Gotta friend who I believe should get an award for being a cheapskate. He bought a JD lawntractor and went to every dealer in the area, beat up on them, and then bought one from Home Despot. And then complained about how bad it was after the deck rusted through after six years of mowing wet grass. He bought a Hyundai Sonata ten years ago, and just got a dealer to replace the engine and tranny after nine years and 90,000 miles to beat the 100,000 mile warranty. Just took a five year old TV back to costco, and had them replace it because he didn't like it and the guy at Costco had told him to bring it back if he wasn't satisfied with it. He traded it for one that was a foot or so bigger, and was now the same price as he paid for the original, and then managed to get about half of that returned because they went on sale a few months later on a closeout. And just told his son to come over to his house and get a bridge pass over the Susquehanna so he wouldn't have to pay the toll. Just so he didn't have to spend $5 on his own vehicles, he gets one sticker, and pastes it onto a magnetic duct cover, and then switches it between cars when he has to go over the bridge. Now, he wants to save the son some bucks, too. I don't believe I've ever encountered anyone quite that cheap....
- Thread starter donjr
- Start date
Bob Huntress
Member
If you even bought those warrantied items at new prices, you are no where near as cheap as me. You know the core of a flashlight battery? Have you ever saved them up to use for carbon arc cutting? I use to go around on weekends picking up garbage in New York to fix up and either keep and use or sell. I built a chicken coop from wood that a shipping company in Helena Arkansa was throwing away as dunage. I also built the goat milking stand out of the same pile of wood. I bought my house and 6 acres for $35,000 during the housing boom, and I've been fixing it up since, except while I was stationed in Lake Charles, LA. I am to cheap to pay for gas heat, so I heat with a wood stove. If I can repair a part, vise buy a new one, I do. My clothes come from the Good Will, and I know when they have sales. That one gets a laugh from many who say, "You're so cheap that you wait for sales at the Good Will". While demolition was being done to fix my house, I saved a lot of the old wood to make things like brooding boxes and such for around here. The Amish have a pending PR campaign that shows that while they live what some may feel is a frugal life, at least they aren't as bad as that Bob Huntress fellow.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
One of the best was a woman on a talk show about the very subject. Would separate 2 ply toilet paper thinking it would go twice as far.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Recycling is what we are constantly being told to do. Too much is thrown away. Like the lawnmower I got from the tip 20 years ago, it obviously was thrown away because it would not start. Remove the head and take the dirt off the points, give it a pull...fires up like new.That was at my favourite price.
Waste not, want not.
Waste not, want not.
Bob Huntress
Member
Sorry Jerry, but, that guy bought all those things new, at new prices. He isn't that cheap. He is whinny, perhaps, but not cheap. My television was something no one else wanted, and even this computer is an old windows 98 rig. If he were really cheap, he would have gotten a used mower and complained that it didn't work. I now have a Polan Pro 48" cut riding mower that was headed to scrap. I'll get it fixed up by spring enough to mow. My last mower went from one truck to my truck at the local dump. I brought it home and took apart the transaxle, cleaned all the rust out, filled it with oil and mowed. If he doesn't have a barn or shed room filled with appliance, mower and various ato and farm parts that may someday be needed, he isn't that cheap!
Well, Bob, I think you're right: you deserve to be ranked right on up there among the world-class skinflints. Reminds of one by, I think it was Larry the Cable Guy; he told his audience he was wearing a thong. He did admit, though, that it started out as a pair of boxer shorts.
Tom in TN
Well-known Member
- Location
- Southern Middle Tennessee
donjr,
The thing is, that creep is cheap with other people's money. Who ended up paying for all of the graft that he perpetrated on the merchants? You and I did. Or at the very least, the merchants did.
I couldn't stand to be around that guy. Frugal is one thing - crooked is another. And that guy is a thief.
At least, that's the way I see it.
Tom in TN
The thing is, that creep is cheap with other people's money. Who ended up paying for all of the graft that he perpetrated on the merchants? You and I did. Or at the very least, the merchants did.
I couldn't stand to be around that guy. Frugal is one thing - crooked is another. And that guy is a thief.
At least, that's the way I see it.
Tom in TN
Pair-a-dice farm
Well-known Member
Before making a judgement on the guy I would have to hear his side of the story. I've always tried to be thrifty but I try to buy the best and use it as long as possible. If I can save a buck or a trip to town I'll improvise. That being said, I'll not save money at someone else expense. That would make me a politician.
60 acre hillside
Member
One day after work a fellow I know well and always liked came in with a push lawnmower. He had rounded the head of the screw that held the blede on. It looked like had used Channellocks or Vice Grips. This was no problem for me. I got a new pair of Vice Grips and got the screw out. I went into the storage room and got a new 3/8 x 1 1/2 Nf. I charged him .25 for the screw. He paid and asked for a receipt. The receipt cost .05.
He died wealthy and in one year his son had wasted all of the money.
He died wealthy and in one year his son had wasted all of the money.
I don;t mind returning something if it's defective. Demanding a return or a warranty replacement for something that isn't broken is theft IMO.
I'm cheap by circumstance, not by choice. Do all my own repairs, cast my own bullets, reload, rebuild, renew. I want a sawmill in the worst way because of the price of lumber. I just wish I could make my own tires!
I'm cheap by circumstance, not by choice. Do all my own repairs, cast my own bullets, reload, rebuild, renew. I want a sawmill in the worst way because of the price of lumber. I just wish I could make my own tires!
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
I aint cheap, Im poor!
Our nearest "city" (pop:3700) is heavily saturated with Danish people. Danes just don't spend any money at all. Just ask some of the Jewish businessmen who tried and failed. We didn't use the word "cheap" to describe them. "Tight" was the word we used. They were tighter than a frog's asss and that's watertight. (;>))
buickanddeere
Well-known Member
Not surprising. If the Father had been reasonable instead of frustrating and teaching his son bad habits. The boy may still have the family fortune.
Goose
Well-known Member
Our former neighbor across the road was a world class tightwad. He and my father grew up across the road from each other, and my father told this story once.
One scorching summer Sunday afternoon when they were maybe 20 years old, "Art", my father, and several other neighbor boys embarked on a drive to a swimming pool maybe 15 miles away. Art drove, but he made my dad and the other guys pay him for the gas.
On the way, they had a flat tire. None of the guys would help Art fix it. They told him, "We paid for our ride, that's your flat tire". They sat under a shade tree and watched while Art fixed his tire.
One of the other neighbors once commented that Art was so tight you couldn't drive a pin in his arse with a sledge hammer.
One scorching summer Sunday afternoon when they were maybe 20 years old, "Art", my father, and several other neighbor boys embarked on a drive to a swimming pool maybe 15 miles away. Art drove, but he made my dad and the other guys pay him for the gas.
On the way, they had a flat tire. None of the guys would help Art fix it. They told him, "We paid for our ride, that's your flat tire". They sat under a shade tree and watched while Art fixed his tire.
One of the other neighbors once commented that Art was so tight you couldn't drive a pin in his arse with a sledge hammer.
Traditional Farmer
Well-known Member
- Location
- Virginia
I knew a now deceased man that was a millionaire a couple times over he never wore socks and in Winter only wore a pair of loafers.When a local man died he would go to the man's widow sometimes before the funeral and try to 'buy' his clothes but usually got them for free.
pete black
Well-known Member
Thats not being cheap, it's being a crook! What is worst is he is proud of it. Personally, i would alter my opening statement to " i know of a guy who" instead of a "friend". Trust me on this also "those who raise the most heck" over something are only trying to get it for free. I advoid those folks.
buickanddeere
Well-known Member
There was a poster here that wrote a couple of times about a tightwad that had one magneto for two tractors. And just swapped them several times a day. He only poured concrete hit and miss in the barn . He had to build a house and used a chainsaw to cut all lumber , the beams, framing and even the window trim with a chainsaw.
Russ from MN
Well-known Member
- Location
- Bemidji MN
The young Dane that moved to my home town is an entrepreneur, he makes money and spends money. He really keeps things going, and provides jobs.
I worked with a guy like that. Only he simply didn't buy anything. I used to really poke at him about the old work clothing that he wore. One day I walked in to work, there he was in all new clothes. Really P.O.'d. "This is all your fault!!!". He had made a comment at home about this guy at work kidding him about his clothes. His wife and daughter took him to the mall!!!
Yes---I had a co-worker "friend" back in the 60"s who would tune up his Ford every year before going on vacation. Asked me to do it while he watched. Next year he wanted to use my tools and do it himself while I watched/coached him. Third year he just borrowed my tools to do it himself. Brought the tools back with a stripped ratchet. His remarks--"Thanks, ha,ha,ha". At work he"d "shake his grates" before he went home because he felt that the (_____) could afford the water and toilet paper better than he could.
pete black
Well-known Member
reminds me of an old saying: "never sweat on company time and never have a bm on your own time".
Sean Feeney
Well-known Member
I knew someone like that he would buy drills and taps use them clean off and return them, i told him how wrong that was and he was plain stealing.
Billy Shafer
Well-known Member
My father was a tightwad. You needed a crow bar in his wallet. To get any money out. Good man and raised seven good kids. But he wouldn't spend money unless he just had to. Fixed many things with baling wire.
Walt Davies
Well-known Member
If the company warranties the TV for 5 years then it goes out I see no reason why they shouldn't replace it. After all he payed for that warrantee with his own money.
I have two things with a lifetime warrantee on them, my 1968 Saab Sonett and my 1963 Forney welder I expect that they should back up what they said they would do warrantee my stuff.
But like I told the Saab guy "it's pretty bad when a guy out lives his Lifetime Warrantee."
Walt
I have two things with a lifetime warrantee on them, my 1968 Saab Sonett and my 1963 Forney welder I expect that they should back up what they said they would do warrantee my stuff.
But like I told the Saab guy "it's pretty bad when a guy out lives his Lifetime Warrantee."
Walt
thesmoothedeere
Member
Know a guy that buys milk and bread when its 10 for 10 dollar deals and freezes it. Ummm not for me .
My kids call me a cheapskate because they say I have worn the same plaid jacket for 20 years and they have old pictures to prove thier point. Guess who gets a plaid jacket just like they preferr wearing for Christmas every 3 or 4 years.LOL
While waiting for dew to dry off cotton,a practical joker started talking about how it doubles tire life if you change air in them regularly. Said you can tell when it's time by sniffing air being discharged from valve stem. Went on to say that if you neglected changing air too long it might require changing several times to flush the tubes out. The frugal bystander who was the joker's intended victim was spotted reinflating his tires with a hand pump as well as holding up the line at the nearest gas station while he "changed" his air. Now that I reflect back on it,we probably should all been horse whipped for not telling him the truth instead of laughing and tell others when we seen him with that hand pump or at the station.
While waiting for dew to dry off cotton,a practical joker started talking about how it doubles tire life if you change air in them regularly. Said you can tell when it's time by sniffing air being discharged from valve stem. Went on to say that if you neglected changing air too long it might require changing several times to flush the tubes out. The frugal bystander who was the joker's intended victim was spotted reinflating his tires with a hand pump as well as holding up the line at the nearest gas station while he "changed" his air. Now that I reflect back on it,we probably should all been horse whipped for not telling him the truth instead of laughing and tell others when we seen him with that hand pump or at the station.
Dick2, I am not making light of you or anyone else, just telling how some of those people had to manage during the depression. My dad always reused baing wire as long as he had a wire tye baler , that saved many much needed dollars for other family needs.
He and my mom took over my uncles farm as he was about to loose it right before the depression. They did without to pay the farm off as there was 9000 dollars against it when they assumed the debt. In five years they paid it down to 3000 dollars. The summer of 1936 was the record hottest and driest ever with a hail storm that finished off crops.
The bank forclosed on the farm leaving my dad and mother with five young children and no place to go and with no money. There were no social programs then to help then. My grandad and my mothers sister loaned them enough money to get a toehold again farming. They said many times afterward they had never been able to enjoy having a few dollars as they were always afraid of loosing it again.
They went on to having two more children, me being one of them, giving us all an education and start in life. My dad died at 89 years old , my mother died at 98 years. May they both rest in Heaven, they certainly earned it. Joe
He and my mom took over my uncles farm as he was about to loose it right before the depression. They did without to pay the farm off as there was 9000 dollars against it when they assumed the debt. In five years they paid it down to 3000 dollars. The summer of 1936 was the record hottest and driest ever with a hail storm that finished off crops.
The bank forclosed on the farm leaving my dad and mother with five young children and no place to go and with no money. There were no social programs then to help then. My grandad and my mothers sister loaned them enough money to get a toehold again farming. They said many times afterward they had never been able to enjoy having a few dollars as they were always afraid of loosing it again.
They went on to having two more children, me being one of them, giving us all an education and start in life. My dad died at 89 years old , my mother died at 98 years. May they both rest in Heaven, they certainly earned it. Joe
My buddy's dad is a real shyster. He boughta real cherry of a Sears table saw at a yard sale. seems the old boy had bought it right before he died and the daughters were selling. He paid something like $80. He cleane off the dust and took it back to Sears and returned it and said he bought it and changed his mind and lost the receipt! Got full retail. when he has things done at doctors he gets bills. then he calls them up and says something like "You carged me $300 and I think its only worth $100, so thats all I'll give you. Take it or leave it!" They do too.
My MIL would take disposable foam earplugs and put them in a nylon stocking and wash them out!
My MIL would take disposable foam earplugs and put them in a nylon stocking and wash them out!
My father was a miser.
Added water to ketchup (catsup) bottles to get every little bit out of there.
Cut all the tape on his Christmas presents so he could save the paper.
Spent hours cleaning and oiling every tool he plowed up until it was usable again.
He could make almost anything work without buying parts, and he didn't own
a torch or a welder.
I'm a lot like him, but my time is worth something to me, and I couldn't
get by with out my torch and welder! LOL
My brother has gone overboard in that direction.
To the point that when he rebuilt the motor in his car, he just sanded the bluing
off the crank shaft where the previous bearings had burnt and put new ones in.
No micrometer, no plastigauge, no machine shop.
I probably don't need to tell you how that turned out!
There's a lot to be said for being frugal, but if you can't afford to do it right,
how on earth can you afford to do it twice?
Added water to ketchup (catsup) bottles to get every little bit out of there.
Cut all the tape on his Christmas presents so he could save the paper.
Spent hours cleaning and oiling every tool he plowed up until it was usable again.
He could make almost anything work without buying parts, and he didn't own
a torch or a welder.
I'm a lot like him, but my time is worth something to me, and I couldn't
get by with out my torch and welder! LOL
My brother has gone overboard in that direction.
To the point that when he rebuilt the motor in his car, he just sanded the bluing
off the crank shaft where the previous bearings had burnt and put new ones in.
No micrometer, no plastigauge, no machine shop.
I probably don't need to tell you how that turned out!
There's a lot to be said for being frugal, but if you can't afford to do it right,
how on earth can you afford to do it twice?
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