Elliott Research Advocary Legal Group

Just recently, The Telegraph in the UK ran an article titled “Are your money manners socially acceptable?” The article used an interactive survey to show readers whether or not their money manners fell in line with those of other readers. The survey revealed, among other findings, that Brits think asking someone how much they earn is very rude, that using discounts is perfectly fine, and that requesting money in lieu of gifts isn’t socially acceptable.

Although manners are a little different in the United Kingdom, the survey does raise an interesting question – exactly how much money do we routinely sacrifice for the sake of politeness?

Because money can be an awkward and often uncomfortable subject, there tend to be a lot of moments where our fear of being rude or “causing a scene” leads us to make financial choices that aren’t in our best interests. Where maximizing your money is concerned, however, a little rudeness can go a long way.
Ask for what you want

My sister never gets anything exactly how it appears on a menu. Every order comes with a request for some minor substitution. She doesn’t do it to be difficult, she does it because she knows what she wants and she isn’t afraid to ask for it.

Being specific about what you want and being willing to ask for it isn’t rude. It’s smart. Why spend money on something that isn’t quite what you want? Why not at least see if you can get what you really want? If they can’t accommodate you, that’s fine. But the only harm is in not asking.