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

Probably an obvious one using the post at work, re using stamps that haven't been marked, reusing envelopes.

Kitty litter headstone woman is mentally unwell, surely?

My other half re uses tea bags multiple times..and if eating out he'll order one coke to share then tap water after that! , he's the only person I know that can eat out of date seafood ...he'd rather get ill than throw away :)

Well my sister must be quite the opposite of miserly as she uses a new teabag every time and she doesn't even like her tea to taste of tea.

She sort of bounces the teabag off the water and panics if it becomes fully immersed. It would probably be quite reasonable to go for a second cup after her as the teabag will have barely released any of the tea flavour.

Reusing tea bags is undoubtedly miserly. It's that miserable, self-denying brand of parsimony. For the sake of what, 2p a go, you could have a hot drink that tastes of tea every time.

I didn't realise that things like reusing teabags were seen as so miserly until I joined this thread!

What on earth counts as miserly if re-using a teabag doesn't?

Apparently clay is the top ingredient in cat litter, Stealth, so the cheapskates get it wet and, in one instance, used it as a face masque on other people and, in the other, the lady scooped out the poo and wee and wet the used litter to make clay to construct her own headstone.

" use kitty litter to get clay. "
What does this mean?

I park in my office and walk the two miles to the station if I'm going somewhere overnight. I usually have a heavy bag and this is six am :) and I'm not even saving my own money. Do need the exercise though

redshoe Fairly sure none of my daughters are on Mumsnet!

And I clean my teeth while I'm in the shower...

My dm used to save stamps from letters that came through the door. Soak them in water and then pritt stick them on to envelopes and reuse.

Surely everyone reuses gift bags.

We were all going to Spain for a family wedding (the couple lived there). All we had to pay for was flights because they had rented out a big place to stay.

We found direct flights for £20 each way at the airport we live a few miles from, which we thought was brilliant. BIL disagreed because he'd found flights from an airport literally the other end of the country for £15. He could get a Megabus to the nearest city for a pound and get the local bus to the airport for 1.50. Of course, this took him the best part of two days each way, entailed him sleeping in the airport, arriving much later than everyone else and leaving much earlier.

But hey, he saved an entire fiver!

It's never worth wasting hours to save 20p, there's always reasonableness to consider, but many people don't have the option of working (paid) overtime, so it's not a case simply working more rather than doing the money saving whatever.

They can't earn any more money or don't want to work anymore so the consideration for them is 'is it a sensible use of their limited spare time' to try to save money.

Some things don't take extra time - turning the taps off while cleaning teeth doesn't take any extra time and saves a lot of water, which you should do whether you are on a meter or not. Other things do take time and obviously people need to decide what they can be bothered to do.

I can't be arsed washing and drying plastic bags and cling film, but I might walk further, within reason to save money on parking or to get to a cheaper shop, because I like walking and would usually benefit from the extra activity.

I don't understand why you would leave the taps running when you brush your teeth. It's not about money, I don't do it in a hotel or anywhere, it's the absolute waste of water. It takes at least a couple of minutes to brush your teeth properly, why would you leave the taps running?

I agree with above, some things you do to prevent waste, others to save money, and others.. well because you have a lot of time on your hands! Calculate how much you earn an hour after tax, and see if it's really worth wasting hours to save 20p, or if you might as well just do 1 or 2 hours overtime.

ESMES BEES I have a friend who removes the skin from onions in the supermarket so they weigh less at the til and she's not paying for the skin.

Removes the skin from onions?

Why lass when I was a girl we just shared one onion between us - dunking it in the stew for flavour and then passing it on to the next person in the street. Good time.

When I was 9, we lived in a rented house with a water meter so my parents gave us said instead of running the taps to clean your teeth, fill a beaker with water and rinse your mouth with it. It's something I still do now.

I know someone who bought a steak and kidney pie despite no one in their family who liked it because it was reduced to 35p and they were self-confessed cheapskates.

I don't think people like that can like themselves much if they don't feel they are worth a brand new tea bag
I have very high self esteem, but I'm quite anti-consumerist. I think that often people with low self esteem are the ones I see who are happy to waste, as they want to feel "worth it" - hence the "because I'm worth it" ads pandering to people's hidden fears.

I didn't realise that things like reusing teabags were seen as so miserly until I joined this thread! I feel there's a wide gulf between being careful, and being mean - I wouldn't dream of not paying my way, peeling onions in the supermarket (surely not an efficient use of time), or swiping stuff from hotel rooms.

PS One of my cleaning cloths is one of my old nappies from over fifty years ago... It still has quite a bit of wear left

I have a friend who removes the skin from onions in the supermarket so they weigh less at the til and she's not paying for the skin. She works for a big law firm in the city and probably earns twice what I do. And also, presumably, has much more time on her hands if that is worth her while.

NightWanderer is Zaphod your DM ?

spinnassiene did you force your younger sister to do the same ?
though I don't think my sister knows about the internet

cutting up envelopes and stapling them together ... notebooks
I do that, but don't bother with the staple, to save even more

Barbara - I use a rubber spatula to scrape out the rest of the peanut butter or nutella. I always wash the jars before recycling or reusing so it makes it easier.

hollyvsivy. I recently participated in a beach clean up and there were thousands of straws collected. I have banned them in my house and try to refuse them whenever I can.

I like to think I am doing my bit for the environment, but maybe I am just frugal.

There are some crazy ideas on this thread.

I agree with NamedyChangedy, the opportunity cost makes extreme saving uneconomical for all but the very low paid. Minimum wage £7.50/h, average some £13 or so, many mnetters earn a lot more.

If it is fun and brings pleasure, great. If it is a chore I'd rather spend an extra hour doing what I enjoy and get paid for. Buying something is just outsourcing it to someone who does it better and cheaper.

The many examples of stealing stuff, sponging other people's money and drying tea bags just speak of a drab and miserly life. I don't think people like that can like themselves much if they don't feel they are worth a brand new tea bag.

I don't know. My boss buys a bottle of water every day. I always take in a water bottle from home. A pound a day adds up to 250 pounds a year plus it so bad for the environment. I also take a thermos of tea with me. No way am I paying Starbucks prices. Little things can add up over time.

I have an ap on my phone for so many places... Toby carvery kids often can eat for £1 and after so many stamps you get a free desert then carvery.
Voucher cloud is amazing. Turn on location and it comes up with deals in your local area.

Taste card (about £30 but get a month free trial) gives you 241 meals at alot of places plus cheap days out to theme parks and massive reduction on cinema tickets.
I buy alot through quidco then claim my cashback via an Amazon gift card as they top it up. Had £20 so far for buying stuff i was going to anyway.
Before I buy anything I Google voucher codes for that site. Eg signed up for national trust. Found a code to get a £15 nt gift voucher for free and did it through quidco so got £5 cashback too.
If I find a hotel on booking.com etc I ring the hotel first and see if they'll do itany cheaper as it saves them fees too. Usually get £10-20 knocked off or a free upgrade