Tightwad or thrifty??

I was reading an article in our sunday paper about what tightwads will and won't splurge on.  The title alone just grabbed my attention!!  After reading alot of the analysis the author had mentioned (which I'll get to in a sec)..it made me think..what makes a person a tightwad..can't you just be referred to as 'thrifty'?  Tightwad just seems harsh..unless that is of course your anything like the people I read about in said article.

Appartnely Jeff Yeager who is the author of "The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches" and "The Cheapskate Next Door" says he was considered to be 'splurging' when a cheapskate neighbor of his was totally blown away that he spent around $85 every couple of years to have his septic tank cleaned out.  To his neighbor..that was a splurge!  Said neighbor apparently cleans out his own septic tank himself, by the bucketful.

GROSS!

I think someone like that mans neighbor would definately be in a class of tighwads!!  I would never want to clean out my own septic tank! 

Anyways...they had some really unique examples of what different people considered splurges and things they would never buy and/or buy in a more thrify way.  Some of the splurges were as follows:

high quality flower bulbs
Dewalt power tools
Philadelphia Cream Cheese
Apple Mac laptop
Crossfit gym membership
Child safety stuff (think BPA free sippy cups, organic food, having lead removed from house)
shoes--good ones
traveling abroad

Some things people would never buy and/or would buy something in a more thrifty way listed were:

cellphone
bottled water
gym membership
green household cleaners
cars
clothes
kids clothes
organic milk


So this got me to thinking..what are some of the things I would never buy and what are some things I would buy..in relation to 'thriftyness'..because some of the things in each category I was reading thinking..seriously??

I have no use for a cellphone.  Probably one of the very few in the world like this..but we have no cell phone reception where I live.  If we did..that would be different.  But I'm just not a phone person..so I have no need to have one with me at all times.  Think I would probably pull my hair out if I did.

I can relate to kids clothes.  Having a 7 month old and seeing how fast they grow out of clothes..I frequent consignment sales and yard sales (weather permitting) though I buy new clothes too because well lets face it.  You can't shop at consignment sales year round.  But I do love to save money this way.

I like making my own cleaners..but not everything of course.  I haven't bought windex in probably 5 years..so I'd definately put on my list of never bought things..windex.

I would splurge on a car..nothing like a $50,000 car though.  For us..we like to have a good car for the family.  Damons truck..well he's never owned a new truck.  It just isnt feasible for him for many reasons..one being cost..two being he's so rough with a truck (not driving wise..think more on the lines of throwing stuff in the bed of a pickup without worrying about scratching it up) having a new one it would look old in about 6 months time.

I definately buy store brand foods instead of name brands when I can. They taste the same and cost less.  Enough said.

And last but not least.  Baby food!  My gosh..when Makayla started eating solids I was buying tons and tons of baby food. Then realized how much it was costing and thought ok..I'm gonna give this homemade baby food thing a try.  Wow..I didn't think I'd be able to save that much just buy making a few batches of food..but its already adding up and I've just been doing it for a couple weeks now.  Plus..it gives me another reason to be creative in the kitchen. 

:-D

What are some of the ways you save?  And do you consider yourself a tightwad or just plain thrifty?