Reason For Being Cheap?

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I'll by a cheap knockoff (for e.g. the Weber carry BBQ) for a tenth of the price, try it a couple of times, and buy the proper item full price if I get something resembling results...if only there was a cheapo Brinkman bullet knockoff to have avoided that.
 
Well, having being broke/homeless/alcoholic, I never wanna be there again.
My goal is to leave millions to those in need and colleges.
 
"I can't afford to buy cheap." I usually try stick to that. If there's a well known, long lasting, quality item, I'm more likely to shop around and try get the best deal I can on that item, instead of buying a cheap alternative. Almost certainly, the high initial cost is quickly forgotten.

On the other hand, if it's something that I'll only use once or twice, I'd happily go to HF and buy their cheap version.

In general, I think it's a cost/utility ratio that determines if I just need the cheap one.
 
Started out as the first and is now the second.

I also will not say cheap, I will say price conscious.
I buy the best product that does the job well for the best price (including using coupons and rebates).

Since we are an oil forum, my example would be I would gladly use Supertech, Super Smitty's, Rural King etc oils, they are a good value for the price and will keep the engine running past the life of the rest of the vehicle.
Now I rarely use store brand oils because I am able to find better deals on name brand oil for less than the regular price of the store brand.

Another example is tools. I have a set of Craftsman hadtools from when I was in teen in the mid 80's, they still work fine and were expensive, but have lasted.
I do buy some Harbor Freight tools at times, but they are usually one time use tools, so if they don't last more than 1-2 uses, I am OK with it, and did not spend 2-3x the money on it. Just recently bought a large socket for my rear diff, have not needed that size in 35+ years working on my cars, probably won't need it again.
 
My parents went through the Great Depression and I was taught to be not wasteful or overly extravagant.

Personally I've found no great pleasure - only guilt - in hedonism and consumerism so I suppose I'm value and practical oriented.

Plus I'm 1/2 Scot.
 
I have a feeling there are a ton of BITOG'ers who actually are cheap SOB's, but consider themselves "thrifty".

People on here are notoriously CHEAP. Spending $5-$10 on something they deem "unnecessary" is a mortal sin on this site to many. God forbid anyone on here buy a nice vehicle or commercial grade appliance when a piece of junk from Walmart would have done just fine, in their eyes.

Someone people (like myself) experience true satisfaction and joy from owning and operating high quality pieces of equipment, eating a really nice meal, or attending an exclusive event.

I get more enjoyment out of going to the Kentucky Derby and sitting on the rail than the extra $2000 sitting in my savings account. Driving my new truck around town is totally worth the high car payment I have now.
 
I'm leaving my kid a house and no debt. That's it.

The rest I will spend on whatever makes me happy.
 
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My Aunts favorite saying with certain things were, "you get what you pay for" and I hold that saying to be self evident overall. I do price shop and if I can get the same groceries but cheaper at a different supermarket -- I do jump on things like that.


Dale
 
Originally Posted By: 123Saab
I'm leaving my kid a house and no debt. That's it.

The rest I will spend on whatever makes me happy.


My parents raised me and put me through college, they don't owe me a penny. I really hope they enjoy their retirement and don't try to hoard their money to pass it on.
 
Pa. Dutch are very thrifty practical people. I am a chip off the old block. I am very generous about tipping and helping people though. I can afford it bc I have been "thrifty" the last 55 years.
 
It's too easy to confuse a DIY'er with a Cheap person. I do my own car maintenance, house repairs, other stuff because I usually enjoy the process and almost always feel the job was done with more care. Does that make me cheap? not if you measure your enjoyment or learning that comes from doing it yourself.

I won't do tree removal, I have done tile work and don't enjoy it enough to do more, probably would not do a full house shingle roof myself.

When I work on anything myself, I get the best ingredients available and blend in any tools that need to be purchased - provided the tool has some other utility after the first job is done.
 
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
My parents went through the Great Depression and I was taught to be not wasteful or overly extravagant.

Spot on Arco. Those of us who were raised by parents that lived through the Depression and WW2 were generally taught to be more frugal. Save for the rainy day, buy what you need not what you want, and so on.
 
My goal is to be cost effective the regular stuff, so I can spend more on the fun stuff.
All our appliances are white, and our wash machine and dryer don't match or look like a transmutation device from an 90's sci-fi movie. Nice new cars have a relatively expensive utility cost, so we don't buy those. And if I had something relatively fast, I'd still want it to be cheap enough to stuff it into the wall on a track day without really caring all that much.
Anyways, everyone will spend their own money how they wish, and if someone likes shiny trinkets that's their business.
 
Originally Posted By: Zee09
Are you thrifty out of necessity or you just plain out cheap because that is how you roll?


I don't consider myself thrifty. Cheap in some areas, spendthrift in others.

If I'm looking at something less than $20 I tend to buy it with little research--I can usually afford to throw away. More than that and I want to research it. I might buy the cheapest because I'll use once, or the utility/cost factor is best. Or I might buy the best because it's actually the cheapest cost per use.

On expensive items I do try to know when I will hit the break even point. How long do I plan to own/use? As long as the item makes it to that point I'm content. If it doesn't then I chose poorly. But more importantly it forces me to examine the logistics of the purchase, cost per use, TCO, etc. The more expensive it is the more I need to examine cradle to grave.

I've done spreadsheets while trying to determine what tire to buy.
 
Not sure if I'm really considered cheap, but some people have called me that because I've fixed things that most people would just buy new. I'd rather fix something if possible (and cost effective) and get more life out of it than replace it which is more expensive and usually with something of worse quality.

Example:

My alarm clock had a broken cord causing it to stop working. Most people would throw it away and buy a new one. I fixed the cord for under $3 and 5 minutes of time and was rolling again and it has been good for 2 years now. I try to save money where I can but that way I can spend more money on the things I like.
 
Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
Not sure if I'm really considered cheap, but some people have called me that because I've fixed things that most people would just buy new. I'd rather fix something if possible (and cost effective) and get more life out of it than replace it which is more expensive and usually with something of worse quality.

Example:

My alarm clock had a broken cord causing it to stop working. Most people would throw it away and buy a new one. I fixed the cord for under $3 and 5 minutes of time and was rolling again and it has been good for 2 years now. I try to save money where I can but that way I can spend more money on the things I like.


You waste-er.... :p
you could have fixed the cord with .30 of electrical tape. (does scotch tape counts for?)

P.S. Wife still uses her favorite Braun SilkEpil with a "converted" power brick. After 15 years....
 
For me, as long as I am throwing a good amount of money into my 401K, dumping a nice chunk of each paycheck into my savings and have all my bills and such taken care of, the rest I will spend on whatever my heart pleases. Vacations, various hobbies, etc… Never paid a cent of interest on credit cards, for example, so I am very responsible with all my finances and take a look at budget often.

I will be cheap when the situation makes sense. Generics when it doesn’t benefit going “name brand”, shopping at Aldi and such vs. big grocery stores to save money and basically deal shopping whenever possible for big ticket items. Just the normal smart things to do…

Life is too short to be a penny pincher (if you don’t need to be) and save up millions for retirement when you may not make it that far… That’s how I see it. I’m setting up to be just fine if and when I retire, but I’m not dumping every cent away in preparation for it. I’ll enjoy life now the best I can!
 
I'm cheap, I admit it. I'm still driving the same car for 20 years! My parents lived checkbook to checkbook on occasion, and it scared me. Plus, it's hardwired into my genes from grandparents and other family members. I like having a lot of savings, it makes me feel better.

I don't skimp out on some things though, like I've gone overboard on fishing equipment this season, but then again, I hardly ever spend money on movies and things like that, so it evens out! I also skimp on food during the week but splurge ate least once a week.
 
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