Lost Art of Etiquette

It seems that there's a lost art of etiquette these days.  Everyone is in a hurry.  Rudeness seems the norm.  People texted while walking and don't pay attention to their surroundings.  How is it that having manners can mean dollar-savings to you in the long run?

Showing kindness, saying please & thank you, and doing the little things makes you a better person, a better citizen of the United States of America and a person responsible for their money and possessions.  If you display good manners, then you are less likely to be in a fight, deal with a legal issue or spend money where preventable had you displayed good etiquette. 

Examples of bad manners:

• Bronze star medal recipient from the Iraq war is ridiculed at a local high school by students.  He works at the high school representing the military ROTC.  When I share this story with friends, family and even strangers, everyone drops their jaw in astonishment.  It's a disgrace.
• A Caucasian woman holds a restaurant door for two African-American males.  Another woman is expected to get her door while the man looks the other way knowlingly.  Chivalry has died if these women accept this act.
• A woman rudely interrupts a speaker's presentation to a group of 50 ladies to ask a question not related to the subject at hand and then proceeds to leave the room.
• A man in position of power and authority decides to use it to his advantage and belittles a subordinate by yelling obscene things at him.
• A woman gets drunk in a public group setting and falsely accuses a man of sexual assault because he refused her.
• Texting while driving is dangerous to everyone.

Etiquette in the New Economy is an interesting article that reviews how mastering certain social skills will help diffuse problems before they start.  Many have lost a job with this challenging economy, and it's challenging for the unemployed and their friend(s) to strike up conversation.  RecessionWire has some good tips on how to contend with this awkward coffee-talk. 

One great way to have financial etiquette is to pay your bills on-time or early.  No late fees or extra payments will be added on to the bill. 

Also, it is important to tip appropriately such as at restaurants, hair salons or other important areas like coat check or the NYC bathroom in the Waldorf Hotel. 

Gifts are a tricky topic, and moneyunder30 highlights some nice ideas.

If you are raising children, it's important to teach good table manners, and that starts at the family dinner table.  Stacey Bradford has a nice write-up on CBSMarketwatch. 

Cell phone etiquette while not enforced should be.  There are seven most broken rules of etiquette when it comes to cell phones.  My vote for most annoying is watching teenagers think that they are so cool as they text back and forth for 10 minutes while at a family social function.  Just leave if you are going to tune out and not be respectful of your elders.

Manners reflect our culture, and in America there are many subcultures to consider.  Corporations and/or businesses are sending employees to Business Etiquette schools so save yourself some future agony and practice good manners for when it matters.