What is the most cheapskate thing you have done?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I cut the plastic tubes of moisturizer, sunscreen, conditioner, etc...in half when I can't squeeze any more out and can usually get another week of product to use.

I do this too. And if it's yellow, it's mellow.

And, yes, I wash out plastic bags if they didn't have meat in them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My mom taught me to always put a little water in an "empty" spaghetti sauce jar and shake it to get all the sauce off, then add that to the already-poured-out sauce.

First time I did that with DH he was like WTF? Why are you watering down the sauce?

But I still obsessively do it.

Omg I do that too, and my DH had the same reaction. It's a habit.

I also cut lotion bottles when they're near empty to get the last drop. DH judged this hardcore when we first got together, but now he sees how much lotion is left, so he's into it too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My mother was really cheap. Would wash out plastic sandwich bags, cut paper towels in half, reuse aluminum foil, cut paper in half to reuse if there was nothing written in the bottom half, etc. She had hoarding tendencies and our house was full of stuff because she couldn’t throw anything out. She kept my clothes from 4th grade, etc.

She dropped dead in her 70s and it was awful cleaning up the mess. She saved a lot of money but did not get to enjoy any of it, too busy washing out plastic bags...

This was my thought. These stories are all so sad. So many people missing out on life while trying to game the system to save a buck. What’s the point?

[Anonymous]

Go to the toilet at work so I won't have to at home, but not public toilets (restaurants/parks, etc).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go to the toilet at work so I won't have to at home, but not public toilets (restaurants/parks, etc).

This is just strange. How does it save you money?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My mother was really cheap. Would wash out plastic sandwich bags, cut paper towels in half, reuse aluminum foil, cut paper in half to reuse if there was nothing written in the bottom half, etc. She had hoarding tendencies and our house was full of stuff because she couldn’t throw anything out. She kept my clothes from 4th grade, etc.

She dropped dead in her 70s and it was awful cleaning up the mess. She saved a lot of money but did not get to enjoy any of it, too busy washing out plastic bags...

I can't stand the idea of rinsing out sandwich bags and reusing used aluminum foil. So gross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go to the toilet at work so I won't have to at home, but not public toilets (restaurants/parks, etc).

This is just strange. How does it save you money?

Saves money on your water bill.

[Anonymous]

I am really enjoying many of these and honestly they are great practices for saving money and reducing waste - very planet friendly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My mother was really cheap. Would wash out plastic sandwich bags, cut paper towels in half, reuse aluminum foil, cut paper in half to reuse if there was nothing written in the bottom half, etc. She had hoarding tendencies and our house was full of stuff because she couldn’t throw anything out. She kept my clothes from 4th grade, etc.

She dropped dead in her 70s and it was awful cleaning up the mess. She saved a lot of money but did not get to enjoy any of it, too busy washing out plastic bags...

This was my thought. These stories are all so sad. So many people missing out on life while trying to game the system to save a buck. What’s the point?

If you had ever been poor you would get it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:During college I went to a local theater that had free refills so one week I actually bought the popcorn and saved the bin. For the next 4 years i kept the same bin and refilled like 5 times each week during my weekly movie. Staff never realized that I never paid for popcorn. I still have the same bin folded up in a box for nostalgic purposes.

walked to work in flip flops. every day!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My mom taught me to always put a little water in an "empty" spaghetti sauce jar and shake it to get all the sauce off, then add that to the already-poured-out sauce.

First time I did that with DH he was like WTF? Why are you watering down the sauce?

But I still obsessively do it.

Omg I do that too, and my DH had the same reaction. It's a habit.

I also cut lotion bottles when they're near empty to get the last drop. DH judged this hardcore when we first got together, but now he sees how much lotion is left, so he's into it too.

same here, it's amazing, like 4 people's work of suntan lotion when you switchblade open the "empty" suncreen bottle...

[Anonymous]

While in grad school I was so poor I swiped toilet paper from the library restrooms - the housekeeping staff would switch out rolls that were close to being used up with a new roll and leave the old roll out, which are the ones I used to take.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Theres a line between stealing (refills are usually just for that visit, not returning visits, for example) and being cheapskate.

Regifting, passing off gift bags, buying a kids' meal for yourself is cheapskate.

What is wrong with regifting? and reusing gift bags? My DD got so many things she will never use for her bday, so i regift them. Obviously I only do it for kids that would like the gifts.

Who doesn't reuse gift bags? Does that mean they throw them away?!

I can't remember last time i bought a new gift bag. I juse reuse all the ones we get.

We have a huge collection of Christmas ones especially (from my MIL). We've reused them over several years now. You still get the element of surprise wihtout having to feel like you've contributed to environmentla waste.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While in grad school I was so poor I swiped toilet paper from the library restrooms - the housekeeping staff would switch out rolls that were close to being used up with a new roll and leave the old roll out, which are the ones I used to take.

Someone I knew took home every used/almost empty toilet paper roll while working for a big hotel chain, this lasted her many years after retirement.

[Anonymous]

If there's just enough of a snack left for a single serving, I'll snip off the excess, clip it and pack that in my lunch, rather than putting a small portion I need a ziplock sandwich bag.

I do this with most all crackers (inner liner bag)or chips.