Is this Thrifty? Or Cheap?

debodun said:
I'm not a penny pincher - I'm a penny strangler. I think I'm doing well until something needs fixing that can't be postponed like the furnace or a car repair, or I get a tax bill. Sometimes my investments take a back slide. Then that sets me back and I'm antsy. I like to come out financially better off that the month before, but it doesn't always happen. This week I noticed when I bought a 'take and bake' pizza in the store, it's gone up a dollar from 2 weeks ago. Liter bottles of the soda I buy went from 99Ā¢ to $1.19. Doesn't sound like a lot, but it adds up over a year.
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Give em hell, Deb. Make your pizza from scratch and replace soda with water. That will teach them, I bet.
 

I object to paying $3.00 for a small bottle of water when I'm in a restaurant and always ask for table water. I get twice the amount of water in a large bottle whereas only 250mls in a small bottle. I don't think it's being cheap.
 
Items in the store here are always going up so it is hard to be cheap. A store label gallon of spring water used to be $1.19 a couple years ago and now $1.50. I started drinking tap water so I am cheap with that choice.
 

GoodEnuff said:
The strange thing about these "cost cutting" measures is that I can well afford to take a long shower every day, keep the house at a more comfortable temperature, go out whenever I want, put snow tires on the car, purchase a nice window seat on the plane and go visit every few months.

BUT... I won't do cheap on food. Nor will I do cheap on materials for home improvements (this house was a fixer when I bought it), appliances, tools and such. I am generous with gifts to those close to me and when tipping.

So, am I thrifty? Or cheap? And what about you?
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You're thrifty.
 
Twostep said:
Please stay downwind from me.
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I'm sure @GoodEnuff takes the effective sponge bath (washing from head-to-toe) on off days. šŸ˜„ I don't use the shower everyday because I wipe it down completely each time I use it. This keeps me from having to do major shower/tub scrubbing often. I don't feel like bending and stooping to do this everyday. It's too much for my body. So I regularly opt for a full sink of hot water, soap, a face cloth and a body cloth. The good scrubbing is invigorating. At the end of the day I still smell the soap on my skin. šŸŒ·
 
It is cheap, and it is thrifty to buy stuff you know is crap in the first place. Our wise business leaders learned that they could make more money from us through some thig called "planned obsolescence". Here are several ways this works, so we have to be very aware of how cheap and nasty they make our products!

Businesses employ planned obsolescence through various strategies:
  1. Designing products with limited lifespans: Companies intentionally create products that will cease to function properly within a specific time frame, encouraging consumers to purchase replacements
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  2. Making repairs difficult or expensive: Manufacturers may design products that are challenging to repair, such as using special screws or gluing components together, making it more cost-effective for consumers to buy new items rather than fix existing ones
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  3. Introducing superior replacement models: Companies regularly release new versions of products with minor upgrades, making older models seem outdated or less desirable
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  4. Software incompatibility: Manufacturers may update software that becomes incompatible with older hardware, forcing consumers to upgrade their devices
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  5. Artificial durability: Using less durable materials for parts subject to wear and tear, ensuring products break down more quickly
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  6. Irreplaceable batteries: Some electronic devices are designed with batteries that cannot be easily replaced by users, requiring the purchase of a new device when the battery life diminishes
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  7. Perceived obsolescence: Changing product designs or styles to make older versions appear less fashionable or desirable
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These strategies aim to stimulate repetitive consumption, increase sales, and maintain demand for new products
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. While planned obsolescence can drive innovation and economic growth, it also raises concerns about waste, environmental impact, and consumer rights
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GoodEnuff said:
I, too, wipe the walls dry after every shower for that same reason;
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I also use Soft Scrub on alternating sections of it as I wipe it down. I have a tub/shower combo, so I'll do the back of it during one shower, then 1/2 of the side during another shower, etc. Doing the light scrubbing adds to the bending and stooping efforts, which takes a lot out of me. I try not to bend much to help my back but too much squatting makes my knees stiff and achy. Can be a little dangerous too maneuvering like that in a slippery shower. Leaning over to do this outside of the shower and when it is dry, to be more careful, is out of the question. My back and hips can't take it. That's why I have adapted my routine and don't use it everyday.
 

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