Things cheap people do
Discussion
The employees of a little company with departments had their lives ruined by the HR man. He held lunchtime meetings for each department in turn. The only good thing was lunch; sandwiches, crisps and soft drinks. So little was achieved I enquired of one of the managers about the point of it all.
"He charges the lunch to the department. Hasn't paid for his lunch since he started."
"He charges the lunch to the department. Hasn't paid for his lunch since he started."
Working for a large multinational on a large site there are lots of lunch time meetings going on. Catering supply each meeting room with a selection of sandwiches and other comestibles in a little cart that gets left outside each meeting room. After the meeting any left overs would be returned to the cart for collection. A guy I worked with would mine sweep as many carts as possible to collect the curled up left overs for his kids school packed lunches.
When he retired he got a large lump sum which he spent on a Jag (something he'd always wanted). The office went out for lunch and he turned up in his Jag. I was expecting some brand new £60k XJ, instead it was an M reg XJ sovereign with rusty sills......
When he retired he got a large lump sum which he spent on a Jag (something he'd always wanted). The office went out for lunch and he turned up in his Jag. I was expecting some brand new £60k XJ, instead it was an M reg XJ sovereign with rusty sills......
I am somewhere in the middle, I won't spend money if I don't have to but I won't rummage through discounted food.
My problem is I get a buzz out of saving money and seeing my bank account increase so I don't like spending money unnecessarily.
I hate paying interest, I see it as giving money away for nothing so I won't have any loans or use credit cards. The things I do are:
1)Have a 2 year old £100 phone with a £10 a month PAYG sim. Would never get a contract again.
2)Always ensure I am paying the least possible for insurance, electric, gas etc.
3)Service my own car with filters and oil from eBay.
4)Drive a shed with £30 annual road tax that does 60MPG.
5)Own a 6 year old laptop, when you don't have own the latest thing anymore it saves you a fortune.
6)If I have to buy something I will spend an hour on the internet making sure I have got it for the cheapest price possible.
7)Rarely eat out, if I have no choice it will be Nandos.
8)Rarely drink in pubs.
9)Take my own lunch to work, amazes me to see people spending £5 to £10 on lunch every day.
For me the feeling of having no debt and having a years take home salary in the bank is much nicer than the short term buzz of owning something new.
My problem is I get a buzz out of saving money and seeing my bank account increase so I don't like spending money unnecessarily.
I hate paying interest, I see it as giving money away for nothing so I won't have any loans or use credit cards. The things I do are:
1)Have a 2 year old £100 phone with a £10 a month PAYG sim. Would never get a contract again.
2)Always ensure I am paying the least possible for insurance, electric, gas etc.
3)Service my own car with filters and oil from eBay.
4)Drive a shed with £30 annual road tax that does 60MPG.
5)Own a 6 year old laptop, when you don't have own the latest thing anymore it saves you a fortune.
6)If I have to buy something I will spend an hour on the internet making sure I have got it for the cheapest price possible.
7)Rarely eat out, if I have no choice it will be Nandos.
8)Rarely drink in pubs.
9)Take my own lunch to work, amazes me to see people spending £5 to £10 on lunch every day.
For me the feeling of having no debt and having a years take home salary in the bank is much nicer than the short term buzz of owning something new.
JaredVannett said:
some hillarious ones in here, also some I might give a go...eg. popping into Asda late for the whoooops! pricing/discounts.
I dare say there are a couple of areas where I could of improved but nothing springs to mind. At the time I had a couple of motorcycles BSA Rocket 3 and Honda c90 clunk. I used the clunk for work (13 miles each way) as the mpg was fantastic but it was embarrassing, young lad on a clunk . Worked as a postman for 27 years on the trains and as an HGV driver and probably did too much overtime but I kept chipping away at the mortgage. Took EVR at 45 and cleared mortgage and got into delivering plant for 10 years then started taking PO pension.markymarkthree said:
Back in the 70s I used to travel around the country to watch all the British and world championship scramble meets. I would always volunteer to be a marshal so I got for free, got a free lunch and closer to the action. When I got my 1st mortgage at 25, I was so tight I used to shower at work and have most of my meals there in the subsidised canteen. Managed to retire at 57 four years ago.
If you could go back in time would you have done anything different? Do you regret anything with regards to frugal spending or has it worked our very well? Genuine question.Wife works on the bank for the NHS so we are constantly have small breaks and holidays.
Biggest regret was not taking a transfer in the PO to Cornwall as we didn't think I would get the overtime down there, its to late now as we have kids and Grand kid but Somerset aint a bad place to live. Also our freezer is full of stuff with yellow stickers on them.
Joey Deacon said:
7)Rarely eat out, if I have no choice it will be Nandos.
Nandos is one of the few places i will not go back to on principle.I went once because my nan made a mess of buying what was meant to be a Tesco shopping voucher.
Looking on their website the only thing id want to order is:
Chicken Butterfly
Two chicken breasts joined by crispy skin.
On its own
£7.95
+2 reg sides
£11.45
Clearly everyone will have the two sides which means its £11.45.. for two chicken breasts, chips and a dollop of coleslaw.
I had a toby carvery Saturday and for just £2 more i had a starter, huge main and a pudding. (and decent service, which i didnt get in nandos)
RedWhiteMonkey said:
There has been a few articles in the media recently about a growing group of people who live so sparingly and save so much that they are able to retire by their mid-thirties. Whilst this the dedication to do this is admirable the lives they lead and will have to lead in their “retirement” sounds truly depressing.
It also sounds *highly* implausible and very, very improbable, certainly on conventional earnings and without the support of Hotel of Mum and Dad if not Bank of Mum and Dad also. Benbay001 said:
Haha, Yeh, you've got me there, my supermarket maths doesnt work.
Still, the 5% stuff is usually twice the price per KG so im definitely going to continue doing what im doing.
15% cooks and tastes better. Also arguably better for you than low fat/fat free according to recent researchStill, the 5% stuff is usually twice the price per KG so im definitely going to continue doing what im doing.
Benbay001 said:
Ive got more, mostly involving eating and drinking out.
Life sounds like a 24hr party in your house....- Dont touch branded coffee shops, and if possible dont buy coffee out. I try to keep a multipack of bottle water in the car. If i have to get a drink out, i try to get a coffee from wetherspoons (£1.25 for unlimited refills) or a small indy. Always a white coffee as all the fancy s
t is usually more expensive and tastes just as good. - Avoid branded bottled water. Tesco sell a 1 litre bottle of water for 50p but a 250ml bottle of buxtons is £1!? Wow.
- If its possible im going to have to eat out, i grap a mcdo wrap of the day meal. Plenty healthy enough for the odd occasion and £4 with a drink isnt to be sniffed at.
- A fair bit of my kitchen ware came from TK Maxx, have a thorough rummage and you can find some stuff that im sure they have stuck the wrong label on. I found a huge top quality sauce pan for £12 when the rest were £25.
- Decide what youre going to cook for that week depending upon whats on offer. (now my income is a bit better i dont care too much for this)
- Read the price per weight on labels, not the overall price.
Edited by Benbay001 on Thursday 13th December 19:42
I don’t know if it’s still on TLC but there was an American show called Extreme Cheapskates. You would honestly struggle to believe the spendthrift antics of some of these folk!
Personally I’m a glorious contradiction
I try and save money where possible, always hunt for a bargain shopping, more than moderately obsessed with fuel economy, bounce money around various bank accounts to get as much interest as I can etc.
But then I’ve spent more money than I care to count racing, last time I started tallying it up, I stopped when I reached the point it would have cleared the mortgage on my flat.
Ran my last 2 litre BMW for ten years, swapped it for a newer one with the 3.0 engine I had always wanted, spend its life in eco-pro mode.
Maybe I should see a shrink
Personally I’m a glorious contradiction
I try and save money where possible, always hunt for a bargain shopping, more than moderately obsessed with fuel economy, bounce money around various bank accounts to get as much interest as I can etc.
But then I’ve spent more money than I care to count racing, last time I started tallying it up, I stopped when I reached the point it would have cleared the mortgage on my flat.
Ran my last 2 litre BMW for ten years, swapped it for a newer one with the 3.0 engine I had always wanted, spend its life in eco-pro mode.
Maybe I should see a shrink
Joey Deacon said:
I am somewhere in the middle, I won't spend money if I don't have to but I won't rummage through discounted food.
My problem is I get a buzz out of saving money and seeing my bank account increase so I don't like spending money unnecessarily.
I hate paying interest, I see it as giving money away for nothing so I won't have any loans or use credit cards. The things I do are:
1)Have a 2 year old £100 phone with a £10 a month PAYG sim. Would never get a contract again.
2)Always ensure I am paying the least possible for insurance, electric, gas etc.
3)Service my own car with filters and oil from eBay.
4)Drive a shed with £30 annual road tax that does 60MPG.
5)Own a 6 year old laptop, when you don't have own the latest thing anymore it saves you a fortune.
6)If I have to buy something I will spend an hour on the internet making sure I have got it for the cheapest price possible.
7)Rarely eat out, if I have no choice it will be Nandos.
8)Rarely drink in pubs.
9)Take my own lunch to work, amazes me to see people spending £5 to £10 on lunch every day.
For me the feeling of having no debt and having a years take home salary in the bank is much nicer than the short term buzz of owning something new.
I have a company mobile that allows free personal calls, use the company laptop but have a 10 year old Mac I got given too, utilities are the cheapest I can find, car is 5 years old but paid for and £30 tax, don't really drink now but partly for health reasons. My problem is I get a buzz out of saving money and seeing my bank account increase so I don't like spending money unnecessarily.
I hate paying interest, I see it as giving money away for nothing so I won't have any loans or use credit cards. The things I do are:
1)Have a 2 year old £100 phone with a £10 a month PAYG sim. Would never get a contract again.
2)Always ensure I am paying the least possible for insurance, electric, gas etc.
3)Service my own car with filters and oil from eBay.
4)Drive a shed with £30 annual road tax that does 60MPG.
5)Own a 6 year old laptop, when you don't have own the latest thing anymore it saves you a fortune.
6)If I have to buy something I will spend an hour on the internet making sure I have got it for the cheapest price possible.
7)Rarely eat out, if I have no choice it will be Nandos.
8)Rarely drink in pubs.
9)Take my own lunch to work, amazes me to see people spending £5 to £10 on lunch every day.
For me the feeling of having no debt and having a years take home salary in the bank is much nicer than the short term buzz of owning something new.
Completely agree about packed lunches too. People in my office spend £10-20 a day and then complain that their house is too small or rented.
I tear off the vouchers for MacDonald's in the Metro for £1.99 double cheeseburger and fries even though I've only been once this year and also get reduced food if it's a decent reduction even though I know it's just gonna sit in the fridge for two days then get checked out.
I try and live frugally drinking pints instead of wines or spirits when out but when drunk I'm easily lead astray so often I'll look at my bank balance online and see withdrawals for £100+ in the early hours of the morning on weekends
My cars currently averaging 18mpg and takes super unleaded so trying to scrimp and save a few pence here and there is a fools errand tbh.
I try and live frugally drinking pints instead of wines or spirits when out but when drunk I'm easily lead astray so often I'll look at my bank balance online and see withdrawals for £100+ in the early hours of the morning on weekends
My cars currently averaging 18mpg and takes super unleaded so trying to scrimp and save a few pence here and there is a fools errand tbh.
emicen said:
I don’t know if it’s still on TLC but there was an American show called Extreme Cheapskates. You would honestly struggle to believe the spendthrift antics of some of these folk!
That show sounds familiar.There is a youtuber who specialises in being a cheapskate, his content is very good:
How to live in London for £1 a day:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfTFZQdKmeE
Stood behind a bloke in morrisons at the loose mushroom section. Waited ages walked away to see what he was doing and he was taking stalks out of the mushrooms. When he walked off there must have been 40 ish stalks in the tray. Wouldnt be so bad but button mushroom. Stalks are the same as the head taste and texture wise.
We swapped our kettle some time ago for a modern single shot hot water dispenser which cost prob 40 quid. Ease of use and speed plus energy saving! 54 seconds if I recall for an average cup of hot water for your brew. Boils exactly one cup full. While you are sorting the milk and tea bag the second cup is boiling :-)
The wife used to drive me mad boiling a full kettle every time she wanted a brew...
The wife used to drive me mad boiling a full kettle every time she wanted a brew...
A friend of mine is incredible - First to the buffet, last to the bar.
His birthday is a couple of days before another mates, who was doing a BBQ. Everyone brought meat etc, he brought half a leftover birthday cake. (And took the rest home)
The day we moved into our first house, we invited everyone over for takeaway pizza. He’d already eaten, so took ‘his share’ home.
12 of us did a secret Santa - agreed terms, £5 max spend on some sort of hat/headwear as we were all out for a meal. He and his wife made ‘crowns’ out of cereal boxes and sweet wrappers. Not even painted! “Well, there wasn’t a minimum spend!”
I’ll buy anyone a pint, but knowing someone earns double the rest of us, but won’t pay their way does gripe a bit.
His birthday is a couple of days before another mates, who was doing a BBQ. Everyone brought meat etc, he brought half a leftover birthday cake. (And took the rest home)
The day we moved into our first house, we invited everyone over for takeaway pizza. He’d already eaten, so took ‘his share’ home.
12 of us did a secret Santa - agreed terms, £5 max spend on some sort of hat/headwear as we were all out for a meal. He and his wife made ‘crowns’ out of cereal boxes and sweet wrappers. Not even painted! “Well, there wasn’t a minimum spend!”
I’ll buy anyone a pint, but knowing someone earns double the rest of us, but won’t pay their way does gripe a bit.
Benbay001 said:
Ive got more, mostly involving eating and drinking out.
Try Ikea for your pans, you can buy two different sized ones for just less than a tenner. I'm just about to- Dont touch branded coffee shops, and if possible dont buy coffee out. I try to keep a multipack of bottle water in the car. If i have to get a drink out, i try to get a coffee from wetherspoons (£1.25 for unlimited refills) or a small indy. Always a white coffee as all the fancy st is usually more expensive and tastes just as good.
- Avoid branded bottled water. Tesco sell a 1 litre bottle of water for 50p but a 250ml bottle of buxtons is £1!? Wow.
- If its possible im going to have to eat out, i grap a mcdo wrap of the day meal. Plenty healthy enough for the odd occasion and £4 with a drink isnt to be sniffed at.
- A fair bit of my kitchen ware came from TK Maxx, have a thorough rummage and you can find some stuff that im sure they have stuck the wrong label on. I found a huge top quality sauce pan for £12 when the rest were £25.
- Decide what youre going to cook for that week depending upon whats on offer. (now my income is a bit better i dont care too much for this)
- Read the price per weight on labels, not the overall price.
Edited by Benbay001 on Thursday 13th December 19:42
Benbay001 said:
Joey Deacon said:
7)Rarely eat out, if I have no choice it will be Nandos.
Nandos is one of the few places i will not go back to on principle.I went once because my nan made a mess of buying what was meant to be a Tesco shopping voucher.
Looking on their website the only thing id want to order is:
Chicken Butterfly
Two chicken breasts joined by crispy skin.
On its own
£7.95
+2 reg sides
£11.45
Clearly everyone will have the two sides which means its £11.45.. for two chicken breasts, chips and a dollop of coleslaw.
I had a toby carvery Saturday and for just £2 more i had a starter, huge main and a pudding. (and decent service, which i didnt get in nandos)
Like others I've also been known to cut the huge stalk from broccoli and leave it behind. 
trying to train myself to put the next mugs worth of water in the already hot kettle in advance, but it's taking some remembering.
I don't know off the top of my head how much I'm paying for my mobile, but it's dirt cheap. I went with BT for everything, home internet, work internet. mobile and got a really cheap bundle. I also got a BT TV box from Ebay for £15 brand new, it works fine without any contract so I get all the features (record anything, rewind live TV etc) for free.
trying to train myself to put the next mugs worth of water in the already hot kettle in advance, but it's taking some remembering.I don't know off the top of my head how much I'm paying for my mobile, but it's dirt cheap. I went with BT for everything, home internet, work internet. mobile and got a really cheap bundle. I also got a BT TV box from Ebay for £15 brand new, it works fine without any contract so I get all the features (record anything, rewind live TV etc) for free.
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