There is a fine line between being cheap and frugal. Being cheap has a negative connotation and is almost like a having a disease that makes it painful to part with your money, even when it is beneficial to you or others. Frugal can be defined as using your resources and money both prudently and economically. Which one are you? Take this simple quiz to find out:
- Do you leave an extremely small tip or “forget” to tip your waiter when going out to eat, even though the service was great?
- Did you ever order a box of munchkins from Dunkin Donuts, return the box half-eaten for a refund after declaring there are bugs in the box, when you actually dug up earthworms and put them in the box?
- Do you use coupons?
- Do you avoid spending time with family and friends because you don’t want to spend money on gas or gifts?
- Are you always looking for a good deal, such as buying used vs. new?
- To save money on paper, do you flip over used paper to the blank side, print on that side, and give it to someone else, even though the original side contained very, very personal details?
- Instead of buying plants at your local garden center, you secretly bring a small scissors to cut pieces of their plants to take home and grow on your own?
- Do you avoid paying back your family or friends when they purchase a group gift?
- Do you either cut your own hair or color it even though it looks absolutely horrible afterwards?
- Do you consider lower cost alternatives?
- Do you try to avoid paying for anything even when you agreed to the price or signed a contract to do so?
- Instead of fixing a problem, do you apply a band-aid approach or ignore it, especially a health issue, which ends up making the problem worse?
By the way, non of these are made up, even the silly ones. Don’t worry, everyone has a cheap habit that others find strange.
Answers:
If you answered yes to all or most of these, except for #’s 3, 5, and 10, then you are cheap. Although, sometimes you can cross the line to the cheap zone with these too if you take it too far!