The Frugal Lifestyle and Swapping

The Frugal Lifestyle and Swapping

I have to confess, I don’t understand swapping.   Maybe it’s because all of the swappers I’ve ever met are really just hoarders.  Living frugally isn’t necessarily a sparse existence, but it’s pretty free of extraneous clutter.  So, I don’t have anything to swap, and I’m certainly not going to have things on hand so that I can swap them for something I want.

That’s what thrift stores are for. They have small appliances and clock radios that usually work, for pretty low prices.  That arrangement doesn’t seem to sit well with some swappers – a lot of them want to have the entire thrift store in their home – just in case.  To me, frugal living should mean that there are limits that you place on how much stuff you accumulate – regardless of how much it cost you.

I am continually faced with swapping advocates who suggest that swapping is an antidote to consumerism.  In my eyes it’s the same thing.  I am also faced with swappers who say that they are saving he environment by diverting consumer goods from landfills.  It seems though that they are just turning their residences into very expensive landfills.

So, perhaps I’m being too hard on swappers.  Hopefully I’ll hear some constructive arguments in the comments section.