The Ethics of Saving Money

Wow – NEVER would’ve thought of the bathroom one! As frugal as I am, I would gladly pay extra if there was a way to control my body so I would NEVER have to use a public bathroom!!

Unethical to go to the bathroom while you are out? You have got to be kidding! If I am at the grocery and I feel the urge to go, I am not holding it until I get home just because I might use a gallon or two of the store’s water. And there is NO WAY I am getting in the car with two young children for a 30-minute drive home without them going to the bathroom first.

I am pretty sure the bathroom comment referred to ALWAYS using the bathroom while you are out to purposely avoid using your own at home. I don’t think going to bathroom once in a while in a public place was what she was referring to. If you gotta go , you gotta go.. by all means.

Yeah I don’t think we’re talking about just going when you have to go when you’re out. I think we’re talking about people who go when they don’t really need when they’re out, thinking they won’t have to go as much at home. Or someone who would hold it at home, when they know they’re going somewhere. Probably cost you more in the long run doing that, in medical problems that would accumulate over time from holding it, or from getting sick from germs they get from public toilets.

You live and learn I guess. I never heard of being able to go to the bathroom if you didn’t need to go. Someone explain to me how one accomplishes that!

The practice that some do of buying an item to use only temporarily, for instance buying a dress for a wedding, then returning it afterwards, is completely despicable. It is the ultimate in cheap and selfish. E.

littlemiss63 – you never had your mother say “Go now!” before going on a car trip or something?

Just to clarify: I wasn’t saying that it’s unethical to use a public bathroom if you need to go. I was saying that I think it’s unethical to use the bathroom when you’re out to avoid using your own bathroom when you are home. I’ve actual heard of people who have trained their kids to go at school or at stores, etc. before coming home as a way to save on the water bill. Doesn’t seem very ethical to pass the expense on to someone else.

I totally agree with lying about your kid’s age. I am a cashier in admissions at a children’s museum and people lie ALL the time! They walk up to the counter and say their kid is 3 years old, then they look at the prices and see that kids under 3 are free. Then they say, “oh I mean he’s about to turn 3.” Drives me crazy!

Well, if some one wanted to really same money on the bathroom habit, there is always behind the bushes.LOL

Really?I never heard of this stuff before.how cheap can people get.

I once purchased what I thought was a new pair of pants. When I brought it home, I found that the fabric of the inside thighs were worn down. Apparently, someone wore those pants on a regular basis then exchanged them when it was time to get a new pair.

I would much prefer to avoid public restrooms so that one is a non issue for me.
I think if you purchase more than one of an item giving a rebate, that you should be able to receive a rebate on all that you purchased, but the one rebate per address gets in the way of that. So yes, I have used more than one address on rebates. I purchased it and I should be able to get the rebate.
I always take 2 napkins in fast food joints and usually use them. If I happen to not use one, I will stick it in my purse to use later rather than throwing it away. I don’t do this to intentionaly rip them off, I just don’t want to make waste by throwing it away unused. I do not take condiments, those can be used by someone else. Noone will use a loose napkin laying on a table.
I agree with everything else.

I worked in a large department store for a few years. The scams that people run would be amazing if they weren’t so plain rotten.

One customer saved all her sales receipts and would return merchandise that was 2-6 years old. Store policy allowed her to do this for a few years. It was getting ridiculous and her store credit card was flagged for this practice. Eventually, most of the stores in the mall made all sales to her “Final.” Repeat offenders get noticed, talked about, and banned.

A dog food company recently had a promotion
where one could receive a free 4 lb bag of food for answering questions. People were sending it around to shelters and rescue groups for mass participation. When I posted that the comapany already donates lots of dog food and this was
not the intent of their promotion, therefore
not ethical, I was slammed.

OK, ok, I am guilty of the bathroom one. I always try to use the restroom at work before I go home so that I won’t have to use my own when I get home. I don’t do it with public restrooms though.
Does it help if I don’t do the other things listed?

I think where ethics are concerned, intent has to be taken into consideration. If you take a stack of napkins and handful of condiments with the intention of taking them home so as not to have to buy them, that’s unethical. Taking several napkins and ketchups, that’s normal. Who knows how many you’ll need–depends on the fries, right? How greasy, how bland, etc.

Too, one has to consider economic straits. Carol Burnett speaks of taking toilet paper from public restrooms when she was a child because they were too poor to buy it. Not ethical, perhaps, but need drives people to do things they would not otherwise do.

As for the restroom issue, I’d pretty much rather die than use a public one.

If you want to save some $$$ start looking at what people toss out to see if you can use, sell it to others, or give it away. Inexpensive resources + humans = much waste.

You will be surprised at what you find.
Good luck

We shower at the YMCA when we are there to save water/money on the bill at home. I don’t think this is unethical. Those facilities are part of your membership privileges and if you have worked out or have used the pool, you really need a shower afterwards.

Using the public restroom to save money.

I think this is a health item. If you run into lots of traffic and are delayed home. Or you are in an auto accident you can wet your pants or worse your bladder can rupture. I was told to always go before going anywhere. That includes going home from work.

I personally prefer to use my own facilities.

You have to be joking. If you take it, don’t use it, leave it on the table, as in napkins etc. the staff through it out. Take it home. As for using public restrooms. They offer this, use it if you need to. Why make people even question this. I am sure the number of people who go out of their way to intentionally use a public toilet are few and far between. Are you folks for real.

If you end up with extra napkins or condiments at a restaurant I think you should take them home and make use of them. What I’m referring to is purposely taking a big handful of napkins or condiments (far more than you could possibly need for your meal) to pad your supply at home.

I think the best way to decide if something is ethical or not is to pretend you’re the business owner instead of the customer. If your reaction to something is “Yikes, what a jerk!” that pretty much tells the story.

I worked at a GAP warehouse once. They have a refurbishing dept. where they iron, clean, etc clothes that have been returned. They take all returns and if it is so bad that it needs washed, they have it dry cleaned. It really grossed me out some of the things they took back to resale.

Just becuase you use the product does not entitle you to more than one rebate–they are offered as a promotion. When you violate the rules of the promotion, then you are cheating or perhaps more accurately, shoplifting. Coupon fraud is a multi-billion dollar business. Furthermore, you hurt other people, because when you steal from those companies, the price will get passed onto other shoppers.

LOL. Wow, I just peed a little laughing so hard when I read about using the bathroom away from home. Good thing I’m in an internet cafe. I’ll let the custodial staff clean up after me instead of using my own cleaning supplies. Whew!

How about taking the kids to Costco “for lunch”…. you know how they have samples on weekends. I think that’s unethical, especially if you get more than one sample, but people probably do it!

Along with lying about your child’s age comes using an old college ID to get the student discount at movie theaters etc. Where’s the line on that?

How about paying for one movie and staying to see 2 movies? Is that ok? They were going to show the movie anyway…. Is it ok (or not as bad) if you buy the outrageously priced popcorn and coke?

Do you take office supplies home from work for your kids to use at school? I heard businesses have to order more in the fall because they notice an increase in usage when school’s about to start. I think it’s wrong. Buy your own stuff!

That’s all I can think of for now….

This is a great thing to talk about!

Using a bathroom while you’re out to save money on your own water bill? That’s a new one. Maybe you’ve just really gotta go.

I read an article once that suggested recharging your cell phones and other rechargable items at work to save your electricity. I thought that was a little wrong. Unless it was your work cell phone. But I do it if I am at work and my battery dies, so I will have it on the way home. But I don’t make a point of ONLY doing it at work.

This discussion reminds me of a story I heard Carol Burnett tell. She was raised by her grandmother and they were very poor, so every week they went to the movies just so they could steal toilet paper from the bathroom! This story leaves me with three main impressions:

1. There was a time when a movie ticket was cheaper than a pack of toilet paper (you’d have to steal a lot to cover the cost now!)

2. Because of people like that, it’s now nearly impossible to get more than a sheet at a time off the roll (assuming there’s any in your stall to begin with!)

3. Seeing all those movies probably inspired Ms. Burnett to pursue acting and why she is now one of the greatest comediennes of all time (and I’m pretty sure she can afford to buy all the toilet paper she could ever want!)

I have considered the idea of using the shower in my office building. We don’t have a gym, so the only thing I can guess it’s there for is people who bike to work (not many people around here do that).

I do charge my cell phone at work because that’s the only time I remember to do it. I always forget at home.

i work in a c-store. you would not believe the number of mayo, mustard packets people take for one sandwich. we also use the pump bottles of soap in the bathroom, and everyday someone steals the bottle. people are always bragging about how they lie to get foodstamps,hud,medicaid,etc. makes me sick to know their is so many dishonest people in my community.

Going to the bathroom while you’re out to save money on your own water bill.

Give me a break:(

“FrugallivingGuide says:
Just to clarify: I wasn’t saying that it’s unethical to use a public bathroom if you need to go. I was saying that I think it’s unethical to use the bathroom when you’re out to avoid using your own bathroom when you are home. I’ve actual heard of people who have trained their kids to go at school or at stores, etc. before coming home as a way to save on the water bill. Doesn’t seem very ethical to pass the expense on to someone else.”

“Doesn’t seem very ethical to pass the expense on to someone else”. What do you think grocery stores, restaurants, ect do?? They PASS THE EXPENSE ONTO THE CONSUMER. WE pay for the lights, a/c, heat, water through the price hikes. WE pay the employees saleries; WE pay for the cost to get that product TO the store/restaurants ect. How do you think these places stay in business??

Also….FYI….it is impossible to “pee on demand”!!

I work at an amusement park in Southern California and daily face parents who will lie about their childrens age to save some money. What bothers me the most is when they do it in front of their children. I believe more people will lie about the age than not. So very sad to raise children that way.

What about people who throw their trash in other people’s dumpsters because they will not pay for a dump permit or trash pickup?

How about going to a fast-food restaurant that allows you to refill your soft drink for free, and keeping the cup to refill on another trip to the restaurant, later in the day, or even the next morning? To me, it just doesn’t seem right.

Forget ethics, how much do you think you are actually saving by avoiding a flush at home? Half a cent? Get real.

LOL, “ok kids, you all have to hold it until we get to Walmart… OK?”

I can never return anything. For some reason I find it very difficult even if I have just left the store. My friends, especially women, think that is not a very sensible approach. Yet, I persist.

It sickens me the way some people want to save their money?/by taking things from others. If it makes you question whether it is ethical or not, It’s Not. All some people think about is TAKING, I doubt that these people are very GIVING. If their reasons are really for the sake of their needs, then by all means take it. Just remember all of you others, it costs us all in the long run.

Ok, so the average toilet uses about 3 gal per flush. An average water rate might be around $2.30 per 1000 gallons. So if you use a public toilet once per day instead of your home toilet, you’re saving about $0.20 PER MONTH or $2.50 PER YEAR. Let’s say 5% of the population actually exhibits this bizarre behaviour (probably WAY too high, but we’ll be conservative), and suppose there’s a business that gets 500 customers per day. It’s costing them an extra $5.20 per month in their water bill.
I think this is a great list and should make people think, but come on, if someone is so destitute and poor they need to save $2.50 a year by using someone else’s toilet, they can come over to MY house and use mine!

This may be something so obvious most feel it “goes without saying”. I have found those things not said are those things some feel are okay simply because it hasn’t been mentioned.
Getting more change than required. Everyone makes mistakes. Seeing an item on sale that is incorrectly marked at a cheaper price, and not mentioning it to the cashier is NOT a bargain, it’s a steal! Pardon the pun.

Have we thought about this?
What does it say about our economy that people feel they have to do these things to save money? Or to just get buy?

How about this. Imagine, or maybe you don’t have to, that your insurance through your work is so exspensive that if you take it you will loose $200 from your paycheck and will not be making enough to buy food or pay rent, mortgage etc…so you choose not to take it, now you have no health insurance, then you find out your income qualifies for state insurance and food stamps,so you take that. Then lets say your spouse has a chance to make more money at work, but if she does you will loose your states health insurance and food stamps because your income will no longer qualify you for it, So you will have to take your works insurance, but doing so even with your spouses new income you still can’t make ends meat without the states assistance and you have kids to worry about too. What do you do? Not let your spouse take the increase, or not record the increase so you still get assitance? We are talking about feeding your kids here and making sure they have a roof over there heads.

I am not talking about those who don’t work or won’t work and keep having kids just so they can get assitance. I am talking about those people who are honestly trying, but because of property tax increases, increasing health care cost, and increase gas prices and food prices are having a hard time.
Is it unethical then? Maybe, but wouldn’t you do what ever you had to to get buy so your children have food, clothing and a roof over their heads?
Again what does that say about our economy that this has to happen?

One thing I use to do, that may be slightly unethical was to get rainchecks on out of stock sale items I didn’t intend to buy. Why? Because the store had a policy that if they failed to fill the rain check they would send you a coupon for 10% off any non-sale item in the store. I discovered this when I was attempting to buy a futon. After 3 rain checks on it I realized they never had it in stock, so I got a rain check every time it went on sale though the chains national flyer.

It bothers me when people use real stores to get samples,information or instruction from salepeople, but then go home and order on the internet. One of these times, those stores are going to close.

I feel it is perfectly ethical to steal toilet paper…at the moment I can’t afford to buy it, has anybody looked at today’s economic situation? I have a dinning plan at a university and take plates and glasses and food, but then again I did pay for the plan so I don’t really have any qualms against that. I haven’t had health insurance in over a year because I can’t afford it, what I’m getting at is that someone’s ethical is different from another’s and it really depends on how much income that person has.

i dont see anything unethical about using toilets outside.. i think of it as being really cheap but not unethical.

agree with 41.frank – if they r so desperate, they can come use mine.

btw i would avoid public toilets if i could.

Self-righteous snob here. Are you serious?

I never thought about using public bathrooms instead of your own. It doesn’t seem like it would be that great of a savings, especially if you have to drive to the public restroom.

This laundromat down the road used to have free drier use. When you washed your clothing you could then dry your clothes no charge. I used to go there to save money when I needed to do extra loads or clean my comforters. Later they started charging for drying, and when I asked around I found out people were bringing their wet clothes from home and using the diers for free. I just couldn’t imagine how people could do that to someone else. They lost alot of money over that.

When buying groceries I used to watch the amounts being rung up like a hawk to make sure all the sale items came up correctly. When I spotted a regular price coming up I’d alert the cashier and the sale price would be charged. I thought I was being very frugal. Then I discovered that the store has a policy that if the scanned price of an item is higher than it should be you get the item for free, but the trick is to say nothing at the cash register, and instead take the item and receipt to the customer service counter where they will give you a full refund. Now I still watch the amounts at the cash like a hawk, bite my lip when an error pops up, and then make a beeline for the service counter. I’ve found that some stores are notorious for “accidentally” still having the regular price in the system rather than the sale price shown on the shelf. Recently I purchased a $10 gourmet quiche on 1/2 price (the only way I would buy it). It came up at the regular price so I collected my full refund and left with a free quiche. I happened to be back in the store 2 days later and the quiche sale was still on so I decided to get a few more for the freezer. I assumed I would pay $5 each, but two days later and they still had not corrected the system to reflect the sale price. I happily took home 5 free quiches. I figure they had lots of time to correct the problem. If I’d run back for extras immediately after the first incident I’d have felt like I was taking advantage, but they clearly had no intention of correcting the problem and had likely over-charged lots of people in the meantime. I believe they count on people not driving back to the store once they discover the overpayment at home.

mmmmm…. unethical quiche…