Are You Addicted to Being Frugal?

From NJ.com. Why would I want to stop being frugal? Oh god--let me guess...this is the premise for a new "intervention" series on TLC!

"Hi my name is Jen and I'm a recovering addict.

My drug of choice? Saving money.

It started innocently enough. I clipped a few coupons, sniffed out a few deals and saved a few bucks. Then the company I worked for folded and I panicked.

In an effort to save even more I became obsessed. I would cut corners anywhere and everyplace I could. I spent hours looking for coupons and deals. I skipped buying items that my household needed if the item wasn't on sale or I didn't have a coupon. I would feel guilty if I paid full price for something. I literally would go into a store armed with circular and coupons and would get a high if the deals worked out right. The more I saved the better I felt. But other parts of my life started to slip. Time to clip coupons became the most important part of my day. I would feel cranky and disappointed when a deal didn't work out. I would get angry at my husband if he bought something on the fly without my consultation or a coupon. Other things suffered and I realized that I was getting a little too crazy in my quest to save money."

...

"I am happy to report that I've chilled out. I still pride myself on being a savvy shopper and fabulously frugal but I no longer beat myself up when I spend an extra dollar on something or sacrifice having something that we need just because it's not on sale.

Wondering if your frugality has gone too far? Here are a few tip-offs that you might have a frugality problem:

Time: Do you spend so much time figuring out how to save money, clipping coupons and scanning the internet for deals that you feel you don't have enough time for anything else- including your family?

Sacrifice: Do you go without something if you can't find a deal on it? For example, when I was in the thick of my own frugality obsession, I would skip paper towels if I felt that by waiting a week I could get a better deal.

Hoard: Do you find yourself hoarding stuff you don't need just because you got a good deal? I did all the time. I was constantly picking up stuff that I wouldn't use in a million years simply because I could get it for free with coupon and sale.

I continue to be a big fan of saving money but more importantly I'm a big fan of balance. Whether it's doing something "bad" like having a bowl of ice cream or something "good" like saving money or exercising, it all comes down to balance."

I've gone without paper towels because I couldn't find a good deal on them...and still can't. Now I use cloth napkins and cloth rags--I made a substitution instead. In the coming months, I'm also going to do away with laundry soap, bath soap, dish soap, shampoo, and bleach, because I've found even cheaper sources for those items--more substitutions, not deprivation.

I imagine it's that way for a lot of you, too.