Frugal Sucks

Frugal, I give up. You win. 

I Hate the Word Frugal, But Here We Are 

If you follow the channel, you know I loathe the word frugal. It’s not that I hate the concept of being intentional with money. I fully support making smart financial choices, spending wisely, and saving for the future. 

Let’s talk about why I hate the word and how and why I finally came around. 

The word frugal has been hijacked, twisted, and confused with things it was never meant to be. 

For years, I resisted using it. When I thought of "frugal," I thought of words like cheap, stingy, restrictive, and even poor—none of which I wanted my mindset to be associated with it. 

Frugality, in many people’s minds, means sacrificing everything enjoyable, never spending money on anything fun, pinching pennies to the point of misery, reusing paper towels. The show extreme cheapskates. Some of the stuff they did was gross.  

But that’s not what frugal really is. 

Frugal is about value, not deprivation. It’s about getting the most out of your money—not just spending less but spending better. It’s not about cutting corners to the point of frustration but about making intentional choices that align with your values and priorities. 

Why did I finally give in and start using the word? Because, frustratingly enough, there isn’t another word that captures what I want to say. 

“Budget-conscious” sounds too formal. “Financially mindful” is a mouthful. And “intentional spending” just doesn’t have the same punch. 

So, frugal it is. Begrudgingly. 

I want to redefine what it means for our growing community. Frugal doesn’t mean cheap. Frugal means smart. Frugal means knowing what matters to you and spending accordingly. It means cutting back on what doesn’t serve you so you can have more of what does. 

I may not love the word, but I love what it can represents—when done right and we’re going to do it right. And if I must use it to help more women break free from debt and stop stressing over money?

Well… here we are.