Everyone likes saving a few dollars whenever possible, and living a thrifty lifestyle is one of the best ways to be financially healthy. But when does being frugal quickly turn into just being a cheapskate? Inquiring minds need to know, which is why people recently met in an online discussion to reveal the times being thrifty crossed the line into just being flat-out stingy.
1. The Potato Chip Contribution
One man puts everything in perspective with a perfect analogy. “Frugal is picking up something instead of paying the delivery free,” he explains. “Cheap is going to a potluck and only bringing a bag of chips when everyone else made a dish.” I'm as frugal as they come, but if I go to a potluck, there's no way I'm just bringing chips. That's just rude.
2. Skipping Your Vehicle's Maintenance
Nobody likes paying for oil changes, tire rotations, and other recommended maintenance for their vehicle. However, you have to do it, or else you'll be faced with an enormous repair bill at some point. Ignoring everyday wear and tear on your car isn't just stupid; it's cheap!
3. When You Don't Think Long-Term
Something as simple as buying footwear can tell you a lot about the frugality of a person. “The most common thought example of this is you have two pairs of boots,” says one woman. “One pair is $100 and will last 20 years. One pair is $10 and will last one year. The frugal man buys the $100 pair. The cheap person buys the $10 pair.”
4. The Venmo Addict
We all know someone like this, don't we: The person who will nickel and dime their friends for every penny they feel they're owed. It doesn't matter if it's a few dollars for a drink or a minuscule difference in restaurant food; this cheap person will send a Venmo request to you for the most trivial things!
5. Refusing to Turn On the Air Conditioning
Air conditioning is one of the last remaining pleasures in life. It's the difference between sweating profusely and living a comfortable life. That said, I don't understand the cheap people who refuse to turn on the air conditioning during heat waves, even if it means they will be sweating with every move of their body.
6. The Worst Secret Santa Ever
I sincerely hope I'm never in the same holiday gift exchange group as the woman who is described in the following sentence. “I know someone who bought used pajamas from a thrift store, gifted the top to one person, and gifted the bottoms to another person as her Secret Santa gifts,” recalls one woman. “She could afford gifts. She was just super cheap.” Wow, that's cheap, sad, and weird at the same time.
7. Asking For Leftovers
A few people report seeing people ask other restaurant patrons for their leftovers to take home, all in the name of “being frugal.” On behalf of all diners everywhere, I'd like to call these people what they are: Certifiably insane.
8. The So-Called Friend
Is a friend really a friend when they insist on you paying for a ride they intended to take anyway? “Cheap is when your friend asks you for gas money after giving you a ride home less than a mile away,” one man confesses. “I had a friend like this in high school. He would literally ask me for two dollars if he ever gave me a ride home after school. And my house was on the way to his, so it wasn't like he was going out of his way.”
9. The Returned Tree
Brace yourselves: There are people in this world who buy artificial Christmas trees from Costco and then return them once the holiday season is over. Returning used Christmas trees goes against everything the holiday stands for! Jesus and Santa would be ashamed if they ever found out about this.
10. The Bad Tippers
The easiest way to identify cheap people is to find out who the bad tippers are in your life. These people constantly come up with reasons to stiff the server or bartender while trying to hide the fact they are cheapskates to the highest degree!
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Source: Reddit.
