Wikipedia

Frugality

For the dietary disposition, seeFrugivore.

Frugalityis the quality of being frugal, sparing, thrifty, prudent, or economical in the consumption of resources such as food, time or money, and avoiding waste, lavishness or extravagance.[2]

James Gillray's satirical printTemperance Enjoying a Frugal Meal.George IIIis depicted with patched breeches and a chair covered with protective fabric, eating a simple boiled egg and using the tablecloth as his napkin. Winter flowers fill the unlit fireplace.[1]

Inbehavioral science,frugality has been defined as the tendency to acquire goods and services in a restrained manner, and resourceful use of already-owned economic goods and services, to achieve a longer term goal.[3]

Strategies

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Common techniques of frugality include reduction of waste, curbing costly habits, suppressing instant gratification by means of fiscal self-restraint, seekingefficiency,avoiding traps, defying expensivesocial norms,detecting and avoidingmanipulativeadvertising, embracing cost-free options, usingbarter,and staying well-informed about local circumstances and both market and product/service realities.

Frugality may contribute to health by leading people to avoid products that are both expensive and unhealthy when used to excess.[4]Frugal living is practiced by those who aim to cut expenses, have more money, and get the most they possibly can from their money.[5]

US history

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American Colonial Period(17th and 18th centuries): Frugality was intertwined with moral and religious values among the population ofPuritanandQuakersettlers in American society.[6][7]They emphasized the virtues of productive work for the benefit of society and frowned upon unnecessary consumption.[6]Laws were enacted in colonies like Massachusetts and Pennsylvania to regulate extravagant spending,[8]reflecting the religious belief that individuals should not indulge in luxurious living.[9]The Great Awakeningreligious revival of the 1730s emphasized the virtues of simple living, and further reinforced the importance of frugality.[10]A shift towardsconsumerismbegan to emerge as the century progressed.[9]Colonists began acquiring imported luxury goods and amassing debts with the British.[9]This can be considered the start of consumerist desire in America, and lead to the gradual departure from frugality.

Antebellum Period(early 19th century): The United States experienced significant economic growth and social change during the Antebellum Period,[11]which influenced frugality discourses in various ways.[9]Middle-class women played an increasingly active role in making household purchases.[12][9]Figures likeLyman Beecherpreached the conservative and moralistic messages of Christian simplicity which mirrored Puritan ideals of frugality.[13][9]Concerns about materialism undermining social order were widespread including ministers' sermon's warnings against luxury and excess.[13][9]Retailers likeAlexander Turney Stewartexperimented with the concept of department stores[14]and larger-scale merchandising formats began to emerge.[9]Consumer culture started growing as distribution methods improved and advertising became more advanced.[9]The Antebellum Period was a transitional phase in American consumer culture, where traditional values of frugality coexisted with consumerism.

During theGilded Age(in the late 19th century), a notable critique emerged of excessive consumption and the glaring wealth disparity prevalent in society.[15]In the Gilded Age, characterized by industrialization and urbanization, consumer culture flourished with aggressive advertising and the feminization of shopping spaces.Thorstein Veblen's critique in "Theory of the Leisure Class"highlighted conspicuous consumption as a means of social distinction, while authors likeEdith WhartonandCharles Wagneradvocated for a simplified life amidst growing materialism.John Wanamaker's embrace of simplicity, despite his wealth, exemplified the paradox of promoting frugality while profiting fromconsumerismin ornate department stores.[9]

InWorld War Ithe ethos of conservation and thrift gained further traction, especially during World War I (Hauerwas,"War and the American Difference: Theological Reflections on Violence and National Identity" ).[16]Governments and organizations promoted these values as essential for supporting the war effort and ensuring resources were allocated efficiently. Citizens were encouraged to practice frugality throughrationingprograms and voluntary austerity measures to conserve supplies fortroopsabroad.[17]In the early 20th century, frugality gained prominence in the U.S, spurred by events like World War I and theGreat Depression.Figures likeStuart Chasepromoted thrift as a patriotic duty, leading to the National Thrift Movement. The 1930s saw a populist backlash against excess, with media and advertising promoting controlled consumption amid economic hardship. Despite fears of consumerism's collapse, ingrained habits persisted, reflecting the enduring tension between aspiration andausterityinAmerican society.[9]

DuringWorld War II(September 1, 1939 – September 2, 1945), the United States government launched poster campaigns which promoted frugality to American consumers, which included advocations for thrifty behavior, recycling, adherence to price controls and rationing laws, and more. Posters promoted conservation efforts such as saving gasoline and automobile tires and encouraged Americans to recycle materials such as tin cans and waste fats for ammunition and explosives.[18]Commercial advertising at this time also incorporated frugality appeals. Companies such asTexaco,theAmerican Gas Association,and the Bell Telephone System encouraged responsible consumption and energy-saving behavior. Newspapers, magazines, and private companies were also promoting frugal consumption, encouraging Americans to practice behaviors to conserve food such as meal planning andhome canning.[19]As a result of the promotion of conservation efforts, Americans responded by recycling 538 million pounds of waste fats, 23 million tons of paper, 800 million pounds oftin,and planting 50 millionvictory gardens.[20]Due to increased military spending, consumers faced shortages and restrictions on goods as a result of resource redirection for raw materials and production.[9]Frugality became a major topic in public discourse during this period of time. Most Americans accepted the limitations placed on private consumption during World War II. Following the war, there was a rapid transition from frugal consumption to consumerism as a result of economic barriers disappearing, leading toeconomic expansion.

Late 20th century (1970s): The rapid change of technology during this time changed the wayconsumerismwas perceived.[21]With the emergence of new products the realm of luxury items changed from handbags and luxury cars to electronics, computers, the internet and social media.[21]Consumers began to reimagine society through anenvironmentallens when the National Science and Technology Policy Organization and Priorities Act of 1976 was passed, it pushed for the frugal use of resources for the future development of technologies.[citation needed]Consumers changed the way they searched for products by implementing the concept ofthrifting,through this expression environmental movements were able to gain momentum.[citation needed]The economic shift from mainstream items to thrifting gave consumers a place to separate from the pressure ofsocial stratification.[21]The thrift industry during the late 20th century emphasized the need of systemic savings and mutual savings across social classes.[citation needed]In 1987 the concept of thrifting began to slowly decline as the consumer market began too slowly evolve with the creation of new technologies.[citation needed]Frugality within the American society declined as a result, with the concepts of energy frugal and material frugalness being the only to be adapted into society.[citation needed]The reshaping of consumerism was driven by the advancement of technology.[22]

Philosophy

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In the context of some belief systems, frugality is aphilosophyin which one does not trust (or is deeply wary of) "expert"knowledgefrom commercial markets or corporate cultures, claiming to know what is in the best economic, material, or spiritual interests of the individual.[23]

Different spiritual communities consider frugality to be a virtue or a spiritual discipline.[24]TheReligious Society of Friendsand thePuritansare examples of such groups.[25]The philosophy behind this is that people ought to save money to allocate it to more charitable purposes, such as helping others in need.[26]

Benjamin Franklinpaired frugality with industry as the key virtues for financial security: "[W]aste neither time nor money, but make the best use of both. Without industry and frugality nothing will do, and with them everything."[27]Ciceroagreed, arguing that "men don't understand how great a revenue sparingness is."[28]

There are alsoenvironmentalistswho consider frugality to be a virtue[29]through which humans can make use of their ancestral skills as hunter-gatherers, carrying little and needing little, and finding meaning in nature instead of man-made conventions or religion.Henry David Thoreauexpressed a similar philosophy inWalden,with his zest for self-reliance and minimal possessions whileliving simplyin the woods.[30]Degrowth movement advocates use the term "frugal abundance" to denote the enjoyment of a simple, yet culturally, emotionally and spiritually rich, life through which one's necessities are achieved through collective sufficiency respecting the Earth's limits.[31]

Corporate world

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Frugality has been adopted as a strategic imperative by large enterprises as a means ofcost reductionthrough engendering a philosophy of careful spending among the workforce.[32]Cost reduction is often perceived negatively, be it within a corporate organisation or in society, so inviting each employee to embrace frugality transfers the burden of cost reduction from management to the employee. In doing so, corporations introduce a moral obligation to cost cutting, proposing that careful management of costs is in the company, shareholder, and employee's best interests.[33]

See also

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Wikiquote has quotations related toFrugality.
Look upfrugalorfrugalityin Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

References

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  1. ^"Temperance enjoying a frugal meal".British Museum.
  2. ^
    • "frugal".Century Dictionary Online.Retrieved15 April2011.
    • Macdonald, A.M., ed. (1972).Chambers Twentieth Century Dictionary.Chambers.
    • Oxford American Dictionaries (computer application).Apple Computer. 2005.
    • Woolf, Henry, ed. (1980).Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary.Springfield MA: Merriam.ISBN0-87779-398-0.
  3. ^Lastovicka, J.L.; Bettencourt, L.A.; Hughner, R.S.; Kuntze, R.J. (1999). "Lifestyle of the tight and frugal: Theory and measurement".Journal of Consumer Research.26:85–98.doi:10.1086/209552.
  4. ^Rose, P.; Toney Smith, S.; Segrist, D.J. (2010). "Too cheap to chug: Frugality as a buffer against college-student drinking".Journal of Consumer Behaviour.9(3): 228–238.doi:10.1002/cb.314.
  5. ^Gorman, C (1990).The Frugal Mind: 1,479 Money Saving Tips for Surviving the 1990s.Nottingham Books.
  6. ^abWeber, Max (2001).The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.London: Routledge.doi:10.4324/9780203995808.ISBN978-0-203-99580-8.
  7. ^Witkowski, Terrence H. (1989). "Colonial Consumers in Revolt: Buyer Values and Behavior during the Nonimportation Movement, 1764–1776".Journal of Consumer Research.16(2): 216–226.doi:10.1086/209210.ISSN0093-5301.JSTOR2489320.
  8. ^Witkowski, Terrence H. (1989). "Colonial Consumers in Revolt: Buyer Values and Behavior during the Nonimportation Movement, 1764–1776".Journal of Consumer Research.16(2): 216–226.doi:10.1086/209210.ISSN0093-5301.JSTOR2489320.
  9. ^abcdefghijklWitkowski, Terrence H. (September 2010). "A brief history of frugality discourses in the United States".Consumption Markets & Culture.13(3): 235–258.doi:10.1080/10253861003786975.ISSN1025-3866.
  10. ^Witkowski, Terrence H. (1989). "Colonial Consumers in Revolt: Buyer Values and Behavior during the Nonimportation Movement, 1764–1776".Journal of Consumer Research.16(2): 216–226.doi:10.1086/209210.ISSN0093-5301.JSTOR2489320.
  11. ^Shalhope, Robert E. (1976). "Thomas Jefferson's Republicanism and Antebellum Southern Thought".The Journal of Southern History.42(4): 529–556.doi:10.2307/2208005.ISSN0022-4642.JSTOR2208005.
  12. ^Wilson, Joan Hoff; Defeis, Elizabeth F (1978). "Role of American Women: An Historical Overview".India International Centre Quarterly.5(3): 163–173.ISSN0376-9771.JSTOR23001287.
  13. ^abSpanjer, Daniel (2016-01-01)."The intellectual life of Lyman Beecher: an intersection of Calvinism and the Enlightenment".Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009–2024).
  14. ^Resseguie, Harry E. (1965). "Alexander Turney Stewart and the Development of the Department Store, 1823–1876".The Business History Review.39(3): 301–322.doi:10.2307/3112143.ISSN0007-6805.JSTOR3112143.
  15. ^Pethel, Mary Ellen (2008-04-01)."Calhoun, Ed., The Gilded Age – Perspectives On The Origins Of Modern America".Teaching History: A Journal of Methods.33(1): 54–55.doi:10.33043/th.33.1.54-55.ISSN2766-6174.
  16. ^"Book Review: A World Without War: Stanley Hauerwas,War and the American Difference: Theological Reflections on Violence and National Identity".The Expository Times.124(6): 302. 2013-02-20.doi:10.1177/0014524612470788g.ISSN0014-5246.
  17. ^"Food Rationing in Wartime America".History.2023-09-13.Retrieved2024-05-09.
  18. ^Witkowski, Terrence H. (2003–2004)."World War II Poster Campaigns—Preaching Frugality to American Consumers".Journal of Advertising.32(1): 69–82.doi:10.1080/00913367.2003.10639053.
  19. ^Barbara McLean Ward; Tracey E. Adkins; Gregory C. Colati; Karin E. Cullity (1994).Produce and conserve, share and play square: the grocer and the consumer on the home-front battlefield during World War II.Lebanon, New Hampshire: University Press of New England. pp. 184–185.ISBN9780874516555.
  20. ^Fox, Frank W. (1975).Madison Avenue goes to war: the strange military career of American advertising, 1941–45.Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press. p. 54.
  21. ^abcTHOMAS, TANYA (2022-08-30)."INCONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION OF LUXURY PRODUCTS: A LITERATURE REVIEW".OCNKI, Tianjin Science and Technology, Open Science Framework.doi:10.17605/OSF.IO/Z28YD.{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal=(help)
  22. ^Mayer, Robert N. (1981)."Consumerism in the 70's: The Emergence of New Issues".The Journal of Consumer Affairs.15(2): 375–391.doi:10.1111/j.1745-6606.1981.tb00720.x.ISSN0022-0078.JSTOR23858976.
  23. ^Child, Hamilton (1867), "How to Succeed in Business",Gazetteer and Business Directory of Ontario County, N.Y., for 1867–8,p. 91
  24. ^Austin, Richard Cartwright (1990).Environmental Theology.Creekside Press. p. 169.
  25. ^Mecklin, John M. (1920).An Introduction to Social Ethics, The Social Conscience in a Democracy.Harcourt, Brace and Howe. p. 254.
  26. ^Watkinson, William L. (1908).Frugality in the Spiritual Life.F.H. Revell company. p. 7.
  27. ^Franklin, Benjamin (1791).Autobiography.
  28. ^Cicero, M.T.,Paradoxa Stoicorum
  29. ^Swain, George Fillmore(1915).Conservation of Water by Storage.Yale University Press.p. 26.
  30. ^Thoreau, Henry David (2017).Walden.Ebook: Vintage Digital/Penguin Books (published 1854).ISBN9781473547933.
  31. ^Nelson, Anitra (2024-01-31)."Degrowth as a Concept and Practice: Introduction".The Commons Social Change Library.Retrieved2024-02-20.
  32. ^Woerner, Stephanie L. (2001),Networked at Cisco,Center for eBusiness Teaching Case 1, MIT Sloan School of Management
  33. ^Thoreau, Henry David (1910).Walden.T.Y. Crowell & co. p. 184.
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