Cheapest thing a person has ever done

[Unorganisedchaos2]

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.

My brother and his wife (who were pulling down 200k ten years ago) bought a pack of Bath ducks and seperated them so they could give 1 each to their nieces and nephews for Xmas.

Sorry but this is hilarious, it’s the type of eccentric character you might read about in a novel! I love it! Were they good natured otherwise?

@Unorganisedchaos2 your original example sounds like a mental illness than tightness

@SunshineOnARainyLeith

Hard work isn't it ,also drains the joy out of life.

Mil is like this and all she can talk about is how she's feeding us on good bargain food from wherever making us ( or used to we don't go anymore ) like a real like a real burdon she has to budget for.
Not turning on heating on the rare occasions we used to go , constantly talking about how she saves as if it's a learning experience we need.
Christmas was just awful. .praising each other on cutting corners.

Life too short.

Yes, they were very funny & had good senses of humour but mum could get huffy sometimes if I sniggered at her frugalities. Dad just let her get on with it mostly, anything for a quiet life, although he raised an objection to plastic milk cartons for pendant lamp shades (that melted and got replaced with the same) which caused a rumpus & the ancient freezer that regularly had icebergs in that she would bash off with a mallet. Eggs were kept way way past the 'Use by' date, her reasoning was it was ok because they were being used for baking, not boiling or frying (?!) I think she also had an undiagnosed mental disorder as could switch from singing like a lark to brandishing knives, but my functioning alcoholic father probably didn't help matters. He was a semi professional jazz musician in his spare time and a bon viveur, she was fairly bookish and studious. Bit of a mismatch really.

They sound great! And I'm with her on the out-of-date eggs. I don't even look at the dates on mine. They've always been fine so far.

Well, they were like a comedy duo, friends would visit for entertainment value. But surely not keeping eggs unfridgerated & a few months out of date? (kept in some meat safe she'd acquired). Dad would remonstrate to be met with "shut up, huh, what do you know"?

Our eggs (UK) do not need to be kept in the fridge. They have a natural coating and are perfectly safe at room temperature. The whites get a bit flatter as they age but I've never had a bad one yet (in over 60 years).

I have had a bad egg and when I cracked it open, the whole room stank.
You can do the jug of water test on eggs to see if they are still fresh.

@Lastfroginthebox
Best practice is to keep them in the fridge:
www.egginfo.co.uk/ways-to-cook/general-tips/how-store-eggs

It's in the context of the rest of their frankly horrific behaviour. How strange of you to pick one small thing that could be OK out of that tragic account.

Maybe just stick to giving your own opinions, and not picking on mine on a dead thread.

Those are my opinions. It’s a chat forum so you can expect feedback. And it’s very much a live thread.

So why pick on my opinions?

Lady, it’s a nice sunny day, go out and have a cup of coffee and stop picking arguments with strangers on the internet.

I won’t be responding to you again.

Came on to say that. If they float bin.

We have had bad eggs twice now. OMG the smell is vile and lingers.

And yet you’re still arguing on another thread. Take your own advice 😉

My mother died very suddenly in her 50s after a very short battle with cancer. We had already lost our Dad when we were toddlers and she had raised us alone so we were very distraught.

My sister was standing weeping over the open coffin at the wake and our aunt (my Mums sister) went up to her grabbed her arm and said ‘Oh God, when this happens to my Lucy please take care of her’…..

I worked in John Lewis back in the 2010s before they tightened up their returns policy, and they were very generous about refunds and store credit.

A couple came in with a child of about two or three, trying to return what were very obviously that child's newborn and baby clothes. They were from JL, but clearly old stock and well used. They kept on and on at the sales assistants (thankfully I was on the next till along) and asked for all the managers on the floor so they could fight and argue for a refund. They were there for about half an hour, and eventually got what they wanted. They walked out grinning, with every single member of staff (and most of the customers) glaring at them.

I never understood how some people are content to lower themselves right down into the mud just for one small handful of cash. That poor child of theirs, being taught to live like that.

My mum used to have a special cup (one that had lost its handle) into which she would crack eggs one at a time, so she could sniff them to check if they were OK to use.

The domestic science teacher at school said you should always do this as even in-date eggs can sometimes go bad, so its best to check each egg as you can ruin the whole batch you are using if you break a bad one straight into the bowl.

I have never done it outside of DS lessons, but I always have that nagging little voice saying "You really shouldnt be doing it that way....."

Good on her? You’re as mean as she was.

Husbands aunt and uncle, no children. Millionaires. Gave my children 5 pounds each at Christmas....for years. I would have preferred to have nothing.

Really? How ungrateful. Most children are quite happy to get a little bonus money.

How is that being cheap?

Why should the bridesmaid pay for everyone's breakfast?
If the bride wants breakfast for people, she pays for it.
You're ridiculous.