- Some of the most interesting things at Frugal Upstate happen in the comments. And this week I’ve received a couple of questions in the comments of my giveaway that I felt the need to pull out and address in a post of their own. I always assume-where one person takes the time to comment, there are usually 5 more thinking the same thing who haven’t.
I actually don’t want the cupcake maker.
I’m not trying to be snarky but how does a $24.88 piece of plastic for making cupcakes jive with living frugally? Sure you got it for free but you are essentially advertising a piece of plastic from china when a muffin pan and a spatula would do. Other people certainly don’t need something like this.
-Christine
- I have to second what Christine said, earlier. How is this a frugal activity? It seems like a plastic contraption that works marginally well with chemical-laden mixes.
How many batches of cupcakes could you make from scratch with $24.88 – and teach your children actual cooking skills at the same time?
I’m surprised, because this seems so contrary to the spirit of what I read on this site most of the time. - -Kira
I want to start out my answer by turning these questions around.
How does giving away one of the hottest toys for this Christmas (valued at $24.88 by Walmart, but seen with my own eyes for $36 at Toys R Us) completely for FREE to one luck reader not jive with the spirit of frugality?
If I was giving away a diamond bracelet for free, would people think “Gee, a diamond bracelet isn’t a frugal item, so it isn’t in the spirit of your site to give one away for free”?
- Of course it is easier and more economical to make 24 cupcakes in the oven and frost them with homemade frosting using a spatula rather than using this machine. Baking single serving cupcakes in the microwave (even at 30 sec) is a bit of a process-as is filling the little icing squirter thingy-that only puts a single curly Q of icing on the cupcake. Not to mention washing it all when you are done.
- It’s similar to the Easy Bake Oven-more work than just making the real thing with the real oven. But the fact is that the kids really enjoyed the “fun factor” of the toy.
- Here at Frugal Upstate I have always advocated conscious spending–knowing exactly where you are spending your money then making a conscious choice about spending it rather than dribbling it away without realizing it.
- What I very carefully have NOT done, is to make value judgments about what another person chooses to put in the “important” category. Each individual (or family) must decide what things are important to them. Once they have done that they can plan to spend money on those important things and conserve their money in other areas.
- I know that the Frugal Upstate family spends plenty of money on things that other folks might think are silly-I even wrote a post about it once: “25 Things I Do That Doesn’t Save Money”. I have tried to be open and transparent about that. I never wanted to lead anyone on, portray myself inaccurately or to come across as “holier than thou”.
- For example, we have 3 motorcycles, 2 antique cars, 3 regular cars, a snowmobile and a 3 wheeler. I wear a diamond that could buy me a decent used car. On the other hand, I wash and reuse zippered baggies, walked/rode my bike all summer instead of using the car, cook from scratch, and dress the kiddos and myself in a wardrobe that is 95% from the thrift shop/garage sales.
- These are our choices, based on the interests, values and situation of my family. I’m sure they are different than yours-EVERY person/family will be different.
- So when I was given the choice to give my readers a series of free toys (and it will be a series-look for more each week!) I decided not to make a judgment on whether the toys were “worthwhile” or not. Instead I choose to look at it as an opportunity for my readers to get something for nothing. To me that provides you all with value.
- Obviously you all, for the majority, agree. The folks who have registered for the cupcake maker contest have overwhelmingly left comments stating that this particular item is something that their daughters, nieces and granddaughters have been pining for! It’s been all over the airwaves and many ladies who were planning on buying it regardless are delighted to take their chance at wining one for free and spending that money elsewhere.
- So Christine and Kira, I appreciate your point of view, but I hope that you can also understand and appreciate mine, even if you don’t agree with it. As with many other things in life-we don’t all have to agree, we all just have to be respectful (which you both were) and try to get along.
I agree with what you have said about being frugal. Many people choose to be frugal in certain areas in order to have free spending in other areas. Perhaps to some people getting a free Christmas present is frugal, and to others the gift that is free is against their reasons/beliefs for frugality. Lets face it some people will say, cup cakes aren’t frugal compared to a cake. They take longer to bake, making more oven energy, they use those papers which at at least 2 cents per cupcake, and they use more frosting. But, hey, I like cup cakes. My husband likes cupcakes. Kids love cupcakes. That’s enough reason for me to have cupcake papers on hand and sometimes just make cupcakes instead of the cake. (And I still like the giveaway even if you have to use the mixes, because I would totally be making my own mixes and packaging in sandwich baggies because its more frugal ^_^)
You wrote a great response.
I agree with you.
Sometimes I buy something that is not considered frugal but it makes me happy.
Good post in reply to comments. I appreciate the background and now to check out the other post you linked to.
I agree, being frugal means different things to different people. Just ask my husband because he thinks I am WAY too frugal, but it works for me. There are still some things though that I could spend less on but I opt not to. It’s the value compared to the price – but value can mean a lot of different things. There is value in quality, value in quantity, value in appeal, value in happiness, value in convenience, etc.
I am with you! We are very frivolous in some areas of our lives but we can only be that way because we are frugal in others.
I TOTALLY agree! Being frugal means something different to each family.
Great response. I love your blog. Keep up the good work.
Excellent response, Jenn. I firmly believe that you should choose the areas of your life that you’re willing to cut back in so that you can spend more in areas that are important to you personally. Of course this means different things to different people!
This product gives kids a chance to learn through experience a lesson that could serve them well in avoiding expensive mistakes later in life. They might find that they prefer making things the simple way with equipment on hand rather than using and maintaining a more complicated and specialized piece of equipment. -Mac
INteresting questions and a really thoughtful response! I get it – I would think “that’s a doofy toy” and never spend the bucks, but my daughter would salivate to be able to play with it. Makes me flash back to my own childhood, when I never got the EZBake Oven, for the same reasons, but boy howdy did i love to play with my friends’!!
I agree 100% with your reply to the questions. Plus, while you have the fun factor with kids, you’re doing something at home with them – engaging in an activity rather than taking them out and spending money on them, which to me is very frugal.
If you look online, I KNOW you can find recipes for cupcakes and cakes for the Easy Bake Oven with items that you use from your pantry and I’m sure you can apply those same cake recipes you find here as well – thus making this product more frugal.
Though I didn’t win, it would have been all about spending time and having fun with my little girl which matters to me greatly. Baking, whether with a $25 product like this one or from scratch is a great way to be in the moment with her and share something special.
Jenn , I totally agree with your response. It was a fun giveaway. I won’t say anything more about the spirit of your original post and your response. But to add to the other comments- If you have a budget for the holidays and this was one of THE toys one of your children wanted… it would be somewhat frugal. The reason I say this is that this could be THE toy that a little girl might want-who are we to say? If you stay in a budget for the holidays, don’t use credit cards, and get your kids gifts within a budget that works for your family, that IS living frugally.
Frugality does not mean deprivation! It seems odd to me that people would be judgmental of something you are giving away for FREE! Just because you live a frugal life, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a freakin’ cupcake now and then. People need to lighten up.
Great response, Jenn!
Jenn, I don’t really look at it as whether it is frugal or not. I see it as a thoughtful and generous gift. I think that as long as your heart is in the right place, that is what matters the most.
Jenn I totally agree with your response and did not want to win because my daughter is only four and I consider her too young for that type of toy. I also don’t have nieces etc. to win for. Being frugal is about indvidual choices to accomplish your own personal financial goals. I will keep on reading:)
Oh my! I didn’t see that I was a part of a blog post until I looked today!
Thanks for your thoughtful response. I do appreciate it and can see your point.
I also have a blog about living frugally and for me, something like that product runs completely counter to that. When I see a cheap piece of crap from China used unnecessarily I can’t help but think of the costs-environmentally and financially. It’s not deprivation I’m striving for, but mindful living on a dime. I just made cupcakes with my own daughter for Halloween using kitchen utensils I have and whole food. I guarantee you that she didn’t feel at all deprived.
In addition, this was given to you as a giveaway, not just to be nice to your readers, but to advertise it to all of them as well. I guess I don’t see advertising a piece of plastic that won’t be around more than 6 months as something that fits in a frugal lifestyle. That you received 10 and they didn’t even bat an eye speaks volumes about the cost to them vs the cost to you, the consumer.
Bravo, Jenn!
To each his own!
🙂
You are absolutely right, Jenn! Every family has its own priorities, and that doesn’t make them wrong.
Sometimes we do things to make a fun experience for our kids that we would never, ever do for ourselves. That doesn’t mean it’s not worthwhile or that our kids won’t remember it for a long time.
Keep up the great work!
Jenn,
great response to the comments. Most of us do appreciate you doing this, especially in a time when getting the “hot new toy” would not be in our budget. I agree with Christina that this may be more of an advertisement of the goods since they were given to you to “giveaway” but so what! I real frugal person would try to win it here, and if they didn’t, just chalk it up as a loss and think of another wonderful but frugal gift to give.
I love your blog, BTW! :o)
I tend to agree more with Christine. I enjoyed this blog a lot more before all the Walmart 11 Moms stuff. I just started reading this blog b/c I liked the actual frugal tips and the encouragement of seeing someone who makes a lot of the same types of choices I do. But I have stopped reading very often since it seems like many posts are plugs for Walmart and their products.
just found your blog and will be doing my own 25 things that are NOT frugal about me too! I agree with most that every family is different and yep………. sometimes we disagree but as long as we are helping out each other “its all good”