Frugality Hall Of Fame

[me_no_boss]

A few weeks ago I found some unused wiper blades from a car that I sold. The front pair is too short for my truck, but the rear wiper is long enough. So you guessed it. I pieced together the two short ones for the passenger side and used the long one for the driver side. It took maybe 15 minutes of work and voila, new blades from junk.

I also used a no-frills MTD mower for 14 years and still running.
The rusty paint got so embarassing I repainted it using old paint that maybe from the Carter years. It lasted longer than my ex.

 

[TromboneAl]

I got you out-frugaled there. If you go over your wiper blades with fine sandpaper occasionally, they will last for a very long time. I think the blades on our car have been there two or more years.

Actually, I notice that just cleaning the rubber on the blades usually makes them work like new again. Every time I clean the window with windex, I clean the blades too.

And I repainted my rusty lawnmower with free paint from the dump.

 

[me_no_boss]

Ok I am OF'ed, but I really don't want to the winner of this contest.
I am too embarassed to bring up the car tire thing.

 

[hcho3528]

I have a friend who does not believe in tipping for anything. He goes out frequently, but will NEVER tip. It wouldn't be so bad if he just stated that he did not tip, but instead he'll find a reason anytime you go out where not only will he say he will not tip, but that the service he is recieveing should be complimentary. An example would be if he is at a resteraunt ordering food and the server takes more than several minutes when he wants something like an extra napkin, he will expect that the meal would be free and request to talk to a manager. It gets old after a while, and frankly our group of friends have quite hanging out with him and his wife because they are embarrassing and inconsiderate.

 

[ERD50]

I got you out-frugaled there. If you go over your wiper blades with fine sandpaper occasionally, they will last for a very long time. I think the blades on our car have been there two or more years.

Thanks T-AL, I always thought that should work, but never actually tried it. I'd actually be more interested in the time savings, some of our wipers are a bit like a rubik's cube to get apart.

And I repainted my rusty lawnmower with free paint from the dump.

Nice shade of beige?

-ERD50

 

[Hamlet]

I've always felt that a good measure of the quality of the people you associate with is this:

When you go out to a restaraunt as a large group and have a single tab, when everyone puts their money in, do you have more than enough? I've been out with people who didn't put enough in, so that the person gathering the money got stuck fighting with people about how much they owed.

The people I go out with always put in enough that we are always trying to figure out who needs to get money back, because a 35% tip is too much, even for really good service. I've always thought that that reflected well on my friends.

Life is too short to spend with people who won't pay their share of the bill.

I have a friend who does not believe in tipping for anything. He goes out frequently, but will NEVER tip. It wouldn't be so bad if he just stated that he did not tip, but instead he'll find a reason anytime you go out where not only will he say he will not tip, but that the service he is recieveing should be complimentary. An example would be if he is at a resteraunt ordering food and the server takes more than several minutes when he wants something like an extra napkin, he will expect that the meal would be free and request to talk to a manager. It gets old after a while, and frankly our group of friends have quite hanging out with him and his wife because they are embarrassing and inconsiderate.

 

[cj]

Re: tipping - many years ago, I was with a group of women from all over the country in a training class in New Jersey. We had an excursion into New York City for the night and we had dinner at the Russian Tea Room. The food was wonderful and so was the service. Somehow I got assigned the task of collecting the money. When we were done, I was waaaaaaay short. The rest of them were leaving, and I ended up paying a LOT more than my share. I noticed that one woman had left fifty cents next to her plate. Since then I do my very best NOT to get stuck as the collector!!!

I'm like Hamlet now - when I'm out with the friends I most often have lunch with, there is always too much money in the pot when we are done. I'm frugal, but I would never stiff my friends!!

CJ

 

[52andout]

Each fall our grocery stores run a special, if you spend $25 you get a turkey for .29 a pound. I save my coupons and stock up on Turkeys, giving one to MIL and SIL who live about an hour away but don't have this promotion, and usually have several more in the freezer. I even use coupons for stuff I normally wouldn't and give the extra stuff (ie box potatoes, canned soups etc.) to the food bank. I like to support our local food bank, and know many don't have the fully equipped kitchen like I do so these packaged foods are good to donate.
Yesterday I was using my calculator in the store trying to spend exactly $25 when I noticed one of the coupons I had planned on using had expired. I walked back across the store and put the item back. I spent $25.18 plus the cost of the turkey.
My tax advisor friend told me to save the receipts and circle what I donate to deduct on taxes, not sure if it is worth it but I did save the receipts.

 

[youbet]

I have a friend who does not believe in tipping for anything. He goes out frequently, but will NEVER tip....... It gets old after a while, and frankly our group of friends have quite hanging out with him and his wife because they are embarrassing and inconsiderate.

Amen. We know a similar couple and have responded by limiting the number of times we're with them. These folks go farther than never tipping/always complaining, they're also members of the Frugal Hall of Fame. Last time we were invited to their home, they ordered pizza and asked me to pay half! The pizza was $15 or $16. I handed the host a $10 bill. He combined it with a $10 bill of his own, got change from the delivery boy and pocketed it all! No tip, nothing returned to me. At our house, they ask for things we haven't offered. "Say youbet, a glass of cabernet would be nice this evening." Or, "we're hoping you serve some of that nice after dinner liquor you served last time we were over! And, while you're getting that, grab some tin foil. I'd like to wrap up some of the left over prime rib to bring home. It's really yummy!"

If they were broke, I'd be delighted to help financially support their social life. But this is just a case of frugality gone wrong. Oh yeah......they're RE'd.

 

[Nords]

Amen. We know a similar couple...
If they were broke, I'd be delighted to help financially support their social life. But this is just a case of frugality gone wrong.
Oh yeah......they're RE'd.

So what names do they post under here?

 

[Keim]

If they were broke, I'd be delighted to help financially support their social life. But this is just a case of frugality gone wrong. Oh yeah......they're RE'd.

No it isn't. There is a difference between frugal and cheap. They are cheap.

 

[Khan]

No it isn't. There is a difference between frugal and cheap. They are cheap.

They are jerks.

 

[CyclingInvestor]

Re: tipping - many years ago, I was with a group of women from all over the country in a training class in New Jersey. We had an excursion into New York City for the night and we had dinner at the Russian Tea Room. The food was wonderful and so was the service. Somehow I got assigned the task of collecting the money. When we were done, I was waaaaaaay short. The rest of them were leaving, and I ended up paying a LOT more than my share. I noticed that one woman had left fifty cents next to her plate. Since then I do my very best NOT to get stuck as the collector!!!

I'm like Hamlet now - when I'm out with the friends I most often have lunch with, there is always too much money in the pot when we are done. I'm frugal, but I would never stiff my friends!!

CJ

I usually collect the money (at the groups request) whenever I go out in groups. I go around
one by one and tell each what to give me. If they shove money at me out of turn, I give it back
and tell then to wait. Never had a shortage.

 

[clifp]

Sorry no hall of fame frugrality from me, but I have a few example of my favorite frugal billionaire. Intel Co-Founder Gordon Moore is worth roughly 4 billion (Forbes #77 down considerable in recent years because of the multibillion dollar Betty and Gordon Moore Foundation) was famous for being frugal. Three of my favorite stories.

• Gordon at Intel board of directors meeting trying to find somebody who has change for a quarter so he can use the $.10 pay phones.
• Senior VP describes how on hot summer morning sees an old man digging a fence post, the drive back late in the afternoon and the Intel exec remarks to his wife, "Poor guy, I'd hate to be doing hard work in this heat at his age." He then recognizes 63 year old Gordon and stops. "Gordon what the heck are you doing in this heat", "I am putting in a fence for my mother", "my god why don't you hire somebody to do this?" Gordon, "do you know how much contractors want to put in a fence?"
• Mr. Moore is on the Board of Conservation International (he's contributed roughly $1 billion to ecology causes, oh and he is a staunch Republican). The board meeting is in Rio where is meet by fellow board member Harrison Ford. Harrison "Gordon I hear you made this long trip on a commercial flight". "Yup, Coach", Gordon proudly exclaims. "My god, Gordon, Travolta flew down here on his own jet, and I chartered a jet", says an incredulous Harrison. "Gordon, you could buy an entire fleet of jets." "Yes, I could but how do you think I got to this point"

(As an side does anybody else think it is vulgar to fly around the world on private jets to attend conservation meetings or give speeches)

Still I bet even Gordon doesn't recycle dryer sheets

 

[RunningBum]

John Morgridge, former CEO and now chairman of the board at Cisco, also has some good frugality stories. I heard one directly from him. After he stepped down as CEO, he and his wife did a bike ride across the US, from their home in Silicon Valley to their home in NH (or somewhere on the east coast).

Her condition, knowing his frugality, was that she got to pick the places they stayed each night. He agreed, because he was making the route. He mostly picked nightly stopovers in towns with only his favorite motel: Motel 6. A good story, but true? Well, he had pictures showing the clothes hanging from a line in what sure looks like a Motel 6 type room. I believe it.

 

[dex]

If they were broke, I'd be delighted to help financially support their social life. But this is just a case of frugality gone wrong. Oh yeah......they're RE'd.

Why do you socialize with these people? Are they great conversationalist or something?

 

[Janet H]

A At our house, they ask for things we haven't offered. "Say youbet, a glass of cabernet would be nice this evening."

Buy some cab in a box. Keep it on hand for them. Pour it proudly.

 

[Maurice]

Last time we were invited to their home, they ordered pizza and asked me to pay half! The pizza was $15 or $16. I handed the host a $10 bill. He combined it with a $10 bill of his own, got change from the delivery boy and pocketed it all!

I couldn't imagine spending time with people like that. Being frugal is one thing, but these people lack both class and pride.

 

[youbet]

Why do you socialize with these people? Are they great conversationalist or something?

Lifelong friends. Met in elementary school. As teenagers, hung out on the same Chicago street corners. God parents for each others' kids. Etc. As I said, sadly, we've put limits on how often we see them because, frankly, it's gone past getting on my nerves!

An entrepreneur right out of college, the extreme struggle to make his business go seems to have changed him so that this frugal/cheap trait is like a cancer out of control. It was somewhat understandable during the years when the day to day struggle to keep the business going and feed the family was seemingly insurmountable. But, eventually, a huge real estate profit resulting from his factory and property being condemned to make way for a convention/exposition center left him FIRE'd.

But, he can't stop with the inappropriate penny pinching. In fact, as we age, it seems to be getting worse. There's another thread addressing the question of personality traits exaggerating as we hit our 60's........maybe that's part of it.....

Nords - Yes, there have been a few times when I was sure he was posting here!

 

[Nords]

But, he can't stop with the inappropriate penny pinching. In fact, as we age, it seems to be getting worse. There's another thread addressing the question of personality traits exaggerating as we hit our 60's........maybe that's part of it.....
Nords - Yes, there have been a few times when I was sure he was posting here!

Sorry to hear that. If my parents-in-law are any harbinger, as they get older it'll just get worse.

Carrying on my %% vs $$ contrast of another thread, my FIL used to rant & rave at MIL if the electric bill went up 10% in a SINGLE MONTH. You know the stereotype-- pants hiked up to the armpits, constantly roaming around the house flipping off lightswitches ("You don't need that to use the toilet, you haven't rearranged the furniture in there!"), and pricing 25-watt bulbs at six local retail outlets.

Then we realized that his frightening 10% surge equated to about three bucks. At which point he remonstrated that it wasn't the magnitude, it was the trend!

 

[dex]

Lifelong friends. Met in elementary school. As teenagers, hung out on the same Chicago street corners. God parents for each others' kids. Etc. As I said, sadly, we've put limits on how often we see them because, frankly, it's gone past getting on my nerves!

You should try some of his tactics on him and see if he gets the message.

 

[laurence]

Have you tried talking to them about this? I know it can be uncomfortable, but if you resolve to be firm about it, it might be the best thing for your friendship. I had a friend - best man at my wedding - who was cheap, thieving cheap. One time we went to a pizza joint and the group all agreed to go in on a Pizza and a pitcher of beer. Not him, he said he would get his own lunch. He got a sub and a bottle of beer. Then we all sat down, and he promptly ate a good portion of the pizza, helped himself to the pitcher of beer, and only ate half his sub, packing the rest to take home. DW was fuming. I told her I would talk to him without the others around. I laid into him politely but frankly the next day. He was pretty defensive, and pretty mad. He tried every way to deny his actions, and I simply said it didn't matter what his intent was, how it appeared to everyone else was he was a skinflint cheapskate who would rather get over on $5 worth of food rather than respect his friends. After sulking for a week, he came around again and did a much better job of taking care of his share of the bill. Never really apologized, and still was pretty cheap, but at least we weren't covering his tip and subsidizing his meals.

 

[free4now]

Sorry no hall of fame frugrality from me, but I have a few example of my favorite frugal billionaire. Intel Co-Founder Gordon Moore is worth roughly 4 billion (Forbes #77 down considerable in recent years because of the multibillion dollar Betty and Gordon Moore Foundation) was famous for being frugal.

Frugality must have been in Intel's DNA. I remember when then-CEO Andy Grove came to a meeting with engineers at our SiliValley megacorp. He drove himself to the meeting and reportedly wasted about 15 minutes driving around the parking lots looking for a space to park. And he showed up in the cheesiest members-only type jacket I had ever seen. Maybe this is the nerd gene that leads so many engineers to retire early.

 

[Gumby]

Hetty Green -- American multi-millionaire at the end of the 19th century. She takes the cake.

Her frugality extended to family life. Her son Ned broke his leg as a child, but Hetty took him away from the hospital when she was recognized. She tried to treat him at home, but the leg contracted gangrene and had to be amputated – he ended up with a cork prosthesis.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hetty_Green

 

[unclemick]

Yeah - but but - one of the joys of ER is to be selectively hinky:

Book the balconey suite(in season) on the Mexican Riveria Cruise and later cruise the neighborhood(in season of course) dressed in your Salvation Army(sidewalk sale) bib overalls and your 250,000 mile used pickup - with rusty passenger side fender.

Keep your core budget honked down and within compass(4% or 5%variable) overall - and you can get as funky as you wish - your relatives may pretend they don't know ya - but FIRE can't be fired/lose their job/layed off/etc.

heh heh heh