There is a big difference between being frugal and being cheap. In my opinion, a line has been crossed when you go from trying to be thrifty and saving your family a bit of money, to being a complete and total cheapskate.
These are my definitions of what it means to be frugal or cheap:
Being frugal means understanding the value of a dollar and making informed and thoughtful decisions regarding any purchases you make, so as to make the most of the resources at your disposal while maintaining your morals.
Being cheap means that you are solely concerned with saving money, without regard for society as a whole or your own moral standards, and are willing to even take advantage of others to reach your end goal of ultimately spending as little money as possible.
I would consider myself to be a frugal person, but not a cheap one by any means. While I have an appreciation for higher quality products, whether it be food, clothing, etc., I still always try to get a bang for my buck and find the best deals I can without driving myself into insanity over it or compromising my ethics.
To me, being frugal is more about evaluating each and every item I bring into my home and considering whether or not it’s worth it or if it’s valued to us.
I’ve found that cheap people tend to be more concerned purely about the cost of something, while frugal people are more concerned with the value it holds.
On shows like Extreme Cheapskates, some of the individuals shown take saving money to the extreme. I’ve seen people digging half-eaten food out of dumpsters to then serve to their dinner guests on that show – yuck! There is nothing wrong with trying to save money here and there, but when common sense, logic, and safety are all disregarded in the name of saving money, it’s safe to say that the compulsion to save a buck has gone too far!
I think that many people have a hard time differentiating what it means to be frugal or cheap, so I thought it would be amusing to compare some of the differences between acts of frugality and acts of cheapness in a few different scenarios.
Frugal vs. Cheap:
Groceries
Frugal – Buying high quality (perhaps even organic) food when on sale that your family regularly eats. Items like higher quality spices can mean needing to use less for the same amount of flavor.
Cheap – Buying the least expensive food you can, with complete disregard for quality or how the food will fit into your family’s diet.
Utilities
Frugal – Turning the thermostat down a few degrees at night in the winter to save money.
Cheap – Shivering from how frigid your house is all winter in an attempt to save a few bucks, not considering your or your family’s discomfort as a result.
Clothing
Frugal – Buying only clothing you truly need for your wardrobe, and even better if it’s on sale.
Cheap – Buying an outfit for a special event, wearing it with the tags still on and tucked in, and then returning to the store after.
Eating out
Frugal – Budgeting a set amount of money each month to spend on meals out with friends, and then adhering to that budget.
Cheap – Not tipping your waiter well or at all for good service just to save money.
Dinner party
Frugal – Offering to bring a dish or two to share, but bringing something that is within your price range and budget.
Cheap – Showing up completely empty-handed (I just think this is downright rude too).
Traveling
Cheap – Lying about your child’s age in order to get them into Disney World for free.
Frugal – Visiting Disney World at a non-peak time and searching for deals and coupons to use during your visit to reduce your expenses.
I realize that it is a luxury to be able to make the choice between being frugal and being cheap for some people, but most of us have the ability to be frugal without being cheap.
Let’s have some fun with this – what are some examples of frugal vs. cheap that you’ve experienced? Share them below for our entertainment! 🙂
I’m not gonna lie- I would probably lie about my kids’ age to get them into Disney for free. Disney is so overpriced!
Other than that, I’m on the frugal side. I’m willing to spend money on the things that matter in life and I don’t like being miserable. One of my friend’s parents used to spend entire winters sitting in his family room with a space heater and a coat on to save money.
Hah, Holly! It is overpriced, but I think they do a great job at keeping the park clean and maintaining the family friendly atmosphere 🙂
Yikes – being miserable is so not worth the money saved! I’m with you on that, I’m always willing to spend money for comfort.
Ha! I love how honest holly is! But I kind of thought the same thing when I read that part…but then again, I’m not sure we’ll ever take our toddler to Disney. Dang, it’s expensive!
Lol Robin! It is super expensive, but I think it’s one of those trips as a child that you remember forever. Heck, I know a lot of adults that go there without kids! I suppose it really is that magical….but saving for a few years prior to going will definitely be in order for us!
Extreme Cheapskates. There was some pretty gross things on there. I’m not sure if it was that show or another one (I love these kinds of shows, why? I don’t know.) where this guy served his guests road kill. Of course he waited until they gushed about how delicious the meal was. Now seriously, knowing how that guy was, why would you want to eat ANYTHING he put in front of you? Then they all acted all nonchalant about it. Blech! 🙁
Loved your examples. They were spot on! We took our son to Disney when he was 4. I would recommend that to anyone. He remembers it so well, even though none of our pictures came out. Experiences are definitely worth every penny. Bajillions of toys? Not so much. 🙂
Ah Kay, I think it WAS Extreme Cheapskates. I remember watching that episode too! I kind of love these shows as well….I’m also a fan of the hoarding shows. It frightens me into purging possessions ;).
Thank you! I completely agree with experiences. I was super fortunate in that my parents took us on trips to Disney and various other places, but didn’t really spoil us with toys and it is exactly how I want to raise my daughter in that regard. Experiences like family vacations help shape who we are in a positive way 🙂
Awe, you’re hating on the freegans! There are some freegan activities that make sense to me, and others that definitely do not.
Good list of comparisons, I wish more people understood the difference. I get called cheap by my coworkers a lot when what they really mean is frugal.
I would agree with that Anne! There’s some that make sense to me as well. I’ve done things like picking up an end table out of a neighbor’s garbage that I really liked and then taking it home and sprucing it up with paint, etc.
Definitely, it seems like a lot of people just lump frugal and cheap all into one.
Your examples were great!! I agree – there’s a huge difference between being cheap and being frugal. I would consider myself a frugal person. If something’s too expensive for me (like Disney World or even children’s museums) I just won’t go, haha. My kids are young and don’t really know the difference between a huge amusement park and a regular (free) park anyways!
Thanks Sarah! Absolutely, it’s probably all equally awesome to them at their ages 🙂
I love how you explain your view on the differences between the two. I totally agree! It is wise to be frugal but not cheap.
Thanks Shelby!
My pet peeve? Cheap drinking pals.
Frugal: Grabbing just one drink out to save money (and carbs).
Cheap: Accepting a round from a friend and never returning the favor.
Cheap people put their finances first — above other people’s feelings and pocketbooks — and assume their actions are forgivable because they’re trying to cut costs.
Very true Leah! It’s never okay to accept a friend picking up an expensive tab if you know there is no chance you will ever repay the favor.
Great post! Cheap – Saying you don’t want pizza so you don’t pitch in…and then eating pizza. Frugal – Spending a few minutes to find the best deal on pizza so that you and your friends save a few dollars each.
Thank you David! Oh, good example. Thanks for sharing!
I lean more toward the frugal side, mainly because I care about saving money but not at all costs.
Cheap: Refusing to go on an outing with a friend in the city because you don’t want to pay for parking
Frugal: Taking public transportation to researching affordable parking garages and buying a ticket to park online for a discounted rate.
Thanks for sharing Chonce! 🙂
Oh my goodness, this is FANTASTIC. I agree that being “cheap” is sort of like tossing responsibility to the winds and caring only about squeezing the most out of every last dollar. I love your definition of frugality– and while I could probably be even more frugal, I’m comfortable with the ways that we spend and save responsibly. Thanks for sharing this, it’s awesome!
Thank you Daisy! I could be more frugal in many aspects as well, I’m ever-evolving in that area of my life 🙂 As long as you are comfortable with how you are allocating your money, then that is something to be proud of!
Lol omg Christina this post literally made me laugh out loud. Yeah I think the worst offender of all on the list is going to a home empty handed. THAT is cheap, everyone can go to a grocery store a pick up a loaf of bread and some dip for like $5.
I think you’ve crossed the line into cheap when your buying crap lotions that resemble water or items you don’t even like cause they are on sale. But for sure in this household we are super frugal.
Glad you found it amusing Liz 🙂
Amen. At that point when you have to use a whole bottle of watered down lotion to moisturize, I think it stops being financially savvy too!
The cheap clothing idea might be unethical more than it is cheap. LOL!
Haha good point Toni!