I Have Finally Achieved Coolness
As I wander grocery aisles, clutching my coupons and scouring the shelves for advertised (and unadvertised) deals, I have noticed something. I’m not the only one. And as I shop I see more and more coupons left on the shelves by other customers who were looking for a good deal, and I notice more and more people clutching their own handfuls of coupons. I’m not an oddity. I fit right in with the rest of the shoppers.
As I pull into the parking lot at our local Goodwill store, I find it harder and harder to find a parking space. And the store itself is more crowded every time I visit. The cars in the parking lot aren’t all old beaters, either. There are some pretty nice cars parked next to my old Saturn.
It is becoming hip to be frugal. Saving money on purchases isn’t just smart shopping, it is the new trend. I hear conversations about coupons and sales in the most unlikely places. The souring of the economy, whatever it means long term, has turned into a short term (at least more than passing interest in making dollars (and cents) go further. As little as six months ago, when I would talk to my friends about deals I’d seen at CVS or Walgreens or the grocery store on everyday items, they’d act intrigued but bemoan the fact that it was too much work. Now, those same people want me to teach them what I’ve learned so they can try it too.
I wonder how long it will take for just *saving money* to become cool. Maybe by the time I start building up a cash hoard. I have decided I am the new trendsetter. (Okay, maybe not, but it is nice to feel cool for a change. 
)
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
You can also: Stumble It! Bookmark Submit to Reddit Submit to Tip'd
November 12th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Kool!!!
November 12th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
When it comes to trendy cool things, I’m either way ahead of the curve (eg. computers, complaining about Scientology, saving money) or way behind the curve (fashion, Facebook, fashion) … enough that I’m never quite in right space-time location to cash on the coolness. So, given that I’m into the frugal/saving/anti-debt/personal-financial-awareness thing, I’m guessing that I’ll either become a crazy spender now or the public incarnation of the frugality/saving trend will be in a form that is still a ways off from whatever way I’m doing it. For me to be able to be cool is not in the cards.
November 12th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
You’re definitely not the only one. The first timeI used grocery coupons, I commented to the cashier and she said that a lot of people are starting to use them lately. And then she offered me a pile of unused ones that another customer had left behind! “Yes please!”
November 12th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
yes, i’m seeing it too — people holding wads of coupons in the grocery store. walgreen’s being out of stock sunday afternoon on the grocery game deals. i do think saving money will become the “in” thing to do. soon.
November 12th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
It’s crazy. I know a lot of my friends who are shopping at the goodwill and couponing it. It’s funny. I like it. I hope it stays so everyone can live within their means!
November 12th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
We have one of those lost/unclaimed freight stores in our city that sells everything from food to clothes to tools to electronics. The stuff just never made it’s way to it’s intended destination, so it gets sold for cheap. The place must have a hundred parking spots and it always takes us a couple of times around the lot to finally find an empty one.
So you’re right, we aren’t the only ones.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
This certainly seems like the trend. Even 99 Cent Stores is seeing a huge boost in traffic. Now that they have pushed in more food items, even going so far as a peculiar $0.99 cent bottle of wine that was supposedly drinkable, people are turning out in larger numbers.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
I have always shopped goodwill for books and now when I go, sometimes it is hard to find parking! I was wondering about that but didn’t think about the economical connection.
November 12th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Yes, frugalistas are becoming very popular! And to think, I was living simply,long before it was trendy to do so!
I love it. I’m finally in style.
November 12th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
I agree with Jinger. Frugal people are definitely in. I don’t think it’s a fad either. Frugality is here to stay regardless of the economy.
November 13th, 2008 at 7:42 am
Yup I used to be the one saying “I have a TON of coupons you may not want to be in this line” now instead of moans I hear “Oh its OK, me too”
I LOVE playing the game! What can I buy with this coupon that is on sale. I hope to improve the game thsi week as this is our first week EVER meal planning AND using copuons!
November 14th, 2008 at 8:21 am
I absolutely agree with you. I also think more and more people are being open about thier debt or lack of money. It’s getting acceptable to say, “Nope, sorry I don’t have the money.
November 14th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
I like your positive spin, but if you haven’t noticed the economy is in the toilet. No one’s spending. The upside is you don’t have be around people bragging about what their homes are worth anymore.
November 17th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
An excellent point, that as the economic crunch hits, more and more people will be realizing that they have to live below their means, and being financially responsible is actually cool.
At the register last week, my cashier asked where i got all my coupons from. I wasn’t sure if she was interested in getting some for herself, or if she was just bewildered at the number of coupons I had. Hmm, I should have promoted my blog to her!
November 17th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
My son started his first job at a VOA thrift store in early September, and he says it keeps getting busier and busier. Donations are also way up. I said maybe people are staying home and clearing out their stuff rather than going out and buying more.
Working at a thrift store was pretty natural for him, as it’s the only department store he’s really known. When he was six, I was trying to find a specific item for his dad for Christmas. After about ten minutes inside, Danny, obviously puzzled, asked me, “What is this place?”
I had to laugh before I explained. “They call it a ‘mall’.”
January 5th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Yeah, it’s really funny that all of a sudden the frugality I’ve experienced my whole life is the new cool. Weird.