We all know people who are meticulous about their finances down to the penny. The coupon clipper mentality extends into every aspect of their daily life. Making sure, for example, a restaurant bill among friends is divided evenly to the nickle. Leaving an exact 18% tip.
This attitude about money would drive me crazy. The payoff just doesn't seem worth it. Earlier in the week, I watched a woman argue with a train conductor about having to pay a $5 surcharge because she purchased her ticket on the train -- rather than at the window or from one of the automatic kiosks. The $5 surcharge is steep relative to the $7.50 ticket price but that's the point-- to reinforce the practice of buying your ticket in advance. Sure, there are always mitigating circumstances -- a long line at the ticket booth or a broken kiosk. The conductor rarely waves the surcharge though because there is no way for him to discern the legitimacy of your excuse.
Later in the day, I had breakfast with a friend. It was early and some repair work was still being done on the premises -- it was noisy but not intolerable. Our waiter moved us to another table. We had a long and enjoyable discussion. When I asked for the check, to my pleasant surprise, the waiter added that the breakfast was on the house. We walked out with big smiles.
Win some/lose some. A sane approach to life's small change.
No comments:
Post a Comment