How Cheap Are You?

[Chef Jim]

I'll start.  About a month or so ago I started working from home on Fridays.  I break out my laptop this morning and my mouse doesn't work.  The batteries died and I was pissed I had to use my batteries vs the ones at the office.  

[Logic]

[Chef Jim]

Just now, Logic said:

 

See now I'm not cheap when it comes to wine.  People wonder how I'm able to retire early.  Easy.  I no longer drink. 

[Logic]

2 minutes ago, Chef Jim said:

 

See now I'm not cheap when it comes to wine.  People wonder how I'm able to retire early.  Easy.  I no longer drink. 

I splurge on four things in life:

Mattresses (you sleep on them every night, and sleep is invaluable), shoes (if you cheap out, you'll just be back at the shoe store two months later), food, and wine.

Everything else....I'm a giant cheapskate.

Edited May 7, 2021 by Logic

[PastaJoe]

I use each teabag 4 times before switching.

[Chef Jim]

Just now, Logic said:

I splurge on four things in life:

Mattresses, shoes, food, and wine.

Everything else....I'm a giant cheapskate.

 

I don't splurge on much.  Recently it was the pool and landscaping at our home in Palm Springs.  

[T&C]

There is a big difference between cheap and frugal. If someone leaves a one dollar tip for a good $40 meal with good service, that goes beyond cheap... it hits the ####### zone. I'll buy a one dollar 40 sheet lint roller from the dollar tree, or something like that no problem. Also will look briefly at sales brochures when entering a store too, usually food stores. There is also this:

 

 

 

[Rico]

I am a good tipper in restaurants, but when it comes to paying & tipping for food delivery, I will always pick it up myself instead.

[Patrick Duffy]

3 hours ago, PastaJoe said:

I use each teabag 4 times before switching.

Lol, I actually tried that, not 4 times, but reused once and tea was all light colored and like drinking colored water basically. Tried it because didn't feel like going to store just for tea bags that I forgot on shopping trip the day before. So really didn't need anything at all besides tea bags. 

 

Anyways, lol at 4 times. There's no way

Back in the day I have used picnic napkins for toilet paper a few times. I'm sure there's a few that has done that at one point another besides me.

[Patrick Duffy]

51 minutes ago, Rico said:

I am a good tipper in restaurants, but when it comes to paying & tipping for food delivery, I will always pick it up myself instead.

I will always pick it up myself anyways. I'm one of those that just doesn't trust a stranger with mine and my families food to bring to my home. Also you don't know how nasty that persons vehicle may be and also I'm the type that doesn't want people knowing where I live.

 

Just people are/can be so nasty etc you just never know. I'd rather not chance it.

Edited May 7, 2021 by Patrick_Duffy

[T&C]

2 minutes ago, Patrick_Duffy said:

I will always pick it up myself anyways. I'm one of those that just doesn't trust a stranger with mine and my families food to bring to my home. Also you don't know how nasty that persons vehicle may be and I'm the type that doesn't want people knowing where I live.

This reminds me of the old hang up call prank back in the 80's... "we know who you are and we saw what you did."

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

4 hours ago, Logic said:

I splurge on four things in life:

Mattresses (you sleep on them every night, and sleep is invaluable), shoes (if you cheap out, you'll just be back at the shoe store two months later), food, and wine.

Everything else....I'm a giant cheapskate.

i hear you re shoes. I used to be so cheap re shoes. I remember in college I had a pair of Adidas soccer-type shoes I would wear. They got a big hole or crack in the sole and water would leak in. So every morning, I would put a wad of napkins in the bottom of my shoe. At lunch, with the rain or snow soaking through that, I would replace it with a new wad. Then would do it again at dinner. 
 

all of this to avoid buying a new pair of $20 shoes! 
 

Since then, I have changed my ways and get better quality shoes and replace them when needed! 😃

[The Jokeman]

Before I make a major purchase I research it to death. Case in point me and the wife fell in love with a dining room table but the store we found it at wanted something like $549 for it. I did some digging and eventually found it at if all places Home Depot's website for $299!!

[Augie]

I’m so cheap, I refuse to pay for a new pool, or even join a club. Instead, I’ve been sneaking into @Chef Jim’s after they go to bed and when they are away. It’s true, he went first class!!!

[PastaJoe]

47 minutes ago, Patrick_Duffy said:

Lol, I actually tried that, not 4 times, but reused once and tea was all light colored and like drinking colored water basically. Tried it because didn't feel like going to store just for tea bags that I forgot on shopping trip the day before. So really didn't need anything at all besides tea bags. 

 

Anyways, lol at 4 times. There's no way

Back in the day I have used picnic napkins for toilet paper a few times. I'm sure there's a few that has done that at one point another besides me.

Believe me, it works. Tetley British blend premium black tea.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

4 hours ago, PastaJoe said:

I use each teabag 4 times before switching.

this is like my wife. She buys the same cheap stuff as you and re-uses it. 😄
 

I made a decision a while ago that if I have tea, I am going to buy the good stuff I like (tazo, republic, or even occasionally mighty leaf), and use the bag once. It may cost me an extra $20 per year— but well worth it! 

[Augie]

6 minutes ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

this is like my wife. She buys the same cheap stuff as you and re-uses it. 😄
 

I made a decision a while ago that if I have tea, I am going to buy the good stuff I like (tazo, republic, or even occasionally mighty leaf), and use the bag once. It may cost me an extra $20 per year— but well worth it! 

 

I don’t do tea, but I’d pay more than $20/year to not have used tea bags hanging around. We live well within our means, but are not terribly “cheap” or frugal. I am, however, VERY anti-clutter! Having used tea bags around would bother me.  🤷‍♂️

[DrW]

Regarding cars, I would call me not cheap, but frugal. In my 40+ years of driving, I just owned 7 cars. All of them were bought used and were at least four years old when I purchased them. And we put a lot of miles on them. My first car in the US (after I moved here from Germany) was an Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser, and we took it for trips from Rochester to the West Coast, to Florida, to Louisiana, and to Newfoundland. It died with 270,000 miles on the odometer.

Currently, I drive a 2010 Odyssey and my wife has a 2013 Honda CRV. In our upper middle class neighborhood, these are the oldest cars you will see around.

Edited May 8, 2021 by DrW

[US Egg]

Buy shoes, shirts, shorts, pants and jackets constantly, though I'm retired and they sit never worn mostly.

 

But new underwear and t-shirts, never.

[4_kidd_4]

I will drop sh*t all over the wegman’s parking lot. you’re not getting that nickel outta me when I forget my reusable bag.