[UPDATED with Winner] Bargain hunters: Share how you cut corners to save, be entered to win a copy of “How to Shop for Free”
Congrats to Andrea Daniels! I had Arts blogger Mike Allen pick a number at random, and your hilarious comment about anniversary cards was the winner.
Andrea said: “
My hubby and I do not exchange gifts to celebrate our wedding anniversary, but we do like to exchange anniversary cards. However, the price of greeting cards (the really nice, sentimental Hallmark-like cards) is really outrageous. So for last 20 years or so on our 8/16 anniversary, we have made our annual trip to Walmart where we each search diligently to find the perfect card with the exact sentiment we wish to convey. My hubby’s goal is to bring tears to my eyes, which he has on more than one occasion. After we read one another’s chosen card, we simply put the cards back on the rack and walk away. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, HONEY!!”
Bargain hunters are always looking to save a buck. They cut corners, shop sales and often have their own unconventional ways to pinch pennies.
For example, I’m so cheap that I save any extra condiment packets and crackers from restaurants. Now, I’m not emptying a basket of crackers into my purse, but if any wrapped packets on my plate don’t get eaten, they’re coming home with me. Those fancy ketchup packets that allow you to dip or squeeze out the contents are also hot commodities for me.
Like my editor Kathy Lu, I also hoard unused napkins in my car’s glove box. You won’t catch me throwing away a holey sock either — that makes a perfectly good dust rag. Lu, on the other hand, adds water to the remnants of a dish detergent bottle to stretch its shelf life.
Botetourt View columnist Cathy Benson refuses to buy meat that’s not on clearance, and purchases permanent markers at Happy’s Flea Market. “They are called Sharpei instead of the name brand and look the same except the strategic change of i and e. They cost less than half,” she said.
Editorial assistant Danielle Dunaway hasn’t paid full price for anything at Staples in years. She turns in her used ink cartridges for $3 in Staples Rewards.
Columnist Lindsey Nair can’t bring herself to throw away an empty condiment jar. “I figure I can use it to make refrigerator pickles or something. Most of them are in a box in the basement,” she said. She also extends the life of Ziploc bags by rinsing and reusing them.
Book giveaway!
It seems everyone has their own level of cheapness and there’s no shame in it.
In fact, if you’re willing to share your “I’m so cheap … ” story below, you might be rewarded.
Submit your quirky habit and you may be selected to win a copy of “How to Shop for Free” by Kathy Spencer with Samantha Rose. This book is full of tips to help you get the most for your money.
I’ll pick a winner at random by noon on Aug. 20.
August 15, 2012 - 5:00 AM
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I am so cheap that I do not throw away empty containers of laundry detergent. I fill container 1/2 full of hot water and shake it. I can was 2 loads of laundry.
I reuse my grocery bags in the bathroom trashcans and the cat litter trash. I’ve recently started canning as well. With the way gas prices are rising, I’ll save a dollar wherever I can. (Pun not intended).
I am so cheap I go to the dollar stores and buy birthday, valentine, aniversary cards for my husband and son. I buy two for each date, give them one for the day, and after a couple days, it is still laying around, I put it away and the next time give them the other one, and do the same, and then the following year, I give them the first one again. They never remember after two years, if they do, just like really.
I’m so cheap that, aside from underwear and socks, I have not bought any clothing at a retail store in several years now…and I probably never will again. After watching my wife score some high-end dresses, fancy coats, and lots of other goodies at thrift shops…I decided to see what I could find in the way of clothing. I have not looked back since.
Almost all of my pants and shirts, including dress shirts and slacks…and even 2 wool suits, are all from local thrift shops. And the best part? Most of what I buy is brand-new with the tags still on, or so gently worn that they show no signs of having been used previously. Some even still have fresh dry-cleaners info still pinned to the tags. My best deals? The 50% off sale at the Y Thrift Shops in the NRV. I’ve picked up practically brand-new $300 suits for $5 and $3, with the pocket stitching never having been removed. In those same 50% off sales, I scored 4 pairs of brand-new dockers, tags still on, for $1.75 a pair.
My closest is now filled with a mix of short and long-sleeved dress shirts (in a variety of colors), plaid shirts, slacks, ties (74, almost all of which were $1 a peice), and the suits. Throwing in the polo shirts and a handful of Virginia Tech t-shirts I’ve bought, and I estimate I’ve spent about $350 total, when at normal retail I would have easily spent over $3,500.
Wastefulness was the ultimate sin to my mom, so I prefer to say I’m not wasteful, rather than call myself cheap.My co-workers tease me about turning out lights left on by others at work, but it was deeply ingrained in me that wastefulness is a sin!
I invert all near empty bottles of liquid, be they shampoo, deodorant, ketchup, salad dressing, etc. to get the last drop.
Like Rebecca, I save old socks, as well as clothing too worn for Goodwill, to use as rags. Unlike my mother did, I do not darn socks, but who knows? Maybe someday.
I accept all offers of garden vegetables from neighbors and freeze what we can’t eat now. I have not learned to can like Mom did, but again, maybe someday.
I recycle paper to make note pads that are left at the phone and computer.
Once a week I serve a leftover dinner.
If I’ve wiped up just a water spill with a paper towel, I’ve been known to dry it on the dish rack and use it later.
I mend and hem clothing and sew. I convert my husband’s worn work pants to shorts.
I dye things, such as placemats, that are faded, stained, or the color no longer works.
I start new plants from a philodendron given to me 26 years ago, and give them as gifts.
I buy shampoo, lotion, deodorant, mouthwash, and toothpaste at the dollar stores as long as the dates are good.
When my girls were little, I accepted all offers of hand me downs. They aren’t thrilled that they are wearing boy clothes in many photos. Now young adults, my daughters sometimes roll their eyes at me, but I tease them that my frugality helped pay for their college, one trip to Disney, and some other nice vacations.
When my girls were small and neighborhood children spent the summer days here, I made popsicles out of juice drained from canned fruit. Cookies were made from graham crackers and leftover cake icing.
Old worn sheets and leftover paint were given to my girls to make backdrops for parties and play. They enjoyed a dress up box full of things I could no longer wear. They found plenty to do without Nintendo.
I pack lunch for work every day.
I save the plastic containers that my coffee comes in. Perfect for leftover paint. when you leave paint in cans after opening the rim of the can rust and then when you reopen the rust drops into the paint. They are also great for storing birdseed, grass seed and probably dozens of other things I haven’t discovered yet. I keep saving them , just can’t throw them away. I also save plasticware that comes with take-out.I might go on a picnic someday or a charity might need them.pastic bags from stores line small trash cans and are sent to the church for food pick-ups. Rinse the laundry detergent bottle–you can get at best a small load of clothes washed. Freebies you receive with make-up purchases–send them to nursing homes-great gifts for winning games of Bingo! Newspapers can be used for so many things. My mother taught me to clean window mixing ammonia,vinegar,and water–wipe dry with newspaper–your windows shine. Before plastic garbage bags, i lined the can with newspapers. My grandpaw wrapped green tomatoes in newspaper and we had fresh tomatoes in the winter. we lined drawers–I could go on and on great uses of newspaper besides reading them.
Hmmm… I was once called the cheapest man alive in one of my wife’s columns for the Roanoke Times, but I prefer the term thrifty.
It is true, however, that I tear dryer sheets in half before using, and half a sheet is plenty to get rid of static cling and impart the “mountain spring freshness” to my skivvies.
I recycle/upcycle as much as I possibly can. My favorite “cheap trick” is making goodie packages for baked goods out of trash. I use empty water bottles and turn them into cute containers. I put small cookies in the bottle, then use another bottle to connect and lastly decorative tape around the seam. There’s almost no money involved (tape), I get another use out of something before it’s headed to the recycling plant, and it’s cheaper than the dollar store!
I also reuse nut canisters for baked goods too. I generally cover them with pretty paper, tie a ribbon around the container and finish off with a bow. Most people have no idea that they are receiving their baked good gifts in what used to be my trash!
I cut open plastic lotion bottles when they’re “empty” to scoop out the remaining lotion clinging to the sides and bottom. I typically get at least 3 more uses from it, depending on the size of the bottle. Once cut open, I put it in a ziplock bag to keep from drying out until it is really all gone.
My hubby and I do not exchange gifts to celebrate our wedding anniversary, but we do like to exchange anniversary cards. However, the price of greeting cards (the really nice, sentimental Hallmark-like cards) is really outrageous. So for last 20 years or so on our 8/16 anniversary, we have made our annual trip to Walmart where we each search diligently to find the perfect card with the exact sentiment we wish to convey. My hubby’s goal is to bring tears to my eyes, which he has on more than one occasion. After we read one another’s chosen card, we simply put the cards back on the rack and walk away. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, HONEY!!
I am so cheap that I attempt to get every drop of toothpaste out of the tube by cutting the tube in half after I can no longer squeeze out any more of the contents. I then scrape every drop into a small jar and use it to brush my teeth.
Unless it means sleeping in the car, I will NOT pay more than $50 for a motel room, and I prefer to stay under $40. I use a coupon book that you can get at truck stops and rest areas on the interstate. It’s the one with a big American
flag on the cover.
I will eyeball the place first. If the grass is high, paint is peeling or there are rough looking characters hanging around, I’ll move on.
There’s one place I stay at exit 217 just south of Staunton. The rooms have been remodeled, and for all intents and purposes, everything in the room is brand new. With a coupon, it costs me $30. As long as the heat or a/c works, the plumbing works and it’s reasonably clean, I’m fine with a room. I rarely even
turn on the TV.
The big chains are nothing but ripoffs, except for Motel 6. It’s ridiculous to pay close to $100 for a room in Radford, but people do it all the time. Then they complain about being broke.
Sometimes an effort to be cheap can backfire. I submit monthly taxes to my city and to the state of VA. The city supplies an overabundance of self addressed envelopes. The stete supplies address labels. Once I put a state label over a city-addressed envelope.The city envelope had a barcode that caused that envelope to go to the city,despite the state of VA address label. I had to retrive the envelope and remail it.So trying to score a free envelope cost the price of a stamp!
I save shoe boxes, printer-paper boxes, anything cardboard that’s sturdy, and has a lid. Then, I cover them with Contact paper: pretty floral patterns, black-and-white chessboard patterns, anything that’s beautiful or striking. This way I keep from throwing away/ littering with cardboard. I also save money, as these are cheap storage boxes for toys, crafts, books, clothes, etc., and I don’t have to buy the expensive ones at Wal-mart…and they add beauty and individuality to my house!
I am so cheap that I save my received gift bags to give gifts through out the year. I just use fresh tissue paper.
My 10 year old son is an artist and loves drawing so he makes our greeting cards.
I’m so cheap that I save paper drink cups — even ones I get at someone else’s picnic — to start my seedlings in March.
I’m so cheap I put t-shirt scraps in my Swiffer mop and re-use them until they’re no good.