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.

@DemonsandMosquitoes absolutely nothing wrong with Youth Hostel’s!

Ooh maybe I’m the cheap one. I often make my own curries but pop into the Indian takeaway for the naans because they’re a million times better than supermarket ones!

Oh I would have gone nuclear and threatened the police, saying I had the receipts and proof they were stolen.

Someone invited into my home, then stealing from me would have sent me into a blistering rage.

Again, I don't understand why people put up with this behaviour. Just say very clearly, "Jenny and Mark there are 12 of us this year, please could you pick up 3-4 desserts so there's enough to go around, 4 bottles of soft drink and and 2 bottles of wine to go with the ones we'll provide"

Some people really need it spelling out. I have a friend like this and you just have to tell her.

Some of these are appalling. My only contribution is an ex-friend who used to work for a manufacturing company so christmas and birthday gifts were always freebies she got from work (unwrapped).

😱😱!

Or just stop inviting them altogether?

Her lunch and dinner every day was a handful of fusilli pasta cooked for about 40 minutes so it went massive

Why is this cracking me up? 🤣

I thought the worst thing my brother (a notorious cheapskate) did was give me a selection of miniature bottles of gin and vodka he got on his Club Class flights to various exotic destinations, as a Christmas gift.

However, his wife's sister was being treated for breast cancer. His wife obviously wanted to do all she could to help so offered to drive her sister to her radiotherapy appointments. He worked out the cost in petrol would be £150 and was going to charge her. I think that is obscene, especially as he has told me on numerous occasions that he has more money than he knows what to do with.

Yeah I guess I do, I find it so cringey that I have to tell grown adults they should bring alcohol to a party. I think pointing out the number is a good approach, “please make sure you bring enough drinks/ puddings for 12 people” doesn’t sound too bad. I will do it!

Partner took me away for a milestone birthday - lovely, right? He couldn’t go out the same day as me and booked me into a really run down Airbnb for the first night and then transferred me to the nice hotel when he arrived…

Please tell me you’re not still with this tightarse?

Well she sent her sheepish looking husband round to to drop off the remaining bottles with a 'sorry things got a bit carried away the other night' excuse. What I dont get is that they were pretty well off and could clearly afford decent stuff if they wanted to. If they were interested in the wine I probably would have just given them a bottle and if they liked it offered to buy them a case on my next trip. Anyway, needless to say they were not invited back.

Ironically I didn’t insist on separate bills so as not to look tight! This was a long time ago so it wasn’t easy, pre digital, to do so and in my circles then quite anti social?

Still always go halves with people (thankfully he is now ex) just to be social as don’t want to ‘cheapen’ the vibe and most people don’t drink like he does and they will often offer to pay more.

I did afterwards start to hand the tip plate to the waiting staff thereafter before we left rather than leave it on the table. But in both situations I was not interested in negotiating with a drunk.

Psychologically I was raised and socialised to be non confrontational especially with drunk men. Older now and working on it being comfortable with assertion and just dropping the ‘tight wads’ from my world as not only do they not change their often exploitative behaviour around money that it’s tedious to always be on alert in their company - but their personalities are also lacking and dull.

@ Pollyputthekettleonyourhead
“They also never bring alcoholic drinks (but want to drink any alcohol I have)”

I’d make sure you have a couple before they arrive, then just serve orange squash while they’re there. I hate this sort of thing! Do these people have no awareness of just how badly they come across? Trouble is, they rely on your hospitality and the fact that we’re all too damn polite to call out tightwads, so just seethe quietly about it.

Please tell me you’re not still with this tightarse?

Oops - not sure why that posted twice!

My drunk sister would do this at my parties - raid my wine fridge on her way out the door. She felt entitled because we were marginally more financially comfortable than her - probably because we didn’t spend most of our lives drunk or hungover and focused on our careers.

Apologies for doubting you. I just find it incredible that someone doesn't have that intense bond with their baby, especially a newborn. All I felt with my baby was an overwhelming overprotectiveness, I wouldn't even call it love it was that intense and instinctive. I just knew I would kill with my bare hands to protect my baby.

I would be much more specific - ie take 4 bottles of wine - as these types will deliberately misinterpret ‘enough for 12’

Please watch extreme cheap skates on you tube. It’s the best thing you’ll ever see.

one woman cooks her food in the dishwasher so she doesn’t have two appliances running and uses the lint from the dryer as face cloths!

I'd be telling them the truth about mother dearest.

I think my parents gave Dad's brother the benefit of the doubt initially, but then cottoned on and didn't put up with the nonsense. Luckily, we didn't see him often, so I think it must have been a small handful of times that it happened, before my folks saw the light. You know when you can't/don't want to believe that someone would be such a CF?

I had it with a friend from years ago (late teens/early 20s). We'd go out and do a round each. All good, but she'd forget her wallet, and/or would order herself an expensive cocktail when someone else was getting the round (but only do cheap/soft drinks when she was paying the round). First couple of times, you don't think much of it - we're all human, people sometimes do forget their card or wallet or haven't been paid properly - but then you realise the pattern forming. It got to the point where we stopped doing rounds and would take enough for the drinks that we would have individually, our own entry fee for clubs and for our taxi rides home.

I used to do that with charity shops, if I saw something nice for an older child I would buy it and store it. I didn't realise it was worthy of criticism 😎

Exactly. And in some places, the Youth Hostels are in nicer or more remote locations. They cater for all sorts of people, many have cafes, some have bars, some have glamping pods or yurts. I love them.