How cheap are you?

[Anonymous]

It seems like the norm to me, to re-use ziplocks and plastic containers. No? Everyone I know does it...

Someone mentioned Amazon. We actually subscribe to Amazon Prime. Because we live in the city, it can be pretty time- and gas- consuming to get to the big retail outlets. So for $50 a year, we get free shipping on everything from amazon, and use it to do about 70% of our shopping.

I'm training my toddler to turn off lights. Now, if we leave a room and the lights still on, she'll point back over my shoulder and say "li'!" til I take her back and let her flip the switch.

I think "making" everyone turning off the shower until it's time to rinse is petty, not thrifty. You're not actually saving much money, but you're really reducing the pleasure of a good shower.

[zumbamama]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To OP

How happy are you on a scale from 1 to 10(highest)?

On another thread (the $400K one), there's a few describing how they spend their incomes. My question: Are they any really any happier than us poor folks ? Can someone please give me an answer.

I think you can be happy or miserable at any income. For me, its being happy with what you have and not stressing over what I don't. I don't make that much, but have so many other sources of happiness that have nothing to do with money.

[zumbamama]

Anonymous wrote:

I think "making" everyone turning off the shower until it's time to rinse is petty, not thrifty. You're not actually saving much money, but you're really reducing the pleasure of a good shower.

A long hot shower is my luxury. It's great for achy muscles, headaches, stress, colds and fatigue.

[Anonymous]

Well said zumbamama. Are you single ?

[zumbamama]

Anonymous wrote:Well said zumbamama. Are you single ?

sorry honey, happily married with 3 kiddos.

[Anonymous]

Yep, do all of those things, OP!

--Wash and reuse plastic bags and containers (including the ones you get from supermakets)
--ALWAYS eat leftovers, never waste food (I can make a roast last a week as scrumptious lunch sanwiches)
--Have partner cut my hair and I dye my own hair with the dyes I get from CVS.
--Hate spending money on fancy underwear (have probably spent $100 on underwear in the last 10 years--and that's no joke)
--Don't have a car but now that the second child is arriving we are finally looking into buying a used car and trying to find one for $1500-2000.
--Like zumbamama, I save paper towels I have washed my hands on for cleaning later.
--Don't have a dishwasher even though my husband wants one, I think we are doing fine without it.
--If I had a house and yard I would hang my clothes out on the line
--Turn the lights and heating or AC off if I'm not in the room
--I buy my clothes from thrift stores (as well as H&M), and all of my best pieces that people always comment on are the ones I bought in thrift stores. Have also bought some of my child's clothes from a thrift store when it existed.
--Half the furniture in our house is used (the other half from IKEA).
--I save unopened/unused crackers, salt and pepper sachets and napkins from restaurants.
--Buy my books from second-hand book shops

You get the idea. This list could go on and on.

And you know what? I am a VERY happy person! Probably one of the happiest people you are likely to come across in your life - and that's not to boast but simply to acknowledge my fortune in life. I have a wonderful, happy, fulfilling marriage with a man I absolutely adore and respect (and who adores and respects me despite the old, decidedly unsexy underwear I wear!), and a happy and fulfilling home and family life.

I am shocked to see that people actually think that being thrifty can make you an unhappy person. Come on, do you really think that spending big, wasting big is the key to happiness? Material comfort is important to happiness, but excess isn't. And there is so much incredible, unthinking wastage that takes place in this country that makes me sad and angry.

And, on a final note, I must admit that despite my thriftiness, I do enjoy certain little (and big) luxuries like long, hot showers and traveling and seeing as much of the world as possible (though we always stay in cheap hotels and camp too).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Shop at goodwill, ebay or craigslist

Buy in bulk and store/freeze food

Plant your own garden

Make your own bread

Go on camping vacations

Hike, walk or run instead of joining a gym

Catch water in a water barrel

Use public transportation and carpool

Go to sleep early to use less electricity (and to get a good night's rest!)

Turn the thermostat down in the winter and up in summer

Read news online

Dry clothes on a line

Insulate your house well

Get solar panels

Get haircuts at a cosmetology school

Get rid of cable and join Netflix, or watch shows on hulu

Get rid of your landline and get a prepaid cell phone plan

Use skype for long distance calls

Why are these cheap? insulating a house, solar panels, dry clothes on a line, catching water in a barrel, camping? They said environmental

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Again, there is a difference between cheap and thrifty-and when you have a little money, people find you being cheap a little annoying.

I find it annoying when people have money but are cheap or are freeloaders.

[Anonymous]

OP here again...I am glad to see there are a few others out there like me. So, I cannot do the water barrel b/c I live in a multi-story condo and have no lawn. Plus, my neighbors would get pretty pissed if I put a huge rain barrel on our balcony.

On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being highest), I would say I am a 9 -- really! I'd be at 10 if I won the lottery but I wouldn't stop being "thrifty" b/c I think it is something too deeply ingrained. I grew up seeing my parents live very very frugally, yet they are both doctors (now retired) who earned a lot of money. Nonetheless, my parents never drove fancy cars or cared about designer clothes, and my mother is cheaper than I am...she cuts paper towels into small pieces, so as not to use up a whole sheet!! I am the daughter of immigrants who came from a very poor country - I have seen how people live there and feel that as much as possible, I should not waste or over-consume. B/c my parents saved so much, they paid for my (and my sister's) entire education (college and grad school) and I left school debt-free over 10 years ago. I would like to do the same for my DD.

I do not believe material wealth = happiness, although some basic necessities are key to being comfortable. DH and I spend only 1 income, yet we both make over 100k each. I don't consider our household income "rich" in this area, but we are also not in bad shape. We live off of his income only and save/invest my entire income (and even some of his). DD was surprised after he married me, b/c he realized he spent WAY more than I did -- he used to buy electronic gadgets and other crap (in my opinion it was crap)...I never told him not to, but after he saw how frugal I was, he became frugal too. I highly recommend the CHEAP lifestye! Try it, you just may realize how little "stuff" you really need/want!!

[Anonymous]

zumbamama wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To OP

How happy are you on a scale from 1 to 10(highest)?

On another thread (the $400K one), there's a few describing how they spend their incomes. My question: Are they any really any happier than us poor folks ? Can someone please give me an answer.

I think you can be happy or miserable at any income. For me, its being happy with what you have and not stressing over what I don't. I don't make that much, but have so many other sources of happiness that have nothing to do with money.

I don't think anyone's saying that people who are thrifty are any happier or less happy than people who are not, or that anyone who's rich is happier or less happy than someone who's not. Isn't happiness a completely personal thing? The rich man's ice ain't no colder, and his sugar ain't no sweeter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'll start...I am so cheap that I reuse plastic bags/sandwich bags, as long as they aren't too dirty -- and I even rinse them out sometimes. I save plastic containers from restaurant take out for reuse later. I save bottles that my food comes in - again, to reuse later. I don't waste leftovers, but make my family eat them instead. We drive 1 beaten up Honda -- front side has a big gash, but I am too cheap to fix it b/c it doesn't affect how it runs. I buy clothes on clearance, from H&M for me or Target for the 1 kid we have. I haven't gotten a hair cut in ages, b/c I think $60 is outrageous (I know, I could get it cheaper elsewhere). I hate cleaning my bathrooms, but I am too cheap to pay for a maid. I think $20 is expensive for a dinner entree at a restaurant. I don't like buying things or getting as gifts things that have no function - in other words, I hate knick knacks and would never buy them b/c they are a waste of money (to me). I refuse to buy real jewelry -- I prefer cubic zirconia or other imposters. I told my husband not to buy me flowers or gifts b/c they are just a waste of money also. I feel I don't really NEED anything and already have too much stuff..I could go on and on....is there a personality disorder where you don't really want anything?? Like the opposite of a hoarder?

The funny thing is, we could easily afford to do all of the above, but I am totally CHEAP!! My DH is sometimes shocked at how cheap I am (but he says he loves it!)

Are there any others like me out there??

Did I write this post when I was sleeping???? Hilarious!

[Anonymous]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/11/business/economy/11cheap.html?em