Where do you draw the line at being too cheap?

[feedindy]

I also send invitations to school. The directory doesn't always come out in time, new kids aren't in it, etc... she gets almost all of her invites that way too! I think it may be a bit different in the way her school handles things though. Each student has their own mailbox in their classroom. They empty it each afternoon and put things in their folder to go home. There is time set aside in the morning before the bell rings for DD to deliver mail to other classrooms. There isn't really the issue of some being left out this way because no one knows what is in everyone's mailbox. Besides, even if you mail the invitations you risk that with kids talking about it at school!

 

[momxx5]

On the birthday invite- it is a huge No-No to send invites to school. It is a school policy that invites are not to be handed out at school. The invites will be sent right back home with a copy of school policy. Last year it also became a school policy not to exchange gifts with friends at school during birhtdays, Christmas, etc. Too many hurt feelings.

Thrifty.....I just cannot bring myself to reuse baggies. How do you ensure they are clean and sanitary. The cost to me of worry would be much higher. I think enough places have store brand baggies, are they that expensive? How around reusable Gladware or something like that?

The unrolling of toilet paper to get 1ply out of 2 ply paper is too funny. And kinda odd. We use Scott's and while it may not be the softest, it is what we have always used. Yes, toilet paper is a expensive but if you watch for sales and stock up, then it is a thrift move, not cheap.

I am a great clearance shopper. Although I do not get to the stores often anymore (#1 way to save money - don't go shopping), I do go when the clearances are out. My boys have been able to wear some really, really nice name brands clothes for pennies. A Polo Ralp Lauren collared shirt for under $5.00. It is great quality, washes great and holds up to hand me downs. Name brand is not a necessity, but if its cheaper to buy than an off brand~ why not?Dillards, JCPennys and Target have the best clearnaces.

I often find that buying cute sundress at Target, Children's Place or Burlington Coat Factory for $10 or less, is less expensive than buying shorts and a t-shrit.
Buying winter coats at the end of season is the best way to be thrifty...those coats sell for more than 75% off. Planning ahead is my best way to be thrifty.

Too cheap.....when your actions are at the expense of someone else. Like making others pay for you or your children. Our school has a policy that no one is denied a field trip due to finances. Some parents simply do not send in the money and know fully well that their child will get to go. Our permission forms even have a place to "donate" to another child's cost.

Like another poster.....I LOVE getting bargains for donations. At the 90% Target clearance I was able to purchase many toys to put away for Toys for Tots, etc for next year. The Disney Store clearances are also great.....Princess dress up shoes or sandels for $2.50. For $10 you could make 4 littles girls so happy.

I love curb shopping too. We have a beautiful painted desk that looks very expensive, thanks to our neighbors putting it out for trash. I think the mom would crack up if she say how neat it turned out as our treasure.
**Story: The dresser that my DD(8) is using was from the curb, almost 20 yrs ago. My boyfriend at the time, knowing that I did not have anything to put my clothes in found a nice 6 drawer dresser on the side of the road....he put it in his pickup and brought it to me. At the time, I splurged and bought Victoria Secret scented drawer linner to make it "my own". I used it forever, it has moved with us everytime we move. Last summer I finally painted it white to match DD's room and it now has a whole new life....with the same drawer liner paper in it.**

 

[arielsleepingbeauty]

I love to curb shop. Before I got married 13 years ago, we had nothing for our apartment excpet a bed. The mattress was my DH parents old one from 30 years prior and our headboard was from a yardsale. We received a donated brand new couch from a store that was closing. We picked up several bureaus and coffee tables from the curb. We have a "big pick up" day each year. Everyone gets out their big stuff that they are waiting to get rid of and others drive around all day finding treasure. I didn't want to buy anythgin new for my apartment because i knew we would soon buy a house with new furniture. I used to have a ball doing that. I got some really nice things.
I hadn't done it for years then I saw a double strol on the side of the road. It was missing a wheel and needed some TLC. I called the company and ordered one for $20.00 and cleaned it up. It was great. I didn't have to buy one.
I also found a desk which needed a paint job. My daughter's room has an ariel theme. I spray painted it blue then went over it with a sparkle blue spray paint to give it the effect of the ocean. I changed the drawer pulls. No one can beleive it was trash. We think it's a treasure. I am hoping to find another one for my younger daughter.

I also reuse ziploc bags, only if i am putting in the same exact thing. We shop at thrift shops and have found some awesome things, especialy when we go on $1.00 days. I ended up finding the perfect Hawiian outfits for all of us to wear to Ohana. I will not buy used socks or underwear.

 

[PreciousSadies]

I don't use them (yet) but cloth pads are said to help with cramps (from the chemicals and other materials in disposable pads), and are environmentally friendly because they're reusable. Along those lines, people also make "family wipes" as in a washable, cloth toilet paper replacement. Ack! That's too cheap and tree huggy for me.

I don't use them yet, either...but being a preparedness specialist...I think we live in a pretty comfortable continent. If all h*LL broke loose, and you couldn't buy the convience or after storing for too long they loose their stickness, I would want to have some on hand!

 

[HelenePA]

they sell them on ebay pretty darn cheap if your looking for the washable cloth pads... I dunno if I'm there yet.. I'm actually thinking more and more about the diva cup...

 

[craz4dogs]

Giving second hand gifts (I am not talking about regifting) but buying things at yard sales or the goodwill to give to children, etc....I can understand if the giver really is desperate and puts a lot of thought into what they find but when it is a family member who has tons of money does this, that annoys me........the worst was a ring around the collar shirt for my husband. This is just one family member who does this and all of us just shake our heads.......everything we get comes second hand or off the clearance rack.......all we would like is some thought!!!!

Cheap is going to a family members home and using their long distance.......
or just using other people to pay for things. Or coming into your home and seeing the expensive desserts and eating them all.

Cheap is not being frugal and using little hydro (well unless you have to sit in the dark) or setting your heat low.........or only buying things when they are on sale.........

Cheap to me is when people take advantage of anyone one else (and for the record) the family member who does all of the above, has the most money in the family.............

 

[ProudMomTo3Boys]

I know someone who gave a little girl a coloring book for Christmas and some of the pages were already colored in. That's Cheap.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

I know someone who gave a little girl a coloring book for Christmas and some of the pages were already colored in. That's Cheap.

I bought a color book at Target once and gave it to my nephew - and some of the pages were colored on. So it happened at the store. Don't automatically assume the person who gave it to you knew...... (and now when I buy books, I flip thru them at the store to make sure they are ok....)

 

[GraysMom]

Another party-related gripe of mine--sending home party invitations in kids backpacks to save the stamp! There again, if you can't afford the stamp, maybe you should reconsider if you can afford the party! It also makes extra work for the teacher. Unless the entire class is invited, its a slight to those who aren't invited. We had a teacher last year send out an email asking parents not to send invitations to put in backpacks, for just those reasons. Oh, the backlash! some parents complained (unsuccessfully) to the principal. As though the teacher doesn't have enough to do, without standing on her head to save someone else a few stamps (those parents probably never send in supplies, snacks, other classroom contributions).

No party invitations were allowed into the school, whether the whole class was invited or not. As a teacher, I was so glad about this since I didn't have to feel bad for the kids who weren't invited (until they heard the other kids talking about it after the party). As a parent, I doubt we'll invite the whole class to DS's birthday parties (house isn't big enough and he's a January birthday so it has to be inside), which means I will be teaching him about keeping the party hush-hush in school and around kids who weren't invited.

 

[Genieklone]

I draw the line at washing sponges.
There was a whole long thread the other day about how people wash sponges to reuse them...throw them in the dishwasher or microwave.

They are 4 for $1.00 at my local Giant.
I just buy a new pack every week.

Why? It takes the same amount of time to pop it in the dishwasher than it does to buy a new one. Actually, buying a new one cost more in time and gas. Sponges are made to be reused. Try it once, if it works then hurray. If not, go back to your normal routine. Doesn't hurt?

 

[vhoffman]

You know, I think cheap and frugal are relative terms. Frugal is saving money for ourselves, whatever our comfort level is, even if it means not flushing the toilet for #1, just #2. If you're comforatble with that, do it!

But cheap is when you insult, demean, or take advantage of someone else. Like stiffing someone for the tab at a restaurant or bar. Sending your kids to someone else's house so they can get snacks there. Showing up at your relative's just in time for dinner. That sort of thing.

Here's another example of what I think is too cheap--eating off someone else. Sadly, I know several people (try to avoid them) who, if invited to an event that involves food in any form, be it a buffett dinner or snacks at a scouts meeting, will literally not eat anything all day, because they will "get fed" at that event. Then they scarf up everything in sight, leaving nothing for those at the end of the line That's cheap! Or going out to dinner with another couple, agreeing to split the bill, then they order steak and lobster while the other couple orders hamburgers, then think its justified to split the bill 50/50. I've lost a few friends (who weren't worth keeping!) over just such issues!

Just rambling here, here's another dilly--asking for the leftovers at someone else's home! We had an Easter dinner several years ago and my sil actually wanted to take the leftover ham home with her--all of it! She said we probably wouldn't eat it, anyways! Well, considering she's a 200# wonder, she probably could do justice to it!

 

[Genieklone]

Let's see, I reuse baggies (the heavier freezer kind) and foil, garden (and can, freeze and dehyrdrate the results), dress my kids in hand-me-downs and thrifted finds, trash pick, drive used cars, buy used books, used furniture, etc., etc., etc. QUOTE]

What do you gardeners recommend for beginners? I know it can be an expensive initial investment but organic groceries are really expensive. Help me out!!

The other day I was reading about victory gardens from the Depression. I want to grow a victory garden. I am so impressed by how a nation stayed strong and resilient during such a tumultuous time.

What books do you guys recommend?

 

[Genieklone]

Just rambling here, here's another dilly--asking for the leftovers at someone else's home! We had an Easter dinner several years ago and my sil actually wanted to take the leftover ham home with her--all of it! She said we probably wouldn't eat it, anyways! Well, considering she's a 200# wonder, she probably could do justice to it!

I don't know... if you're going to a Latin person's home, you better have paper plates because everyone is wrapping some food to go! sigh... I love my family!

Hey man, at my wedding, I spent $800 dollars total at a banquet hall, I catered the food myself for 100 people. We had cake, a dj, favors, alcohol...the whole 9. Everybody in the joint took some of my food home! That's ok, it's all about generosity. You only live once. Take the food, there is plenty. That is one thing I'm not going to be cheap about. If I throw a party there will be plenty of food (why? because I shop with a price book and food is cheap!) and drink. They can have the food, eat to their fill and take it to go. Somebody always takes the decorations, the candles on the cake , the ballons....I mean seriously...are you going to use that again. If you want to save anything, you have to hide it to ensure it stays with you! I usually save a plate or something and let the 'vultures' have at it!

That's what life is all about: food, drink and family.

 

[vhoffman]

Let's see, I reuse baggies (the heavier freezer kind) and foil, garden (and can, freeze and dehyrdrate the results), dress my kids in hand-me-downs and thrifted finds, trash pick, drive used cars, buy used books, used furniture, etc., etc., etc. QUOTE]

What do you gardeners recommend for beginners? I know it can be an expensive initial investment but organic groceries are really expensive. Help me out!!

The other day I was reading about victory gardens from the Depression. I want to grow a victory garden. I am so impressed by how a nation stayed strong and resilient during such a tumultuous time.

What books do you guys recommend?

Do you have a grandparent living from that time? I wish my grandma was still alive--she had victory gardens, and was the queen of frugal, having survived the Depression.

 

[vhoffman]

I don't know... if you're going to a Latin person's home, you better have paper plates because everyone is wrapping some food to go! sigh... I love my family!

Hey man, at my wedding, I spent $800 dollars total at a banquet hall, I catered the food myself for 100 people. We had cake, a dj, favors, alcohol...the whole 9. Everybody in the joint took some of my food home! That's ok, it's all about generosity. You only live once. Take the food, there is plenty. That is one thing I'm not going to be cheap about. If I throw a party there will be plenty of food (why? because I shop with a price book and food is cheap!) and drink. They can have the food, eat to their fill and take it to go. Somebody always takes the decorations, the candles on the cake , the ballons....I mean seriously...are you going to use that again. If you want to save anything, you have to hide it to ensure it stays with you! I usually save a plate or something and let the 'vultures' have at it!

That's what life is all about: food, drink and family.

Well, I tend to agree, a big event like a wedding, etc., you really aren't going to take the leftovers home, anyways! But I'm talking more small events, like the Easter dinner--just 8 people. And sil wanted the whole ham--wouldn't leave us a piece! she said she "could use it". I'm sure she could, that's how she got that way, all 200# pounds of her! BTW, I've yet to be invited to her house, let alone get a ham!

 

[vhoffman]

For those of you who reuse baggies, do you wash them? I toss those that have anything gunky inside, just resue those that had something like cereal, etc. I tried washing them and its a pain, how to dry them? One night I had 10 ziploc baggies sitting on the sink draining--what a mess!

 

[delmar411]

Why? It takes the same amount of time to pop it in the dishwasher than it does to buy a new one. Actually, buying a new one cost more in time and gas. Sponges are made to be reused. Try it once, if it works then hurray. If not, go back to your normal routine. Doesn't hurt?

just don't pop it into the microwave...I did that and my micro caught on fire. That was a $100 sponge.... I was lucky my house didn't catch on fire but the wall behind the micro is still burnt black as is the butchers block it was sitting on. Anyway just a warning. I walked away from it for just a min....

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

Washing baggies is really really easy. I squirt a little bit of dishwashing liquid on my scrubby sponge, stick my hand inside the baggie, scrub the baggie, turn the baggie inside out, stick my hand inside again, and wash the inside (which is now outside) the baggie. I rinse the whole thing well, shake the water off, then stick it over a wooden spoon (or similar). I have a cracked glass pitcher on my counter holding all the wooden spoons and pancake flippers. I can fit six or seven sandwich-size baggies or four gallon-size baggies there at once.

The baggies dry nicely overnight OR by the afternoon should I wash them in the morning. The trick is to pull the corners out so all the water can evaporate easily.

I reuse baggies until they spring a leak. I only use sandwich ziptop baggies and FREEZER (not storage) ziptop baggies. Of course, I don't rewash baggies that had held raw meat or chicken. I will wash something greasy because it's not hard when the baggie is inside out and my sponge is nice and soapy.

Dh and our three kids pack lunches, so I can go through plenty of baggies. I'd rather reuse them instead of depositing them in a landfill!

 

[thatduffgirl]

That MSN article was great. There is a big difference between being frugal and being stingy. Stingy is mean and selfish!

Where do draw the line with being cheap? I think everyone has their "pet" cheap behaviours that make them feel in control of their finances. Sometimes these things might make others roll their eyes, but that's okay.

I think we have to weigh the cost savings versus the time and energy expended, or the inconvenience. My mother refuses to use commercial laundry detergent, she makes her own detergent, soaks a sponge with it, and tosses it into the laundry. I personally believe that the time she takes to make the soap, store the 5 gallon bucket it is in, and play "hunt the sponge" after every wash is not worth the few pennies she might be saving with each wash (plus I don't think it cleans the clothes very well, but it is good enough for her). But she has done it for years and spending money on Tide is a hot button for her.


I save bags, wrapping paper and ribbons. It bugs me to spend money on those things, so I have this giant box of stuff that I have salvaged so i don't have to. That is my thing. My DH thinks I am nuts, but that's what i do.

So, I agree, as long as you aren't affecting others negatively by your thriftiness, and you aren't withholding something in a spirit of selfishness, be as cheap as you wanna be! Just make sure you are taking into account the time and hassle investment in the equation of saving money. In this day and age, TIME IS MONEY.

 

[Genieklone]

That MSN article was great. There is a big difference between being frugal and being stingy. Stingy is mean and selfish!

Where do draw the line with being cheap? I think everyone has their "pet" cheap behaviours that make them feel in control of their finances. Sometimes these things might make others roll their eyes, but that's okay.

I think we have to weigh the cost savings versus the time and energy expended, or the inconvenience. My mother refuses to use commercial laundry detergent, she makes her own detergent, soaks a sponge with it, and tosses it into the laundry. I personally believe that the time she takes to make the soap, store the 5 gallon bucket it is in, and play "hunt the sponge" after every wash is not worth the few pennies she might be saving with each wash (plus I don't think it cleans the clothes very well, but it is good enough for her). But she has done it for years and spending money on Tide is a hot button for her. QUOTE]

WOW! I have never heard of this before. Does she have a recipe? I wonder if that recipe would be better for the environment than Tide is. I have thought of buying that 7th generation (or is it 6th?) detergent but I can't justify the money spent.

Details!