You are frugal and looking for ways to save.
One day you are at a cafe/fast food restaurant and there are items like napkin, ketchup, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and other condiments that are available for customers on a stand:
- You take as many as you can to use later at home; after all they are free.
- You only take as much as you need for your coffee/meal because getting more for additional/future use would be stealing.
Life as I interpret it 
Haha, I think that’s the difference between frugal and cheap. When I worked beside a fast food restaurant (which I often frequented), I stocked up on cutlery, napkins, etc. because they always forgot to pack some. I’ll admit, after years of working there, I felt entitled to a stash because of how many years I’d been going there and that they always “forgot” to pack them in my to-go bag. I did also take extras from the work caf for the times I’d pack my own lunch but forget cutlery or (more often) dropped the first set I was using.
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In my case, I don’t think it was a case of being frugal or cheap but rather prepping for future eventualities, but I hope it doesn’t/didn’t come across as stealing!
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🙂 I must confess it took me sometime to understand your comment – lol!
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Oops sorry lol. I was commenting as I was drying my hair before work this morning lol!
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no problem – understand 🙂
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I think everyone has had this thought!
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well, possibly. I do not pick up stuff for later use, but if I had taken salt packages or napkins for consumption at the cafe but had not consumed there, then instead putting it back and potentially causing a cross-contamination, I either throw it away or take it with me and hopefully use and not waste
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When we ate takeout more often, they automatically put in extra stuff. It needed it’s own drawer and was rarely used. Now we rarely have takeout and these things seem to creep into the house somehow. Now I toss it – wasteful, I know, but I really don’t need it in the house!
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it is better to throw them away than keep them at home if there is no use 🙂 I remember I kept one or two salt packages in my purse for a year or so; never thought about using it. finally the package got ruined and that was the end of it 🙂
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and plastic spoons! Don’t get me started on all the places I’ve found them for “just in case”!!
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I have had them too! not anymore now, which feels awesome. I really push myself to use stuff rather than throwing away. but some things just need to be thown. I also have plastic cups and paper plates that I bought 6-7 years ago for a birthday. They have been staying in my closet since then. I am planning to bring them to my office next week to finally get rid of them. we have socials sometime at the workplace, I am sure they will be useful this time 🙂
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Good idea – take them to work! I know people are always looking for a cup, spoon, or plate when someone brings in leftovers on Mondays!
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