I’ve just been talking to some TV colleagues about my holiday; they were surprised that I’d “stayed in a decent hotel” – after all “you’re the Money Saving Expert… I thought you’d have been in a tent?” Personally I don’t see the conflict: I’ve always maintained MoneySaving is about maximising the way you live. It’s for this reason I have different spending mantras for those who are skint and those who aren’t (the latter being “will I use it, is it worth it, can I find it cheaper anywhere else?”).
By being efficient and canny with your money, MoneySaving should enable you to have a better not worse lifestyle. So it makes sense I stayed in a decent hotel, I’m not in debt and can afford it, and I ensured I got it as cheaply as possible (a great deal in fact, but that’s another story). There is no conflict here. MoneySaving isn’t about being tight; it’s about putting controls in place to ensure a) you spend within your means and b) you get more but pay less.
This publicly perceived conflict, while incorrect, is something I often ponder. Occasionally when putting the weekly e-mail together there will be things that are juxtaposed. For example the debt help: what to do if you’ve problem debts article next to a ’32” LCD TV for £320′ note. On the surface this looks incongruous, yet this site has 3 million users; a very broad church. Nearly half are debt free (according to past polls). Thus these things cater for different audiences – of course a £320 LCD TV is a saving if you were going to buy one anyway and pay double – yet it isn’t a saving if you can’t afford it and don’t need it.
When I do these high value bargains, I always include a reminder of the Money Mantras to make people question whether they can afford to spend the cash. It’s a difficult balance, but ultimately it has to be about showing people about responsible spending. I’ve never been a ‘frugal’ expert.
Have your say
This is an open discussion but the comments do not represent the views of MSE. We want everyone to enjoy using our site but spam, bullying and offensive comments will not be tolerated. Posts may be deleted and repeat offenders blocked at our discretion. Please contact fbteam@moneysavingexpert.com if you wish to report any comments.