Are You Frugal Or Resourceful?
I enjoy listening to the NPR show Splendid Table, but I rarely put its gourmet suggestions to work in my own kitchen. This week's episode sticks with me, though. Host Lynn Rossetto Kasper opens the episode with the statement: "Aren't you sick of being frugal?"
She bemoans frugal's negative baggage, contrasting it with the chipper term "resourceful." To me, they are synonymous, but I get her point. A simple change of phrase may be exactly what we need if we're tired of feeling cheap.
The funny thing is that, although Kasper opens the show by pooh-poohing frugality, her guest Tamsin-Day Lewis is downright militant about the need to cook at home. She's author of the new book Supper for a Song: Creative Comfort Food for the Resourceful Cook. This working mom never failed to get a homecooked meal on the table, even if it meant cooking at 8 p.m. or preparing food earlier in the week. It's a fascinating discussion with practical--or at least inspiring--advice for the frugal kitchen.
After all, creativity and resourcefulness are the elements that can make this frugal life rewarding for the long haul.
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6 Responses to “Are You Frugal Or Resourceful?”
June 21st, 2010 at 8:00 am
I’ve been trying to master super thin crust for ages – the margharita pizza recipe looks good (especially since I have tomatoes, basil and parsely growing like mad right now).
Frugal had never been a favorite word of mine…I always choose words like resourceful or creative or smart or even old-fashioned. I think so much of the frugal lifestyle is mental – when my attitude is good, saving money is an easy by-product of the way I choose to live. But when I start thinking I *have* to be frugal (or a tightwad or pinch pennies), it feels like such a burden and my creativity is completely blocked. It seems like all I can think of are things I can’t buy! Any time I’m facing a frugal challenge, the first thing I need to do is check my mental vocabulary:)
June 21st, 2010 at 3:42 pm
I try very very hard to be Fugal, I wear out a foodsaver every two years. Buy in Bulk if at all possible, I’ve gotten into SodaStream, making my own soda’s.. Not only to save money, but to reduce my carbon Footprint. we recycle foodsaver bags Ziplock bags, and I scratch cook and promote that as much as possible… So I don’t know which I am. Frugal, or resourceful. but it works for me..Now if we could get rid of the junk mail problem. How great the world would be…… we might even have more tree’s…
June 21st, 2010 at 6:03 pm
As soon as I called myself frugal, and started following the frugal blogs I found myself moving beyond how cheap can I buy things, and how much can I get for free wether I’d use it or not, to how much am I wasting and how much better can I do with my resources. Instead of thinking I have part of three meals in my pantry but I am missing something for each, I make due with what I have. What I found is that my dh actually liked my homemade tortilla chips, and even my try at home made tortilla’s, thought I’ll probably keep that as a back up not a plan, they tasted very strongly of flour after they cooled. crescent rolls work with spaghetti if I have them and no other bread options. If I’m short on the main dish I prepare extra sides. I am currently embracing the frugal lifesyle.
I can see how this is a stage in life and resourceful might sound better as time goes by, or with certain friends or family members.
June 22nd, 2010 at 9:48 pm
I listened to the link and have to agree that lack of skills and lack of knowledge about how foods are prepared are the main deficiencies of many of today’s women. I certainly fit into that category more than I’d like. And it’s sad, really: why are these kinds of skills and classes no longer taught in our schools? They’re certainly still important, and are the kinds of skills one uses their entire life!
June 22nd, 2010 at 9:55 pm
this is so funny…at the beginning of the month i tend to be frugal and sometimes towards the end of the month i become quite resourceful…i look at being frugal as being a responsible, logical, independent business person…but being resourceful requires me to be creative, imaginative, and a “think out of the box” type person. no matter which i am, frugal or resourceful, i always stay within a “simple lifestyle”.
July 2nd, 2010 at 7:36 pm
Can we not be both frugal and resourceful? I think they go hand in hand and I am proud to call myself both.
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