Comments on: 12 Things Our Grandparents Lived Without

By: Great Personal Finance Reads for June 5th

Great Personal Finance Reads for June 5th — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 02:16:08 +0000

[...] If you need a quick reality check on why frugal living is a good idea, head over to Frugal Dad and learn about 12 things our grandparents could do without. [...]

By: Kaye Swain - SandwichINK for the Sandwich Generation Issues

Kaye Swain - SandwichINK for the Sandwich Generation Issues — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 05:19:23 +0000

Interesting article. I agree that we can sometimes spend too much on technology. Many times, though, technology can be well worth it. If a dear senior friend of mine, who was incredibly healthy and incredibly frugal and lived alone, had invested in one of the simple cell phones for senior citizens or a medical alert device, she might still be hale and hearty today. Instead, she had a stroke in her bathroom, and laid there for 3 days until she was found!

By: Margaret Cloud

Margaret Cloud — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:13:22 +0000

I enjoyed your post very much. I was wondering if you would mind my posting about this and using your ideas. When I published my post I would give you all the credit. I would like to do this very much and have my friends read about your wonderful grandparents and what they did not have. Thank you for any consideration, please email me and let me know, thanks.

Margaret Cloud

By: Mary Hall

Mary Hall — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:04:44 +0000

This is such an interesting thread, sometimes the comments section on this blog just takes a life of its own

I remember being worried about a friend after not being able to contact her mobile for a few days. When she finally did contact me, she apologized and said she misplaced her phone but didn’t notice until a few days after. I liked that she isn’t as attached/dependent on it as I am.

By: Des

Des — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 20:02:08 +0000

Shouldn’t internet access and a personal computer top your list? Surely your grandfather lived without those…

By: Savings Account Rates Girl

Savings Account Rates Girl — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:24:55 +0000

By the way – I only own 1 thing on the list – a cell phone. and I’m able to save $1000 every month.

By: Savings Account Rates Girl

Savings Account Rates Girl — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:20:57 +0000

I can definitely imagine a life without all these gadgets even today. I was born in South East Asia (not going to mention the specifics) – in a village and at that time there was no electricity. No one owned anything – at all. Imagine that – and I’m just barely 25 years old rt now. Here in America there so much and people become spoiled.

By: Melanie

Melanie — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 12:02:55 +0000

Great post. I think we like to complicate our lives instead of simplifying.

However, your reasoning on the iPod is a bit weak. The technology has changed, but buying an iPod is the same thing as buying a Walkman was. Before that, many people did have portable radios so the portable music phenomenon is far from new. As for buying music while it’s available for free on the radio, even during the Great Depression, people managed to buy records.

By: Lima

Lima — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 01:56:05 +0000

Oh yeah, surprisingly I could live with almost everything on the list. The cellphone is the only one that is a different story.

It wouldn’t be necessary now if society was like back then (where there weren’t too many muggers, thieves, robbers, murderers, stalkers, etc) Now that crime is high, a cellphone is usually good for emergencies. Other than that.. cellphones are usually reasons why people get jacked and beat up for…. unfortunately.

By: Lima

Lima — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 01:48:11 +0000

I have to disagree about the Kindle. Even though they did not have these things yet, I think electronic readers are much more useful than books. Not only that, some are able to light on the screen in dark places, they can store more than one book with the book costing usually less than the physical book itself.. The idea of an electronic reader is portability and not having to buy tons of books that just flood your home..and taking time to sell each one.

Because they didn’t have it back then, most houses like my grandmother’s are stuff with too many books that are wearing and tearing and they end up being tossed in the trash anyway. Just a thought<3