That depends entirely on the rest of their decisions. Are they being "frugal" to save up for something they really want? Or are they being "cheap" to get out of paying for half of dinner? I think there's a fine line, but usually it's motive that makes the difference.

"Cheap" is the dirty, left-handed extreme side of "frugal".

"Cheap" is hiding your weed when friends come over; "frugal" is putting out just a few joints.

"Cheap" is watering down the alcohol in your bar; "frugal" is buying less-than-top-shelf stuff.

"Cheap" is hiring a streetwalker on a Monday night; "frugal" is getting a two-fer on Tuesday. 

Ha ha I'm cheap...but not because of any reason other than I am poor lol.

Cheap and frugal are very different concepts. I consider I'm frugal, because I look for offers when I'm shopping, and do all I can to save money. However, I never try to get out of paying my fair share for anything, or go to extremes to save money.

A friend of mine will slice the slices of her loaf in half to make it last longer, and make 3 or 4 mugs of tea from 1 teabag. I like weak tea, but even I only make two from a single bag. Another friend will always order the most expensive meal on the menu, and then suggest that we split the bill. He's done that so many times that we all say we'll get individual bills. That's really cheap.

Sandra Piddock (04:32am Mon, Sep 24, 2012)

Another friend will always order the most expensive meal on the menu, and then suggest that we split the bill. He's done that so many times that we all say we'll get individual bills. That's really cheap.

Has he stopped doing that then? If he knows you're not going to split it any more, does he back off and buy something cheaper for himself? I think that's beyond cheap and just disrespectful personally.

I consider myself cheap. Not because I try to weasel out of paying my fair share, but I will haggle, I will find the cheapest way to do things...

I feel like frugal has a sort of uptight stigma to it, and I'm not uptight at all, so I'm cheap lol. I'll make you a birthday card because I don't have the money to buy a real one - not because I'm too cheap to buy one, or too frugal to.

Perhaps "cheap" is finding justifications for not spending money at all, while "frugal" is finding reasons to spend it wisely ... it's the mind-set, the driving philosophy and reasons behind it.

YES!!

I am not a wise spender, I'm more of a "can I get it free? (Without someone else paying or stealing)" sort of person ha ha.

Bunny (06:16am Tue, Sep 25, 2012)

YES!!

I am not a wise spender, I'm more of a "can I get it free? (Without someone else paying or stealing)" sort of person ha ha.

Yeah, but stealing is SO much fun - it's a challenge, a bet and a dare all rolled into one! You got it - I want it! You had it - I have it! The dynamic interplay is such a Yin/Yang thing ... 

I have a couple of friends - a married couple - who are addicted to something called Freecycle, a website that is dedicated to pairing-up people who have free stuff they don't want and those who want it. Some of the stuff is pretty weird ...

Quote

AVAILABLE:

One free copy of Rev. Jimmy Jones' recipe book"Quickie Kool-Aid Quenchers"

... other stuff is more pedestrian, like old sofas and pots and pans and lawnmowers and such.

But they're so addicted to collecting free stuff that they have the Android app that pings their phones whenever something new is posted, just so they can be the first person to grab it.

Needless to say, their house often looks like a Chinese novelty warehouse that just exploded.

They're taking it away from people who actually need it .

Bunny (06:47am Tue, Sep 25, 2012)

They're taking it away from people who actually need it .

Yeah, there is that, and it isn't just them; I've read plenty of bragging posts on Facebook and elsewhere that talk about scoring an almost-new BBQ "just because we could".

Despicable, actually ...

100% agreed. I go to those sites when I can't afford things I need, or when getting them free would help me get something else I need.

My computer desks were bought from tip resale centers, and almost everything else I have is second hand lol. Not because I'm cheap but because I'm poor ha ha.

I agree with Quirky Jessi - had to give you a karma point for that one.  Frugal is spending your money wisely; cheap is getting other people to spend it for you or being a miser.  Complete difference in attitude between those two terms.  I tell everyone that I'm a tightwad, not a cheapskate.  Tightwads are frugal; cheapskates are just cheap.

QuirkyJessi (12:11pm Mon, Sep 24, 2012)

Has he stopped doing that then? If he knows you're not going to split it any more, does he back off and buy something cheaper for himself? I think that's beyond cheap and just disrespectful personally.

Yes, that's exactly what he does now. It is taking the Michael, isn't it? It's okay if it happens occasionally - if you're going out for a meal, you should order what you want, not the cheapest item on the menu. However, he always 'wanted' the most expensive meal, and it was hard to take. He's done it with all his friends, and he's finally got the message that he can't freeload any longer.

He'll also spend about three hours dong the shopping, going to several shops, and then going back to the first one because an item was a few pennies cheaper there. He doesn't seem to realise that the extra time and gas probably cancels out the minute savings. Yes, he's cheap alright.

Bunny (11:44pm Mon, Sep 24, 2012)

I consider myself cheap. Not because I try to weasel out of paying my fair share, but I will haggle, I will find the cheapest way to do things...

I feel like frugal has a sort of uptight stigma to it, and I'm not uptight at all, so I'm cheap lol. I'll make you a birthday card because I don't have the money to buy a real one - not because I'm too cheap to buy one, or too frugal to.

Yes! Because I'm someone who cares about words, I've always found frugal to be this uptight word. I mean I think being frugal is good! Mostly because I'm poor and afraid of debt. But... I don't want to be called frugal. I'm not all uptight and you know... FRUGAL.

But I agree that cheap is usually when your motive for being frugal is underhanded in some way.

Making your own greeting card instead of paying $5 for a folding piece of card-stock that features a canned sentiment written by someone who doesn't even know you is neither cheap nor frugal ...

... it's common-sense. 

I think we see the words as each having 'spins' to them. The core meaning may be the same but the spin is different.
I said to someone recently that I bought something somewhere because I was cheap and I was told that "no you are just being frugal." I said I was cheap and she said I was frugal.
I know the phrase "that cheap bastard," can be meant as kidding or insulting but it is not "that frugal bastard."
If one is doing really well financially and he or she is driving a beater, is the millionaire cheap . . . or frugal? Anyhow the two words may be close in meaning but have, if you like baggage.
The positive one says that a person knows the value of money and is not particularly flashy.
The Donald is not a frugal man. But if he pays his employees poor wages, he may be a "cheap bastard."
BTW not a fan of Trump, his persona or his politics, or his ego.
Ryder13

Ryder13 (11:08pm Tue, Nov 13, 2012)

The positive one says that a person knows the value of money and is not particularly flashy.
The Donald is not a frugal man. But if he pays his employees poor wages, he may be a "cheap bastard."
BTW not a fan of Trump, his persona or his politics, or his ego.
Ryder13

The Donald is a very cheap man if he does pay his employees poor wages. I agree with that. What I don't agree is that why would he pay his employees poor if he's rich. That's like sweatshop, and is by law, not allowed in some countries.
Cheap defined as: (of an item for sale) Low in price; worth more than its cost.
Frugal defined as: Sparing or economical with regard to money or food.
These two are different because cheap simply means, lower then regular price compared to the market price and frugal means economic markets low prices.

I think it depends on the purpose that person saves his/her money. If there's no real purpose, I would say he or she is cheap. If he or she saves all her/his mone to for example buy an aparment or a car soon, I would say he or she is rather frugal. Unfortunately, I know a few people who are thery fond of saving their money with no specific reason.

It depends on what kind of person your friend is. I save a lot of money too, but doesn't mean I am cheap. I am taught to save as much money possible because you never know what will happen to our economy. There are a lot of people don't or lose their jobs due to the recession or sequestration in which some of us called it. Saving money is the first step to survive in this kind of economy.

Does he save ALL his money (meaning not paying for anything) or he puts money into savings (after paying bills) or does he say he is saving is money so that he doesnt have to buy his round?

The first one is obviously living at home with his parents and saving might be a good way to eventually move out, the second is intelligent (and potentially frugal - spending what needs to be spent without wasting money), the last is cheap.

Frugal if there is a good reason for saving their money, cheap if they are doing it to a ridiculous level or for no good reason.

Cheap has negative connotations, frugal has neutral/positive connotations.  I consider myself frugal.