Oprah may be going frugal to stay down with the majority of people in this country, but that's not stopping her from enjoying her riches and sharing them with her staff. The talk show host just embarked with 1,700 of her employees on a Mediterranean cruise after having a big party in Barcelona. According to Oprah's home-town paper, the Chicago Sun-Times, Oprah is picking up the tab for the whole excursion, which could add up to about $5,400 per person.

While it might seem like any boss who doles out such a great perk to employees is a hero, the government and the press have been cracking down hard on companies that spend lavishly on their execs at corporate retreats and conferences -- to the detriment of the company finances as a whole. Oprah is doing well and so is not in line for any TARP handouts, but still, is this the best use of company money?

And what does it say about her dedication to the frugality of the average Joe, as displayed on the current newsstand issue, which picture Oprah's holding a "book" that touts "Affordable Pleasures." Let's see how you stack up against Oprah's vacation plans...