Why does society criticize you when you want to save?

I'm 22 now and I'm pretty poor in terms of money. Also you always say "memories are what you pay for" etc.

I personally can completely do without fun or unnecessary consumption. Movie theater? For what… I have Netflix (share it with four others, so it's 10 times cheaper). Expensive drinks for 6-7 euro with the girlfriend? Fortunately not anymore! I make it myself for a euro or just drink something else… The unhealthy sugar that you bang yourself in has hardly any meaning anyway.

Friends wanted me to get a game for "only" 6 euro.

Society does just that. It tells you you're stingy. She tells you you're selfish. She tells you you are not alive. She tells you not to treat yourself to anything. It says "yolo - you only life once". Everyone looks at you stupidly and tries to pull you into this cloud of consumption. No wonder nobody gets out of there.

I prefer to pack these 6 euro into an ETF portfolio or save it up (instead of other small additional costs).

I just want to spend my money on essentials and investments. Everything else has been deleted.

Why doesn't anyone accept that? Everyone is poor or almost broke because you increase your spending enormously until you reach your earnings.

This is normal economic knowledge. Spending as small as possible, income as high as possible.

Anyway, at some point I just want to have a lot of money to invest and not sit there after 5 years (like today) and ask myself why I threw out thousands of euro for unnecessary food or games etc.

How can I finally make sure that you no longer annoy me?

By just ignoring them! It is commendable that you think about the future! If they are older later, they may think that you were right with your view!

You won't be able to change the others. You will always have to differentiate yourself. Thank you and politely say: Thank you, but no, I don't enjoy games.

We live in Germany in freedom and capitalism. This also means that you are basically free in your consumer decisions as long as they are within a legal, justifiable framework. If you opt for minimal consumption, this is as much your right as it is theirs to spend their money on what they want. Share this with them and underline that you are very serious about your concern. They should accept that. What this means for you and within your social relationship, I can neither fully grasp nor evaluate.

We have no capitalism, but a social market economy. There's a clear difference!

My husband and I were also frugal, already had enough money to afford a house when we were 25, and paid off our 2nd mortgage within 2 years. (Swiss relationship)

Now we envy those who previously insulted us as miser!

The main thing is that it is right for you.

Let people talk, they talk anyway!

No. Even the social market economy is in itself a capitalist system and that's a good thing.

You won't be able to get them to annoy you anymore! Unfortunately! The advertising world shows that everything is possible! You can't compete with that! That is not meant to be mean! Stingy? Or can I be more diplomatic and use the word sparingly? Just my attitude now. Saving yes, but you have to be able to afford a small reward. Lg