Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My friend's MIL used to wait until the Christmas Tree place closed on Christmas Eve, then she would go and reach through the fence and break off a bunch of branches from the trees that were left, take them home, and tie them together with a red ribbon. Then when the grandchildren came to visit the next day, that would be her Christmas tree.
She also used to give everyone undated birthday and Christmas cards with no name inside, just signed "Grandma" or "Mother" and ask for them back so she could use them again. She took all bows and ribbons from everyone's presents after opening them and took them home. My friend said when she died, they found garbage bags full of bows in her closet.
Being frugal and pennywise is smart, but I think there is a karma thing going on with some of these people whose lives are so consumed with saving a dime that it means more to them than anything else. It's as if they attract poverty to themselves because of their stinginess and lack of generosity.
My paternal grandfather died in 1929 when my father was ten years old. He was the eldest of four. His family was at least sometimes, maybe often, hungry, cold, and ill-clad. Grandmother saved everything that she could. String, brown paper, silver paper, used nails, and empty bottles could all be used a second time.
My mother was born in 1926 in England. You didn't throw things out during the war.
Growing up with parents like that can be a bit of a problem. I was taught to preserve and save everything that might possibly be useful.
My paternal grandfather died in 1929 when my father was ten years old. He was the eldest of four. His family was at least sometimes, maybe often, hungry, cold, and ill-clad. Grandmother saved everything that she could. String, brown paper, silver paper, used nails, and empty bottles could all be used a second time.
My mother was born in 1926 in England. You didn't throw things out during the war.
Growing up with parents like that can be a bit of a problem. I was taught to preserve and save everything that might possibly be useful.
My mom was born in 1928 in NJ, but she grew up very poor. She remembered her mother sending her uncles to the pond to try to find turtles to put in the vegetable soup that would be dinner. She lost all her teeth by 20 because the only milk she got was what went into the coffee the kids got for breakfast. (At some point the school began to give her milk at lunchtime, but not enough, I guess.) My father bought her dentures when they were engaged. The school janitor came to their house in June and gave my grandparents the unclaimed mittens and hats from the lost and found so that they had them for next winter.
She was frugal with food and money in general, but other than buttons and fabric scraps, I don't remember her keeping bits of junk she didn't need.
Frugal is: Saving up for the better product (by waiting longer)
Cheap is: Having no self restraint
Cheap is an overabundance of self restraint, to the point that you've caused self-bondage of sorts. It's the difference between Prudence or Discretion and Cowardice or fearfullness.
Quote:
Originally Posted by VTsnowbird
Frugal is storing your ketchup bottle upside down to get the last bit out.
Cheap is taking "extra" ketchups from the fast food place to refill the bottle.
^That's the example I always come to in my mind.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801
My mom was born in 1928 in NJ, but she grew up very poor. She remembered her mother sending her uncles to the pond to try to find turtles to put in the vegetable soup that would be dinner. She lost all her teeth by 20 because the only milk she got was what went into the coffee the kids got for breakfast. (At some point the school began to give her milk at lunchtime, but not enough, I guess.) My father bought her dentures when they were engaged. The school janitor came to their house in June and gave my grandparents the unclaimed mittens and hats from the lost and found so that they had them for next winter.
She was frugal with food and money in general, but other than buttons and fabric scraps, I don't remember her keeping bits of junk she didn't need.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gerania
My paternal grandfather died in 1929 when my father was ten years old. He was the eldest of four. His family was at least sometimes, maybe often, hungry, cold, and ill-clad. Grandmother saved everything that she could. String, brown paper, silver paper, used nails, and empty bottles could all be used a second time.
My mother was born in 1926 in England. You didn't throw things out during the war.
Growing up with parents like that can be a bit of a problem. I was taught to preserve and save everything that might possibly be useful.
I don't think that Cheapness is borne of hard times. I've known too many people from tougher backgrounds that aren't cheap, and too many people that are cheap that didn't come from backgrounds that would lead to cheapness.
Cheap is a person who received a $50 check from their sibling for Christmas and the sibling was sent a bag of home made beef jerky. To verify that the same person gave the preacher a 25 cent piece (a quarter) on their 25th wedding anniversary.
Frugal: mildly inconveniencing yourself to save money (ie, walking a mile to a grocery store and back to save on gas)
Cheap: taking advantage of and inconveniencing others to save money (ie, stealing condiments and napkins from restaurants so you don't have to buy any)
Frugal: Using every slice of bread, even the crusts and using the breadcrumbs to add a bit of zest to a meal item.
Cheap: Saving money by buying expired bread.
Frugal: Using every slice of bread, even the crusts and using the breadcrumbs to add a bit of zest to a meal item.
Cheap: Saving money by buying expired bread.
I think the both bread examples are frugal in nature, rather than cheap. Besides, old bread makes far better toast than fresh bread.
My wife and I used to go out to dinner with her good friend and husband. He would always want to pay with a credit card ( company) and then I would pay him for half the bill. He was always a cheap ass. I would add extra to a tip and he would sometimes leave less than his share. One time my wife met them out for a drink and the bar was serving dollar tacos. Yup, when the bill came he broke it down, adding the taco she ate, lol.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
