Don’t Be Cheap!
There is nothing good about making it difficult for people to put food on their table.
I wish I could remember who it was that first put it to me that succinctly. It's a challenging statement that has often helped me evaluate my decision-making regarding how I spend my money. How much should I tip? Should I be asking for a better deal from this vendor? Should I pay what this book store is asking for this book, or should I go buy it from Amazon? Should I spend good money at a local restaurant or get a lot more for less at a large chain? I'm not suggesting we let people take advantage of us, but my experience has been that most people are not trying to do this. Most people are just trying to do their job and make enough money to live without worrying if they'll have enough until the next payday. We can all make choices every day that can help people succeed in this by valuing what they do for us.
When I can, I choose generosity. I can think of two reasons.
Number one is there's very little I'd like to emulate in the life of a cheap person. I once worked for a boss who lived to not pay for anything. He likely believed that was his purpose in life. When negotiating with a vendor, he would lead with, "I want you to do the first job for free," or, "I want you to give us free samples before we consider a contract." Everything needed to be free for him. While he experienced short-term gains and success, there were some long-term consequences. He would have likely described himself as clever or frugal, but no one else thought of him in these terms. The dude was just cheap! Plain and simple. Eventually, no one wanted to do business with him. Generosity and fairness help build loyalty, while stinginess drives isolation. In business, when you're in trouble, the ones you've been fair to are usually first in line to help. It's important to note here that generosity is a characteristic that, more often than not, I've seen in those who don't have a lot. They do what they can, even when it hurts.
Secondly, I do my best to choose generosity because so many people have been generous to me. There are so many examples of people in my life who have invested more resources in me than I deserved. Any former employer is probably like, "Damn right!" But, joking aside, the characteristic of generosity has a way of replicating itself in other people. There are so many people who have taken a chance on me and have been generous in their investment of time and resources. There's a humility that I'm striving for that recognizes that while I have some natural talents, I'm not a self-made man. I have had a lot of help over the years. It's a quality that builds community, fuels hospitality, and inspires vision in others. Cheap people are significantly hampered in their ability to do those things. So don't be cheap!
Friend, thanks for reading, may you live generously this week. Have a great weekend!