Silly Frugality?

[Meadbh]

Using leftovers is good resource management, not silly frugality.

I love leftovers. I can usually find something creative to do with them the next day. If I have a large quantity of leftovers, I freeze them. It means a meal is always ready for that day when I have no desire to cook.

I reuse and recycle Ziplock and other plastic bags, kitchen ties, aluminium foil, etc, provided that it’s clean. I’m still using sheets and towels that I bought 30 years ago, but I bring out the good stuff for guests.

I have a Burberry bomber jacket that I bought in London in 1974. I think it cost £98. It’s so well made that there isn’t a thread out of place. It looks like new. I still wear it occasionally. It looks quite like this one, which costs £1095 new!

https://uk.burberry.com/gosha-x-burberry-reversible-harrington-jacket-p40696751

 

[audreyh1]

I enjoy leftovers but I don’t sweat it over food going to waste. I try not to waste good by trying not to buy too much, but if things don’t work out and something spoils before I finish it I don’t worry about it. Once upon a time that really bugged me.

Now I give myself permission not to eat something if I’m not hungry.

 

[Sue J]

That's one I haven't heard before.



Does she have an alternative use for chopsticks?

Here are 10 uses of chopsticks. DH has used the one for a stripped screw hole.

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/ideas/10-uses-chopsticks

 

[Nemo2]

Here are 10 uses of chopsticks. DH has used the one for a stripped screw hole.

Not touching that one with a ten foot Pole.....or even a seven foot Hungarian.

 

[gayl]

Yeah, I've got one. I budget for groceries but go to Starbucks daily. It's even got a separate line in my budget (monthly groceries $100, Starbucks $250)

 

[JTOrt]

Thanks to this site I cut every dryer sheet into 3. Seems like such a waste to use a whole one.

 

[gayl]

LOL

 

[Meadbh]

Thanks to this site I cut every dryer sheet into 3. Seems like such a waste to use a whole one.

Thanks to this site I tear every dryer sheet into 2.

 

[Music Lover]

Thanks to this site I cut every dryer sheet into 3. Seems like such a waste to use a whole one.

Rookie. I cut them into 6 pieces

 

[LOL!]

OK, enough about leftovers, here is something overly frugal: One of our furnaces stopped working a few years ago. We just didn't fix it, so had two winters of very low heating bills along with a cold house.

But this past summer, we scheduled to have a new furnace installed, so it was working during the recent multi-day hard freeze in our area.

And we don't use dryer sheets at all.

 

[powerplay]

OK, enough about leftovers, here is something overly frugal: One of our furnaces stopped working a few years ago. We just didn't fix it, so had two winters of very low heating bills along with a cold house.

But this past summer, we scheduled to have a new furnace installed, so it was working during the recent multi-day hard freeze in our area.

And we don't use dryer sheets at all.

Wow, that's frugal.
Two or so years ago my brother's heat pump wore out (resistance heat still works, but is $$$ to operate) and he decided not to replace it right away. They have been using the wood stove in the living room and running the circulation fan on the heat pump to circulate the heat through the house. House is comfortable and I'm wondering if he will replace the HP anytime soon.

 

[zedd]

I can't dump out an unfinished beer, I mean one that I started and couldn't finish. Palm-drive a wine bottle stopper into the opening and pop it into the frig - just as good the next day

 

[pj.mask]

I can't dump out an unfinished beer, I mean one that I started and couldn't finish. Palm-drive a wine bottle stopper into the opening and pop it into the frig - just as good the next day

I got some silicone bottle caps that the pressure caused them to flex and hold tighter at a beer fest. Work great.

I think the amount of time I spend to claw some money back from businesses that screw up ... this pays out a small % of my hourly rate. A habit I can’t seem to break from being young and childless with all the free time in the world. Was the 30 minute phone call to comcast to get a $5 discount worth it? Partly because I believe if they have to hand out $5 to hundreds of people every month for service interruptions maybe they will prioritize not having them.

 

[6miths]

Thanks to this site I tear every dryer sheet into 2.

And then reuse the halves!! Repeatedly.

 

[USGrant1962]

I travel occasionally and every time I go into the hotel room I immediately take all of the soap, shampoo, and conditioner (except one that I use) and put those in my backpack. If I'm there multiple days, I'll make sure to keep using the one soap and shampoo from the first day and stash any additional extras the housekeeping service refreshes me with. I do the same thing with the tea and coffee bags.

After years of doing this, I looked at the results and realize that for all of my effort, I've collected approximately $10.83 worth of shampoo, conditioner, soap, tea, and coffee. In total. I still don't think I am cured.

Been doing that for years - we've donated batches to a shelter, given the good stuff to family members, and have a guest room bath overstocked with fancy soaps and shampoos.

 

[Calico]

I suspect we all have at least one thing that we know is overly-frugal, but we don't (or can't) stop doing anyway.

For me, I have a hard time throwing out leftover food.

Growing up, we were never hungry, but couldn't afford to eat food that wasn't on sale. We never ate out. We cooked large batches of inexpensive foods and ate it all.

My wife and I are financially independent. We don't need to scrimp. So now, I might make a nice soup - but I find that I still can't throw extras away. If I cook too much chicken, I find it hard not to have leftover chicken for lunch the next day or two.

Now we try to cook smaller amounts, but we haven't quite mastered that skill yet. I don't mind eating leftovers. But I know that I can afford to throw them out, yet don't. Crazy, I know.

Anyone else do something overly-frugal?

I have no problem eating leftovers. If I threw out food that had not spoiled, my grandmother would come Back from Beyond to let me have "what for!" We were raised to Use it Up, Wear it Out, Make It Do, or Do Without. The idea of wasting food is anathema to me.

 

[Major Tom]

I will venture that if you give up something you like (and can certainly afford) just to save money (for the sake of saving and not buying something else) then you suffer silly frugality and are well on the way to being downright cheap.

+1

 

[tinlizzy]

We always keep a supply of tortillas on hand. Any kind of leftover meat, beef, chicken, pork, or whatever, gets reheated, splashed with a little salsa and eaten for lunch. Quick delicious meal.

Emparedados.....ja ja

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I cut my lotion bottles in half with the scissors to use the very last bit. The bottles are hard to cut and I hate doing it but I cant help myself and I cant throw it away until it's completely gone.

My mother will add a little water to jars or cans of whatever food item and swish it around to get the last bit of whatever out.

I have a friend who calls leftovers LO's. I always thought that was cute. I dont have a problem eating leftovers even when I'm sick of it. Or I'll toss it in the freezer and happily eat it at a later date when I'm starving after work and want to eat NOW!

 

[GalaxyBoy]

I can't dump out an unfinished beer, I mean one that I started and couldn't finish. Palm-drive a wine bottle stopper into the opening and pop it into the frig - just as good the next day

What’s an “unfinished beer?”

 

[W2R]

I just live the way I have always lived.

I can't imagine what you do if you don't save leftovers - - just throw a delicious meal in the trash for no reason? Do people really DO that? That just sounds crazy to me. On the other hand, if it has been in the frig for a while and is "iffy", I will usually throw it out instead of eating it. I have no desire to get sick from bad food.

I don't use fabric softener or dryer sheets. Never have. I don't want that stuff on my clothes and often it smells. Or at least I think it probably does.

I don't drink beer, soda, diet soda, or anything else at home that comes in single serving containers like that. I drink water or, in the morning, coffee. Once in a blue moon I will mix up some Crystal Light, and what I don't drink goes in the frig for the next day.

My peanut butter and ketchup come in plastic containers. Thank goodness for that, because I am pretty clumsy sometimes.

OK, I do keep my house warm enough to wear shorts inside all winter, instead of having to bundle up inside the house. I'll grant you that.

 

[audreyh1]

I can't dump out an unfinished beer, I mean one that I started and couldn't finish. Palm-drive a wine bottle stopper into the opening and pop it into the frig - just as good the next day

We occasionally buy larger bottles of beer. A stopper works well - not the vacuum wine one but one that will hold the pressure. We use this type on champagne too.

 

[Scuba]

LOL! Washed straws... that's frugal!

I’ve done that for months! Just yesterday DH asked me to please stop and just use a new straw. For me it wasn’t about saving money but just seemed wasteful to throw away a straw after one use.

 

[Scuba]

Been doing that for years - we've donated batches to a shelter, given the good stuff to family members, and have a guest room bath overstocked with fancy soaps and shampoos.

+1

 

[Scuba]

Emparedados.....ja ja



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I cut my lotion bottles in half with the scissors to use the very last bit. The bottles are hard to cut and I hate doing it but I cant help myself and I cant throw it away until it's completely gone.



My mother will add a little water to jars or cans of whatever food item and swish it around to get the last bit of whatever out.



I have a friend who calls leftovers LO's. I always thought that was cute. I dont have a problem eating leftovers even when I'm sick of it. Or I'll toss it in the freezer and happily eat it at a later date when I'm starving after work and want to eat NOW!

Try turning the lotion bottles upside down and leaving them that way between uses. That helps get most of it out.

 

[Scuba]

I’m guilty of several of these habits, but one I didn’t see mentioned is that I hate to pay for parking. I’ll park several blocks away from my destination and walk rather than pay to park. DH makes fun of me but it’s not just about the parking cost. It’s also about not having to worry about staying longer than I planned and having a parking ticket when I get back.

I also always pick up coins when I see them. DH teases me about that too, says one day I’m going to get sick picking up some filthy penny. But I consider it good luck!