I get a kick out of 'one frugal girl' on blogspot.com, and start out many a day finding out just what she's up to. Today's post references the 'simple dollar' site, and asks the question"When is being frugal actually stealing?"

http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/01/04/when-is-frugality-stealing/

The case in point: Simple Dollar's blogmeister had the effrontery to go into a bookstore and copy elements of a recipe from a cookbook. (Apparently it wasn't the full recipe -- just a few helpful parts.) He wondered -- was that cheating, since he didn't buy the cookbook? Also mentioned: people who ordered (free) water while joining friends at a coffee shop. Or ordered water, then used the shop's WiFi.
I smiled to myself a bit, because one of my uncles is famous for clearing the table when he eats at a restaurant. All the sugar packets, etc. on the table go into his pocket before he leaves, on the premise that he 'paid' for them. Whenever an extra ketchup or sauce packet (I am a sucker for Arby's 'Horsey' sauce, incredible!) goes home, my family starts wondering...am I turning into Uncle S.?
Well, I'm not. And I don't take any more that wouldn't amply cover my sandwich. The book issue hits a bit closer to home -- as a writer, one of my sources of income is royalties from my own book sales. I honestly don't mind a bit of taking notes out of my books. I don't even mind being quoted. (Actually, it's kind of flattering.)

What does tick me off, though, is the innocent who can't believe I'd 'mind' if she photocopied 10-20 pages out of my book, then distribute them to her 20 closest friends. (The same person has no scruples about asking for extras when I hand out freebies during class, or taking 2 or 3 items, when I offer one free.) Does this person believe she's stealing? I'm sure she doesn't. But in my book...she is.

You'll want to read the post mentioned above -- and especially the comments. As of tonight, there are nearly 90. Fascinating. Some of this also brings to mind stories my mom told about living in Norfolk, VA...her then-husband was in the Navy, and rarely left her enough money. She survived by working whatever job she could find, as well as collecting and redeeming pop bottles. Sometimes the only meal she had was a bowl of hot water at the luncheonette, with ketchup, salt and pepper mixed in, for "tomato soup." And this, while she was pregnant with me -- and anybody who's been p.g. knows that most of the time, you are RAVENOUS.
Some of the people who practice this extra frugality wouldn't be able to eat any other way. I remember my mom, if I find myself getting too huffy about this subject.