Tightwad Tales

[Shawna]

I just read an article about people who are cheap, cheap, cheap. And it got me wondering, what sort of cheap people do you know?

Here's my tale: my sister visits her in-laws every summer. A couple of summers ago, my sister and her sister-in-law organized a beach BBQ for the family. My sister did the grocery shopping after it was agreed they would split the bill.

A couple of days later my sister came home, having left the grocery receipt with her sister-in-law, to reimburse her.

A few weeks later she got a small check in the mail, along with a Sunday newspaper flyer for specials at the grocery store for the weekend of the BBQ, and a note explaining that, "the tomatoes were on special at the store, so this is what I'm paying," and, "Wonder-brand hotdog buns were on sale, so even though you got the other brand, I'll only pay this much," etc.

And the kicker is the sister-in-law and her family live in a friggin' MANSION, own their own business AND the building it's in, and by no means are hurting for money.

[Levis]

Well, not to such a ridiculous extent, but... me

[MarcM]

And the kicker is the sister-in-law and her family live in a friggin' MANSION, own their own business AND the building it's in, and by no means are hurting for money.

How do you think they can afford the mansion!

[Levis]

Yeah, see? Totally understandable

[c_s_1987]

I just read an article about people who are cheap, cheap, cheap. And it got me wondering, what sort of cheap people do you know?

Me.

[MindCrime]

I read a similiar article on AOL. I'm trying to find it again, so I can e-mail it to somebody I know.

When I was in school, I knew a kid who would steal toilet paper and napkins from the school bathrooms and take it home, because his family was too cheap to buy toilet paper.

[Jenny]

I don't think I know anyone that tight, but I have known a few people I work with who hang around outside conference rooms at the end of meetings so that they can be first in line for leftover goodies. With all the cost cutting going on though, it's rare we have any meetings that provide food. I have also seen people taking bacon (with their fingers, too, not with the available tongs EWWWWW) from the breakfast bar at the cafeteria and not paying for it.

[_Laurie_]

My Father-in-Law goes over to my Aunt's house to get the newspaper after she is done reading it so he doesn't have to buy it...and he buys the reduced day old doughnuts and baked goods at the store, and....oh boy, I could go on and on with this....

[Shawna]

one of the worst ones I read about was the lady who used a cloth for toiletpaper, and just re-washed it. I wonder how many times per day she washed it.

[MindCrime]

Shawna I think I read that same article, do you happen to have a link ? I'm trying to send it to somebody I know, but I can't remember where I saw it.

[Shawna]

Here you go, Kenne.

[MindCrime]

Thanks

[MarcM]

tHERE IS NOTHING WORSE THAN INSTITUTIONAL TOILET PAPER.

[Mars88]

What's with men and their toilet paper? I bought generic once and never heard the end of it from my husband. My husband takes Kleenex with him if he knows the place has sub-par bum wipe.

I know someone whose parents were so cheap that they kept the Halloween candy that my friend didn't eat and gave it away to kids the next year.

[edna]

I´m not cheap at all but sometimes I´m broke, so once I´ve payed for the basic things (rent, power, phone) I have to borrow food, money and other things from friends and family. Even toilet paper a couple of times.

Then the next month we´re back to normal again and we go shopping for everything, and we invite our friends and throw a party...

[MarcM]

Mars, tp should never have fibers or pulp. Just a rule I follow! No textured tp for me!

[Lucky]

I wash & reuse aluminum foil, if it's still a nice sheet. The big gallon size Zip Lock bags as well.

We always splurge on the good toilet paper. No subpar paper allowed.

[Mike]

The cheapest man in history!

[MarcM]

tHAT WAS GREAT, mICKEY! tWO CLASSIC PERSONALITIES.

[Shawna]

my mom used to re-use gift wrap, and she used the old newspapers for "firewood" and to wrap gifts in, also. This was not because she was a tightwad, however... it was out of necessity.

I use both sides of a piece of print paper before I shred it. And then I use it for packing boxes.

[Batman]

And the kicker is the sister-in-law and her family live in a friggin' MANSION, own their own business AND the building it's in, and by no means are hurting for money.

I bet they got there by being thrifty!

[Lucky]

Here's a family story. My dad is known for being thrifty (or so tight he squeaks, whichever you prefer). When I was an infant, he kept a chart on the laundry room wall, detailing how much I "cost". All the expenses that go into a baby, hospital, doctor, food, laundry, clothes, diapers, all of it. My grandparents came to visit, saw the chart, got mad, started a fight, and packed up and left for home. They didn't speak to my dad for over a year.

[Kevin]

How much did he save from that , though ?

[miamisammy29]

I just read an article about people who are cheap, cheap, cheap. And it got me wondering, what sort of cheap people do you know?

Here's my tale: my sister visits her in-laws every summer. A couple of summers ago, my sister and her sister-in-law organized a beach BBQ for the family. My sister did the grocery shopping after it was agreed they would split the bill.

A couple of days later my sister came home, having left the grocery receipt with her sister-in-law, to reimburse her.

A few weeks later she got a small check in the mail, along with a Sunday newspaper flyer for specials at the grocery store for the weekend of the BBQ, and a note explaining that, "the tomatoes were on special at the store, so this is what I'm paying," and, "Wonder-brand hotdog buns were on sale, so even though you got the other brand, I'll only pay this much," etc.

And the kicker is the sister-in-law and her family live in a friggin' MANSION, own their own business AND the building it's in, and by no means are hurting for money.

That's not just cheap....that's downright INSULTING! That is an absolute kick in the face. If I were your sister, I would return the check (maybe even throw in an extra five bucks) and never speak to the b*tch again.

I'd also throw in a few choice words, but I won't recommend them to your sister.

[Shawna]

the thing with my sister and her in-laws is that they had agreed to split the bill. So my sister went out and did all the shopping, and got hosed on the bill, since she did not get the agreed-upon half reimbursed, but a fraction of it, since the other party decided she'd spent more money than was absolutely necessary.

When we were in NOLA last year, we accepted an invite to go do dinner with our friends who we were staying with, and two of their friends who live out there. It was a ritzy restaurant. The bill was to be paid in thirds, one third for each couple.

Of course, our friends ordered a bottle of malt scotch and several other drinks, the other couple ordered some other fancy drinks, andy had a couple of jack and cokes, and I had nothing but Dr. Pepper. So whereas the meals were all equally expensive, we still had agreed on the 1/3 bit, and got soaked for 1/3 of all their expensive drinks.

However, I did not stand up and say, "Well, I have a coupon for this, and I didn't order any drinks so I'm only paying for what I ordered, etc." we just paid the bill and learned an expensive lesson for next time.