What is the Deal with Being Super Cheap?

[Remy]

I wanted to give this a different title but thought better of it. And I will say a recent post here made me think of this.

I'm not talking about being thrifty and stocking up on often used items when on sale. I went to Grocery Outlet yesterday and they had Barista soy milk in shelf stable packs for $1.99. They expire in March, are good past that. I got 5.

I buy most of my stuff at thrift stores. All my dishes are thrifted.

But a recent post brought back another memory. When my brother was in high school he was in wrestling and wouldn't eat much to make his weight category. After being weighed in before a match, he got into the lunch our mother had made. It was a sandwich with white bread, raw sliced carrots and katsup. No sane person would make this for their kid when there is money to buy food. Which we had.

My high school senior picture was taken in a thrifted sweater. That wasn't my issue. But when it was washed, the colors ran. And guess what? I still was required to wear that sweater in the picture. Why pay for the damn picture and have me wear that? Makes no sense. This all seemed to make sense to my nut of a mother. These are just two examples. Not normal IMO.

 

[MACKTEXAS]

Right. Saving money is one thing, but not so good when there's no quality. That's too bad about those sandwiches, when a better lunch was possible.

I have no issue with going to thrift stores. I mainly go for used DVDs, but I usually look around at other things when I'm there, and I've bought shirts for an average of $7 - $10, which looked brand new.

I don't hoard on household items, but - like you, if non-perishable grocery items are on sale, I sometimes get several at once.

 

[Aunt Bea]

It’s hard to know what motivates some people or when some habits become so extreme that they become a form of mental illness.

This post reminded me of Hetty Green, The Witch of Wallstreet.



Hetty Green - Wikipedia

 

[Remy]

@Aunt Bea I had never heard of her and scanned through the link. Very interesting.

Nothing wrong with being thrifty and there are people with more money that live simply and lower than they could, but with the things they want and need.

I refrained from putting it in my thread title that there was some kind of mental issue going on when people are actually cheap to the point of harming others or themselves.

 

[GoodEnuff]

After being weighed in before a match, he got into the lunch our mother had made. It was a sandwich with white bread, raw sliced carrots and katsup.

I don't understand; what is wrong with that lunch, other than wheat bread would have been better IMO. Or was the sandwich only bread with nothing in it?

 

[Mike]

I know somebody like that, scours the shops
to find the best bargains, food and clothes,
inspects any item of clothing looking for a
fault, yet can afford to buy anything without
overspending.

Mike.

 

[Pepper]

It's a mental illness, like any behavior taken to extremes.

 

[fuzzybuddy]

You should be responsible with money. If there are ways to save a buck, why not? But cheap doesn't always mean the best bargain.

 

[Remy]

I don't understand; what is wrong with that lunch, other than wheat bread would have been better IMO. Or was the sandwich only bread with nothing in it?

Then have that every day for lunch except use wheat bread. You will love every bit of it.

 

[Naturally]

Some of our parents were raised during the depression and that experience left lasting issues with some from that generation.
Heck there might be a couple of members here who were raised during the depression.
Just as some life experiences might leave us with issues maybe.

@Remy, I see you're in California and made me think about the thousands who left the Midwest during the dust bowl with little more than clothes on their back and headed for California. Those times were hard. The depression was hard. I won't judge.

 

[papa tiger]

I wanted to give this a different title but thought better of it. And I will say a recent post here made me think of this.

I'm not talking about being thrifty and stocking up on often used items when on sale. I went to Grocery Outlet yesterday and they had Barista soy milk in shelf stable packs for $1.99. They expire in March, are good past that. I got 5.

I buy most of my stuff at thrift stores. All my dishes are thrifted.

But a recent post brought back another memory. When my brother was in high school he was in wrestling and wouldn't eat much to make his weight category. After being weighed in before a match, he got into the lunch our mother had made. It was a sandwich with white bread, raw sliced carrots and katsup. No sane person would make this for their kid when there is money to buy food. Which we had.

My high school senior picture was taken in a thrifted sweater. That wasn't my issue. But when it was washed, the colors ran. And guess what? I still was required to wear that sweater in the picture. Why pay for the damn picture and have me wear that? Makes no sense. This all seemed to make sense to my nut of a mother. These are just two examples. Not normal IMO.

Sure, tear up the dang things.
---------
I don't have a social status, thus I need not impress those better than I am.
I don't care about their private jet. Of course I like their noses up, and they
keep replacing their roofs every couple of years. Who cares.
I'm ok with my sloff. I do all right every other off. Who are they to deceive.
My neighbor had their place reroofed in an afternoon by a group of 10.
Sure they can do it again in 3 or 4 years. It sounded like a WW War over thar!
I got nothing!

 

[January]

I think it is like everything - good to a point but not when taken to extremes.

I guess where the point is , is subjective - but recent thread where somebody was going days without washing in order t o save water (in order to save money, not because they lived i n a desert) - that's going too far IMO

 

[Rich]

My dad had a thing about gasoline prices. I swear he'd drive 10 miles, passing 5 gas stations to save 2 cents per gallon when he needed to fill up.

 

[Remy]

Some of our parents were raised during the depression and that experience left lasting issues with some from that generation.
Heck there might be a couple of members here who were raised during the depression.
Just as some life experiences might leave us with issues maybe.

@Remy, I see you're in California and made me think about the thousands who left the Midwest during the dust bowl with little more than clothes on their back and headed for California. Those times were hard. The depression was hard. I won't judge.

During the pandemic I asked my stepfather if they had issues with food during the depression. He would have been just a kid then. He said no. They grew a garden and I know his dad had a good job with a very wealthy family as their chauffer. He would be gone for weeks sometimes and then return home my stepfather said. I think the employment was in the San Jose area and they lived up the coast from Santa Cruz.

I know my mother did suffer hunger and more after WWII in Germany. After she married my stepfather who had a good job, there was money to buy what was needed. There was no excuse for my mother's ongoing behavior. These were not one offs that she realized and then apologized for.

 

[Remy]

I think it is like everything - good to a point but not when taken to extremes.

I guess where the point is , is subjective - but recent thread where somebody was going days without washing in order t o save water (in order to save money, not because they lived i n a desert) - that's going too far IMO

I agree. Having been through many droughts in California, I watch water. But sometimes it needs to be used. I hate waste of water. Or anything.

I did not see that particular post.

 

[Remy]

You should be responsible with money. If there are ways to save a buck, why not? But cheap doesn't always mean the best bargain.

True. And especially for those around you.

 

[GoodEnuff]

but recent thread where somebody was going days without washing in order t o save water (in order to save money, not because they lived i n a desert) - that's going too far IMO

Ah, this is how mis/disinformation gets around. If one reads that entire post closely, you would see I never said I go without washing. I said I "shower" every few days. Big difference. Here are the actual statements:

Shower every few days

I can stay clean with a washcloth and a small amount of water under most circumstances. (Emphasis added)

Do I do it all the time? Nope. There are days when I use up all of the 30 gallons in that water heater for a shower (mostly when the old back starts talking nasty to me). That's one good thing about aging alone; I can do what I want to do most of the time without affecting others. (Emphasis added)

In OP's opinion, this makes me mentally ill? ROFL!!

 

[chic]

I wanted to give this a different title but thought better of it. And I will say a recent post here made me think of this.

I'm not talking about being thrifty and stocking up on often used items when on sale. I went to Grocery Outlet yesterday and they had Barista soy milk in shelf stable packs for $1.99. They expire in March, are good past that. I got 5.

I buy most of my stuff at thrift stores. All my dishes are thrifted.

But a recent post brought back another memory. When my brother was in high school he was in wrestling and wouldn't eat much to make his weight category. After being weighed in before a match, he got into the lunch our mother had made. It was a sandwich with white bread, raw sliced carrots and katsup. No sane person would make this for their kid when there is money to buy food. Which we had.

My high school senior picture was taken in a thrifted sweater. That wasn't my issue. But when it was washed, the colors ran. And guess what? I still was required to wear that sweater in the picture. Why pay for the damn picture and have me wear that? Makes no sense. This all seemed to make sense to my nut of a mother. These are just two examples. Not normal IMO.

That's terrible. Cheap and psychologically abusive IMHO. Some people are like that.

 

[Remy]

That's terrible. Cheap and psychologically abusive IMHO. Some people are like that.

Thanks chic. And someone posting above stated that sandwich was fine and dandy if it had been made with wheat bread. I guess my mother wasn't the only one.

 

[chic]

Thanks chic. And someone posting above stated that sandwich was fine and dandy if it had been made with wheat bread. I guess my mother wasn't the only one.

No she wasn't. My mother was dangerous about certain things too and I feel lucky to have survived.

 

[Remy]

Ah, this is how mis/disinformation gets around. If one reads that entire post closely, you would see I never said I go without washing. I said I "shower" every few days. Big difference. Here are the actual statements:







In OP's opinion, this makes me mentally ill? ROFL!!

As I stated in my reply, I did not see that/your post. I will comment on my mother's mental issues, since I was her victim. I can't and won't comment on you.

BTW, I do not shower daily for the reason my skin would be completely dry. If I worked, I'll shower after work. I try not to wash my hair every time I shower for the same reason. My coarse hair turns to straw.

 

[Inept]

What is the Deal with Being Super Cheap?​

At my age my parents remembered the depression and the fear of it happening again never left them feeling secure.

... my brother .... got a sandwich with white bread, raw sliced carrots and katsup. No sane person would make this for their kid when there is money to buy food. Which we had.

I agree with you ... no disrespect to your mother, of course, so don't report me to the forum admin please.

 

[January]

Ah, this is how mis/disinformation gets around. If one reads that entire post closely, you would see I never said I go without washing. I said I "shower" every few days. Big difference. Here are the actual statements:

OK - thanks for clarifying.

I agree that not everyone needs to shower every day. Although not doing so to save money seems over frugal to me.

 

[wcwbf]

I have natural frugality built in... i'm mostly Scottish. had an uncle who was over the top frugal... CHEAP. I remember a story about him buying a pair of work boots at a "rummage sale". one boot was a size too small and the other a size too big... he made it work. there's a place in Conshohocken (Philly burbs) that specializes in nuts.. in shells, shelled, whole, pieces... at a good price. they would sell something they called "squirrel food"... jars of the dregs from their excellent homemade nut butters.... dirt cheap... meant for bird feeders. he'd pick out the occasion twig/shell to make a PB&J.

I'm a fan of thrift stores and yard sales. found a huge mess of Fiestaware dishes several summers ago. 10 complete place setting and a lot of extra odds and ends. a basic place setting (dinner plate, dessert/sandwich plate, soup/cereal bowl and mug) goes for $60-something. my limit for yard sales is usually $5-10 on a great find. I spent $50 for the whole mess.

I don't understand how anyone can just get rid of a well-worn, comfy, blue denim shirt. can't pass one by one in a thrift store.

I don't cheap out on food. real butter... not margarine. mayo... not miracle whip. good olive oil. good tuna... my preference is solid white in olive oil.

 

[Knight]

This all seemed to make sense to my nut of a mother. These are just two examples. Not normal IMO.

What was your mothers childhood like growing up? What were her parents habits?

I ask that because IMO there is an individual on SF that is great example of how what most would consider as parents negatively impacting their daughters hoarding. Without your mothers input or knowing what caused that kind of behavior it's not fair for me to comment on what I don't know.