There’s a good reason many people frown on frugality. That is because a select few people with very bad habits, some criminal, have given it a bad name and ruined it for the rest. If you see yourself in any of these bad frugal habits, consider making a few changes.
Using something once and then returning it: We all know somebody who does this. This is stealing. The alternative is to buy something less expensive and stop trying to impress people when you don’t have the money to. No one will remember your Jacket in a year anyway.
Asking for repeated rides and not paying for gas: You don’t have a car because it was a frugal decision made to help you save money. You however have no problem bumming rides off of people and not compensating them for their gas AND their time.
Requesting favors that save you money but cost someone else: If you save money by asking me to pet sit, but then I have to lose hours of productivity (and money) doing it, you should compensate me or perhaps board your dog. It’s funny how people always ask self-employed people for such favors. They are the ones with the most to lose.
Inviting people to a “party” and not telling them they will get a sales pitch: This goes for Tupperware, wine tasting, Amway and the like. The “host” is getting “free gifts” for inviting people over, the guests leave with less money and feeling used.
Taking food out of a buffet meal: It’s called a buffet, not a carry-out. You are supposed to eat what can fit on your plate, not in your pockets.
Asking friends to help you move and then using their vehicles: If you ask people to help you move, you should at least hire a big enough truck for your belongings. You can put wear and tear on their vehicles and this is unfair.
Trying to divide a meal evenly when you know you ate more: If you do this, you may have noticed that the same people rare go out with you more than a couple of times. This is a good way to lose friends.
Collecting money from a group restaurant meal and paying for it with your credit card so you can use the receipt as a business expense. Your friends may not realize you are doing this but you are taking advantage of them. Not only that, but you are being dishonest about your taxes too.
Always taking leftovers home from parties without being invited to it: If you arrive at parties with a doggy bag and take home all of the left-overs… that is plain tacky. If the host offers you items, however, it is rude not to take them. There is a fine line here that must be walked.
Lying about your kids age to get the children’s rates for meals and services: It amazed me that parents will tell a 13 year old to claim they are 11 for a free or low cost meal and then be surprised that the child is in jail at age 16. You taught them to steal!
Spending a full day at a free wifi establishment and only buying one beverage. You should purchase something each hour that you use the services. Otherwise, you are chasing paying customers away, and it will be just a matter of time before the internet cafe closes anyway.
I am a Cheapskate…and Proud of It.