How cheap (frugal) are you?

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Feb 19, 2001
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Originally posted by: ngvepforever2
I am cheap with myself...somehow I am not cheap with other people (i.e. I offer to pay when going out with friends, give big tips, etc)

Regards

ng

Yea. I tip 15% minimum, although my friends protest. I can't do anything if they refuse to pay, but yea.

I'm cheap enough to share drinks at fast food places. I will buy LCD monitors from Fry's to test htem and return them. I will buy a temporary HD (which I just did) so I can RMA my current drive and return the temporary HD once I get the replacement from Seagate.

I go to slickdeals, I jump on crazy deals. I will get free cereal, I will get 2 cent soap bottles, etc. I will buy cheap crap and sell on ebay.

Bottom line? I'm a CHEAP ASIAN and I'm proud of it.
 

WannaFly

Platinum Member
Jan 14, 2003
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I honestly can't think of one thing that im cheap or frugal on. Clothing might be the best example, since i dont like to pay more then about $20 for a shirt or pair of jeans.
 

Childs

Lifer
Jul 9, 2000
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I wouldn't confuse cheap with bargain hunting. After all, you are spending money on things that you don't need, just maximizing your dollar. Like the poster's step mom who spend $79 on diet soda. Thats not cheap. I cheap person goes without because they don't want to spend money, even though they can afford it. Putting sugar in water and call soda is cheap. Making house guests use 1 sheet of toilet paper is cheap. Wearing clothes from the 60's that you bought used in the 60s is cheap.
 

cavemanmoron

Lifer
Mar 13, 2001
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Originally posted by: iwantanewcomputer
I never buy bathroom supplies. Every time i go on vacation with my family i Steal all the stuff on the maid's cart and fill my suitcase.


fixed,
sad.
 

yosuke188

Platinum Member
Apr 19, 2005
2,726
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I always write using tiny hand writing and squish everything togather so I don't waste paper.
 

cerebusPu

Diamond Member
May 27, 2000
4,008
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Originally posted by: Injury
The only thing I do that could really be considered cheap is making my friends/housemates pay when they do things like printing from my printer, use my stamps...

I wouldn't mind doing nothing... but there is a habit around here where if I buy something, they seem to have a sense of entitlement to it and don't bother buying their own. They think I'm an ass because I make them pay for printing... but they also think I'm an ass if, instead, we split the cost of a new toner cartridge. :roll:

When I'm on vacation, if the hotel ever offers a "free breakfast" and they have the small boxes of cereal, I take a few of them and eat them as snacks later.

I re-fill bottles of water and put them in the fridge. I don't care about bottled water. I care about having a nice cold bottle of water.

80% of my clothes come from thrift stores. It's not that I like paying 50 cents for a shirt... it's that I like NOT paying $50 for it.

When I was living in the dorms, my roommate and I would just swipe one of the giagantic rolls of toilet paper from one of the campus bathrooms instead of buying it. We mostly did this after realizing that every girl in the dorm always seemed to want to borrow a roll of toilet paper and never return the favor. Like I'm going to go knocking on someone's door... "Hey.. you know how we gave you a roll of TP? Yeah... I'm gonna need that back."

i think you win the frugalness thread
 

Engineer

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
39,230
701
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Originally posted by: Cooler
if i ever see money on ground even a penny i pick it up.

Every damn one of them. I buy very little. Spent $19.xx from November 2004 to November 2005 on stuff that I didn't need (2 sticks of ram). I eat out about 1 time every two months (unless company paid on the road trip). I'm a cheapass! :D
 

pontifex

Lifer
Dec 5, 2000
43,804
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i buy generic medicine most of the time. for instance, i buy sleep aid pills. sominex is like 10.99 for 32 tablet. the tylenol brand is like 12.99 for 32. i buy the cvs brand for 6.99.

diphenhydramine hydrochloride is diphenhydramine hydrochloride.
 

Phoenix15

Golden Member
Aug 9, 2001
1,587
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Originally posted by: pontifex
i buy generic medicine most of the time. for instance, i buy sleep aid pills. sominex is like 10.99 for 32 tablet. the tylenol brand is like 12.99 for 32. i buy the cvs brand for 6.99.

diphenhydramine hydrochloride is diphenhydramine hydrochloride.

I hear ya. I hate buying name brand stuff with a name brand price tag when there is no difference in the product. If I can tell the difference, I spend the money on what I want, but if there is no difference I think it is wastefull.

 

edro

Lifer
Apr 5, 2002
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I buy generic food at the grocery store. Eating 7 times a day will break your wallet if you aren't careful.
 

Geekbabe

Moderator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
Oct 16, 1999
32,229
2,539
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www.theshoppinqueen.com
I am a devotee of the Rossman school of fine living and a proud member of his forums.

I have a gorgous HDTV in my livingroom.. and got it for well over $200 cheaper than everybody else was paying.

My new comfort top bed is soo comfy and it was also a sweet deal.

My makeup bag and vanity are filled with brands like Smashbox, Clinque, Victorias Secret,OPI,ULTA, Sephora, bath and body works products that were free or close to it.

Hubby and son love all the free magazines I've gotten for them

I listen to my music on a great MP3 player that I got free from winning a sweep I saw posted over on Rossman's forums.

itunes ? I've won about $100 worth of codes.

Our mailbox is constantly filled with goodies large and small.

I use frugality as a way of allowing me to enjoy life fully and to share with our family and friends, the side benifit is that I've come to enjoy the thrill of finding a true deal, it's become a sport, a real hobby for me.
 
L

Lola

Originally posted by: Geekbabe
I am a devotee of the Rossman school of fine living and a proud member of his forums.

I have a gorgous HDTV in my livingroom.. and got it for well over $200 cheaper than everybody else was paying.

My new comfort top bed is soo comfy and it was also a sweet deal.

My makeup bag and vanity are filled with brands like Smashbox, Clinque, Victorias Secret,OPI,ULTA, Sephora, bath and body works products that were free or close to it.

Hubby and son love all the free magazines I've gotten for them

I listen to my music on a great MP3 player that I got free from winning a sweep I saw posted over on Rossman's forums.

itunes ? I've won about $100 worth of codes.

Our mailbox is constantly filled with goodies large and small.

I use frugality as a way of allowing me to enjoy life fully and to share with our family and friends, the side benifit is that I've come to enjoy the thrill of finding a true deal, it's become a sport, a real hobby for me.

i love your makeup bag! any tips for goodies (makeup, etc) for cheap or free? :)
 

SparkyJJO

Lifer
May 16, 2002
13,357
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I'm always digging up the best prices on stuff, but maybe that's because I'm flat broke to begin with so I am kinda forced to :p
 

LukFilm

Diamond Member
Oct 11, 1999
6,128
1
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Originally posted by: Geekbabe
I have a gorgous HDTV in my livingroom.. and got it for well over $200 cheaper than everybody else was paying.

I got my 50'' HP PL5000N plasma TV for $1,200 less than most people are paying :D
 

CyraKrin

Senior member
Dec 25, 2003
523
2
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I know someone who goes to restaurants with the ketchup pump with the dixie cups, and fills up his ketchup bottles/mustard bottles.