Tell Us Your Tightwad Secrets!!

[NikiM20]

I have a wierd question for you who put vinegar in your laundry. Do your clothes smell like vinegar afterwards? DH would DIE if they did

 

[sk!mom]

I'm surprised your daughter didn't feel ballet was a work out. My 13 yo DD is on pointe and has 2 hours per week. She gets quite a work out.

I think that the amount of exercise gained through dance depends on the studio. My DD11 has danced since age 3 at a studio that does the annual recital extravaganza with the expensive costumes. She just had her last recital at this school because the training and therefore exercise is not great -- it has been "just for fun". She loved the costumes when she was little and it was fun but only 1 not very strenuous hour per week. She no longer has time for it though and has become bored in the class the past few months.

On the other hand, she has danced since age 7 at the local ballet companies school. They put on the Nutcracker each year and a Spring performance. She gets to be a part of both. The Nutcracker is a huge money maker so there is no costume expense to dancers other than shoes and tights. We pay a premium for very rigorous classes though. Last year (at age 10) was 3 hours per week, next year will be 4.5 hours per week until she goes en pointe. Once she is ready for pointe work, her time will increase to 6 hours per week to incorporate pointe and pilates. She also takes a tap class and a jazz class which adds two more hours per week. These are quite strenuous, as well.

I guess my point is, if your child enjoys dance and you want it to be good exercise then look for a school that has a more demanding strenuous program.

My DH describes the difference between the two as "she danced at the first school but she studies dance at the second."

 

[madge]

I have a wierd question for you who put vinegar in your laundry. Do your clothes smell like vinegar afterwards? DH would DIE if they did

I've never had a problem with clothes smelling like vinegar!

 

[Sethsmom]

To all the tightwadders(sp),

My question to the all knowing is what is the best way to get the last little bit of solid deodorant out of the container. Being a tightwad, I consider it wasteful to throw that much away, but I can not decide what the best way to get it out is. I usually just use my fingers to get it out, but that may not be the best and easiset way. It ends up under my nails and all over the floor.

Is trying to salvage that last little bit being too much of a tightwad or does anyone else do the same thing?

I consider myself a tightwad on everyday items so that I can have more money to spend when and where I want to. I use coupons and shop clearance sales and do what I can to save here and there.

 

[cglaura]

To all the tightwadders(sp),

My question to the all knowing is what is the best way to get the last little bit of solid deodorant out of the container. Being a tightwad, I consider it wasteful to throw that much away, but I can not decide what the best way to get it out is. I usually just use my fingers to get it out, but that may not be the best and easiset way. It ends up under my nails and all over the floor.

Is trying to salvage that last little bit being too much of a tightwad or does anyone else do the same thing?

I consider myself a tightwad on everyday items so that I can have more money to spend when and where I want to. I use coupons and shop clearance sales and do what I can to save here and there.

I scrape it out into a plastic container, then kind of mush it up so it is "spreadable", then apply w/ a makeup sponge, which you can get a bagful at the $$ store. I don't think anyone can be too much of a tightwad...every little bit adds up!

 

[mommiepoppins]

Here is one I just learned from my mil. I opend her kitchen cubbards and I found tons of paper cups. They were paper cups that my fil used when he orderd coffee from Dunkin Doughnuts. My mil saved all the cups (washed them) and lets the kids use them. I told her what a great idea . I asked her to save me some for when I go camping in 2 weeks . Now I do not have to buy any. (my fil loves coffe from dd and so dose my dh) I am also going to start washing my dh cups, so I can use them for when the kids are playing out side. Or even for when we have ice cream and I do not want to wash the plates

 

[Sethsmom]

I don't remember where I saw this tip but wrinkled gift tissue paper that is not reusable can be used to clean up spills instead of using your paper towels.

I have been saving mine for doing this and it has worked fine. I always hated to throw it away so I guess everything has a purpose.

 

[disneymom3]

Here is one I just learned from my mil. I opend her kitchen cubbards and I found tons of paper cups. They were paper cups that my fil used when he orderd coffee from Dunkin Doughnuts. My mil saved all the cups (washed them) and lets the kids use them. I told her what a great idea . I asked her to save me some for when I go camping in 2 weeks . Now I do not have to buy any. (my fil loves coffe from dd and so dose my dh) I am also going to start washing my dh cups, so I can use them for when the kids are playing out side. Or even for when we have ice cream and I do not want to wash the plates

Right now at Target their summer items are 50% off and they have plastic dishes originally marked 99c. I bought a few sets of those to take camping and to a resort we go to each summer where all they have is plastic dishes. (It is less stress for me for the kids to use plastic especially since the floor is tile.) At any rate, I guess if you are getting the cups anyway it saves money but buying the coffee is way more expensive than just making coffee at home and buying reusable cups.

 

[disneymom3]

I think you're way off base. Plenty of people budget and do these things just because they want to, not because they're barely scraping by. In fact, I'd say that some of the richest people I know are also the most tightwad-ish. The kind of people where most would think "Hey, you've got the $$, why not spend it?" but they don't. Unless you know someone's financial situation I think that comments like this are unnecessary.

Ever read The Millionaire Next Door? My parents fit that book to a T. My mom would pick up napkins and cut them in half if she was at a fast food place, she never saw a butter wrapper she didn't scrape with a knife to get the last bit and no one ever saw the like of how she could stretch a meal. But she and my dad took vacations whenever the mood struck and after his death my mom took all 7 of us girls on an all expense paid trip to wherever we wanted to go basically. Just said, "You pick it, tell me when to show up and here's my credit card." She also took our whole family--including nephews, nieces etc 28 in all--on a cruise for a family reunion. Did she need to save Cool Whip containers? Nope, but that was how she grew up and she made choices about what to spend her money on. (She also didn't have A/C which was bad in our MN summers and led to her house having a mold problem so that was actually NOT a good cost conscious move.)

 

[punkin]

Ever read The Millionaire Next Door? My parents fit that book to a T. My mom would pick up napkins and cut them in half if she was at a fast food place, she never saw a butter wrapper she didn't scrape with a knife to get the last bit and no one ever saw the like of how she could stretch a meal. But she and my dad took vacations whenever the mood struck and after his death my mom took all 7 of us girls on an all expense paid trip to wherever we wanted to go basically. Just said, "You pick it, tell me when to show up and here's my credit card." She also took our whole family--including nephews, nieces etc 28 in all--on a cruise for a family reunion. Did she need to save Cool Whip containers? Nope, but that was how she grew up and she made choices about what to spend her money on. (She also didn't have A/C which was bad in our MN summers and led to her house having a mold problem so that was actually NOT a good cost conscious move.)

I so agree with that. My future ILs could never understand how my parents managed to own a house and go on expensive vacations every year when ILs were just scraping by and when ILs had twice the income of my parents. It's all about choices.

It took me years to educate my DH that it's not what you make (and he's made plenty in the past) it's what you keep (and we are keeping a lot more now even though he makes less).

 

[DisneyMomJen]

I LOVE The Millionaire Next Door and have probably read it about 5 times. I have learned so much from this book. It is very interesting to learn that the typical millionaire does not shop at Neiman Marcus or have a HUGE house, alot of these people who do are very much in debt.

 

[Hedy]

I don't remember where I saw this tip but wrinkled gift tissue paper that is not reusable can be used to clean up spills instead of using your paper towels.

I have been saving mine for doing this and it has worked fine. I always hated to throw it away so I guess everything has a purpose.

In an ad for real simple I saw, it suggested shredding it and using it in gift bags. Presuming you have a shredder, I thought this was brilliant.

 

[TNKBELL]

I LOVE The Millionaire Next Door and have probably read it about 5 times. I have learned so much from this book. It is very interesting to learn that the typical millionaire does not shop at Neiman Marcus or have a HUGE house, alot of these people who do are very much in debt.

Guess what book I'm checking out tomorrow???? Thanks I forgot about that one!!

 

[OceanAnnie]

In an ad for real simple I saw, it suggested shredding it and using it in gift bags. Presuming you have a shredder, I thought this was brilliant.

It is! Learn something new everyday! Thanks!

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

I don't remember where I saw this tip but wrinkled gift tissue paper that is not reusable can be used to clean up spills instead of using your paper towels.

I have been saving mine for doing this and it has worked fine. I always hated to throw it away so I guess everything has a purpose.

you can iron wrinkled gift wrap -- seriously -- I do it all the time. Reuse it.

 

[princess jackie]

you can iron wrinkled gift wrap -- seriously -- I do it all the time. Reuse it.

I used to make fun of one of my aunts for doing this all the time. Now I do it!

When my family has a bridal shower the hostess always buys a cheap gift bag. We then take all the reusable tissue paper, bows and wrapping paper and put it in the gift bag for the Bride to be for her gift wrapping starter kit.

 

[mommiepoppins]

Right now at Target their summer items are 50% off and they have plastic dishes originally marked 99c. I bought a few sets of those to take camping and to a resort we go to each summer where all they have is plastic dishes. (It is less stress for me for the kids to use plastic especially since the floor is tile.) At any rate, I guess if you are getting the cups anyway it saves money but buying the coffee is way more expensive than just making coffee at home and buying reusable cups.

yeah I know I rather have dh bring his coffee. Howver dh stopped smokeing a year ago so if he wants to buy coffe thats way better than 10 $ per day on smogs . So I will just take advantage of his coffee habit

 

[Plantlady]

Growing up, we had to open our christmas gifts very carefully so we didn't rip the wrapping paper. Then my mom would reuse the paper and bows year after year.

It always drove me crazy, so I don't do it with my kids, but they rarely bought wrapping paper and never bought bows.

 

[ballle_98]

I just made my DD's pillowcase dresses using one yard of Little Mermaid fabric. My DD8's is a pillowcase shirt and my DD2's is a dress. The fabric was $3.99, the premade blanket ruffle was $2.50, and the bias tape was $1.50. They are super cute (I stole the idea from the Boutique Disney thread). I couldn't get 2 Disney t-shirts for $8! Anyway, now I am convinced that I need to get better at sewing to save $$!!

Also, my DH always orders iced tea. It is so hard for me to not say anything when it's $2 but I know how hard he works and he never buys anything for himself. If he wants tea at restaurants, I can't say a word. I know I "cost" more (make-up, hair, jewelry...) than he does.

Also, we canceled cable TV about 4 years ago and we just have so much more time for other things. We did it to save money but found with each raise in salary that we really didn't want to get it again.

One more thing is my DH's car. He has a 94 Honda and it still runs great. Honda's are easy to fix and the parts are cheap. They are more expensive in the begining but you can run them into the ground. And my mini-van is a 92 Plymouth. Dodge/ Plymouth were the first auto makers to produce mini-vans and the engines are the same in all year makes. So, my point is that they are easy to fix and the parts are easy to find because they still produce the same engine. And the body of my van is very similar to the current models so it doesn't look old. We paid $6,000 for it 3 years ago and we have had no problems (just replaced the tires... ouch!) and we paid to have a BIG drop down LCD screen and DVD for the kids installed (part was a Christmas gift from FIL) for about $400. Okay, sorry for the super long post....

 

[TNKBELL]

I just made my DD's pillowcase dresses using one yard of Little Mermaid fabric. My DD8's is a pillowcase shirt and my DD2's is a dress. The fabric was $3.99, the premade blanket ruffle was $2.50, and the bias tape was $1.50. They are super cute (I stole the idea from the Boutique Disney thread). I couldn't get 2 Disney t-shirts for $8! Anyway, now I am convinced that I need to get better at sewing to save $$!!

Also, my DH always orders iced tea. It is so hard for me to not say anything when it's $2 but I know how hard he works and he never buys anything for himself. If he wants tea at restaurants, I can't say a word. I know I "cost" more (make-up, hair, jewelry...) than he does.

Also, we canceled cable TV about 4 years ago and we just have so much more time for other things. We did it to save money but found with each raise in salary that we really didn't want to get it again.

One more thing is my DH's car. He has a 94 Honda and it still runs great. Honda's are easy to fix and the parts are cheap. They are more expensive in the begining but you can run them into the ground. And my mini-van is a 92 Plymouth. Dodge/ Plymouth were the first auto makers to produce mini-vans and the engines are the same in all year makes. So, my point is that they are easy to fix and the parts are easy to find because they still produce the same engine. And the body of my van is very similar to the current models so it doesn't look old. We paid $6,000 for it 3 years ago and we have had no problems (just replaced the tires... ouch!) and we paid to have a BIG drop down LCD screen and DVD for the kids installed (part was a Christmas gift from FIL) for about $400. Okay, sorry for the super long post....

I would love to see pics of those dresses!!! Are they easy to make? I have only sewed blankets, simple curtains ect. That sounds like a great thing to make for my DD5 for upcoming trip. TIA