Here’s the scenario: I save up for a big purchase in my ING Direct account (earning around 2.5% interest at the moment). I make my big purchase on February 20, but my credit card due date is not until March 15. I keep the money in ING until March 1, earn the interest, and THEN transfer money over to pay off my credit card.

If I had paid off my credit card on the day I made my big purchase, I would have been out that marginal bit of interest earned on my purchase. Fiddly, I know, but psychologically works for me!

On our TV (bought used) we watch DVDs and my boy plays video games. I am contemplating purchasing a Wii . . . but have been contemplating that since they came out and I don’t see myself buying one this year. On the rare occasions that I watch TV, I like old history/archaeology stuff (Living in the Middle Ages, The Tomb of Tutankaman, that kind of stuff), occasional ‘how to do..’ programs and nature programs like NOVA Planet Earth. Occasionally I enjoy a good Agatha Christie mystery or an episode of something forensic-y like Bones or NCIS or one of the CSI programs. For the most part I’m reading a book while my boy is using the TV. I don’t know if you’d consider that frugal . . . I think I would because the TV is multi-purpose (TV, DVDs, games). DVDs are usually from the library or swapadvd; the game console and games were a gift (used) from my cousin who upgraded to a Wii.

FrugalBachelor (#46) I don’t think my assumption would be any different if I’d been thinking/writing about an article on TVs and credit cards then seeing that same thing happen in the store – it was probably on his mind. Further, I don’t think Trent assumes they’re going into debt, only commenting on the appearant prevalence of impulse shopping. Finally, I don’t think the TV purchasers know or care what Trent assumed . . . otherwise he’d be commenting on having a black eye!

Carlos (#54) Truly being frugal means knowing the value of your money in relation to the value of your life’s choices.

Mostly PBS: Nova, Frontline, Nightly Business Report, Oregon Field Guide, This Old House (and associated programs), European Journal, BBC News, Last of the Summer Wine, etc.

Otherwise, we watch our DVDs.

If he never bought the TV at all, he would’ve saved $2000.

And as others have said, you can get a quite capable HDTV for under $1000.

I have come to the conclusion that there are two types of “frugal” people: those who are actually frugal, and don’t view their behavior as worthy of discussion, and those who postulate endlessly on the merits of saving a few bucks here and there, and blow those savings on a big TV.

Truly being frugal means doing without.

I’m sure that’s not the case, but you really should have made the point in your article how much prices have dropped and how much more TV he was able to afford by waiting. The overall difference is likely to be over 1,000 bucks if you factor all that in making the message much more powerful.

One thing to consider, when upgrading to a flat screen hdtv, there will be additional costs you didn’t think of…. Like buying hdmi/component cables for all of your electronics because a/v cables will just look like crap.

I am the EXACT same way. I pay it off most of my cc purchases right away, since I’m on the computer 24/7 anyway, and an unpaid bill just bothers me. The few times that I waited until the due date (as Elisabeth and others recommend), I forgot/went on vacation and came back with a penalty on my account. Never again, I said to myself.