The Rational Reminder Podcast · Thursday, September 10, 2026
Host Benjaman Felix shared his personal experience with a 'tight wad' spending quiz, noting a shift in his classification over time. He emphasized that being a 'tight wad' is not about the amount of money spent but the internal experience of pain associated with spending.
“I took it again today, and this time I was a tight wad, just barely, one point over.”
“What's interesting about this definition is it doesn't have anything to do with the amount of money you spend in any objective way, right? In other words, you could be very wealthy and be a tight wad, and you could be living on the edge of bankruptcy and be a spend thrift.”
“A tight wad is not someone who simply doesn't get much pleasure from spending. It's someone who deep down wishes they could spend more, but can't bring themselves to.”