Comments on: One Upmanship, Frugal Style

By: Anita

Anita — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 00:26:33 +0000

Way to go!
I love your simplicity and style! Your relatives are probably related to my snooty relatives on the other side of family.

By: Gail

Gail — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 22:42:12 +0000

The minute those folks complained about the room and lack of TV i think I would have mentioned that they were welcome to go stay at the local hotel. People like that will never be happy as they are at their happiest complaining about life. I doubt if I could have put up with it more than a day tops. You deserve an award!

I have visitors coming this weekend my son and his girlfriend. He sleeps on a air mattress in the living room and she sleep on one in my walk in closet so she has privacy. We love them to death but our ‘spare’ room is my sewing room, which is one way to keep any guest from staying too long even if they are relatives.

By: Fran Marie

Fran Marie — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 18:49:37 +0000

I needed a new-to-me vehicle and refused to become part of the “Book 0f the Month Club’ car owner.

I needed a 4×4 for the nasty New York winters but with good gas mileage for the rest of the year for $5000 or less. That’s what I had to spend-cash.

Not only did I find a great truck,’97 Ford Explorer XLT, but it gets the same gas mileage as my ’99 Mirage, it is in pristine condition, 85k miles and FULLY loaded. Several people wanted it and I got it for $4995. Period. 6 month warranty to boot!

By: Rosemary Sanders

Rosemary Sanders — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 20:06:52 +0000

One thing we all know,there will always be people who whine and complain. It’s a good thing when one can be frugal and economize in today’s society. This is something I’m teaching my children. There is an old saying about “You can lead the horse to the water trough, but you can’t make them drink.” As we all from time to time deal with similar situations, remember “This too shall pass.”

By: Melissa

Melissa — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 20:48:12 +0000

This is my life to a “T” with my brother -in-law and his wife. We love them, but they compete with EVERY aspect of life. Their kids the best, their home is best, their jobs are best… my husband and I are completely happy and content with our lives, much like the writer, and I completely understand how it feels to bask in the glory of coming out on top… especially when you aren’t the one competing!

By: Lee

Lee — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 23:20:38 +0000

I wonder why you just didn’t tell them that you didn’t have the room for them since they thought that your house was so small in the first place?
All they could have done was agreed and you would have avoided the whole uncomfortable situation!

By: Bobbi

Bobbi — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 23:14:30 +0000

You’re a saint. I would have asked them to leave also. I am lucky that everyone in our family is very loving no matter what kind of ‘money’ they have or don’t have. I am thankful for my family and everything I have in life.

By: larabelle

larabelle — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 22:59:16 +0000

I would not have been able to hold my tongue…I would have had to tell them that they could find their own hotel…and politely opened my front door for them to leave.

By: Nichole

Nichole — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:40:58 +0000

You are way too nice! Don’t feel guilty for one minute. Just because someone is a guest in your home, doesn’t mean you have to be a door mat. You did the right thing. I just wish I could say I would have handled it in such a classy way. I’m quite sure I would have done something, but it would probably have involved their suitcases on the front porch.

By: Forest

Forest — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:28:34 +0000

I don’t think you did anything wrong at all and in fact you did everything right…. If they moan about things then they are not happy…. if it’s money making them not happy then they need to spend less of it.

I think you did a great job in showing the possible choices they have and hopefully it will make them think when times get even harder for them.