The following post is by MPFJ staff writer, Catherine Alford. Cat is a freelance personal finance writer who blogs at www.BudgetBlonde.com.
Money and morality seem to go hand in hand. From the way you report your income on your taxes to how you handle a basic return at a store, money forces us to make decisions between right and wrong every single day.
Of course, what makes things interesting is that gray area, the situations where some people would consider an action to be moral and the right thing to do whereas others might see it as a breech of an ethical code. Here are some examples:
1. Buying One Movie Ticket for Two Movies
A friend of mine really loves to go to the movies. It’s their absolute favorite past time, but movies have become outrageously expensive in the past few years. He often pays for one movie and stays inside the theater afterwards and goes to see another one. He argues that he’s a good customer, goes to the movies all the time, and that the theater is ripping people off anyway.
I tend to think this falls in the category of the wrong thing to do, but then again, I’m not much of a movie person. I’m always the girl staring blankly when people dish out movie quotes in conversation, so maybe I’m missing something. On that same note, people bring candy into the theater all the time too. I know I do, so is that any better than seeing two shows?
2. Loaning Money to a Friend
I’ve written extensively about this, and although it’s harsh, I don’t advocate loaning money to friends. In my opinion, friendships are too important to be ruined by debts. One could argue that close friends would loan money no matter what and that it’s the right thing to do. However in my experience, it adds a layer of awkwardness. I am just so in tune with my finances that when I have loaned someone money in the past, I can’t even look at them without remembering that they owe it to me. It’s probably a flaw in my character or something, but I’m just so aware of numbers and finances that it’s hard for me to let it go when someone doesn’t pay me back.
However, if you are someone who doesn’t mind loaning money to friends because you believe it to be the moral and right thing to do, then my advice would be to go ahead and make it official. Sign a contract, add some interest to it, and send statements. This might make them more likely to pay, but it also adds in a sense of business obligation, which makes things decidedly less “friendly.”
3. Returning Used Items
I recently received an article of clothing as a gift, and the giver was nice enough to include a gift receipt. I was going to return it when I got the chance, but then my mother in law ran a load of laundry and included the new outfit with it. (She was being sweet and trying to help me with my chores!)
It still looked brand new when it came out of the wash, and for a moment I briefly considered returning it anyway. Then, I thought about how I might feel if I bought something from the store that someone else had washed and returned and decided against it. However, I know that many people wear things and then return them, especially at stores like Nordstrom that have awesome return policies. Some people would argue that it’s not wrong; otherwise, why have the return policy to begin with? I just couldn’t bring myself to do it personally.
4. Fudging Your Taxes
I feel like there are so many ways to handle your taxes.
Obviously, it’s immoral to lie and cheat on them, but there are some smaller rules that people seem to break a lot. For example, lots of people love to deal in cash because it’s not traceable. Whether you’re selling something at a garage sale or paying your babysitter, chances are there are some cash items that pass through your hands every year that don’t end up on your taxes. Is this something that we should all be more aware of?
5. Giving Money to Panhandlers
On one hand, it takes a kind person to hand money to someone who is begging for it. Still, others would argue that when you give a panhandler money, they might not use in the way you had hoped. I have mixed feelings about this, and honestly, it really depends on the person and the situation. I’m much more likely to help someone who is asking for food rather than asking for money. I’m also an advocate of becoming involved and really helping someone who needs it rather than a disconnected toss of a quarter into a bucket. I’m not sure what the right thing to do is, especially if you have spare change on you, but I’m interested to hear your opinions on the topic!
How about you all? What do you think of the situations listed above? Can you think of any other situations where the difference between right and wrong is murky?
Share your experiences by commenting below!
***Photo courtesy of https://www.flickr.com/photos/psd/1806225034/in/
