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How amazingly cheap are YOU?
- Thread starter cslewis
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I wouldn't say the hubby and I are the tightest wads, but we do try to be frugal when we can.
I recall a quote that goes something like "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without." That's pretty much my motto....
For example:
The hubby and I plan our dinners every week and then only buy the food for those meals during our weekly trip to the grocery store. Occasionally we'll splurge (the hubby has to have his desserts), but the list definitely helps us in not wasting food.
We order the Sunday paper so that we get the weekly coupons. The savings that come from coupons every week more than pays for the paper.
I eat lunch at home (work from home) and make the hubby's lunch (most days). If the sandwich bags aren't beyond repair we'll reuse them.
We reuse the plastic grocery bags as trash bags in our garbage cans.
We try to turn the lights off when not needed.
We turn the heat off at night. On the really cold nights we use a space heater in our room and keep that at 65. We keep the heat low and use blankets or bundle up when home and turn it off when not home. We'll use a fan in a single room rather than air condition the whole place if we can help it.
We buy store brands when we can or whatever's the better deal.
We take advantage of Sam's whenever we can.
We walk whenever we can rather than drive. When we have to drive places we'll try to maximize our drive time by getting many things done at once if they are in the same area, or plan a route so that we minimize our driving.
We search for deals on craigslist and other local listservs. The two couches we have right now were free from people looking to get rid of them. The majority of our other furniture and some of our kitchenware was either free or really cheap.
We shop at IKEA.
We take advantage of giftcards or online deals.
Etc, etc, etc.
I think you get the idea.
EDIT: We use store brands assuming they don't contain extra junk that the name brand does not...like hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup.
I recall a quote that goes something like "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without." That's pretty much my motto....
For example:
The hubby and I plan our dinners every week and then only buy the food for those meals during our weekly trip to the grocery store. Occasionally we'll splurge (the hubby has to have his desserts), but the list definitely helps us in not wasting food.
We order the Sunday paper so that we get the weekly coupons. The savings that come from coupons every week more than pays for the paper.
I eat lunch at home (work from home) and make the hubby's lunch (most days). If the sandwich bags aren't beyond repair we'll reuse them.
We reuse the plastic grocery bags as trash bags in our garbage cans.
We try to turn the lights off when not needed.
We turn the heat off at night. On the really cold nights we use a space heater in our room and keep that at 65. We keep the heat low and use blankets or bundle up when home and turn it off when not home. We'll use a fan in a single room rather than air condition the whole place if we can help it.
We buy store brands when we can or whatever's the better deal.
We take advantage of Sam's whenever we can.
We walk whenever we can rather than drive. When we have to drive places we'll try to maximize our drive time by getting many things done at once if they are in the same area, or plan a route so that we minimize our driving.
We search for deals on craigslist and other local listservs. The two couches we have right now were free from people looking to get rid of them. The majority of our other furniture and some of our kitchenware was either free or really cheap.
We shop at IKEA.
We take advantage of giftcards or online deals.
Etc, etc, etc.
I think you get the idea.
EDIT: We use store brands assuming they don't contain extra junk that the name brand does not...like hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup.
max_altitude said:When I'm buying clothes, I always try to buy them when they're on sale (it helps me justify how much some of the things I buy cost
Yeah, I buy a lot of clothes for a guy (I think), but most of it isn't expensive and I usually buy at the end of the season or something so that stuff is cheap.
blaskillet4 said:
Ditto. It's one of my pet peeves... I hate places where they expect you to pay more, no matter how was the service. As far as I'm concerned, service is part of the price of the food (or taxi fee, or whatever).
blaskillet4 said:Hmm. I'm usually never really cheap... Except when it comes to tips. 15% my ass. The only reason I ever give tips is for really excellent service, and even then its only 2-3 bucks. No matter how much I spent.
I know
DAMN you guys are cheap. Tipping is how the restaurant business works in North America. Without tips, the waiter and waitress is getting paid next to nothing. I don't think it should be 15% tips (some waiters make way too much because of tips), but I do tip around 10% and 15% if the service is good.
In countries like Australia, where we don't really leave tips, then yes, the price of the food includes the price of the service and waiter.
I tip the nice looking chicks in the bar...sometimes when i'm feeling good. I will wear the cheapest garments..i dont care as long as i save a few.
We can't be that cheap buying apple products.
Bless
We can't be that cheap buying apple products.
Bless
I used to pack my lunch when I first started school but it became a hassle. The lack of microwaves in the student union limited what I could bring plus dragging around a lunch container all day got annoying (I was at school from like 10:30 AM to 10:00 PM). I would also run out of good ideas for what to make for lunch so I just said screw it and bought my lunch
Linkjeniero said:
Essentially, you are stealing. Please don't eat at restaurants if you don't want to tip.
Abstract said:
Who said I lived in North America??
. Anyway, where I live (Chile), you're kind of expected to leave a little something in restaurants, but how much is up to you (and taxi drivers expect nothing, unless they help you with your suitcases or something like that). I usually leave around 10% if the service was OK, but if it was bad, I leave nothing... I think I shouln't; it'd be like rewarding incompetence. Also, I don't know why it has to be a percentage... What if I had caviar? (wich I wouldn't because I'm a cheap bastard ). Did the waiter work more to bring it to the table than say, a roasted chicken?
Linkjeniero said:Who said I lived in North America??
My bad. Please ignore what I said. You no far more about Chile and its social contract than I do.
In the US, however, that's not the way it works.
miloblithe said:
I'll eat wherever I want, and I'm not stealing if I'm paying what they're asking... maybe it's different in the USA and waiters really aren't paid or something, but around here they get a paycheck every month and that money comes from the price of the food, wich is a lot more expensive in restaurantes than in other places (hard to compare if we're talking about a dish, but not if you look at the price of bottled drinks and stuff like that). As I said before, I do leave a little something if I think the service was worth it, but if it didn't, I don't. And about other things... I don't know why some people expect to be paid for every little thing! I've heard of places where you need to tip a person just to get directions or something like that... I think to help a person it's just decency, and you shouldn't expect to be paid for it. But then again, maybe it's just a cultural difference.
miloblithe said:
It's ok. I guess one of the good things about this forums is learning about other cultures
.I like expensive stuff. I cant be in a pair of jeans that isnt over 100 dollars. I know its bad, but you got to admit that when you pay more for clothes the quailty is alot better and lasts longer. Same thing with shoes
I just cant stand having something cheap, like the notebooks or pens I buy for school have to be the highest quailty and highest price, or I wont feel prepared. haha
Its a habit I guess. And my parents had alot to do with it because they are exactly the same.
I think the only thing that we look for to buy cheap is airplane tickets (but I know, we only fly airbus planes because they seem to be alot nicer than boeing)
okay, I'll stop because I'm starting to sound like a snob
I just cant stand having something cheap, like the notebooks or pens I buy for school have to be the highest quailty and highest price, or I wont feel prepared. haha
Its a habit I guess. And my parents had alot to do with it because they are exactly the same.
I think the only thing that we look for to buy cheap is airplane tickets (but I know, we only fly airbus planes because they seem to be alot nicer than boeing)
okay, I'll stop because I'm starting to sound like a snob
Linkjeniero said:
dont ever eat dinner in MIAMI, FL then! 18% automatically added to check at ALL restaurants and bars... (boy was i peeved after i figured out that i tipped my waiter 40% on a $250 dinner tab)
miniConvert said:I haven't quite figured this out yet. I save plastic bags, but I also buy bin liners for my pedal pin. The result? I have thousands of plastic bags shoved down a corner out the way in my kitchen. I'd recycle them but the local collection doesn't include them and I can't be bothered to take them anywhere
Someone come collect my plastic bags?
I have the exact same problem! I do use the plastic bags from the grocery store for my small bathroom trash, but even so they accumulate and get totally out of control... I also have them shoved into this corner of my pantry and can't recycle them.
Funny to imagine someone else having this problem too.
On the cheapness thing, I'd say I do hesitate a bit too much before spending even small amounts of cash... I find myself not wanting to spend more than about $30-$40 on clothes at one time, and I'll only get my hair cut about 3 times a year because it's so damned expensive (I like it long anyway).
But other things I will pi$$ cash on.... I'm sort of like iBlue... I'm right there with ya on the expensive vodka/cheap juice thing!
ND
2nyRiggz said:
That's very true.
Take the case of my friend. A few months ago, he was excited about the Intel transition, and what is now the MacBook Pro. He asked me about rumors, OS X, processor architecture...
After the MacBook Pro was released, he buys a Dell.
Not just any Dell. First he found a Dell rebate, then he used a $250 credit from Amex, on top of a "coupon" he received from customer service.
It has Yonah, but I'll never understand.
As for me, it's better not to ask. I have a lot of $49 polos, $79 jeans (one pair cost $198), recently a pair of $158 cargo paints from Abercrombie & Fitch. Before your eyes pop out, I work there, so I get 30% off... but it's still a lot! Lately, I have really cut down. But those cargo pants... they are frickin' sweet!
I buy a lot of lunches on campus, but in my defense I commute about two hours each day.
My parents never really taught me money management, so I learn the hard way. Expenses are usually bad, but that doesn't stop me. Like stepping on an ant hill, it's hard to resist.
Wait, I'm the only one? I never said that.
It was a joke...
I cant stand cheap people. Example: Some friends and I will go out to a new restaraunt (maybe an Applebees type) and look at the menu. Prices for a burger will be around $7 for the meal. They will freak out and insist on going to a deli or fast food for a meal that costs $5. That pisses me off.
Haggling? Dont get me started
Haggling? Dont get me started
Raven VII said:Please. Expensive vodka = straight or on the rocks. Cheap vodka = for mixing. Expensive vodka for mixing = slap on the head for you.
in my defense the most common drink i consume are cosmopolitans. that is pretty much pure alcohol. Stoli or some other such top shelf vodka, and Cointreau... then my cranberry juice and limes are cheap.
oh and my "apple-tinis" just the apple juice is cheap. it's not like i am making screwdrivers with the stuff.
I'm so cheap that after almost two year I still have not upgraded my PB with more ram.
I purchase cloths that are on sale. Make my own lunches most of the time. Look at the food offered on campus and cannot bring myself to buy any of their $4-5 sandwiches. I always complain about the $2 an hour parking meters on campus and the fact that the meters are enforced weekends and holidays.
I purchase generic, on sale, cereal at the same time as I purchase Soy Milk. Use the plastic grocery bags as trash bags. Always looking for sales in stores. Always turn out the lights when I can and like the heater to be either off or turned down at night.
And probably more but I'm to cheep at the moment to think of them right now.
I purchase cloths that are on sale. Make my own lunches most of the time. Look at the food offered on campus and cannot bring myself to buy any of their $4-5 sandwiches. I always complain about the $2 an hour parking meters on campus and the fact that the meters are enforced weekends and holidays.
I purchase generic, on sale, cereal at the same time as I purchase Soy Milk. Use the plastic grocery bags as trash bags. Always looking for sales in stores. Always turn out the lights when I can and like the heater to be either off or turned down at night.
And probably more but I'm to cheep at the moment to think of them right now.
I do the whole reusing of the plastic bags for trash liners (and like jadekitty, for kitty litter ).
What else... twist ties! They come in handy! So all the little twist ties that come wrapped around cables/cords/loaves of bread-- mm hmm. I save them. And try to keep them away from the cats.
I look for deals. And while a lot of the time yes, it seems like you really do "get what you pay for," it's important to also realize that more expensive does NOT automatically equate quality. You've just got to know when it does and how much of a premium you're willing to shell out for.
I love my Lacoste polos. Yes, they are quite pricey. But they have nice shape, they retain their shape, they retain their gorgeously bright and bold colors, they're incredibly comfortable, etc. Likewise, I'll spring for the $6 pairs of jeans from the Gap or Old Navy but I don't expect them to last long or wear well-- they're my painting clothes.
).What else... twist ties! They come in handy! So all the little twist ties that come wrapped around cables/cords/loaves of bread-- mm hmm. I save them. And try to keep them away from the cats.
I look for deals. And while a lot of the time yes, it seems like you really do "get what you pay for," it's important to also realize that more expensive does NOT automatically equate quality. You've just got to know when it does and how much of a premium you're willing to shell out for.
I love my Lacoste polos. Yes, they are quite pricey. But they have nice shape, they retain their shape, they retain their gorgeously bright and bold colors, they're incredibly comfortable, etc. Likewise, I'll spring for the $6 pairs of jeans from the Gap or Old Navy but I don't expect them to last long or wear well-- they're my painting clothes.
mac_head101 said:I'm not a huge spender, but I'm not really a tightwad, either. I keep track of all of my money, even when I splurge on nice things. However, I do a few things that some people might consider cheap. For one thing, hot lunches always seemed like a ripoff to me. Why pay $5 for a slapped together sandwich and milk when you could make something tastier at home for $2? Second, I have this weird fetish for not throwing away plastic bags. They'll be used in my room's trashcan or something, not just tossed out into the dumpster! Lastly, haggle! You can save an incredible amount of money on items... it's a skill many Americans need to learn, IMHO.
What are some of your cheap habits?
i do pretty much all of those you mention...
better to save for rainy days...you'll never know where it will come..
Man, none of you guys are truly cheap. Why I know people that:
- Buy a tin of cookies at costco, eat all the cookies, and return the tin for a full refund.
- Cut their own hair.
- In the Guiness Book of World Records, one woman was so cheap, that although she was a multi-millionaire by today's standards, she refused to heat her food, her son had his leg amuptated because she spent too much time looking for a free clinic, etc.
Now that's truly cheap. You guys sound more frugal than anything else.
- Buy a tin of cookies at costco, eat all the cookies, and return the tin for a full refund.
- Cut their own hair.
- In the Guiness Book of World Records, one woman was so cheap, that although she was a multi-millionaire by today's standards, she refused to heat her food, her son had his leg amuptated because she spent too much time looking for a free clinic, etc.
Now that's truly cheap. You guys sound more frugal than anything else.
eh I make enough that I can afford to save money in the bank and blow a few hundred dollars here and there on un-needed crap.
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