"Hey, lookie here, I saved $3 from a $12 dollar purchase!"
No, you lost $9.
Now, lost might be too strong of a word, but one that definitely stresses the idea of necessity. Do you really need it? And when you start asking yourself that, you might fall into a backward spiral and frugality might turn into just plain ol' cheapskate.
And there's a myriad of ways how that can manifest. Take this Reddit thread for example. Someone there asked when does "frugal" cross the line to "cheapskate"? and folks kept on going with the various methods, tactics and straight up rooster moves people can pull just to avoid paying... well, anything, really.
Scroll down to check out the best and most spot-on answers, and while you're at it, share some of your experiences, thoughts, or just straight up social commentary in the comment section below!
More Info: Reddit
#21
When you waste significant amounts of time to save money. I'm thinking of those people who drive across town and wait in a long line to save five cents a litre on gas.
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80points
#22
Frugal is taking half your meal home from a restaurant to eat for lunch tomorrow. Cheapskate is taking half your date’s meal home from a restaurant to eat for lunch tomorrow.
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79points
#23
For me, purposely getting yourself destitute so you can live off others.
My cousin's ex-husband was a social worker. He would tell stories of how he would have his clients (families he was case workers for) that were on the cusp financially sign up for the highest cable/satellite package available. He would then lump that in to their monthly expenses to push their outgoing to incoming money ratio high enough to qualify for all sorts of government programs (welfare, Section 8, etc.).
He also made a comment about how he couldn't wait to knock up my cousin and get her to quit working so he could get her on WIC.
He was a obese, lazy, pervy piece of scum and I was never happier than when that marriage fell apart (thankfully w/no children).
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77points
#24
I knew a guy that, while ordering in line at Chipotle, would ask for "extra chicken but just enough where it's not considered a serving of double chicken". Come on, man.
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72points
#25
“I know it’s 90 F outside, but the air conditioner cost money to run” says my roommate/landlord who makes six figures living in a ranch house
Edit: we have A/C in the house but he has the thermostat locked up and the only key and added some clarification
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71points
#26
when you ignore a cost/benefit analysis and always opt for the "cheaper" option.
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69points
#27
Frugal people go above and beyond saving money, they logically limit expenditures and try and maximize income.
Cheapskates illogically limit expenditures and try to maximize income, and probably 75% of the time they are doing this to subsidize a personal expense.
Limiting your monthly expenditures to save up for a trip, college, or a slush fund for some unknown expense down the line is frugal.
Rationing an entire family's worth of electricity, water, and single use products so you can blow $450 on a part for your hobby car is a cheapskate.
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68points
#28
I know a wealthy lawyer who refuses to take showers at home because he doesn't want to use hot water - he goes to his local YMCA instead.
65points
#29
Friend of my mom's who had money and was in no way struggling at all would rinse off and reuse coffee filters, you know, the common ones that cost like $1 or so for a 200 count box.
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57points
#30
Frugal - buying your clothes at secondhand stores and looking for gently used and well taken care of items.
Cheapskate - wearing hand me downs with stains and rips in them because "they still cover you."
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53points
