A Trend

As my junior year of college nears its end, there is a recurring trend I have noticed about myself. A trend I do not know whether to be proud of, or ashamed of. A trend I do not know if I should be bothered by or appreciate about myself. But one thing is for sure, I hate it. The trend is simple. I am cheap.

When I go to the grocery store and need gum, I won't buy the 12 pack of Orbit if its $2.47 because I know I can get a 24 pack at Target for $3.02. When I go to a decent restaurant and prepare to leave the tip, I often struggle with whether or not to leave an additional dollar. Seriously, I will sit at the table for three minutes and consider the service I got from the waitress to determine whether or not she deserves an extra buck. Are you kidding me? This trend has been an ongoing one for several years now, but lately its seemed to gain steam.

I'm not sure why this has happened, or how it's developed. Growing up an in upper-class family, my parents have always stressed to me the importance of appreciating money. They have taught me the importance of respecting money. I think I have taken this respect too far. I think when they taught me as a thirteen-year-old to respect money they wanted for me to not spulrge on unnecessary materialistic possessions, not spend five minutes at he gas pump debating whether or not to fill up my tank with unleaded or premium. But hey, in the era of high gas prices and an unhealthy American economy, maybe my biggest pet peeve will serve some good.