Like any good daughter of an accountant,
I love scoping out a great deal every chance I get--
clearance groceries with looming expiry
dates, two for one offers, cheap flowers at the farmer's market.
In a way, it's almost become a challenge to me,
how can I get the job done by spending as little as possible?
But alas, sometimes being cheap as its downfalls.
Yes, it's possible to be too frugal.
Sometimes saving money comes at the price of your time, energy,
or mental health.
Here are six times being frugal has backfired on me.
Number one, catching early morning flights.
You know that feeling when you're
planning that long awaited vacation,
your eyes keeps shifting between the 11 AM flight and the 7:00
AM flight?
You know the 11 AM flight will remove a lot of stress.
You'll be able to wake up at a decent hour still,
enjoy breakfast, and then calmly find your way to the airport.
The problem is it costs $100 more.
But in the interest of saving money,
you book the 7 AM flight anyway.
This is a trend I know all too well ultimately.
In my attempt to save a few dollars,
I've had to wake up ridiculously early--
so early in fact that the city's metro system isn't open yet,
forcing me to take a taxi or an Uber, neither of which
is as cheap as a transit ticket.
Then there's the issue of arriving at my destination
too early when my accommodation check in isn't until 3 PM
and I really want a shower.
So now I'm tired, unable to freshen up,
and lugging a wheelie suitcase along cobblestone streets,
more often than not taking refuge in a nearby cafe
and begrudgingly spending more money on things I don't want.
It was worth it though, right?
Number two, insisting on walking.
Just Elizabeth Bennet, I prefer to walk.
Six miles to the bus stop with a backpack weighing me down,
let's go.
Four miles to the beach when I'm dripping and sticky
with sweat and low on my water supply, bring it on.
One mile to my sister's apartment
when it's nearly midnight, dark outside,
and I'm alone, no problem.
Looking back these are all very silly things
I did to save a few bucks on transit.
In some cases, I even jeopardized
my safety and my health.
Ironically, I usually end up getting
lost on my walking adventures, forcing
me to end up catching the bus anyway
and spending the same amount as I would have
taking it in the first place--
only I'm more sweaty, tired, and full of blisters.
Number three, purchasing a secondhand bike.
In many cases buying secondhand is no problem at all.
But every once in a while you're bound to get unlucky.
Unfortunately, this happened to me
when I bought a secondhand bike.
Pleased and proud of the deal, I found
I happily returned home with my new purchase
eager to hit the road.
Much to my dismay, however, I discovered
that the seat post was seized--
meaning I could barely reach the pedals, not the biggest issue
when I was zipping along.
But as soon as I came to a stop, I
would topple sideways like a felled tree due to the fact
that my feet couldn't touch the floor.
I eventually got it fixed.
But that cost money too.
And who needs the hassle and the skinned knees
for the sake of a few dollars?
Number four, skimping on winter boots.
Who needs really good winter boots
to traverse the snow in Finland when you have layers of socks?
Not me, apparently.
On a past trip to the snowy frontier of Rovaniemi,
I risked taking a legally walk through the snow clad woods
of Lapland, armed only with my regular boots and layers
upon layers of socks.
I refused to buy new boots for this trip.
The result?
Having to cut my walk short and suffering
mere frostbite because of it.
There are some things that are worth spending the money.
A pair of winter boots on a snowy hike is one of them.
Number five, booking a non direct train ticket.
When given the option to book a direct train
or a long, winding journey that stops
in every town along the way, I usually
pick the long winding journey.
In addition, I also pick the hard seat
instead of the sleeping cart.
There are apparently no exceptions to my rule
as I've been known to choose the extended journey instead
of the bullet train, even when it's a grand total of 24 hours.
With a stiff neck, cramped legs, and a stale smell
of mingled sweat and different people's food all my clothes,
I finally arrive at my destination.
Number six, sorting from low to high.
These days we do a massive percentage
of our shopping online.
And I loved this for one specific reason--
the sort function.
Before I've even bothered to glance at an item,
I need to make sure that the cheapest option is secured
firmly at the top of the list.
If I'm honest, I rarely go past option 1.
Even with clothing, I sometimes buy items
based on price rather than quality.
This has led me to be the proud owner
of a wardrobe full of clothing characterized
by missing buttons, frayed hymns, and faded colors.
Great financial decision that was.
Looking back, I see that I've made
some pretty silly decisions.
But the lessons I've learned from these experiences
are far more valuable than the money
I ended up saving or regrettably forking over.
And while I still appreciate saving money when I can,
I hope to be a smarter saver going forward.