Originally published by Donna Dunn, published on Suite101.com (Being Thrifty topic), January 2, 2001. (c) 1996-2003 Creative Marketeam Canada Ltd. doing business as Suite101.com at http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/being_thrifty/56318. Retrieved from the Wayback Machine archive (captured 2003-02-23) and reproduced here for archival purposes -- credit for the jokes belongs to the original author, not youmightbe.com.
- You've probably never wondered if you're thrifty -- you either know already, or really don't care. Still, it might be interesting to find out if your thrifty gene is dominant or recessive. So here goes. You might be thrifty if:
- Your thermostat is turned so low that when you leave your home in winter, you always have to remove some layers of clothing before putting on your coat.
- Or, you don't have to bother putting on your coat, because you're already wearing it.
- You save soap shards in a little container. And later on you actually use them.
- You really hate to take out the garbage: all that waste!
- You've made a freebies site your home or start-up page.
- You secretly enjoy sorting through your recyclables. And you hate having to throw away something that you know in your heart should be recyclable, but isn't, at least not where you live.
- You have set aside a space in your home for all the stuff you might be able to use someday.
- A full composter creates feelings of ambivalence: yes, you're happy that you've finally managed to fill the thing, but now what are you going to do with all that kitchen waste? (You seriously consider getting another composter. Or even a bunch of little composters.)
- You have more coupons than money in your wallet.
- You collect something. It may even be something that others see as having little or no value. (And if you're really thrifty, it's probably something that others see as having little or no value.)
- You have a home business, and take advantage of all the tax breaks.
- You save all those complimentary cd's from AOL and other internet companies, even though you have no intention of using them to connect online. Instead, you make a note to construct a mobile out of them.
- You already have a mobile made out of old cd's.
- You've signed up for at least one "paid to surf" type program. (I'm spending all that time online anyway: why not get paid for it?)
- You can tell at a glance if a roll of quarters has exactly 40 coins in it.
- You think aluminum cans should be considered legal tender.
- You have a budget. And you actually stick to it. (Well, most of the time anyway.)
- At least one of your New Year's Resolutions has something to do with finances.
- None of your New Year's resolutions are about finances. (That would be like making a New Year's resolution so you won't forget to breathe.)
- Your Score: If you recognized yourself at all in any of the above, congratulations! Your thrifty gene is working for you. With care and nurturing, its influence will grow in your life. If you recognized yourself a lot, then your thrifty gene is dominant. Not much effort is required to maintain a thrifty lifestyle. And if you recognized yourself 16 or more times? You may actually have too much of a good thing.