Extreme cheapskates!! What's the most extreme thing you have done to save money?

ladymarmalade

I love this programme but I must admit the people on there often take it too far! I think the episode that got to me the most was a guy in California that ran cooking classes for people on a budget. He taught them how to make a lobster themidor for less than $5 for 6 people I think it was. He used herbs he'd foraged from around the city....I'm fine with that. Instead of lobster meat, he used tuna from a can...I'm fine with that. But to make the tuna taste of lobster he found some discarded lobster shells in a bin outside a fish restaurant and used them to make the stock. :mad:. I know people may disagree but for me that is quite dangerous....you don't know how long they have been in the bin and Califonia is hardly a cold place. You have to be so careful with seafood. The worst thing was he didn't tell the 'students' until after they had eaten it.... I would not have been happy!

Some of the things just make me laugh though. I remember a couple celbrating a big wedding anniversary and he bought her some animal crackers from a discount store and a wierd squidgy skull and some bin flowers! :rotfl:

VfM4meplse

ladymarmalade wrote: »

Some of the things just make me laugh though. I remember a couple celbrating a big wedding anniversary and he bought her some animal crackers from a discount store and a wierd squidgy skull and some bin flowers! :rotfl:

Its the thought that counts....in this case it hardly screams out "best wishes"

Spendless

VfM4meplse wrote: »

Its the thought that counts....in this case it hardly screams out "best wishes"

I remember watching one, when the Christmas gifts she gave her family, were all the items back she'd borrowed off them throughout the year. :rotfl:

VfM4meplse

BEAT_THE_DEBT wrote: »

Hi I have been watching extreme cheapskates. What's the most extreme thing you have done to save money?

If you haven’t already, join the forum to reply!
[purplesignup][/purplesignup]

I finally saw the show on an obscure channel the early hours whilst flicking through trashy TV. I found the behaviours of some pretty appalling.

The worst had to be the the blonde rock star who charged friends 56c cents per mile (the IRS standard) for lifts - I thought was the height of mean. Yet she was happy to use a friend to wash her clothes at the laundrette.

VintageLady

The splitting the bill issue has become a bit of a thing in my family when we go out for meals with my DH's family. My family will order just what they can manage to eat and I don't think they have left their frugal ways completely behind from when I was young and we didn't have much money. Dh's family will order a big set menu, not eat half of it, and then his dad will insist on splitting the bill when my mum and sister will only have had a starter each. It's so awkward as they get really annoyed about it but they won't say anything. They just glare at me.

In terms of cheap skate ways I don't do anything different to what has already been said. Fremantle (such a good word) the sauce sachets from the pub for in the caravan when we've had a meal.

queengoth

I usually stroll to the works canteen to get any dinners our team wants so it's not unusual for me to come back with 4 or 5 meals in little trays, this week though has been the Christmas dinner menu, those in the team who never eat from the canteen gave me their free tickets so this week I've had 5 turkey dinners, brought home some ham for the cat and still have a Christmas pudding and custard in the freezer. I shared the other puddings round lol

VfM4meplse

VintageLady wrote: »

The splitting the bill issue has become a bit of a thing in my family when we go out for meals with my DH's family. My family will order just what they can manage to eat and I don't think they have left their frugal ways completely behind from when I was young and we didn't have much money. Dh's family will order a big set menu, not eat half of it, and then his dad will insist on splitting the bill when my mum and sister will only have had a starter each. It's so awkward as they get really annoyed about it but they won't say anything. They just glare at me.

This kind of thing really gets my goat! It ruins the meal and for that reason I now very really eat out with friends.

Recently I was out with a group and stuck to drink whilst the others ordered snacks. When waiter asked if the bill should be split evenly at the end of the evening, one of my friends (the one who I always end up subsidising) said pointedly "better not, we didn't all have the same". I think I was expected to say something along the lines of "don't be silly, let's split it evenly" but I just kept my mouth shut and made the first payment.

In future I think I'll just decline invitations with an "I can't afford it". It's not about having the money, it's about not having the money to waste. Family should be more understanding.

VfM4meplse

I've just been thinking about a friend who is very comfortably off but so, so, so very tight with her cash she never comes to mine unless she has a lift both ways. And whilst I always ask people not to bring anything with them, strangely enough she's the only one that complies. Fair enough I suppose, as I prefer no gift over something plastic every time!

Novice_investor101

I'm giving up smoking (for the 2nd time) using patches & have figured out that for each of step 1,2 & 3 the patches just get smaller. So I've bought 4 weeks worth of step 1 & I cut them in half so they last 8 weeks.... Those things are just as expensive as smoking, so any way to make them last longer will help.

As for the restaurant thing, my friends & I always only have one bill, but we each tot up & pay for our own food & drinks totals & add anything we feel like as a tip. In pubs, there's never any rounds - some don't drink alcohol & some drink more quickly than others, so it's buy your own!

Gem-gem

Spendless wrote: »

I remember watching one, when the Christmas gifts she gave her family, were all the items back she'd borrowed off them throughout the year. :rotfl:

I've seen this episode as well. If my family realised that I regifted unwanted presents they would call me an extreme cheapskate. But that girl takes it to another level.

Hubby and I went to a friend's birthday party. We wrapped up a prize thAt we had won on a raffle for the friend. (It was a bottle alcohol).