What makes someone miserly?

I'm also guilty as charged. I can squeeze a penny so hard that Lincoln screams in pain.
Oh yea! I worked very hard for my money and I absolutely abhor waste of any sort. I am not cheap but I am very wise with my resources. I buy store brand items if I find that they're of acceptable quality. I drive good quality cars with good quality tires and brakes. I even change the drain plug washer with each oil change. Most on this forum don't do that from what I gather from reading posts. In fact, nearly everyone on here shops WalMart because the prices are CHEAP. I don't do that either. I don't have cable TV (it's wasteful and full of filth) and I rarely eat out because the quality is just bad and the prices are high.

Waste not, want not!
 
A good friend of mine is the same. Had a great job with the railroad and was on the road a lot and lived in his parents basement. He converted it fully so its like two houses on one foundation. I guarantee he has more than enough money but his only expense I've seen is to buy a brand new car every 8 years.
He has a lot of investments and before he retired payroll at work would call him and ask he deposit paychecks before they went stale so he wasn't super concerned about investments he just lives comfortably.
 
".... lived in his parents basement."
I think it's safe to say that most everyone on this forum could be very well-off, financially, if they'd done something like this. It's called 'failure to launch' and mooching off your parents your entire life can be a real money saver. I wonder how much money he's spent on gaming consoles and Hot Pockets.
 
Hot pockets are not a wise financial expenditure. They provide very poor nutritional value, are unhealthy, and require a rather expensive piece of equipment to heat them up. A true "miser" would stick to peanut butter and white bread. :)
 
Its his life...let him live it the way he wants.


What makes someone live in a run down trailer and drive a brand new car?

What makes someone mow thier grass too much? Or not enough?

What makes someone spend so many hours on social media?

What makes someone do drugs? What makes someone become a serial killer?

What makes someone climb rocks? What makes someone post on forums?

What makes someone do a VOA? UOA? Cut open a filter?

What makes someone________________?


You could literally spend every waking hour wondering why people do the things they do... its what makes us human. And you will never figure any of it out..
 
I think it's safe to say that most everyone on this forum could be very well-off, financially, if they'd done something like this. It's called 'failure to launch' and mooching off your parents your entire life can be a real money saver. I wonder how much money he's spent on gaming consoles and Hot Pockets.
Its wasn't as much mooching as it fit their situation. His parents were very old when they had him so he assisted them much of his life by cutting the grass upkeep on the house and elder care etc. His early work life was 90 percent on the road so he didn't see the benefits of getting his own place as he was hardly there. And no he wasn't a gamer in the literal sense. He was a huge sports fan and traveled extensively to various sporting events.
 
While the OP's friend seems over the top with his miserly ways...I know so many people today who have expensive trucks, RV's, boats, jet ski's etc...(every toy possible), drive leased BMW's, Audi's etc...,take expensive vacations regularly, have every cable channel, spend thousands of dollars on 'body art'*....etc.etc. etc..and have zero savings and are paying off big credit card debt....they are just as foolish as the OP's friend IMO.

* I don't have any tattoos but had often considered getting one....but those people who cover their body with tats are just as whacky as this miser, IMO. I find it a total turn-off to see a female who is covered with tattoos.
 
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I have a friend who is the definition of “miser” and it’s getting worse as we get older. It wasn’t more than something to occasionally kid about when times were 25 years ago, but he continues to live this way.

In my opinion he has crossed the line from making wise investments and saving up money, into some sort of psychosis.

We are getting older and I feel his love of making money is preventing him from living life as it’s meant to be. I’m not saying anyone should be materialistic, but this situation is over the top.

Then again maybe I’m wrong!

He will burn himself out physically working all of the overtime that he can, and then complain that he has no time to date women.

He will stand in a grocery store and analyze the square footage of the two cheapest brands of paper towels to find the best deal. I’ve witnessed this.

He drives hand-me-down econoboxes that his elderly parents give him when they upgrade. He’s always done this. The cars are maintained barely within inspection standards. He’s one of those people who will beg the mechanic to do every job as cheap as possible. Anything to save a penny.

Yet he has money in the bank and invested. Lots and lots of it. He will suddenly take out his phone during dinner and frantically check his bank account and panic when his “measly” $3M— or whatever ridiculous amount is in his bank account— has only gained $16k in interest this month compared to $16200 last month.

What makes someone think like this? What is the motive behind it? At this point in life my friend shuts down all communication when I bring up the subject. Yet I want to do something to help him or at least make him listen to my perspective.

Maybe he's actually happier than all of us spenders? Do i do suspect he's driven it a bit far....
 
Resurrected 3 week old thread....... That's o.k. by me.

Hardly anyone addressed the OP's final statement: "Yet I want to do something to help him or at least make him listen to my perspective."

Most likely a very bad choice to "help" someone unless there is cause for concern that he might be somehow in danger like substance addictions, suicide, etc..

krismoriah72 is correct: "Its his life...let him live it the way he wants. "
 
Sounds like a case of pure greed to me. I’m actually very frugal but I’m just trying to reach a point where I can retire before I’m to old to enjoy it.
 
Many older folks worry about new taxes coming on investment income - SS meltdown - Or how much of your hard earned (already taxed) money can go to your own family …
 
I have a close friend who is like this. One day I asked why he's like that. He said when he was a teenager he quit his job and thought he could get a new job easily. That took a while and he had to ask his father for some money. Said he hated that feeling and never wanted to be in that situation again. I don't know his dad, but maybe his dad gave him a huge lecture.

He's in his 50s now and is still a tightwad, probably even more so.
 
If more people thought like your friend, this country, along with it's citizens, would be in a LOT better shape economically. Most people today are not financially independent. Everything they own is on the cuff. Take away their ability to get mortgages, car loans, and credit cards, and most couldn't "afford" much of anything.

We have become a cash poor nation. Most people save little to nothing. Many spend more than they make every year, and continually are expanding their debt.... Just like the government. The difference is, (good or bad), the government owns the printing presses. One third of Americans don't even have $500.00 set aside for an emergency home repair.

Some 38% of Americans could not come up with $500 in cash without selling something or taking out a loan. That's pretty pathetic. Especially when the bulk of them are driving around in new cars, and yacking away on $700.00 I-Phones . We've lost our financial compass in this nation. And if ever SHTF, many are going to be in big trouble.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/n...an $500 or, worse,income of less than $50,000.
 
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I have a friend who is the definition of “miser” and it’s getting worse as we get older. It wasn’t more than something to occasionally kid about when times were 25 years ago, but he continues to live this way.

In my opinion he has crossed the line from making wise investments and saving up money, into some sort of psychosis.

We are getting older and I feel his love of making money is preventing him from living life as it’s meant to be. I’m not saying anyone should be materialistic, but this situation is over the top.

Then again maybe I’m wrong!

He will burn himself out physically working all of the overtime that he can, and then complain that he has no time to date women.

He will stand in a grocery store and analyze the square footage of the two cheapest brands of paper towels to find the best deal. I’ve witnessed this.

He drives hand-me-down econoboxes that his elderly parents give him when they upgrade. He’s always done this. The cars are maintained barely within inspection standards. He’s one of those people who will beg the mechanic to do every job as cheap as possible. Anything to save a penny.

Yet he has money in the bank and invested. Lots and lots of it. He will suddenly take out his phone during dinner and frantically check his bank account and panic when his “measly” $3M— or whatever ridiculous amount is in his bank account— has only gained $16k in interest this month compared to $16200 last month.

What makes someone think like this? What is the motive behind it? At this point in life my friend shuts down all communication when I bring up the subject. Yet I want to do something to help him or at least make him listen to my perspective.
Usually some type of MH condition.
 
Its his life...let him live it the way he wants.


What makes someone live in a run down trailer and drive a brand new car?

What makes someone mow thier grass too much? Or not enough?

What makes someone spend so many hours on social media?

What makes someone do drugs? What makes someone become a serial killer?

What makes someone climb rocks? What makes someone post on forums?

What makes someone do a VOA? UOA? Cut open a filter?

What makes someone________________?


You could literally spend every waking hour wondering why people do the things they do... its what makes us human. And you will never figure any of it out..
Thank you for reminding me. I have an oil filter I need to open. Don't ask me why. I have a nice tool for the job and want to use it I guess. I'll soon give all my tools away and stop doing maintenance on our vehicle, but until then, Hosteen is going to keep doing things he has been doing for sixty five years. I enjoy doing it, no one is complaining about it and it's not illegal. Going to keep running against the wind till the wheels come off, she jumps the tracks an goes down just like the Titanic, which I feel like I have been on all my life.
 
Lived frugally until retirement. I have a modest 401K and it made enough money in the past year, to be able to pay for the recent car purchase. I don't touch my principles in any account, but I enjoy the gravy.
 
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