More thoughts on is this frugal or stealing....

**threebeansalad** · 02-04-2007, 08:00 PM

Re: More thoughts on is this frugal or stealing....

1) keeping extra soap and shampoo from hotel room, during an extended stay hide the unopen shampoo in a drawer so the maid would leave new ones.

2) Going to art exhibit opening, political meetings, or other free cultural event with food. Get a free meal then quietly leave.

3) PArticipate on a get a free trial issue promotion (somtime with associated gifts), knowing with certainty that there is no chance that you will pursue your subscription.

4) Going to trade show, going around the room filling up on freebies and then leave.

I'm going to say it's OK to do all these things. I worked in hotel housekeeping when I was in high school. We were instructed to throw out any open shampoo . soaps and replace them with new shampoo / soap daily. Granted, this was just one hotel, but if they are throwing them away and you'd like them, I'd say go for it. This is never an issue for me-- I have long hair and use an entire travel-size bottle in one wash! Taking towels, soap dishes etc... now that is stealing.

The rest of the instances strike me as events where the hosts try to entice you with a freebie in order to get your business. If you know there is ZERO chance of you purchasing (ie getting a freebie from a roofer if you're a renter) then it's idshonest. However, if there is even a slight chance, then I think you're in the clear. I think we can all conjure up one memory of a time we had no intention to buy but couldn't resist after hearing the sales pitch-- which is exactly what they are banking on.

**PrincessPerky** · 02-05-2007, 12:59 AM

Re: More thoughts on is this frugal or stealing....

I never move the shampoo, and the last three times I stayed in a hotel, they still gave a new one.

I also asked for more, as I actually forgot to pack ours, they had no trouble with that.

As to the rest..you mean there is another reason to go to those things? Seriously, I wouldn't plan my life around them, and I wouldn't take stuff I wasn't going to use, but I see nothing wrong with taking freebies, the goal of the giver is brand recognition, so take the pen, lose it in public and you have done them a favor, spreading the name around. (so far as I can tell there is no need to go out of your way to lose the pen, those things have legs!)

As for the subscription, you still read the mag, you read the ads, they go their moneys worth...again it is name recognition, and after a year of free home and garden I know more than I need to about fertalizer..course it wont help my brown thumb...I also have way to many ideas on home imporovement, when I do buy stuff, I will prolly buy their kind of stuff, and I can actually name a faucet..might not buy it, but at least they got me to remember the name!

**ozzy gurl** · 02-05-2007, 04:43 AM

Re: More thoughts on is this frugal or stealing....

1) I don't know if I'd call that 'stealing', but that is very dishonest. Plus, I always take my own shampoo, so I guess it's a non-issue for me personally. But yeah, I think that would fall under stealing...barely.

2) Stealing. People have put a lot of time and hard work...and MONEY...to make it so you could enjoy not only food but a cultural event. The least you can do is appreciate what is going on in exchange for the food. I am one of those people who is behind the scenes a lot of the time, and you couldn't even imagine the people who think it's okay to get a free meal. Like I said, people worked really hard to provide that meal for you. Give a little appreciation back, okay?

3) I think most people assume that you're only pursuing the free trial. I don't think this is stealing. There's also the very slim chance that if given the right offer and if you really enjoy the product, you might sign up. That's what most people behind those trials pin their hopes on.

4) Stealing! Again, people put a lot of time and money into that! The least you can do is go around and appreciate what's going on!

**disneysteve** · 02-05-2007, 04:57 AM

Re: More thoughts on is this frugal or stealing....

1. Stealing. You are intentionally being deceptive to get items that you aren't entitled to.

2, 3 and 4. Not Stealing. These are all situations where you are being offered free stuff or free food and simply taking advantage of the offer. Nowhere does it say - free food only for those stopping to enjoy the art or free subscription only for those who will renew when the free period is over. It's called advertising and businesses do it constantly.

What about charities that send you personalized return address labels? I didn't request them and feel no obligation to make a donation but I still use the labels. I don't consider that to be stealing either. They sent them to me unsolicited. I'm going to use them.

**Broken Arrow** · 02-05-2007, 05:05 AM

Re: More thoughts on is this frugal or stealing....

I'm with Steve, although I personally would not have done any of them.

But I'm a square like that.

**GoodBuyGirl** · 02-05-2007, 05:52 AM

Re: More thoughts on is this frugal or stealing....

Most freebies offered at trade shows are plastered with company logos. You get the free ink pen or whatever and the company gets their product advertised everywhere you take and use the product.
As far as shampoo and soap from hotels. It is included in the price of the room. If you raid the maids cart for 30 bottles then that is stealing.
As far as ketchup if you have enough money to eat out then I think you can swing a buck for a bottle of ketchup at the grocery store.

**GoodBuyGirl** · 02-05-2007, 05:59 AM

Re: More thoughts on is this frugal or stealing....

Most freebies offered at trade shows are plastered with company logos. You get the free ink pen or whatever and the company gets their product advertised everywhere you take and use the product.
As far as shampoo and soap from hotels. It is included in the price of the room. If you raid the maids cart for 30 bottles then that is stealing.
As far as ketchup if you have enough money to eat out then I think you can swing a buck for a bottle of ketchup at the grocery store.

**boefixepa** · 02-05-2007, 06:40 AM

Re: More thoughts on is this frugal or stealing....

1. I personally hate the shampoo in hotels! It drys my hair out something awful. Plus I have LONG hair, so there's never enough of it. If you want it, by all means it's included in the cost of the room. It 's put there for you.

2-4 - They are offering it, so it's not stealing. It may be tacky, but it's not stealing.

**ozzy gurl** · 02-05-2007, 06:40 AM

Re: More thoughts on is this frugal or stealing....

2 and 4 ARE stealing, because you purposely go out to get freebies. It's one thing if someone mailed food through the mail for you under the pretense you look at some art. It's another thing if you make a date on your calendar to go get some free food with no intention to partake of the event the free food will be at.

**Ima saver** · 02-05-2007, 06:53 AM

Re: More thoughts on is this frugal or stealing....

Our bank have customer apprecation day and they give out free food. I also try samples at the grocery store if they are offered. I have no trouble taking home a tiny bottle of shampoo if I wanted it. I just paid $100 for a room for one night.

**LivingAlmostLarge** · 02-05-2007, 07:07 AM

Re: More thoughts on is this frugal or stealing....

I don't know. Number 1, is not stealing, but then I know when I'm going to stay at a hotel, I don't pack stuff like shampoo because I'll just use it there. #2, 3, and 4 well if you are just going for free food, it's not good. But stealing? They are sort of marketing on you. I usually don't bother because it's more time consuming trying to avoid people selling you stuff.

**LuxLiving** · 02-05-2007, 07:47 AM

Re: More thoughts on is this frugal or stealing....

1. Not stealing - providing shampoo w/a night's stay is figured into the cost of the room. Taking from the maid's cart to be used elsewhere is stealing. Taking it to use in the room because they can't seem to get themselves coordinated enough to leave some even after you've called room service five or six times, not so much. I personally bring my own shampoo with me so I'm not caught w/o any.

2-4. Eh - I don't go to the effort to go to those things, but if they are giving free food I would stay for the educational, artistic, commercial portion of their programs.

**pearlieq** · 02-05-2007, 08:04 AM

Re: More thoughts on is this frugal or stealing....

1.) Gray area. Most places would just give you extra if you ask. The hiding it so they will replace it does seem dishonest. The act of getting the extra shampoo is not stealing, in my opinion, but the way of getting it is shady. Just call the front desk or leave a note for the maid!

2 - 4.) If the event/promotion is open to the public it's not stealing but could possibly be cheap & tacky. If you're sneaking in or crashing it's definitely stealing. Really, how many pens or post-it notes does one need anyways?

**disneysteve** · 02-05-2007, 09:01 AM

Re: More thoughts on is this frugal or stealing....

Originally posted by pearlieq

2 - 4.) If the event/promotion is open to the public it's not stealing but could possibly be cheap & tacky. If you're sneaking in or crashing it's definitely stealing.

I agree. I assumed the OP was referring to events that were open to the public. If you are sneaking into a non-public event, that would be stealing.

More thoughts on is this frugal or stealing....