How cheap are you?

[Anonymous]

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??

[Anonymous]

OP are you for real?

[Anonymous]

OP, you are confusing cheap with thrifty. Cheap would be, say, if you saved up a gazillion dollars for your kids' college, and then s/he got into the school of his or her dreams, and you said no because you thought her dreams were not worth the dollars even though you had them and could easily part with them. THAT's cheap.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I swear, I am for real.

[Anonymous]

OP here -- ok, good point, PP. I should have made my subject: "How thrifty are you?"

If there's any others out there like me, I would like some additional thrifty tips! But, I will say, I don't have the patience to clip coupons, though I know I should....

[Anonymous]

I get my hair cut at the Hair Cuttery/Supercuts. We don't have cable. I clip coupons.

[Anonymous]

OP here -- it seems like the coupons always advertise things I don't use...I only use the coupons if they come with a product I already purchased. Which Supercuts/Haircuttery to do you go to and do you have a stylist you recommend? I am sort of afraid of going to a random person...I've done it before and just hold my breath til the end, wondering what it's gonna turn out like. SO, that's why I have avoided for so long...I do have cable, but only the very basic for reception - which means we only get the networks and CSPAN -- it sucks...really wish I had Food Network and HBO, but then I know I'd be a TV addict.

[Anonymous]

Oh no OP, please do a forum searchon the coupon wars we had around here about a month or so ago before disparaging coupons.. it's a touchy subject in some circles. (-;

[Anonymous]

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

[Anonymous]

Here's the thread on saving $$ groceries -- which diverged into coupon versus non coupon -- actually it was kind of funny in a sad, sad way (-;

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/30/42645.page#288389

[Anonymous]

Wow - 19:00 -- you've got me beat if you are for real!! I will tell you what I already do from your list:

Shop at goodwill, ebay or craigslist (sometimes)

No gym membership b/c there's a gym in my building

Catch water in a water barrel - HUH???? Gotta be sarcastic, eh?

Go to sleep early to use less electricity (and to get a good night's rest!) - I only turn one small light on at night, unless I am reading

Turn the thermostat down in the winter and up in summer -- I use NO heat in winter b/c I live in a condo that is well insulated

Read news online

Get haircuts at a cosmetology school - would love to do this but need to find one near Clarendon metro??

Get rid of cable and join Netflix, or watch shows on hulu -- I dumped netflix and now watch TV programs on the computer quite a lot...recently started renting DVDs from the library

cell phone only - no landline

Use skype for long distance calls -- yes, we do this

I still need to: use public transportation more often, make my own bread, collect my own water, buy in bulk, go camping and a few others!

[Anonymous]

OP again... wondering now if you were sarcastic, or is a "water barrel" something real that I've never heard of?

[Anonymous]

19:00 here. The list were tips but not necessarily what we do. I have heard that some people in rural/remote places or eco conscious people use a large barrel to catch water to use for baths; not sure if you should drink it though.

[Anonymous]

OP here again, looks like i am answering my own thread over and over....am I sock puppeting??? just kidding...anyway 18:59 and 19:01, thanks for the "coupons wars" threads -- like you said, parts are really funny but in a sad way!!

[Anonymous]

Forgot to mention that you catch falling rain water when it rains.