What's the most extreme example of effort to save a few pennies you have heard of?

An old friend used to avoid changing lane on the motorway so she could save petrol! She said the said the slight wiggly journey of overtaking or getting back into the left hand lane would've cost more than just driving in a straight line. Makes sense but it used to drive me mad if she was taking us somewhere!!

As this thread proves, take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves. I irritate my son with that saying, it's true though.

A few good ideas here (eg the water one) but some are theft and others are just mad. Many only work if you aren't at all squeezed for time, and are chasing very small savings indeed. I'd go as far as to say that ones like removing the batteries from clocks while out is a fetish. Or a mental health problem, if you like.

Some of these aren't miserly
They are stealing!

I don't know if this is common in the US, but an American friend mentioned that in winter she treats herself by doing the washing up in warm water but only uses cold for the rest of the year.

Did anyone see the extreme cheapskates where she fed her dh cat food sandwiches because it was cheaper than tuna?
I have a strong stomach but was at that.

My old boss would bring his out of date milk into work for our coffees and take the fresh stuff bought by the company home. twat

Same woman bought 3 x boxes of crisps and handed each guest at HER WEDDING one each as their 'wedding breakfast'!

I can imagine a lot of very hungry and very drunk guests then (if there was a bar there anyway).

My dh likes to save water in the shower. He gets wet, turns it off, soaps up then turns it on again to rinse. Very sensible but I see a shower as a pleasant experience not just functional! He's ever hopeful the rest of us will do the same....

A friend of my sister only buys one pair of tights to last her the winter.

Same woman always has 2 or more ligh bulbs missing from a ceiling pendent (multi-bulb) thing.

Same woman bought 3 x boxes of crisps and handed each guest at HER WEDDING one each as their 'wedding breakfast'!

They are NOT short of money (but the above may be why)!

Great thread! Someone I used to work with was well known for being "careful" with money, and used to remove the batteries from his clocks, before he came to work.

My gran used to have a cold store larder. It kept food perfectly cold. (I would love a cold store larder).

Before fridges, people used to rely on icebox and in town had to trek bags of ice upstairs to keep food cool. Not so great.

I know someone who dies their shopping at 4 different supermarkets. With a toddler in tow. She says she's factored the extra petrol cost in.I think she's insane.

My gran didn't always have a fridge or central heating. She used to keep groceries in the hall next to the front door so they'd stay cool. A fridge is only a recent necessity for people.

I used to have a flatmate who was the tightest guy I ever met. He stole toilet paper and soft drinks from work - emptied the whole fridge til they stopped providing them. He didn't even drink soft drinks

He would use all our decent food in the cupboards until the packet/jar was nearly-but-not-quite empty, then leave the rest so he didn't have to replace it. If we came to get some rice or whatever and there wasn't enough, he would always offer his, which was all Tesco's value shite.

He NEVER stood his round. After several months of people complaining, he finally agreed to get people a drink. Cue him inviting everyone into the back alley behind the pub and handing out a bottle of beer each from a carrier bag from the offie!

He was unbelievable.

A lot of these re downright criminal never mind environmentally conscious!

My ex-partner regularly nicks the whole roll of toiler paper from the mens in McDonalds and legs it out of there with it under his jacket

I break off the stalk from the broccoli when I get it in the supermarket..... why pay for the bit you don't eat and often it's about 1/4 of the weight.

My dad always takes the newspapers from the coffee shop.

Tell your dad I bloody hate him, then. Unless he takes them just before closing time. Looking forward to a coffee and a paper, I hate it when some bastard has taken all the papers.

TBF a lot of these could be about being envionmentally conscious rather than tight.

My dad always takes the newspapers from the coffee shop. The ones that they put out for customers to read while drinking coffee, hes quite obsesed about it!

I probably have skinflinty ways as well!

Oh and a friend of mine would go to a cafe...like Morrisons say ...and would order a pot of tea and a pot of hot water.

Then they'd have several cups of tea with stacks of free milk.
They drank it so weak it was like milky water.
Embarrassing...but he was such a big, friendly guy he got away with it.

Clawdy, on a boiling hot day I spent 4 hours in Ikea that I will never get back with a friend.
Two of those hours were spent around he candles and t lights.
Should she have the £1 lavender ones or the £1 rose ones.

Arrrgh! Why didn't I think to buy them both for her. Don't ask which ones she decided on ...as I keep trying to oblige the scenario from my mind.

Just an hour ago I thought dh was doing the same over the £6-99 hosepipe or the £9-99 one. I was coming out in a rash of nervous tension and was about to say oh for goodness sake mr Dowser, get the big one, its three pound difference.

Then I realised the cheaper one had fittings and fastenings with it. So he picked up that one.

Then there was that moment of indecision. Should he buy just one and we haul it between home and caravan.

He saw the death stare and picked up two. Like £14!

He 'saves' used plastic zip Lock bags.
Not the horrible dirty ones, as he'd be ex mr Dowser , the ones that might have had t bags in.

Thankfully these are only used once!

i broke down this afternoon, stupid car needed a new battery which the AA man fitted there and then for a princely sum (think double plus £20 that the local battery place could have supplied it for)

However to recoup some costs i asked to keep the old one to weigh in! Ta da gets me about 3 quid lol!

We often weigh in metal things if we have them, i rarely buy anything full price except food. We are reaasonably ok money wise but it hasnt always been this way, fear or being broke again drives me to save where possible!