The Official BITOG Cheapskate Thread

Dude you're an animal!
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Just kidding. Good (cheap) work!!
 
I got a brand new Sharp Microwave for $44 at Target. I just asked for a discount. I'm serious. It was on clearance and the last one. The box was a bit beat, so I asked the manager. I was expecting 0-10% but off she took off 30%!
 
I am somewhere in the middle. I used to be real cheap before I married my wife but it is difficult to be a one man army of cheapness. A few old habits stick with me though, such as draining the hose into my car when fueling up, and fueling up late at night or early in the morning in the summertime. I work a 7/7 schedule and have to live at work for 7 days, on the night before I come home I wash all my clothes. Than the night before I go back to work, I pack up all my dirty outfits from the week home and wash them and use them at work. When my cell phone needs charging while at home, I take it out to my truck to charge it. I used to press the last little sliver of soap onto the new bar before I started using body wash, I had to start using body wash when I grew tired of having to bath with dish washing soap after finding that someone at work used my soap and left their "big boy hair" all over it, leaving me to throw it away and have to substitute. I cant stand the exhaust fan in the bathroom being on all the time, it should only stay on for the life of the dump, my wife thinks it needs to run 24/7. It dosent get cold enough around here to warrant saving bath water or anything like that. A few things I dont cheap out on is safety items for the cars, all tires are bought new, windsheild wipers bought new and changed in sets like the tires, as are brakes, head (or any) lights. I used to only buy Duracell batteries because they were one of the very, very few still made in the USA but even the majority of them are being made in China nowadays so screw it, Poloroid and Rayovacs now. I will buy myself a couple pairs of pants or shirts once or twice a year and wear clothes until I risk being arrested for indecent exposure. I also copy movies I rent, most of them come from the library. I lucked out as far as cable and water goes, it is included in the price of the rent, and they come once a month and change the smoke detector batteries and air condition filters.
 
RangerDood, best bang for the buck would be to insulate the attic. When replacing the windows, DONT get those replacement units that fit inside the existing frames. Remove the old stuff back to the jack studs and either get windows sized to fit or alter the openings to fit available sizes. I'm living in a 150yr old farm house that I've spent 30 yrs rebuilding stick by stick. I would have been better off if I had bulldozed it and started with a hole in the ground.
 
I sobered up a bit and read my last post, and would like to clarify the battery situation. I used to only buy Duracells, but bought some from a discount store that were made in China, I have since checked around and they do have some floating around made in China. Rayovac is a little cheaper and made in the USA, Polaroid batteries are good Chinese batteries. I take used batteries that wont power my daughters toys or other electronics anymore and use them in remote controls or clocks. I also take my wifes rolling pin to the toothpaste, I am the only one using it at this point, but at least a tube with a few more brushes at least is not being thrown away. When I had Nextel cell service the plan included free incoming calls, so I used to call people I wanted to talk to and say "call me back" and hang up.
 
"I take used batteries that wont power my daughters toys or other electronics anymore and use them in remote controls or clocks. I also take my wifes rolling pin to the toothpaste, I am the only one using it at this point, but at least a tube with a few more brushes at least is not being thrown away. When I had Nextel cell service the plan included free incoming calls, so I used to call people I wanted to talk to and say "call me back" and hang up."
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I bow.
 
Originally Posted By: 97f150
I sobered up a bit and read my last post, and would like to clarify the battery situation. I used to only buy Duracells, but bought some from a discount store that were made in China, I have since checked around and they do have some floating around made in China. Rayovac is a little cheaper and made in the USA,


97, the AA Kirkland batteries I have from Costco are made in the USA, cheap and decent quality
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I don't have any other size Kirklands right now so can't vouch for source on the other sizes.

Quote:
I also take my wifes rolling pin to the toothpaste, I am the only one using it at this point, but at least a tube with a few more brushes at least is not being thrown away.


I also bow in your general direction
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XS650, the only Kirklands around here exists only on my wish list. We do have a Sams, but they sell Energizer batteries for the same price I can buy them anywhere else, but in bulk.
 
I found a full-size jar candle at a local supermarket ... a peach scent ... marked down to only $3.50. I looked at it and figured that a jar that size full of wax must contain at least $3.50 worth of BTUs. So, I bought it as supplemental heat for my apartment.

I navigate my apartment late at night using flashlights with old batteries as opposed to turning lights on and off. I also use these to read by.

Anyone else here re-use 'disposable' spoons, forks and knives?
 
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Originally Posted By: Bror Jace
a jar that size full of wax must contain at least $3.50 worth of BTUs. So, I bought it as supplemental heat for my apartment.


Good thinking!! Who cares if your place smells nice in the process.

Originally Posted By: Bror Jace
Anyone else here re-use 'disposable' spoons, forks and knives?


Shamefully raise hand.
 
Do you actually throw away alkaline batteries? You can recharge them a dozen times, if you only drain them half way, and are careful to never exceed 1.6V while charging.
 
Used to do that.

The children are a bit hard to train not to flatten them 'though. And when they leak, they are nasty.
 
Originally Posted By: 97f150
When my cell phone needs charging while at home, I take it out to my truck to charge it.


Electricity from the truck is ~10x as expensive as from the grid.

Though if you elmininate, say, the ashtray light, that would compensate.
 
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