Frugal Or Cheap? – Where Do You Fit In?

Source Social Faux Pas Made By Frugal People

Having spent most of the day with a friend that miscalculated when he would start getting his social security retirement checks, I feel the need to vent. Yes your the ones that must read about my views on being Frugal or just plain old Cheap. For most of us, we are well aware that jobs and money is in short supply. Frugal ‘not cheap’ shopping and buying habits are needed to meet all of our everyday needs.

Here are a few Don’t do it’s to consider in your everyday life.

Frugal or cheap? Recuperating the used salad dressing from the plates of your guests and pouring it back into the same salad bottles is Cheap Not Frugal! Definitely a social faux pas.

Here’s a better frugal, more sanitary way you could economize on your salad dressing expenses: Put it in a smaller squeeze bottle and let your guests use the exact amount they want to.

Don’t Whine constantly about being short of cash. At some point you’ll alienate your friends who will be sick and tired of hearing how you don’t have two pennies to rub together.
Your true friends won’t even care that you’re broke, but they certainly don’t need to be reminded about it each time you get together. They already know and are sensitive to the situation. If they forget, you can always politely bow out of the situation or suggest a more frugal option you could all do together instead.

Don’t Rain on Others Hard Earned Sunshine. It’s nice to offer ideas on how someone can save money. People love and welcome ways to save money on things and services. However, if you say he or she doesn’t need Product xyz because he or she could make it out of scrap lying around the house for pennies or berate him or her for spending so much money on something so unnecessary, all you’re doing is making the person feel guilty for not being broke. If you really feel strongly about it, try and find a nice way to suggest a more frugal item or service.

Don’t Be an Obnoxious Pushy Penny Pincher. Yes, it is a virtue to be frugal, but there are times where an attitude that is too frugal (that would be being cheap) can be quite impolite. For instance, if your colleague comes dressed as an elf and cheerily asks if you want to participate in the office’s Secret Santa this year, don’t be rude by saying, “No, the budget is $25 this year? I won’t do it unless it’s $20.” Politely decline because it isn’t in your budget this year.

The Bottom Line it is their ‘Money’ not yours! How people want to spend their hard earned money is not really any of your concern.
It’s their disposable income, not yours, and although you may think you’re helping or teaching them frugal behavior, you may just be raining on their sunshiny day parade.

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Why is common sense so uncommon?
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