If you think being thrifty is the opposite of fun, you’re not alone, according to Christine Whelan, professor of consumer science at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
“When you say ‘thrift,’ people think of thrift stores right away,” she said, “and after that, it’s things that are old or broken, or maybe people who are stingy. But this is not about hoarding or buying only cheap things. It’s about being conscious of how you spend your resources and whether that’s in keeping with your values.”