Page 18 | Cheapest thing a person has ever done

Unorganisedchaos2 · 2025-11-17T13:38:44+00:00

Inspired by the children's birthday party thread, Im sure this has been done so many times but humor me as Im stuck at home with a poorly DD... Our family once knew a couple who were convinced that the baby they were due to have shouldn't cost them any more than the family allowance and a grant I believe you used to get in the early 2000's. Some of the things they did: - Commented that it had worked out well that the baby was born 2 months prem as they had been able to claim family allowance but he hadn't cost them anything yet as the hospital were providing nappies, milk etc. - Refused to visit the baby until the hospital had issued a free parking pass then only visited 3 times a week because they were tired and as it was a 30 minute it was already costing a lot in petrol. - Did a separate food shop for him of all supermarket own brand food and £1 meals, she actually had "his money" in one of those money bags the bank used and made the checkout person run it through as two separate shops. - Spent hours in charity shops buying up the next few years with of clothes for him, at his second birthday they were asking us to buy clothes for 7-8 year old. - Asked my mum to register as a childminder so they could claim childcare but expected my mum to do it for free (not honestly sure how that was ever going to work out) - Not child related but he refused to drive above 50 MPH because he believed it was uneconomical, even if he was late for work or holding up a queue of traffic.

Notsandwiches · 19/11/2025 14:24

I worked for a solicitor who would pick up random bits of gravel/small stones to top up his gravel driveway.

TEARELBO · 19/11/2025 14:24

RosesAndHellebores · 17/11/2025 20:10

MIL and FIL
For DS's combined first birthday and Christmas, waited for the ELC sale and bought him a reduced plastic tractor.

DH and his sisters got to share a cornet on holiday, alternating licks.

MiL used to make french toast with one egg to make an egg go round three children.

DH and his sisters remember being hungry as children/teens.

When MIL's mum died, she didn't visit her father before the funeral, because it would have meant buying a full price rather than Apex train ticket.

When FIL died, there was £1m in the bank.

This type of behaviour I cannot understand, fair enough if someone hasn't got any money, but so many people we all know them, live in misery and poverty and end up leaving loads of money to relatives. Missing out on important moments and causing resentment when they are alive.
I don't understand it.

Pinepeak2434 · 19/11/2025 14:27

When I was renovating my house the electrician we used was a family friend. He would email us the supplies he needed and we’d pay for them - a system he decided would be the best option. Every other day we were receiving long lists of materials needed and we eventually discovered after becoming suspicious that he was using us to buy supplies for his other jobs. We paid him well over what little work he’d actually done so let
him go - however unbeknown to us he’d taken our keys and got them cut then entered the property one night and stole all the rest of the electrical supplies. I guess …Never trust someone just because they are a long term family friend.

IsntItDarkOut · 19/11/2025 14:27

Had a lazy colleague who always tried to get others to go out and get her lunch. Another colleague did one day and she accused her of stealing 5p from her (I suspect the price had gone up). She threw 5p at her and no one would get her anything so all good.

My BIL/SIL always try and present the idea that have loads of cash. They had a big party, invited dozens of people. Bought no alcohol (they drank stuff people brought) and bought ONE pack of crisps.
DH has always been very generous with their children (it has not been returned to ours) and he once sent them some cash via PayPal when they were going on holiday. He accidentally sent for services so a pound or two was taken off the £50 or whatever. BIL made him send the money separately to ‘make it up’.
My children are teenagers and have hardly had a thing from them.

TonicGinIceFruit · 19/11/2025 14:45

My University boyfriend’s parents lived an hour away from our campus so he went home regularly on weekends. The first time he invited me along he told his Mum on the Saturday I’d be joining him on his visit the following day which was Mother’s Day. I went and bought a bunch of flowers and a bottle of Prosecco to take with me (I had met his parents before, but this was the first time seeing them in their own home)
We arrived and his Mum and Dad were making a roast, his sister was there too. His Mum shooed us all out of the kitchen saying “let me set the table / finish prepping” so we sat chatting in their lounge which was connected to their dining room by folding doors.
His Mum soon called “Dad, (boyfriend’s name), (sister’s name) it’s time for lunch!”
I thought it was strange she didn’t call for me, but I stood up anyway at which point his Dad said “it’s ok you can wait here”
They had a full roast, dessert and a cheeseboard whilst I sat feeling incredibly awkward in the lounge with the TV on low. The doors were half open so I could hear them eating and the conversations they had. They even popped open the Prosecco I had bought and merrily toasted each other 'Happy Mother's Day!'
They had a lovely big house and rental income from several properties. His Dad had been able to retire at 50, they had multiple holidays a year and owned a boat – money really wasn’t an issue!
I declined when he next invited me for “Sunday lunch” 😂

theressomanytinafeysicouldbe · 19/11/2025 14:53

My brother (8) wanted a laser team thing for Christmas, it came with 2 vests and 2 guns and you could chase and shoot each other. My parents got it one Christmas for him and wrapped it as a joint present for me and him (16).

Dollymylove · 19/11/2025 14:55

Pinepeak2434 · 19/11/2025 14:27

When I was renovating my house the electrician we used was a family friend. He would email us the supplies he needed and we’d pay for them - a system he decided would be the best option. Every other day we were receiving long lists of materials needed and we eventually discovered after becoming suspicious that he was using us to buy supplies for his other jobs. We paid him well over what little work he’d actually done so let
him go - however unbeknown to us he’d taken our keys and got them cut then entered the property one night and stole all the rest of the electrical supplies. I guess …Never trust someone just because they are a long term family friend.

That's unbelievable!! I hope you got the Police involved!!

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 19/11/2025 14:56

@tonicginicefruit, how appalling! 😱

MatchaMatchaMatcha · 19/11/2025 14:57

TonicGinIceFruit · 19/11/2025 14:45

My University boyfriend’s parents lived an hour away from our campus so he went home regularly on weekends. The first time he invited me along he told his Mum on the Saturday I’d be joining him on his visit the following day which was Mother’s Day. I went and bought a bunch of flowers and a bottle of Prosecco to take with me (I had met his parents before, but this was the first time seeing them in their own home)
We arrived and his Mum and Dad were making a roast, his sister was there too. His Mum shooed us all out of the kitchen saying “let me set the table / finish prepping” so we sat chatting in their lounge which was connected to their dining room by folding doors.
His Mum soon called “Dad, (boyfriend’s name), (sister’s name) it’s time for lunch!”
I thought it was strange she didn’t call for me, but I stood up anyway at which point his Dad said “it’s ok you can wait here”
They had a full roast, dessert and a cheeseboard whilst I sat feeling incredibly awkward in the lounge with the TV on low. The doors were half open so I could hear them eating and the conversations they had. They even popped open the Prosecco I had bought and merrily toasted each other 'Happy Mother's Day!'
They had a lovely big house and rental income from several properties. His Dad had been able to retire at 50, they had multiple holidays a year and owned a boat – money really wasn’t an issue!
I declined when he next invited me for “Sunday lunch” 😂

😲😲

Paganpentacle · 19/11/2025 14:57

We used to host a lot when the kids were younger... BBQ's, bonfire night parties etc... lots of foods, drinks, fireworks... ice creams in the summer etc. for all adults and their children

Had one couple who would turn up with shite lager, dump it in the kitchen and walk off with the Stella we'd provided. We couldn't drink their lager without getting acid reflux... more suited to clean the drains. It lived in the cellar for months until we chucked it.

We were invited to one of their BBQs at one point... they hadnt 'had time' to go shopping, so off me and the wife went.
As the food went through the checkout I was told we would be splitting the cost... like an idiot I paid up.
That was the last time we ever saw them.....

WearyAuldWumman · 19/11/2025 15:01

@TonicGinIceFruit

You still went out with him? Did he say anything about you being left to starve while they ate?

Dollymylove · 19/11/2025 15:02

@TonicGinIceFruit
That's awful!! Can't believe they didnt offer you any food? What did your BF say?
It reminds me of my ex MIL. We would go round to visit her and ExDH would ask his mum to make him a bacon roll. Never offered me anything. I watch him guzzling it down while I was sat there starving 😫

Mangelwurzelfortea · 19/11/2025 15:03

TonicGinIceFruit · 19/11/2025 14:45

My University boyfriend’s parents lived an hour away from our campus so he went home regularly on weekends. The first time he invited me along he told his Mum on the Saturday I’d be joining him on his visit the following day which was Mother’s Day. I went and bought a bunch of flowers and a bottle of Prosecco to take with me (I had met his parents before, but this was the first time seeing them in their own home)
We arrived and his Mum and Dad were making a roast, his sister was there too. His Mum shooed us all out of the kitchen saying “let me set the table / finish prepping” so we sat chatting in their lounge which was connected to their dining room by folding doors.
His Mum soon called “Dad, (boyfriend’s name), (sister’s name) it’s time for lunch!”
I thought it was strange she didn’t call for me, but I stood up anyway at which point his Dad said “it’s ok you can wait here”
They had a full roast, dessert and a cheeseboard whilst I sat feeling incredibly awkward in the lounge with the TV on low. The doors were half open so I could hear them eating and the conversations they had. They even popped open the Prosecco I had bought and merrily toasted each other 'Happy Mother's Day!'
They had a lovely big house and rental income from several properties. His Dad had been able to retire at 50, they had multiple holidays a year and owned a boat – money really wasn’t an issue!
I declined when he next invited me for “Sunday lunch” 😂

This is so weird! And that didn't seem odd to your boyfriend at all?!

Mangelwurzelfortea · 19/11/2025 15:07

letshybernatenow · 19/11/2025 13:41

I once went out with a man who was a fairly high earner (and liked everyone to know it), living in a large house in the same town where his parents, who had a very low income, lived in a small council flat. He did his supermarket shop with his Mum every week and she cleaned his house as well as doing all his washing and ironing etc. Some of his friends laughed about his mum still doing all these things for him (she went to his place nearly every day to do his washing up, make sure he had shirts for work, hoover round etc) but he maintained that he only let her do it because he paid her and it was his way of helping her out financially. I assumed he meant that she wouldn't let him just give her money so he paid her well for cleaning services and probably paid for her shopping when they went to the supermarket together.

I found out eventually that he paid her a tiny weekly 'wage' for all her work (far less than the going rate for just an hour or 2 of cleaning each week) but deducted fixed amounts from this if she used things at his home (eg £1 per wash if she washed his clothes in his washing machine, 50p per cup if she made herself a cup of tea). When they went shopping, they each had their own trolleys and paid for their own shopping (fair enough) but all cleaning materials including washing powder etc were paid for by her- even though she bought separate items to leave at his place for his cleaning. He also charged her £5 each time for driving her to and from the supermarket on the basis that she would otherwise have had to get a taxi which would cost that amount each way so they were 'sharing the benefit'. He had to drive past her flat on the way to the shops.

What an absolute twat. Urgh! I hope you dumped him from a great height when you found out that he was a full-on Scrooge.

Cattenberg · 19/11/2025 15:08

honeylulu · 18/11/2025 10:34

Am shocked by a lot of these. The baby's funeral costs one is the worst, absolutely heartbreaking.

My grandmother was notoriously tight with money. Grandparents were actually very well off thanks to property price rises and wise investments but I don't think she realised quite how well off. Also like a lot of people from that generation she'd never quite got out of the wartime rationing mentality. She would buy those sets of Yves Rocher beauty products that would be advertised on the back of the Radio Times - you could get 10 products for £5, so 50p each. She'd then wrap up and give each female relative ONE each for Christmas. We thought it was funny and slightly endearing.

When she was widowed and struggling to manage this due to health problems, she arranged for my mum to have power of attorney. My mum reviewed all her finances to ensure everything was in order and grandma was really shocked to hear she had over a million. Unfortunately she then lived the last two years of her life crying and agonising over "all that money" (IHT) that would be going to the government. But as my mum (who is very matter of fact) bluntly told her "well you'll wouldn't spend it and you didn't want to give any away, so that's what happens".

If your grandmother didn't want to spend her money or let anyone else have it, what did she want to happen to it after she died? The only other option I can think of would be to destroy it!

HoppityBun · 19/11/2025 15:08

Frenchcremefraiche · 19/11/2025 08:46

Yes and more absorbent.

We had the cloth nappies that looked like disposable nappies as opposed to ones you had to fold. You put the cloth on like a disposible nappy and then had a waterproof cover that you put on over the top of that just like a disposible nappy.

We were lucky and nursery were happy to use them although some of the staff just couldn't figure out that they looked and were used the same way as disposibles. We'd pick my son up and they'd be back to front, inside out, on one occassion the cover was inside the nappy. My favourite though was when they put her in a disposible nappy with the cover the top. 🤣We did wonder if it was the nursery staff protesting against using them but were assured it wasnt an issue.

Show quote history

I have no difficulty in remembering the waterproof cover. Or the way the elastic round the leg holes cut in

WearyAuldWumman · 19/11/2025 15:08

I'm not 65 and this has bothered me any time I remember...I think I was deemed to be the cheapskate?

Was at uni. The Russian Department party was being held at the flat of two of the girls who were in senior honours. We all took along food or booze.

I was the only person who took along vodka - quite expensive for me. Everyone else had taken cheap wine.

Had been there 10 minutes when one of the two girls burst into tears - she was obviously very drunk.

One of the senior honours boys said that we could move the party to his...so I reached to take back the vodka I'd brought for the party. "Oh, no!" said the non-drunk girl..."I think you leave that here!"

I was too embarrassed to argue - my thinking had been that the vodka was for the party, not for them specifically, though I guess that they were providing the venue that year. (The year before, it had been held at the premises of the local SovScot Society. The change of venue had happened in a hurry.)

ETA I was always that girl who helped clear up after the party, etc.

PorridgeAndSyrup · 19/11/2025 15:13

romatheroamer · 18/11/2025 07:41

I remember these weird saucepans at my uncle's house. They were shaped so you could fit three on one ring on the oven top thus boil 3 different veg or whatever using only one ring. I don't know whether these were common at one time, never seen them anywhere else.

lol I never thought I’d see a steamer is being portrayed as “tight” 😂 We got a set of these as a wedding present and we use it weekly. Not only does it save on fuel costs, but (and probably more importantly) it saves space on the hob when cooking a roast. I can steam 3 or 4 types of veg on one hob, and still have 3 hobs spare for sautéing, making gravy, and anything else .

Oh, and I forgot to mention the PRIMARY purpose of them, which is that steamed veg is tastier and healthier than boiled, as it retains more of the nutrients (when you boil veg, most of the nutrients leech into the water).

gettingbacktobeingmeagain · 19/11/2025 15:13

My sister worked for a high end global hospitality co, so we had staff discount when we stayed at one of their hotels for four nights, it was still pricey...especially as I earned less than half her salary at the time...but it was a stunning place and we were well looked after.

When we checked out she asked for a calculator to go through the bill, and she sat for fifteen minutes in the luxurious marble lobby of this incredibly swanky hotel and worked out what I had eaten and drunk and what she had. The difference between the two was less than £5...and she insisted on the receptionist splitting the bill accordingly rather than 50/50. I always knew she was tight, but I couldn't believe she wasn't embarrassed...and the receptionist clearly felt the same.

TonicGinIceFruit · 19/11/2025 15:16

WearyAuldWumman · 19/11/2025 15:01

@TonicGinIceFruit

You still went out with him? Did he say anything about you being left to starve while they ate?

Honestly, it's one of the reasons we didn't work out. I was young and shy so didn't feel I could speak up for myself whilst they were all sat there eating. I did ask him on the way home and he said something like "my Mum probably only had enough for four" even though he'd warned her I was coming the day before 🙄
My Mum would have made whatever was there stretch to extra people even if she wasn't pre warned!

TonicGinIceFruit · 19/11/2025 15:17

Dollymylove · 19/11/2025 15:02

@TonicGinIceFruit
That's awful!! Can't believe they didnt offer you any food? What did your BF say?
It reminds me of my ex MIL. We would go round to visit her and ExDH would ask his mum to make him a bacon roll. Never offered me anything. I watch him guzzling it down while I was sat there starving 😫

He pretty much shrugged it off, his lack of empathy was one of the reasons we didn't end up together!

WearyAuldWumman · 19/11/2025 15:18

TonicGinIceFruit · 19/11/2025 15:16

Honestly, it's one of the reasons we didn't work out. I was young and shy so didn't feel I could speak up for myself whilst they were all sat there eating. I did ask him on the way home and he said something like "my Mum probably only had enough for four" even though he'd warned her I was coming the day before 🙄
My Mum would have made whatever was there stretch to extra people even if she wasn't pre warned!

Show quote history

When I was young, if visitors came unexpectedly and the meal could't stretch Mum and I would 'eat in the kitchen while making the meal'.... It was years before I realised that not everyone would miss their meal to benefit visitors.

JudgeJ · 19/11/2025 15:20

Had one couple who would turn up with shite lager, dump it in the kitchen and walk off with the Stella we'd provided. We couldn't drink their lager without getting acid reflux... more suited to clean the drains. It lived in the cellar for months until we chucked it.

Big mistake, you could have kept it until they came again and brought out 'your favourite beer, the one you brought last time' and don't have any other!

MatchaMatchaMatcha · 19/11/2025 15:25

PorridgeAndSyrup · 19/11/2025 15:13

lol I never thought I’d see a steamer is being portrayed as “tight” 😂 We got a set of these as a wedding present and we use it weekly. Not only does it save on fuel costs, but (and probably more importantly) it saves space on the hob when cooking a roast. I can steam 3 or 4 types of veg on one hob, and still have 3 hobs spare for sautéing, making gravy, and anything else .

Oh, and I forgot to mention the PRIMARY purpose of them, which is that steamed veg is tastier and healthier than boiled, as it retains more of the nutrients (when you boil veg, most of the nutrients leech into the water).

Show quote history

The poster isn't describing steamer pots but 3 pans shaped roughly into triangles which all fit side by side onto one ring

NoodleHorses · 19/11/2025 15:29

Thank you to everyone who commented.
I got very independent, very quickly. I am careful with my money but not spectacularly tight. My dogs are spoiled rotten.
Due to the food thing, with the parent people, I have just the best store cupboard you ever did see and an epic freezer.

When I had my old job, I used to help others who had ‘difficult’ parents. I couldn’t do anything practical but would listen and signpost to places of assistance.
I did have some family members who found my phone number. Instant block. They just told others so I simply changed my number. It’s all good. It was 16 years of life and I learned some amazing coping strategies. I felt that it would do me no good to not move on from it. I am not saying that I don’t have the odd wobble but my coping mechanisms are good. Helping others helped me.