I keep hearing people saying certain things are free so they don’t have to worry about them. These people do not realize that just because something is free to them it does not mean that there is no cost.

Someone still has to pay for it in some way and then someone else can become the recipient of the awesome free goodness. I actually have two friends who fall into this group and the way that they behave just has me shaking my head.

Case 1: Electricity

I know someone who lives in an apartment complex where the electric bill is paid by management. Technically this means the rent is just very low and electricity is covered in the tenant payment but for the sake of argument, electricity is free.

This person leaves the living room, kitchen and bathroom lights on all the time.

All………………..day…………………..all…………………..night.

The maintenance men replace the lightbulbs for free so this person says if a bulb blows out all he has to do is call the office to get it replaced. I asked why he did not turn the lights off when he left for work and he said “I am not paying for it so I don’t bother.”

Really?

Just because YOU are not making a dedicated payment to the electric company it does not mean that your electricity is free. Someone is paying for it and you should not just leave lights on for no reason. This bad habit of leaving things on all day when no one is at home is also putting a giant strain on the electric grid, especially when you think of how many other people in that complex might be doing the same thing.

Case 2: Rent

I know a girl whose boyfriend pays her rent because they live in different apartments. She therefore spends her money quite frivolously because she no longer has to pay rent. She used to pay with her old boyfriend but with this new one she figures she now has $700 of ‘extra’ money to blow on clothes and shoes.

Really?

He is paying for it and as part of a couple this money is technically coming out of ‘their’ money. He could have been using that extra $700 to get food for them or even to save up to buy a house. I think that she should be saving at least part of the rent money that she is not paying because she never knows how long the relationship will last.

What happens if boyfriend loses his job and can no longer afford to pay her rent? She has gotten into the lifestyle of spending that extra money and then she will have no clue what to do in such a situation.

I think that people need to look at what they think ‘free’ means because everything has some sort of cost. Even if you are not directly shelling out a payment for something you don’t need to be selfish and waste that resource when so many other people might be needing it as well.

Free to YOU might not be free to others so please think about how your actions affect others.