2. Flashing Your Cash

The faux pas: You're not shy about spending money -- and you never let anyone forget it. When you're not leaving a 30 percent tip (in big bills) at a fancy restaurant, you're bragging about the cost of your suit, how well your portfolio is doing or the big check you just wrote for charity. "There are people who think that showing they have money will equate with having people like them, with being important," says Peter Post, a director at The Emily Post Institute and author of 'The Etiquette Advantage in Business.' "Really, everyone is thinking, 'What's wrong with this idiot?'"

The fix: "There's a difference between being generous and being flashy," says Post. Aim for the former by not bragging about or otherwise drawing attention to your finances. People will still notice that you paid for dinner or made a substantial charitable contribution (charities usually make sure of this by posting donor lists) -- and will like you better for not rubbing their noses in it.

Stuck making small talk with a cash-flasher? Steer the conversation to another subject, he says. Feel free to say that you think money's too serious a topic for a party (or wedding, golf game, etc.).

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