There are many different people from many different walks of life that will tell you about the importance of saving money. Then again, there also seems to exist a certain social stigma around the construct of “being cheap.” As a result, many folks may find themselves in a fairly sticky predicament.
I know that this kind of experience is anything but universal, but I also have a very good feeling that it’s not exactly uncommon either. Perhaps the best way to illustrate this is with an example:
Discounts and Delectables
Let’s say that you are out for a fancy dinner with your significant other. It’s the kind of restaurant where everyone is dressed up and much of the menu is in a romantic foreign language. There’s candlelight and an extensive wine list. Under these circumstances, most people pay the full price and they pay with a credit card.
Now, let’s say that you have a coupon for this fine dining establishment.
Some people won’t have any trouble at all with telling the server ahead of time that they have a coupon and they want to know if there are any restrictions. Other people, on the other hand, might feel too embarrassed to take out the coupon, especially when they are trying to impress the significant other.
Stepping It Down a Notch
This kind of scenario is particularly profound when the individual involved has grown accustomed to a certain kind of lifestyle, but has recently suffered a financial hit and needs to find places where he or she can save money. It’s not exactly “high class” to clip coupons, rummage through garage sales and line up for free coffee.
For my part, I think I fall somewhere between the two extremes and it can be very situation specific. There’s nothing wrong with clipping coupons to use at the grocery store, but the fine dining example above gives me pause; I inevitably end up using the coupon anyway, but it doesn’t come nearly as easily as the voucher for 50 cents off a tube of toothpaste.
What about you?
There was a time where I had a degree of embarrassment in using coupons in certain situations, but I have now adopted a mindset that I don’t have anything to lose but money by keeping the coupons in my pocket. If people want to look at me differently because I value saving money, so be it.
Exactly Derek, I have 2 kids to feed, cloth and raise. I’m going to advantage of any discount, coupon of freebie I can get. It’s just wise, common sense planning.
Don’t think those rich folks aren’t looking to save a buck too. I have seen it when I go to fix their computers and they are asking for a senior discount or a break because they give me a bottled water. It happens all day, every day. We all want to save a buck, but some of us won’t because our pride gets in the way.
Let me put it this way, fine dining establishments over here do not give out discount coupons in general. Maybe they do to their important clients, but at least not to man-in-the-street like me.
So I’m sure I won’t have the chance to find myself in such a sticky situation.