Many of us have recently joined the Frugal Revolution. We are learning how to NOT be a “throw it away” society. We know how to stretch our dollars, find deals and make do with what we have. There are still, however, those who still are cheap.
Some claim that cheap and frugal are interchangeable terms. That couldn't be farther from the truth. They are completely different. Sadly, this has led to many frugal shoppers getting a bad rap and being called cheap. Simply put – a frugal shopper puts in the work and effort to save money whereas the cheap shopper expects it to be handed to them.
The cheap person tends to always forget his/her wallet or tags along for free. They never repay their friends....which leads to them having more ex-friends as time goes on. A frugal person will always chip in to cover a tip even when being taken out to dinner. If a frugal shopper forgets his or her wallet, you will be repaid as soon as they see you again.
A frugal person also realizes that when determining the amount of a tip to leave for a waiter or waitress should be based upon the value of the meal as opposed to what was paid. In sharp contrast, a cheap person, would either tip on the amount paid or even avoid the tip altogether (and stuff as many sugar packets and napkins into their bag as they could muster).
The way in which both are similar is that they love to get things for free or for next to nothing. The difference is that a cheap person only looks out for themselves. It all about what they can get for free – whether they need it or not. They hoard and stockpile items with no consideration of others. They expect deals to be handed to them without putting forth any effort.
Of course, the frugal shopper also lives the deal. However, they share their deals and findings with others. This shopper gives away or shares the items they get for free with various charity organizations, family members or friends. They pay it forward. They also scrimp and save and do research in order to get the best possible deal that they can.
I am sure many of us probably can attest to having been cheap once in a while. Sometimes, you just can’t help it. However a momentary lapse isn’t a lifestyle. When you are frugal, you learn to live within your means and don’t outspend what you make. So, ask yourselves now – am I cheap – or am I frugal? Chances are you can say with pride “I am frugal.”