Now all our neighbors scoff at her going to Food Lion, but she's not changing. Number 5 in the list of saving money had this: "Even at major grocery chains, you may be able to negotiate a deal if you talk with the meat department manager." I thought this was bizzare as my first thought was to head to Sam's, BJ's or Costco, which was never mentioned for bulk purchases. Tom Nah, as I read the article I kept saying did Harris Teeter pay for this article. If you looked at the list of saving pointers the article had in a side box, not one was going to the cheapest store. My wife has been a frugal buyer of groceries all our married life and she still says Food Lion is the lowest with Wal-mart next. Now all our neighbors scoff at her going to Food Lion, but she’s not changing.

Number 5 in the list of saving money had this:

“Even at major grocery chains, you may be able to negotiate a deal if you talk with the meat department manager.”

I thought this was bizzare as my first thought was to head to Sam’s, BJ’s or Costco, which was never mentioned for bulk purchases.

Tom

]]> by: NotThatImportant http://gearino.com/index.php/2008/12/16/this-is-the-new-frugality/#comment-6609 Tue, 16 Dec 2008 21:52:52 +0000 http://gearino.com/index.php/2008/12/16/this-is-the-new-frugality/#comment-6609 Well it could be that the N&O cut mileage reimbursement so the reporter had to find a store within walking distance :-) Well it could be that the N&O cut mileage reimbursement so the reporter had to find a store within walking distance :-)

]]> by: Zeta Grrl http://gearino.com/index.php/2008/12/16/this-is-the-new-frugality/#comment-6607 Tue, 16 Dec 2008 21:21:12 +0000 http://gearino.com/index.php/2008/12/16/this-is-the-new-frugality/#comment-6607 Ummm ... What I meant by my original comment re: Cameron Village is that the reporter/photographer went to the grocery store closest to their downtown office. (I would've gone to at least gone to 2 different stores.) I wasn't passing judgment on people who shop at the CV-Harris Teeter. Let's face it, many people appreciate a short commute and accordingly much of the N&O's newsroom lives inside-the-beltline and that can't help but impact their choice of locations to visit/profile. Now I guess I'm passing judgment on the reporter and where they live ... AND how they do their job! With ever-shrinking-resources! Happy Holidays y'all ;-) Ummm … What I meant by my original comment re: Cameron Village is that the reporter/photographer went to the grocery store closest to their downtown office. (I would’ve gone to at least gone to 2 different stores.) I wasn’t passing judgment on people who shop at the CV-Harris Teeter.

Let’s face it, many people appreciate a short commute and accordingly much of the N&O’s newsroom lives inside-the-beltline and that can’t help but impact their choice of locations to visit/profile. Now I guess I’m passing judgment on the reporter and where they live … AND how they do their job! With ever-shrinking-resources! Happy Holidays y’all ;-)

]]> by: Barb http://gearino.com/index.php/2008/12/16/this-is-the-new-frugality/#comment-6605 Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:27:45 +0000 http://gearino.com/index.php/2008/12/16/this-is-the-new-frugality/#comment-6605 Brunette, I considered many of your points, but stepping back, that wasn't the point at all--the point was simply a matter of that one place in Raleigh being a place that does NOT offer the best deals for your money. You definitely do bring up valid reasons WHY someone might shop there. If you'll look back at my original comment, I admitted it was a snarky thought. And I'm also not arguing your points about retirees. My own father-in-law is retired due to an injury, and I know he'd prefer working because he's been a hard-working person his whole life. Was it his choice? No. But again, that wasn't my point: my point is that he gets a steady income, just like many other retirees. Knowing you have SOMETHING coming to you every month (I agree for many people it's not enough) is different than having NOTHING coming to you. Brunette, I considered many of your points, but stepping back, that wasn’t the point at all–the point was simply a matter of that one place in Raleigh being a place that does NOT offer the best deals for your money. You definitely do bring up valid reasons WHY someone might shop there. If you’ll look back at my original comment, I admitted it was a snarky thought.

And I’m also not arguing your points about retirees. My own father-in-law is retired due to an injury, and I know he’d prefer working because he’s been a hard-working person his whole life. Was it his choice? No. But again, that wasn’t my point: my point is that he gets a steady income, just like many other retirees. Knowing you have SOMETHING coming to you every month (I agree for many people it’s not enough) is different than having NOTHING coming to you.

]]> by: Brunette http://gearino.com/index.php/2008/12/16/this-is-the-new-frugality/#comment-6600 Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:35:15 +0000 http://gearino.com/index.php/2008/12/16/this-is-the-new-frugality/#comment-6600 How the HELL do you know, Barb? For all you know that old lady goes to Cameron Village because she WALKS there. For all you know she goes to Cameron Village because she isn't a terrific drive and this location means she doesn't have to drive far. For all you know she goes to Cameron Village because it's not as CREEPY as the Food Lion where thugs are hanging out on the sidewalk -- and she's old and feels vulnerable. For all you know she goes to Cameron Village because she's a lonely person and feels she knows the people there and it's a chance for her to commune with people she thinks of as friends. You don't know. For all you know she goes to Cameron Village because it's all she knows. To judge a person to be well off because she shops at freakin' Cameron Village is just to be plain old judgmental because you freakin' enjoy being that way, not because you've been able to discern so much about a given person's life or choices that you KNOW what the hell you're talking about. Same with the sweeping statement about retirees. An awful lot of retirees may have "steady" income in increments that they can barely live on because of their medical bills. You don't know. An awful lot of retirees do not enjoy the health to continue to work. Lots of them can't get work because they're old and people don't want to hire old folks. Lots of them are ineligible because they don't have the skills that modern jobs required. But it's your pleasure to blithely make pronouncements about an entire class of people because of this concept that it's a "steady" income. What your remark didn't take into account was the relative disadvantages that so many people who are retired have to live with. But what the hell, why pass up a chance to make broad sweeping statements about a given class of people? Merry Freakin' Xmas, Judge Barbie! How the HELL do you know, Barb? For all you know that old lady goes to Cameron Village because she WALKS there. For all you know she goes to Cameron Village because she isn’t a terrific drive and this location means she doesn’t have to drive far. For all you know she goes to Cameron Village because it’s not as CREEPY as the Food Lion where thugs are hanging out on the sidewalk — and she’s old and feels vulnerable. For all you know she goes to Cameron Village because she’s a lonely person and feels she knows the people there and it’s a chance for her to commune with people she thinks of as friends. You don’t know. For all you know she goes to Cameron Village because it’s all she knows.

To judge a person to be well off because she shops at freakin’ Cameron Village is just to be plain old judgmental because you freakin’ enjoy being that way, not because you’ve been able to discern so much about a given person’s life or choices that you KNOW what the hell you’re talking about.

Same with the sweeping statement about retirees. An awful lot of retirees may have “steady” income in increments that they can barely live on because of their medical bills. You don’t know. An awful lot of retirees do not enjoy the health to continue to work. Lots of them can’t get work because they’re old and people don’t want to hire old folks. Lots of them are ineligible because they don’t have the skills that modern jobs required. But it’s your pleasure to blithely make pronouncements about an entire class of people because of this concept that it’s a “steady” income.

What your remark didn’t take into account was the relative disadvantages that so many people who are retired have to live with.

But what the hell, why pass up a chance to make broad sweeping statements about a given class of people?

Merry Freakin’ Xmas, Judge Barbie!

]]> by: Barb http://gearino.com/index.php/2008/12/16/this-is-the-new-frugality/#comment-6599 Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:21:44 +0000 http://gearino.com/index.php/2008/12/16/this-is-the-new-frugality/#comment-6599 I didn't say retirees have it easy, but they're guaranteed a check. As compared to many people now who are floundering, looking for work and paying for groceries with credit cards. And Cameron Village isn't the kind of place you frequent if money is tight. I can see the argument of grocery store vs. clothing boutique, but both have higher costs than other stores selling similar products. I didn’t say retirees have it easy, but they’re guaranteed a check. As compared to many people now who are floundering, looking for work and paying for groceries with credit cards.

And Cameron Village isn’t the kind of place you frequent if money is tight. I can see the argument of grocery store vs. clothing boutique, but both have higher costs than other stores selling similar products.

]]> by: Brunette http://gearino.com/index.php/2008/12/16/this-is-the-new-frugality/#comment-6596 Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:51:07 +0000 http://gearino.com/index.php/2008/12/16/this-is-the-new-frugality/#comment-6596 Dan, true dat. I wasn't trying to defend the reporter's choice so much as noting that these instant judgments we're so fond of leaping to are not always justified. In fact, I find the instant or even not-so-instant judging (such as the assumption that retirees having it easy and the suggestion that shopping at Cameron Village means a person is affluent) to be a far greater turn off than the concept that someone is buying something *I* don't think they should buy or shopping somewhere *I* don't think a person in difficult straits should shop. I mean GEEZ! Dan, true dat. I wasn’t trying to defend the reporter’s choice so much as noting that these instant judgments we’re so fond of leaping to are not always justified. In fact, I find the instant or even not-so-instant judging (such as the assumption that retirees having it easy and the suggestion that shopping at Cameron Village means a person is affluent) to be a far greater turn off than the concept that someone is buying something *I* don’t think they should buy or shopping somewhere *I* don’t think a person in difficult straits should shop. I mean GEEZ!

]]> by: G.D. Gearino http://gearino.com/index.php/2008/12/16/this-is-the-new-frugality/#comment-6591 Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:26:41 +0000 http://gearino.com/index.php/2008/12/16/this-is-the-new-frugality/#comment-6591 Brunette: Point taken. Some people have to drink bottled water. But if that's the case in this specific example, the reporter had two choices: (1) Explain that bottled water is a necessary expense for the retiree; or (2) Not use her as an example in the article, considering that it undermines the theme of frugality. To do neither only assures readers will have, shall we say, a WTF? reaction. Brunette: Point taken. Some people have to drink bottled water. But if that’s the case in this specific example, the reporter had two choices: (1) Explain that bottled water is a necessary expense for the retiree; or (2) Not use her as an example in the article, considering that it undermines the theme of frugality. To do neither only assures readers will have, shall we say, a WTF? reaction.

]]> by: Barb http://gearino.com/index.php/2008/12/16/this-is-the-new-frugality/#comment-6590 Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:00:53 +0000 http://gearino.com/index.php/2008/12/16/this-is-the-new-frugality/#comment-6590 G.D. -- I had many of the same thoughts when reading that article. That woman spends more for two than I do for four, and I regularly buy fresh fruits and vegetables because I have young children and I make baby food. And my family loves to eat so we buy a lot of food! I also had the snarky thought that if you shop in Cameron Village, then you're doing OK with money. Even if it's just a grocery store in Cameron Village (as compared to the specialty shops), I find Harris Teeter atrociously expensive and the crowds turn me off (though there are some things I have to get there because they don't carry them at Kroger). I guess I have trouble feeling sorry for those who are retired since they're mostly set for money. Their fixed income takes a hit when costs rise, for sure, but at least they don't have to worry about finding a job. They're getting steady checks. G.D. — I had many of the same thoughts when reading that article. That woman spends more for two than I do for four, and I regularly buy fresh fruits and vegetables because I have young children and I make baby food. And my family loves to eat so we buy a lot of food!

I also had the snarky thought that if you shop in Cameron Village, then you’re doing OK with money. Even if it’s just a grocery store in Cameron Village (as compared to the specialty shops), I find Harris Teeter atrociously expensive and the crowds turn me off (though there are some things I have to get there because they don’t carry them at Kroger).

I guess I have trouble feeling sorry for those who are retired since they’re mostly set for money. Their fixed income takes a hit when costs rise, for sure, but at least they don’t have to worry about finding a job. They’re getting steady checks.

]]> by: Zeta Grrl http://gearino.com/index.php/2008/12/16/this-is-the-new-frugality/#comment-6589 Tue, 16 Dec 2008 16:45:53 +0000 http://gearino.com/index.php/2008/12/16/this-is-the-new-frugality/#comment-6589 My two cents 1) I'm no journalist, but there ARE lots of people who wouldn't consider this stuff or otherwise learn about it. Seriously. The bad news? They're often the ones who don't pick up a paper and/or visit a news site. So there you have exhibit 1,268,004 of "Preaching to the Choir." 2) And yeah, I couldn't get over the examples either. But the news team couldn't be bothered to somewhere other than Harris Teeter in CAMERON VILLAGE?! Duh. My two cents

1) I’m no journalist, but there ARE lots of people who wouldn’t consider this stuff or otherwise learn about it. Seriously. The bad news? They’re often the ones who don’t pick up a paper and/or visit a news site. So there you have exhibit 1,268,004 of “Preaching to the Choir.”

2) And yeah, I couldn’t get over the examples either. But the news team couldn’t be bothered to somewhere other than Harris Teeter in CAMERON VILLAGE?! Duh.

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