Everyone has that person in their life that asks for a bite of their food, or for the password to their wifi, or for a t-shirt and is basically a huge mooch and if you do not- you probably are this person. If you are still unsure of whether you would characterize yourself as a mooch, here are some warning signs.
1. You borrow everything from everyone.
You have a stocked closet which half belongs to your friends and family members. However, they aren’t always aware of their generous contribution until they see you wearing their brand new this or that. You may have even worn complete outfits that consisted purely of clothing which you have borrowed. But it does not stop there, you need accessories to go along with the clothing. As well as extra food that your friend or family member might have- filling your fridge with Tupperware containers you brought back from whomever’s place, soon adding to the sink full of borrowed dishes. Your place is becoming pretty cluttered by all these accumulating “borrowed” things.
2. You owe everyone money.
“I’ll pay you back.” is a phrase that has become very familiar to you. This is often used interchangeably with “Next time, lunch is on me”. You and your friend are both fully aware that you have no intention of following through with either of these; it’s simply an understood formality.
3. You watch Netflix all the time... but you don't have an account.
Your dear friend or family member forgot to sign out, or they were generous enough to give you their password. This form of mooch behavior is one that is familiar to all of us.
4. Your friends and family have to hide things from you.
Your mom saw the mooch you would one day become and so early on mastered the art of hiding a secret stash. After more time with you, your friends will quickly catch on and learn her ways. They must, for the must protect their stash from the ever-proceeding mooch.
5. You've had a cashier cover those last few cents quite a few times now.
You had already wasted so much time spilling your pockets onto the counter, that by the time you realize you’re a few cents short the cashier will do anything to get rid of you, and offers this small kindness in return for your departure. And then you just repeat these same motions in nearly every store you go to.
6. Your friends and family are weary of letting you borrow anything when you actually ask.
Before you let this one hurt your feelings, you understand fully the reasoning behind it and still attempt to sway them- without being able to blame them if they continue to say no.
Now that you have reviewed a few of the symptoms that occur often with a mooch, you can determine for yourself whether this applies to you. Though it is likely that at least one of these applies to anyone that reads this. So, on different levels of the spectrum- we are all moochers.
