Of course it is getting more and more expensive by the day and we all want to use our money wisely and avoid spending unnecessarily. In times like these, it’s not uncommon for families and individuals to cut back on expenses, come up with innovative ideas to re-use existing stuff, and pinch a little bit here and there. However, people do tend to go overboard with their money-saving endeavors and end up acting really stupidly. There’s a fine line between a judicious person and a cheapskate and it’s easy to forget the difference. So, how do you know which is which? Well, here are some** Signs That you are a Cheapskate.**
I know someone who has taken to washing his clothes only after two or three wears. Needless to say, I keep a safe distance from him for no other reason except that he smells awful. In addition, he chooses to cut his own hair in an attempt to save $10. Not bad at all, except his head looks like Edward Scissorhands worked on it. Tactics such as these might work if you stay at home, but think twice before doing anything like this if you are required to step out to work. You have to maintain some semblance of respectability, don’t you?
Buying in bulk is not a bad idea if you put some brains to it. However, if you go shopping like you were gathering supplies for the next Armageddon, you are being plain stupid. Where on earth are you going to store all those rolls of toilet paper? And what if the food goes bad? You are only going to end up throwing it away. So really, what is the point here?
Are you the kind that fills an expensive bottle of vodka with a cheap substitute when your friends come over? Or maybe switch toilet paper to a cheaper brand for your guest room. You can play all the cheap tricks you want on yourself and your family in an effort to save money, but you are carrying things too far if you extend these idiocies to your friends and guests. That's a definite sign that you are a cheapskate.
Halving the dosage of your medicines, wearing your extended-wear contact lenses long after the expiry date, postponing visits to the doctor for something you believe is only a “minor complaint”, or not getting the necessary tests done might save you money now but in the long run, it is going to cost you. And you don’t need me to tell you how.
You pluck the stems off cherries so you can get more for the weight; you spend hours looking for small potatoes so you can come home with more; you separate double ply toilet paper to create two rolls out of one; and you drive 7-8 miles to save a few cents on a gallon of gas...
...These time-consuming tactics might seem like savings in the immediate sense, but when you factor in the value of your time, the equation often tells a different story. Hours spent on minute money-saving measures could be better invested in activities that provide true fulfillment or greater financial return. True thriftiness involves knowing when the effort justifies the reward, not just in money saved, but in life's currency: time. So, before you embark on a shopping expedition worthy of a logistics operations specialist, consider if that time could be spent on pursuits that enrich your life in more meaningful ways.
If you’ve taken creating a scene in a restaurant about the quality of food just because you hope to get a free replacement; if you are storing the cups of different fast food joints just so you can get an extra drink... I don't need to tell you that this is a sign that you are a cheapskate. If the restaurant or fast food joints catch on to what you are doing, you stand to lose a lot more than your freebies.
Are you shaving and showering at the gym to save on water bills? Do you hang around in cafes and pubs just so you can watch television there and use up less power in your apartment? There are only so many times you can use this technique. Unless you plan on going to all the cafes and pubs in your state and the next!
And those are some serious Signs that you are a Cheapskate. I understand of course that sometimes you might be forced to do some of these things but if you choose to do these things even when you can afford to live otherwise, well you are just a cheapskate. What other signs of a cheapskate can you think of?
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