How CHEAP are you?

Not cheap at all! I have expensive taste, unfortunately. The only thing I'm cheap about (but I consider it being "green") is re-using containers. I re-use everything! If something comes in a resealable bag, or I use a ziplock, I wash and reuse it. Same goes for plastic containers, etc. I also make all of my own household cleaners...my laundry soap costs me about $6.00 to make and lasts me almost a year!

I'm curious. How do you make the laundry soap?

Messaged you the recipe :-)

If any of you have ever read The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley (great read btw), those weird frugality habits can go a long way.

There was an example where they calculated the average cost of that little bit of toothpaste lost when you throw away the tube nearly empty instead of squeezing every last drop out. Then they multiplied the value over the course of 20 years and assumed it was invested in a fairly safe S&P 500 mutual fund returning a very modest percent.

I can't recall what the exact amount was but it was shocking - like the value of several luxury vacations. So there you go, if you want an all inclusive Hawaiian five star resort vacation, use all yer toothpaste!

I like this. I'm going to put that on my reading list.

I recently read "The American Frugal Housewife", which was written over a hundred years ago but is still a valuable book of frugal philosophy! Also, it was a free download.

I don't have one article of clothing that I've bought new, not counting underwear & socks. I wear mismatched socks because of how many I don't have a mate for anymore
I bought my first NEW pair of shoes since 1995 last month, because I needed GOOD walking shoes... & I held off 3 months until the pair I wanted went on sale

I keep veggie peelings & meat bones & make soup stock from them
I feed 2 people (one who eats enough for 2 people alone) on less than $200/month.

I don't reuse sandwich bags because I don't buy them. I bought glass containers with fitting lids for 50 cents each & I use those for leftovers, soup stock, whatever else

I use my pencil crayons until they're too small to hold by hand by using a broken eraser pen that I modified to fit a pencil crayon (& I sharpen them with a knife because they no longer fit in my pencil sharpener)

I dumpster dive all the time. It's a hobby for me.

I never buy ANYTHING new - I'd rather go without than pay full price. My dishes don't match & I don't care.


The Tightwad Gazette is my bible.

(there's plenty more that I'm forgetting - my fiance & I live comfortably on a minimum wage part time paycheck, & I'm a freelance artist so you have to know I'M not bringing in the big bucks ;D)

I honestly did this one time. I needed an umbrella for a really rainy day. I rarely use one, but that particular week was to be rainy. To cheap to buy one,I went to the public library and told them I lost a black umbrella. They showed me a plethora of lost and found umbrellas. I chose the best "quality" one and still have it to this day for free. That was 10 years ago.

So cheap that you'll take things that aren't yours. You win.

I honestly did this one time. I needed an umbrella for a really rainy day. I rarely use one, but that particular week was to be rainy. To cheap to buy one,I went to the public library and told them I lost a black umbrella. They showed me a plethora of lost and found umbrellas. I chose the best "quality" one and still have it to this day for free. That was 10 years ago.


A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Well, you've beaten me. I may be thrifty, but I will never be the level of cheap that would require me to profit off someone else's misfortune.

I just THOUGHT I was cheap, until you posted that.... I just don't buy myself new clothes and/or shoes (until they start talking to me) and often cut my own hair, lol.

me too!

I honestly did this one time. I needed an umbrella for a really rainy day. I rarely use one, but that particular week was to be rainy. To cheap to buy one,I went to the public library and told them I lost a black umbrella. They showed me a plethora of lost and found umbrellas. I chose the best "quality" one and still have it to this day for free. That was 10 years ago.

So cheap that you'll take things that aren't yours. You win.

lol

when I worked in customer service, if a lost item didn't get claimed in 3 months, it was fair game.

I got my favorite scarf that way.

that is a LOT different than going to a library & asking about lost items, then taking one not knowing if it's been there an hour, a week, or a month.

when I worked in customer service, if a lost item didn't get claimed in 3 months, it was fair game.

If it's declared fair game, then that's different. He went in and lied because he was too cheap to go buy one.

I garden so I can freeze and can food to last until the next growing season. Also raise my own chickens for eggs and chicken to fill the deep freeze. That's about all I have. LOL

This is my dream, I am always talking about moving to the country and growing my own produce, fruit trees and a few chickens-maybe a cow or some pigs (organic). It was the way I was brought up and there is nothing tastier than going outside and picking you own dinner out of the garden.

we do too! We have pork smoking in our smokehouse, chickens and a garden. We live on the coast so fresh seafood is a MUST (I don't eat meat). I think that is NOT cheap but healthy! Look at all the work it takes to get the freshest ingredients! =]

i wipe down paper plates so i can use them again.

Actual paper, or styrofoam or plastic "paper" plates?

I do shop at Goodwill and turn my nose at anything over $4.

but my mother washes out all of the ziplock baggies to reuse them....does that count? I think she's had some since 1975......

My mum does this. I throw them in the bin when she's not looking. I'll be damned if I'm taking my sandwiches into work in a bag that might have had raw chicken in it!

She'll also buy the cheapest tin foil which is a false economy anyway because you have to use twice as much when wrapping up and sandwich to stop it from tearing!

Here's a shocker - the cutting board you use may have had raw chicken on it too! Better throw it out!!
& any knives that were used to cut raw chicken!

ETA: According to your profile you're 27. You're old enough to pack your own lunch, & if you don't want to use your mom's bags, instead of throwing them out, why not just buy your own?

My friends and family always rag on me for being "cheap", "frugal" and a "bargain hunter" all the time. So how cheap am I? If I buy 2 ply toilet paper.............................I separate it to use it.

Beat that.:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

But do you still "Enjoy the go." with only the one ply?

I grow my own garden and have recently gotten into canning my foods. we would have raised chickens for eggs etc but our town does not allow this

oh no! that's sad :frown:

I was part of a movement to get chickens legalized in my town a few years ago. Handed out a lot of flyers. Stood around street corners with petitions.

We got it legalized with very little opposition!

When people went to city council meeting with reasons they thought chickens were a bad idea (noise, smell, eye-sore coops), we suggested compromises.

Up to 5 hens (only hens) are allowed. A coop cannot accumulate waste deeper than 12 inches larger than a 3 foot area (which I feel is quite lax), and it must not have "offensive" odor. All chicken enclosures must be secure top and bottom, and 20 feet from all property lines and buildiing entrances.

City chickens are the BEST!