What is the difference between being thrifty and a cheapskate?

Question

I don't like restaurants because I hate having to pay a tip. Yesterday the cashier didn't give me .20 for two bags that I brought and I asked him for it! Is that petty? I don't think so. I try to respect money.

Answer 1

Being thrifty is not buying more than you need and ensuring you don't pay over the odds for it. Being a cheapskate is when you deprive yourself of anything simply to save money. I have an issue with the whole "tips" question, why should we be forced to give a tip as standard to recompense waiting staff for poor wages? A tip is supposed to be for "good or above average service", a voluntary act meant to show appreciation of the same. Perhaps if people stopped tipping, employers would be forced to give their workers a decent wage, at the end of the day it is the employers pockets we are putting money into. Having visited the USA a few times I was amazed at the number of people who expected tips simply for doing their job, I work in the public sector, I do not expect tips and no one would dream of giving me a tip, this whole issue needs looking at. Your right to your .20 (?) is far removed from the restaurants attitude of expecting tips, and refusing to go to them because of this does not make you a cheapskate in my view.

Answer 2

theres nothing wrong with being thrifty...except when it controls your life or makes other people around you miserable!(then its not worth it) if your at a restaurant and someone is serving you...you should pay a tip..thats just cheap.....!

Answer 3

Thrifty: Sewing your own socks

Cheapskate: Sewing socks for someone's Christmas gift

Answer 4

Thrifty is not spending money unnecessarily.  Being a cheapskate is when you do an unreasonable amount of work to save a trivial amount of money.  Here's an example of each:

A thrifty person carries their lunch to work most days, instead of going out.  

A cheapskate saves the plastic baggie they used for their sandwich, washes it out, and uses it again, maybe several times.

Answer 5

Only cheapskates think there's a difference.

Answer 6

Perspective

What appears as thrifty to one person is cheapskate to another. It’s like the half empty/half glass thing. You’re talking about the same thing, just looking at it as either a positive or negative thing.

Answer 7

Thrifty is spending your money wisely, it's not skimping in silly places but not spending when there isn't any need.

Cheapskate is someone who would rather skin themselves than spend any cash and will do people over just to save a few pence - not nice!

You were absolutely right to ask for your change, the cashier had no right not to give it back, irrelevant of the amount.

And if you don't like giving tips then I don't see the problem with you avoiding restaurants - totally a personal choice as long as when you do use them you leave something which you say you do so that's fine.

Additionally I think re-using plastic bags has nothing to do with being a cheapskate - what's the alternative, adding them to the ever increasing rubbish piles?

Answer 8

Really, being thrifty is the same as being a cheapskate.  It's 6 and one half dozen of the other.  It all boils down to the same thing---you have money because you are never stupid, casual, or inexact with money.  And that's a GOOD thing!

As long as you take care of your personal financial needs and those who depend upon you, I wouldn't worry about how you are viewed.  There is nothing wrong with your preferences.

Answer 9

If you believe that the current average price of a restaurant meal plus 20% is too much money, then you're thrifty.  If you'd be willing to pay the current average without tipping, but would resent having to pay a tip even if your total expense would be the same as the current average without a tip, then you're cheap.

Answer 10

About 50 cents....

Answer 11

If you don't want to pay the tip at restaurants, then don't go to them.  Its a free country.  Just stick to cafeteria style places, deli's or fast food if you have to eat out.  But a server at a restaurant is depending on that 15% tip for good service so if you get served by them and don't tip them you are doing them a dealing them a hard blow.

As far as your change is concerned - you have every right to it.  That was rude of the cashier to assume you wouldn't want your change back.  You could probably get him fired over that if you bugged his boss enough.

Answer 12

You sound "cheap" to me. I always tip a minimum of 20% of my bill because I know that is how waiters and watresses get paid. Without tips they do not make minimum wage.