Cheapscate 101!!!

[BringBackTapestries]

OK. Here's what I am after. I want to hear some of the most cheapscate things you have ever did (Disney trip related of course). Push all morals and descretion aside for just a second and lets have some fun! No bashing please!!! This is for FUN only! Weve all did things and afterwards laughed our heads off at JUST HOW MUCH of a CHEAPSCATE we were, so lets hear them!

First the rules: NO RULES! No ethics. Just fun! Just for laughs! Who can be the most obnoxious?

I'll start it off.

Went to the restaurant across from splash mountain. Ordered 1 double burger combo (double burger and fries) and 4 waters. The man messed up and gave me 2 double burger combos (I honestly tried telling him that I only ordered one, but he insisted he was right, so I didnt argue any further.) I took the 2 combos to the salad-bar and removed the burgers from the trays and placed them on a napkin. I then made 2 HUGE (and I mean HUGE) salads off of the fixins bar consisting of lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, cheesesauce, pickles, and marinated onions. Sounds nasty, but it was AWESOME!!! Then took the waters back to the bar and made lemonade from the lemons for tea that were there. My family of four ate for about 6 bucks and ate till we were stuffed!!!

I wouldnt do this today, at least not on that scale at least, but we were flat broke at the time, and it was fun! Especially watching other peoples shocked faces as I walked back to the table!!!

Here's another one... I saw a group of people wearing the mouse ears, only they were the pet ears!!! (Mickey ears made for your dog or cat) They are like half the price but look silly when stretched over a persons head, as the ears are much smaller. I paid for the normal ones, but got a good laugh out of the people walking around the park with dog ears. I'm not that cheap! LOL (Course after the salad/fixins bar, maybe I am)

Quote (Mr Crabbs..Spongebob) "Thats right! I am cheap! Money Money Money!"

 

[GoofItUp]

Well, I didn't do this on a Disney trip....but I guess a person could.

On our cruise last summer, there was a great picture of DH and I during the muster drill. I certainly was not going to pay $10 for this picture, but I thought it was cute and wanted a snapshot for the scrapbook, so I put it in a well-lit area of the photo section and took my own picture of it! It had a bit of a glare on it, but was perfect for the scrapbook. And, I've had a great time telling the story....my friends get a kick out of it!

I did buy some of the other pictures while I was there, though!

 

[4formickey]

I down loaded an image of mickey and minnie behind a wheel of a boat, went to the store got our t-shirts for $3.99, picked up some blank iron on from the store and made our on t-shirts. We have always gone to the time share people and got the reduce price tickets. Booking a small size car for pick up late in the day and getting a free upgrade.

 

[gary4jenn]

Ok- I bring my own oatmeal and make it in the food court microwave. I have to admit I was embarrassed at first, but then I'd see all the kid's who didn't eat their food that was purchased in the food court.

I did get some looks but for all I know they might have been thinking how smart I was and that I just served 4 kids breakfast for about $2.

I bring a little brown sugar and raisins and get milk and fruit at the free 30 min. grocery stop from the airport so we can get by pretty cheap.

 

[mum of two pirates]

We are going next christmas and today I was looking at the laughing place web sight at all the cool pic frames, and I thought there asre so many that I want, that I think I will take a pic of all of them when I get there then have the film dev. into 5x7's and then cut out the insides and put a 4x6 pic in them for my scapbook. I get all the pic frames but they are in my scapbook instead of on the walls.

 

[marriedmarylander]

Well, I didn't do this on a Disney trip....but I guess a person could.

On our cruise last summer, there was a great picture of DH and I during the muster drill. I certainly was not going to pay $10 for this picture, but I thought it was cute and wanted a snapshot for the scrapbook, so I put it in a well-lit area of the photo section and took my own picture of it! It had a bit of a glare on it, but was perfect for the scrapbook. And, I've had a great time telling the story....my friends get a kick out of it!

I did buy some of the other pictures while I was there, though!

I did that too! On a luau in Hawaii they wanted $20 for a picture. I took a picture myself! We went to other events though where they didn't let you get close enough to see the photos so no pic of those. Oh , well. The picture of the picture turned out great

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

When I was a teenager--we stayed at Poly concierge.

So we had breakfast in the lounge---and then stocked our bags with to go and headed to the parks.

Our parents rule was with them--they bought our food....away from them, our spending money bought it.

We found at the snack bar in the game room of the contemporary, we could get yummy PB&J kids meals (Before they went to the packaged crustless), chips, soda, and a cookie for super cheap.

This was in 1992...I feel know shame as it was our best family vacation ever (especially eating room service pizza at the poly with cloth napkins).

 

[Cindy B]

Ok.. here it goes.

We went to a Universal/IOA/Seaworld/Wet n Wild trip back in 2001.

Our hotel had a free newspaper. In the newspaper there was a 99 cent coupon for a full meal at Popeyes. I found four newspapers in the lobby that were tossed around.. and got four coupons. Got a full dinner for four people for $4.

At WDW, our first trip was definetely a budget trip. I remember packing the cooler and putting frozen foods in the micro at All Star Sports and eating it. My kids did not care at all!

 

[angeleigh]

Well - this isn't really Disney specific , but it is a great way to get big discounts/free trips for people that enjoy travel and are very flexible with travel plans ( read this adults without kids) .
Book flights based on the shortest possible time between connections. (best to travel during busy times like July -August or December). A couple weeks before you leave request different seat assignments - this will release your confirmed seats - but never select new seats. This will virtually assure you of being "bumped" from your connecting flight. (tip - if any member of your party gets "bumped" then you can request all be bumped). When you get bumped you will be rerouted on another flight to your destination - and recieve vouchers for future flights. If you are "voluntarily" bumped it will be for a "free upgrade" or or offered a $100 voucher or some other smaller thing for a future flight, if you are involuntarily bumped don't settle for anything less than free no restrictions roundtrip tickets for future travel (which is a reasonable request even on voluntary bump and one they will give you as long as you ask politely and quietly without making a huge fuss that attracts the attention of the other stranded travelers accepting a $50 voucher and free lunch).
I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS IF YOU ARE TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN !!!! The rerouted trips can be ....uh.. long.
But it was a lot of fun and saved a lot of money when we were young adults and not too worried about when we got somewhere or when we got back.....

 

[sanctus]

Not Disney related, but I think the ultimate cheapskate story.

I was very nearly born in the hospital parking lot, because my parents wouldn't go in until *after midnight so they wouldn't have to pay for the extra day.

 

[goofyforlife]

My mom is a big cheapskate... (and often embarrassed us by her frugalism)

Back in the late 70's-early 80's, she always made us stay at the campground but she would take us to swim at the Poly. (it was allowed back then.)

One day at lunch time, she felt the restaurants at Poly were too expensive....and we kids didn't want much to eat anyway... so she went to grocery type shop in the lobby ..bought a loaf of bread, bag of chips, and one of those oscar myer packages of bologna.... and we made our own sandwiches by the pool...

She also used to hit up the ice machines at the poly before we went back to camp because the campground charged for ice..

 

[frannn]

to the Club Car buffet in the Holiday Inn near WDW. When we were ready to pay, we presented the certificate, and they brought over a receipt for us to sign (after we paid the difference). When the waitress showed us the receipt, she said, "and here's where you put your room #"..... The Rest.com certificate never mentioned that you had to be staying at the Holiday Inn to use it, but we weren't taking any chances. I scribbled something that was illegible in the room # spot, and then we ran back to the car!

 

[buzz2400]

Please don't bash me but a few years ago we bought one refillable mug for myself and ds. We would fill it, go outside and pour it in a bottle and then go back and refill it. Money was very tight. Now we just buy soda at walmart when we go down there.

Whenever I buy a hamburger and they have a fixin bar I would take a little extra tomatoes, only because I love tomatoes and my ds would take extra pickles because for some reason when we are on vacation he craves dill pickles.

 

[cdrn1]

I have to say, I am very amazed that this thread hasn't been ripped by one of the more, um, pious members of the community...
Great humorous thread, showing the lengths that people will go to in order to save a buck!

 

[seashoreCM]

I don't have a family but if I did...

For a family of 4 I would rent the cheapest subcompact and have the kids put the suitcases on their laps. It's just for the leg from the airport (via the Bee Line 75 cents each way) to Disney and the leg from Disney back to the airport. The rest of the time everyone fits in the subcompact not too squashed.

Bee Line for 75 cents:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[sewallmom]

sorry computer froze. See next quote

 

[sewallmom]

Well this February I brought my daughter 3 yrs old to Turks & Caicos -Provo. We stayed at this awesome condo but there were no kids around at all. So we went walking down the beach and found a Beaches (all inclusive) Resort. They had tons of kids for my daughter to play with.

A girl came up and started taking pictures of my daughter in the sand. I told her that we are not staying at the resort and she said it doesnt matter if you want to purchase them just go to the photo lab and purchase them.

So almost 3 hrs passed and it was time to pack up and head for lunch (20 minutes down the beach) and I wanted to look, if not buy some pictures. I went to the photo lab onsite and was told that they would not be ready for another hour. The gentleman told me to relax at the pool with a drink or two and get some lunch. So I did.

I noticed that no one was giving room numbers or had any ID's to show. It was just walk up and help yourself. .
Needless to say we spent the next 6 hrs onsite indulging ourselves.

I did have a service rep walk up to me and ask me if I had a few minutes for some feedback on Beaches which I gave GLADLY

At least I bought 4 pictures of my daughter that were $15 a piece

Sewallmom
6 days until Disney

 

[amwhitaker]

If you are "voluntarily" bumped it will be for a "free upgrade" or or offered a $100 voucher or some other smaller thing for a future flight,

We always go to the desk at the gate and ask to be put on the bump list, if we do not have to be at our destination at a specific time. We got bumped once and both of us got free tickets anywhere in the continental US, no restrictions. Every airline has different rules as far as getting bumped is concerned.

 

[mcefalo]

We always bring our own beer to any resort pool and we also sneak them into the water parks. Paying $5.00 for a beer kills me when you think it only cost them about 50 cents. We usually will purchase one or two to get a cup that we then use for any of our own beverages.

When we were younger we traded to this lousy timeshare in Freeport. You had to take this hot crowded bus to a beach and then pay for a beach chair. We decided to rent a car instead and then visited other 'resort's using their pools and beach chairs. Even though cost of car was probably more than cost of renting beach chairs we got to see alot of nice hotels and much better private beaches.

 

[iheartdisney]

When I graduated, all I wanted as a gift was a trip to WDW. So we went, stayed at the AS Sports. Me (18), mom, sister (20) cousin (18), Brohter (15), Brother's best friend (15), Nephew (6 months) and Cousin's future husband (20's)
Yep, 7 tall,grown people and an infant, all in one room. Thats why I LMAO at people saying how small the AS rooms are, or are getting a second room because 3 people can't fit!!!!
We also did the "cooler full of sandwich fixin's and grapes, mom just went for ice every night...who pays for a fridge??