Being 'tight' or being creative

fatfreemummy

I dont think its being tight,it much better to make your money go futher and be sensible with it.After all we have to work hard enough to get our money in the first place.Also I believe that all the parents that spol their chilren you know buy them everything it has to be designer this and that,it does them no good in the long run and the children that have had to wait to get the new trainers or bike really appreciate them and learn the value of things.They may also learn that good manners and people are more important than possesions.Sorry a bit of a rant but we should not be ashamed of budgeting or being careful,and there really is nothing better than coming into a home and smelling a lovely home cookng smell.So keep up th good work everbody.

Lantik

My Wife moans at me for being tight... I re-use Birthday and Christmas cards. I simply scribble out the writing and scrawl a new greeting/message... The only problem is finding an envelope that fits; as it really, really annoys my OH when I start steaming open cards to re-use the envelopes...

Tight or Creative????

caffeinehit

I completely agree with the 'not at somebody else's expense' comment. Buying things as cheaply as possible, making them from scratch or choosing alternatives that are cheaper/free is creative. Ripping off others is tight.

I guess at the end of the day different people define 'ripping off' in different ways. Watching the fireworks for free or taking advantage of the loopholes that you find on this site aren't things that I would personally feel comfortable doing, but I'd have sympathy for people who did, especially if they weren't that well off. I do think though that it's completely unacceptable to dodge bus fares, hop over fences into events, take a doughnut without contributing to the honesty box, accept drinks without ever buying them, and so on. At the end of the day, everyone else will just end up paying more.

Apparently fare-dodging etc is more common among people who earn more, in any case, so it's definitely not a product of Old Style living!

Aril

I would say that you're teaching your children a very valuable lesson...to derive pleasure from simple things. I think a sense of balance is always important. As a family we have treats occasionally...like eating out from time to time and we all thoroughly enjoy the experience because we don't do it all the time. A small treat now and again [not necessarily monetary] I find gives my a real boost aswell as a break and motivates me to work hard the rest of the time. We can afford treats because we all contribute to managing the budget carefully [including the small person] and the money for any family treat is already saved in advance. I'm very clear about my priorities...OS for me is not only cooking from scratch etc etc but also spending time with the people who are dear to me and enjoying experiences together.
We're actually going to our first organised firework display this year [we normally buy a few to let off in the garden] which my parents have paid for because they wanted to treat us.
Aril

BusyGirl

I would rather shop around and save money, but I am then quite happy to put the saved money towards something worthwhile such as the local soup kitchen or buying items for our church's shoebox appeal.
Saving money makes me happy, but putting it to other uses makes me happier!;)
Also, don't forget...REDUCE, RE-USE, RECYCLE!

Sarahsaver

My sis cut out a square of paper and stuck it over the name of the shop on a posh paper carrier bag - I was impressed rather than thinking she was tight - at first I thought it was a posh handmade gift bag

mossy

I'd say the fireworks display is creative not tight.

I have many happy memories of darting from one window to another at home with my mum and sister as we watched firework displays for free.

My DH makes sarky sp? comments sometimes like...was that free...or I guess you brought it because it was on offer but it doesn't hurt to be a bit fruggle money doesn't grow on trees and all that jazz.

Sassers

If it was me next to the park watching the free fireworks I'd be dead chuffed to be honest. Our local park is miles away!:rolleyes:
What I'd do is find out if the kids really wanted to go but budget from elsewhere - or - if they didn't want to go and were happy in the back garden, make it special with seats and maybe one of those little take-away BBq's for sausages on sticks, burgers etc and have a few sparklers and some music.:T
It probably would work out a lot cheaper and more fun than the `proper' show over the fence.....:j

rainbowrisin

Lantik wrote:

My Wife moans at me for being tight... I re-use Birthday and Christmas cards. I simply scribble out the writing and scrawl a new greeting/message... The only problem is finding an envelope that fits; as it really, really annoys my OH when I start steaming open cards to re-use the envelopes...

Tight or Creative????

LMFAO :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: - that's absolutely brilliant!! I take the middle out of the cards that fold in four (if that makes sense) so i've got a "new" blank card to write in, but have never sent a completely second hand one b4 - what a most cunning idea. This is the bril thing about this forum- you may be creative, but there's always someone more creative somewhere. Stay on here long enough and I reckon you could learn enough to live for nothing at all...now there's a thought;)
Sorry, didn't mean to hi-hack the fireworks theme, but I think that's just such a top banana of a scheme.

jazzyjustlaw

rainbowrisin wrote:

LMFAO :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: - that's absolutely brilliant!! I take the middle out of the cards that fold in four (if that makes sense) so i've got a "new" blank card to write in, but have never sent a completely second hand one b4 - what a most cunning idea. This is the bril thing about this forum- you may be creative, but there's always someone more creative somewhere. Stay on here long enough and I reckon you could learn enough to live for nothing at all...now there's a thought;)
Sorry, didn't mean to hi-hack the fireworks theme, but I think that's just such a top banana of a scheme.

I intend to limit the use of Christmas cards this year. I will only send ones to close family members and will make some of them.

Its more green. My work are having a give to charity box instead of giving cards, great idea me thinks.