Frugal funny
Three engineers and three accountants were all taking a business trip together by train. The accountants each bought a ticket, then watched as the engineers pooled their money and bought a single ticket. The accountants wanted to know how they were all going to travel with just one ticket. The engineers smiled, and one of them said, "You'll just have to wait and see."
When they boarded the train, the three engineers all crammed themselves into one bathroom and shut the door. When the conductor came around, he knocked on the bathroom door and said, "Ticket, please." One arm shot out of the bathroom handing the ticket to the conductor.
On the return trip, the accountants thought they would try the same trick. They pooled their money and bought only one ticket. They watched and noticed that the engineers didn't buy a ticket at all. One accountant asked, "How do you guys think you'll manage to ride the train without any tickets?' The engineers smiled, and one of them said, "You'll just have to wait and see."
On the train, the three accountants cram into one restroom, and the three engineers all fit into another one. Shortly after, one of the engineers leaves his restroom and goes to the room that the accountants are in. He knocks and says, "Ticket, please."
Some of us go farther than others when it comes to being frugal. Taking home ketchup and sugar packets; sneaking food into theaters; buying more than the stated limit on a sale item; taking advantage of offers several times using other names or email addresses.
What frugal practices do you think are unethical? Why? What controversial practices do you think are OK?
Let's keep it courteous and be slow to take offense. If somebody else thinks you're crossing a line but you can honestly act in clean conscience, we can agree to disagree, right?
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13 Responses to “Frugal funny”
July 1st, 2009 at 2:38 pm
Our neighborhood association pool has an annual fee, then you must buy pool passes for guests: $30 for 10 one-use passes. You are to give the pass to the lifeguard on duty, or if no one is on duty, drop it into the slot on the office door.
When the kids’ friend asked to go with us, I neglected to use our final pass. I figured it wasn’t hurting anyone.
But my boys noticed.
And then I read an article online about how children learn to lie from their parents: seeing their parents put selfishness above honesty. Ouch.
Next time we went swimming I bought another pack of pool passes. We’ll use them for the kids’ friends, and if we can’t afford more, well, we won’t be taking along extra friends.
It’s the right thing to do.
July 1st, 2009 at 8:57 pm
I sneak candy/popcorn/drinks into Movie Theatres. There I admitted it. I refuse to pay full price on snack when I am seeing my frugal (free or $3/seat) movie!
Becky
July 2nd, 2009 at 10:06 pm
I take food (usually just candy) into movies on the very rare occasions that we go. There was a story on the local news several years ago about how many people do that, even taking in pizzas and such. The theater management was a part of the story, and they didn’t seem to mind, so I think it’s ok.
The thing I waver on is whether or not it’s unethical to take coupons off of products that you are not purchasing that day. On one hand I think the coupon should go to the person who buys that particular item… on the other hand, I think many of those coupons wind up not being used, as evidenced by the expired coupons I find on things I buy periodically. I would rather someone had taken that coupon and gotten to use it than have it sit there and expire.
July 3rd, 2009 at 10:00 am
I also bring food into the theater, although not drinks.
When there is a limit on a coupon item (like Walgreens will have a coupon for two cans of soup for 50 cents, limit 6), I will sometimes have one of the Progeny buy six items using the coupon, and I will buy another six using another coupon.
However, most of my Progeny are over 18, so I don’t think they are learning anything dishonest or unethical by this.
July 3rd, 2009 at 10:14 am
To be clear, I mean I do not think there IS anything unethical or dishonest about this, especially since the other buyers are other adults in my household.
July 6th, 2009 at 8:40 am
Things I feel are dishonest:
–reading that people have freebies shipped home and to their office
–printing more coupons than the manufacturer allows by using your office or a second computer
–I agree with Amy (above), don’t take the peelies off a product
–taking things from outside a collection box for clothes and other items (I was shocked when I heard someone did this!)
That said, I used to take drinks into the movies (with twin 4 year olds, it has been 5 years since I’ve been to a theater) but always bought the popcorn (mmm…). There was not a chance I was going to pay $5 for a diet coke. I’ve been known to buy coupons on ebay (OK, buying the time someone took to collect them) but I do like to think I am ethical in what I do to be frugal. And I think most people are. In the end, let your conscience be your guide and if you can put your head on the pillow at night without thinking you did something wrong, then that’s fine with me.
July 6th, 2009 at 10:00 pm
Children always learn what they live and pass it along to the next generation, problem is it often grows. That said, I know folks who would carry things as far as the engineers just to get out of debt and I can’t say as I blame them. For almost five years now we have cut everything to the extent that I am willing to go to. However we are still in debt almost exactly the same as we were five years ago, I get most of it paid off and then an emergency sets me back again. Hospital bills etc must be taken care of. We have now gone further extremes and cut living to a friends home we have two rooms. We share food and cooking and cleaning the expenses are as low as they can go and the income has been increased as much as I can go without sacrificing our health about 65 hours each per week for us both. We have sold everything we own and have not bought anything new in for forever. Hopefully we will be able to get out of debt soon.
July 9th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
I take goodies into the movie theatre. My dd and I are have Celiac’s disease and the whole family has food restrictions, we cannot have sugar or corn in any form so that pretty much wipes out anything they sell except the $3.50 bottle of water. Sorry, I won’t pay that… I can buy a case of bottled water for that amount of $. I guess I never really saw this as unethical and still don’t. We spend a fortune at our theatre taking kids to the movies.
July 16th, 2009 at 10:09 am
I have 6 children. The oldest is 18 then it jumps to 10 down to 2. If we can’t afford to go to the theater (a WANT, not a need) then we don’t go. We also have opted to go out to eat at McD’s (very cheap compared to)before the movie with the understanding that they know they won’t get food at the theater.
My take on all things, whether frugal related or not. Would I be ashamed if my children saw me? Would I be ashamed if my husband knew? Most importantly would I be ashamed if Jesus was watching? As any Christian knows, He is. Therefore I won’t do anything that would shame Him. To do something shady such as stealing coupons, not following stated rules or using one’s health issues as an excuse is not only fooling yourself but also insulting the fact that God will provide for us in all ways.
I lived with a mother who was shady. Took everything she could from everyone. I never want my child to look at me the same way I looked at my mother. Little dishonest things make me question where does it end. Would you steal from your neighbor, your friend, or your parents? How could I trust you if you can into my home?
July 27th, 2009 at 9:57 am
Our local multi-plex movie theatre has free kids movies 3 days a week at 10 am during the summer. When there is a movie that’s okay for my kids to watch, we go (that’s been twice so far). Occasionally I do buy the large popcorn and drink for $12.00!! Crazy price. BUT, we get free refills and we share. We usually refill each item once. This means that I take 6 people (although one of the kids is a baby) to the movies for $12.00. Pretty good! Am I pushing it by sharing the refillable goodies?
July 28th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
All of those Kraft Publix-only coupons? I printed them out, even though I’m hours away from a Publix, and did a “hack job” of cutting them so that they didn’t say “REDEEM AT PUBLIX” at the bottom. I used to work at the grocery store I redeemed them at, so I know they’ll still get the money for them, so I don’t feel bad.
If I have time to kill in town, I’ll wander around the grocery stores looking for wine tags, mail-in rebates, blinkies, tearpads, etc. I won’t take more than 4 at once, though. But if there are more when I come back? I’ll grab more. Most people don’t bother to use coupons and the like, so I won’t let them go to waste. I recently picked up a total of 15 $1 off seafood winetags and used them to get $30 worth of seafood for free when they doubled those coupons. I’ll take a single peel-off one if it’s one where it doesn’t require you to buy that product.
Having worked at most of the local grocery stores, I have no problem letting my cashier know exactly what the policy is on the coupons they’re scanning through. For instance, with the store that was doubling the $1 coupons… well, coupons that start with a 5 double automatically. If they start with a 9, they do not. However, management was supposed to override any which didn’t. I had 4 $1 Mayfield ice cream coupons. The ice cream was on sale for $1.99 per carton. The coupons didn’t automatically double, but by their policy, it should be overridden so the ice cream is free. I’m not financially comfortable enough that I can afford to buy a ton of ice cream even though we like it, so I wasn’t giving up that deal. One manager tried to tell me he wasn’t going to double it, so I sent him to call the home office where he was told to double it. I have no problem making someone else’s day a bit more difficult for my benefit if I know that I am completely right.
As far as going to the movies… I don’t go often because the prices are ridiculous. And, I no longer go if I’m not carrying my messenger bag. I’ll stock it with healthier snacks from home, or stop somewhere for food to-go that I’ll bring in. The theatre managers really don’t mind as long as you don’t leave a mess. Plenty of people are still willing to pay the $5.75 they’re charging for a small popcorn.
August 1st, 2009 at 10:07 pm
Before we were married, my husband and I went to see a movie in a regularly-priced theatre. He is more frugal than I am, and insisted on bringing our own food in. He brought in a gallon of chocolate milk and a large bag of Gardettos. I’m not entirely sure how that fit so easily into his coat! Before the movie started, others around us jokingly begged for some of our chocolate milk – my husband referred them to the grocery store up the street. We did share the Gardettos, though!
As to the donation boxes, I had heard something that if they were not actually within the boxes, they were considered garbage by the city? Maybe that was inaccurate, or maybe just towards certain boxes here. I don’t know. Either way, I haven’t taken anything
But really, is it that much different than when someone puts something at their curb that isn’t garbage condition?
August 25th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
On the occasion that I buy hotdogs for my kids at Costco, I bring drinks from home for the kids to have, and take the cups that are included with the hotdogs, fill them up with the highly concentrated fruitopia juice, which I then bring home and pour into a pitcher, and double it by adding water, then we have a whole jug of “special drink”.
I also buy the refillable popcorn at the theater but usually don’t need a refill that night so I take the bag home in careful condition and the next time I go the show I bring it along and get my 1 free refill then. The bag is then marked so I don’t feel that I am being dishonest since 1 refill is included in the 12 dollar price.
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