I’ve been called “cheap” by many people and for some reason I never get offended. In the Caribbean “cheap”, which also means frugal, is a term used to describe people who do not like to spend money or overspend on items. When I’m described as “cheap”, I usually smile and say “Ah well.” It does not bother me because I know that in order to reach my goals, I need to be “cheap.”
Funnily enough, I still manage to get everything that I need, pay all of my bills and still save a few dollars. And even though I’m not saving what I would like to, I can still put aside a penny or two.
If you’re picky about what you spend your hard earned money on, that is great. I like to look at it this way: I work five eight hour days a week. Some days I don’t take lunch and I work late to get stuff done. For all of that hard work, I get paid (even though it’s a little bit, I’m thankful). And seeing that money is such a scarce resource, I need to be very watchful of how it is spent. Because once it’s gone, I can’t get it back.
Is being “cheap” a bad thing? Definitely not. Being “cheap” calls for creativity. You must have appropriate alternatives for whatever it is you are shying away from. For example, instead of buying lunch at work, make your own and take it with you. You will be amazed at how much you can save.