From Frugal to Flat-Out Cheap: 25 Red Flags of Being a Cheapskate

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Living a frugal lifestyle isn’t always easy, but it’s important not to take it too far and become a cheapskate.

If you’re constantly turning down social invites or thinking of the cheapest ways possible to save money, then you may have crossed that line from being savvy with your finances to downright stingy.

Don’t worry! We’ll be exploring the signs that you’ve gone too far with your penny-pinching so you can reign in those budgeting habits before they go too far.

Read on for insight into recognizing when your living frugally has become crossing the line from sensible saving and venturing into cheapskate territory!

#1. Grocery Store Samples

You’re crossing a line when constantly scouring the aisles for freebies and trying to fill your belly with samples instead of buying something. 

Sure, you’re technically not breaking any rules, but it’s just cheap, you know?

#2. Reuse Paper Products

Paper plates, napkins, tissues, and paper towels are for single use. But some people have decided to wash and reuse these items.

They claim that they are not only saving money but also helping the environment by not wasting paper products. It’s a win-win situation. 

Besides, who doesn’t love a good napkin with character? That ketchup stain adds a little charm, don’t you think?

#3. Visit Hotel Continental Breakfasts

Getting a complimentary breakfast is a great perk when staying at a hotel. But this crosses the line into being cheap when you eat a continental breakfast in a hotel without paying for a room.

These cheapskates walk into the hotel, acting like guests, and fill up for free before leaving again. Some are bold enough to walk in, eat, and then leave.

Others try to act as if they belong and go down a hallway first before enjoying the free meal.

#4. Steal Condiments

When eating out, cheap people will load up on extra packets of condiments, like ketchup, mayo, mustard, salt, pepper, and more.

They might even hoard napkins and plastic utensils so they don’t have to purchase them.

#5. Dumpster Dive

Some people dumpster dive for free stuff and resell it for cash. Others dumpster dive to get free stuff so they can save money.

Because of the different levels of dumpster diving, it is hard to draw the line between frugal, cheapskate, and entrepreneurial.

I know some people who check out college dumpsters at the end of the school year because students want to avoid taking large items home or paying for storage.

#6. Take Leftovers When Dining Out

Taking your leftovers after eating out is frugal. Taking leftovers from other tables crosses the line. 

One person shared the story of a friend who did this regularly, which was mortifying, so much so that they ended up no longer hanging out with the person.

#7. Water Down Liquid Soap

Do you add water to liquid soap? I’m not talking about adding some water at the end to get a few last drops out.

I’m talking about pouring half out into an empty soap dispenser and adding water to both, so now you have two full dispensers.

Some people won’t stop at two but divide it amongst five or six to make the soap last as long as possible.

#8. Wash And Reuse Ziploc Bags

Ziploc bags are another one-time-use item. But that doesn’t stop some people from washing and reusing them.

Seeing that you can buy these bags in bulk and get the price per bag down to a few pennies, you really need to be short on cash to make this one worth your time.

#9. Don’t Pay For Subscriptions

Many of us share out Netflix password with friends, but some people go above and beyond and get as many streaming services as possible for free.

One person mentioned how his neighbor runs an Airbnb. He rented it once to get the wifi password, and since he receives the signal in his house, he uses it for free.

#10. Use Magazine Samples For Perfume Or Cologne

I’ll admit that perfume can be pricey. But you can usually find even higher-end brands at discount stores. Still, some people want to avoid spending the money and will instead head to the grocery store.

They will find a free perfume sample they like and rub it on their wrists or neck.

#11. Reuse Mouthwash

This one is tied for the grossest one on the list. Cheapskates will use mouthwash to rinse their mouth, but instead of spitting it into the sink, they will spit back into the bottle to reuse for next time.

Their logic? There is alcohol in the mouthwash, and that kills the germs.

#12. Do Not Tip

While we can all agree that tipping has gotten out of hand lately with every place having a tip jar, tipping is how some people afford to live.

This is especially true for servers, who earn less than minimum wage. When you refuse to tip to save money no matter what, you are rude.

#13. Hoarding

It doesn’t matter what it is. Most cheap people are also hoarders. They refuse to throw anything away. 

Junk mail? The envelopes can double as scrap paper. Did something break? Save it, as you might be able to use the parts for something else one day.

#14. Unplugging Things When Not In Use

Some electronics draw what is known as phantom power, even when turned off. This means it still costs money as it uses a small amount of electricity even though the power is not on.

Some cheapskates, to save money, will unplug everything in the house to ensure nothing is costing them money when not in use.

A better option would be to purchase a Kill-A-Watt off Amazon and figure out that items draw phantom power and only unplug those items. This will save you a lot of money on your monthly bills.

#15. Reuse Mouth Floss

Here is the other grossest thing on the list. People who reuse dental floss. After using it, they will rinse, dry it, and save it for later.

At least they take the time to rinse it off and not let the chunks dry on the string.

#16. Returning Used Items

Returns are part of life. You cross the line when you use an item and then return it. For example, you buy an outfit for a party, don’t remove the tags, wear it to the party, then return it afterward.

It sounds like a victimless crime, but the store incurs a loss with the item.

And while you might think they can afford it with how much money they earn, realize that these add to the cost of doing business and make the items more expensive in the first place.

#17. Buy And Return Amazon Items At Kohl’s

When you return Amazon items at Kohl’s, you usually get a coupon to use in-store. The coupon could be worth anywhere from $5 to 15% off.

Some people take advantage of the system and purchase a handful of inexpensive items from Amazon with the intent of returning them all.

Then they get a handful of Kohl’s coupons to save money on what they plan to buy at Kohl’s.

#18. Never Buying Office Supplies

Office supplies, like pens, paper, staples, and more, cost little, but some refuse to pay. So they take them from wherever they happen to be.

They might take supplies from work. Or they make it a point to take pens from wherever they are.

While it is customary to take a pen you use, these people take it a step further and ask for a pen with the plan of taking it all along.

#19. Buy Movie Tickets At The Self Serve Kiosk

To reduce costs, some movie theaters have self-serve kiosks where you buy tickets. After you buy your ticket, you walk up to the usher, who scans the ticket and lets you in.

Many cheapskates have learned they can buy senior citizen tickets for a fraction of the cost. The usher usually doesn’t ask to see the ticket to ensure you purchased the right one. They simply want the bar code to scan you in, so you get away with it most of the time.

#20. Save Money At Parking Garages

This doesn’t work at all garages, but it saves people a lot of money when it does. The problem is that doing it is shady.

It works by having you take a ticket when you pull into the garage to park. When you go to leave, you grab another ticket and then scan that ticket when leaving.

So if you were parked for five hours, your ticket would show you were only there for a few minutes.

#21. Create Multiple Email Accounts

Most loyalty programs require that you use an email address to sign up. And many offer referral bonuses when you get your friends to join.

What some cheap people do is refer themselves by using different email addresses. Not only do they get the referral bonus, but in some cases, they get to use a discount code that is only valid for one-time use.

#22. Splitting The Check At A Restaurant

When dining out with friends, it is common to split the check. You can split the bill in several ways.

One way is to divide the total by the number of people. Another option is to review the receipt and pay for what you purchased and the tip.

Some cheap people will push for an even split of the bill at the start and then order a lot of food. This way, it is cheaper for them since everyone else will be paying a portion of their order.

#23. Use Self Checkout At Grocery Store

The self-checkout at the grocery store is a great way to save time. But some people take advantage of it. The most common way is with produce. Since you pay by the weight for most produce, some people will hold on to the item so that all the weight is not on the scale.

The register then charges a smaller amount because it thinks you are buying less food. Other times, people buying five of an item, say yogurt, will only scan four.

#24. Save And Reuse Restaurant Cups

Here is a classic cheapskate move. When you eat out, you keep the cup for fountain drinks. Then when you visit that fast food restaurant in the future, you don’t order a drink, but you bring your cup and fill it up for free.

Other times people will ask for a cup of water and then fill up on fountain soda instead.

#25. Save Money on Cards

Cards are expensive. So much so that I now buy cards at the dollar store because I usually get two for $1. This is a frugal way to save money.

Another more questionable option is to look at cards and find one with the saying you want. Instead of buying it, you buy a blank card and write the saying in it.

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