To ask about the tightest person you've ever met

[GunpowderGelatine]

I'm not talking about skint people, frugal people or those doing good for the environment - but who have you met who is the biggest tightwad without the need to be tight?

Mine is my mum unfortunately. She's just been for a week-long visit and I swear she gets worse with age (though she's not even 60 so not old). She's well off enough that she retired aged 47, hasn't had a mortgage since 2002 and her husband earns a very good living. She wears designer clothes and has lovely jewellery, so I don't think she's secretly skint or anything.

We went shopping in town one day during her visit and both got the odd thing from places like Primark, Superdrug etc ie nothing expensive. Because I had DS in the pram which is awkward round small and busy aisles, when coming to pay one of us took the others' stuff up with them to pay whilst the other one of us waited by the doors with the pram. Stuff we bought cost us each no more than a fiver altogether. We then went for lunch in M&S, mum got a table whilst I went up with a tray, got toasties and coffees and paid then and there. Cost about £19 for the 3 of us to eat and drink.

At the end of the day I figured we were probably even in what we'd paid for and I would've said nothing more about it. However 10 minutes after getting home she presented me with 3 receipts for places where she'd gone up to pay for stuff, with my stuff highlighted (she must've brought a highlighter with her as I don't have one in the house 🤣) and the amounts written on - the amounts were £2.99, £2.62 and £1.49

She then said she wanted to "treat us all" to the cinema as the kids wanted to see the Lion King. So off we went, I packed some mini bags of popcorn from M&S and some bottled drinks as otherwise I'd be spending around £20+ for the equivalent in the cinema. I packed enough for everyone (this is allowed in our cinema). When we went to buy the tickets, she bunged me a fiver (the cost of her ticket) - so much for treating us! And then I thought we were going into the cinema but to my surprise she proceeded to get a large popcorn, large coke, a hot dog and Maltesers for herself. Which cost her £16.99. We had to all carry something as she had so much 😂 I was and thought it's a good job I have a sense of humour. She then wouldn't let my kids have some of her maltesers because "your popcorn is enough you'll get sick" - and then left a half full packet on her chair at the end

I don't think I've ever known such a tightwad! She's like this with other people - she gives her elderly neighbour a lift to the supermarket when she goes, and takes petrol money off her! Even though she's going anyway.

And no I didn't ask for money for lunch and what I paid for in shops, or for lunch, because i refuse to be like that. I also didn't want to mention about her treating us at the cinema because she'd no doubt say something passive aggressive like "oh I didn't know you were skint" 🙄

Cheer me up please by regaling me with your best tightwad stories!

Tidying up her Mum's grave, goes to the bin area with some weeds. Sees someone had dumped some plastic flowers. Thought they would be nice on grave so takes them and sticks them around Mother's grave saying she would like them being recycled. Could not believe it. Deceased mother left her house worth a lot but doesn't warrant a new plastic never mind a fresh flower.

My MIL is CF tight.

• She lives a long way from us, she invited us round for the day once, asking us to come for breakfast and then we’d go for a walk. When we got there she asked us to go to Morrison’s and buy about 15 different things for lunch, totalling about £30 and when we brought it back she offered us £2 towards it. Then wouldn’t let me OH have a second helping because ‘she wanted it to last her tomorrow as well’

• When I was in hospital having our first son, she let herself into our house, and thought our washing basket was full (it wasn’t - had two loads in it) so ‘to help out’ she basically took all our dirty washing (without permission) to her house, and washed dried and ironed it. Then the day I came out of hospital she brought all our clothes back along with a request for £20 for the electricity she’d used.

• Asked me what I wanted for the birth of my third son. I told her we didn’t need anything, and she didn’t need to buy anything but she kept insisting on buying the nappy bag. I kept telling her no as I had decided to get a rucksack type which is about £60 and I didn’t want her spending that much. She insisted and insisted and asked for the link, then turned up with a monstrous pink canvas type bag off eBay costing £7.

• she also steals from us, not massive amounts but she has taken loose change of the kitchen side, like £3 or so, as well as taking £20 out of DH wallet and as she was leaving saying ‘I just borrowed That £20 out of your wallet I’ll get it back to you’ then she denies any memory of it.

My uncle....you would struggle to find anyone tighter! When my grandma died, we all went to her little bungalow to clear it out and uncle was basically champing at the bit by the garage door to get inside to see what she had stored in there. He emerged with a couple of ancient tins of dried up paint and a rake with 3 prongs on and insisted on loading them into his car, rather than into the skip. Went inside and emptied her cupboards and fridge freezer, he was like a vulture. The best of it is, he lives in a large detached house in a nice area and is definitely not short of money! He's always been greedy!
Dad said whenever they'd go to the pub in their younger years, uncle would go into the gents when was his turn to buy a round!

Really though , how bloody unfair,maybe she is skint and spends beyond her means .ir like my mother is bat shit crazy.
Had to stop seeing my mother she’s so bonkers all her crazy behaviour is money based, years ago she stashed a large sum the new notes came in she forgot to exchange it.Masses if weird stuff .. Then forged my fathers will to disinherit me, latest is to accuse me of breaking into her house stealing stuff even though I haven’t been able to drive for three years ..And haven’t been near the place,the list is endless my beloved grandmother died left me her engagement ring my mother took it and refused to give it to me . money and the love of it is a sickness it breaks families,
Try to do things that don’t involve spending walks ,picnics ,agree who takes what .know she’s you have to accept it or have it out with her . Good luck hopefully she’s not mean with love to
Best of luck

An ex of mine had a cousin who turned up on Boxing Day with an 8 pack of beer and then after eating and drinking the hosts food left that evening with 2 of the beers he hadn’t yet drink. I remember thinking how tight it was to not leave the two beers since the family had spent all that money on food and other drinks.

I have a couple.
Years ago when we used to go out as a large group several times a week one guy would accept drinks all night then when it was his round he'd go home! Night after night! Even in his 60s and earning good money he'd have to be 'reminded' like, "X getting a fuckin round in!"
Another example was my old boss who earned more than double my salary. We supported the same football team and every half time I bought him a coffee! I tried hanging on for him to offer but it never happened. I was just too embarrassed to just buy my own, he was a real tight arse.

My ex boyfriend..note the word 'ex'

One example..he was in his first couple of years of being a 'city boy' - was earning in excess of £100k (this was in the early 90's bear in mind too)...

We pulled over at a petrol station as I wanted to buy a newspaper. I didn't have the 35p or so on me. He bought one along with his fuel and said you can sort me out the 35p when we get home.

Complete knob!

My ex - Highlights include

• him sulking over me accepting my Xmas present from him as he hoped I'd refuse it because he wanted it for his own home - it was only a cheap radio.

• a treat for my birthday which was actually not what I wanted, it was a trip that HE wanted to take to a local wildlife park. I knew he'd not really want to treat me so I had my card ready to pay. He ordered and paid for two tickets and immediately started ranting about how tight I was and that I'd never put my hand in my pocket once in our entire relationship. He refused to have anything to eat or drink all day as it cost money he didn't want to spend on us. He eventually gave in to thirst and had the cheapest takeaway coffee he could find - then made me feel guilty for not offering to pay for it for him as he'd been so kind about the birthday treat.

• every single thing he ever bought for either me or us was made plain by the receipt he would leave laying around. This continued after we broke up and he was trying to win me back. I'd come home to a carrier bag hanging off my door handle with a cheap box of chocolates inside - and a carefully placed receipt laid across the top of it.

• he never once had any food or drink in for me at his house. We used to have to stop on the way so I could buy what I'd need. This was despite him living half the week at my house and never paying a penny for the food he ate. I had to buy in special foods/drinks for him otherwise he'd complain. Anything I bought myself for his house was always given to any visiting family kids as he didn't want to pay to feed them himself.

• he accused me of costing him a fortune in food as he occasionally ordered takeaways online. He added up everything he'd spent in a year and used it as evidence, despite 90% of it being his own sole orderings. I got my own back by adding up my shopping bills and showing him what he cost me - he hit the roof and called me a lying bitch.

• he complained about the cost of fuel to drive 18mins to see me (I couldn't drive at that point) as it was more expensive than visiting his ex. After we broke up, he contacted me to complain that his new gf lived 4mins further than me and he was furious over the extra fuel costs.

There's probably a load more - and I put up with that shit for 11 months!

My parents were invited to a wedding in a top hotel, the family were wealthy in the extreme. After the party, parents shocked to see them auctioning off the gift wrapping paper

AUctioning off the gift wrap? Was it handpainted or something? And did anyone place any bids?

My first long-term boyfriend. Every time we went on a trip together he kept a detailed record of every single grocery item etc. and insisted we split it exactly two way. Kept tabs on everything. Used to drive round places about 3 times looking for free parking rather than spend a couple of quid in a pay and display. Had a little notebook in the glove compartment in which he noted mileage and petrol costs.

And he was a sulker.

The really funny thing was his family was loaded. He'd been to a top (and I mean top) public school.

Reader, I did not marry him.

Many years ago now, I was in love with a male friend. I lost all sense of reason or self respect and found myself agreeing to take him places quite far away, just because I loved any excuse to be with him.
Looking back, of course he adored the attention and was probably having a great laugh at my complete inability to say no to him and so pushed the envelope further and further with no intention of ever becoming romantically involved with him.

I dropped him home after work every single day for over a year, despite me living an hour away and having long commutes. I frequently went to gigs and the cinema with him, often in other cities up to two hours away from home, at his bequest. He frequently "forgot his card" and had no cash on him so I'd end up paying for tickets, drinks, meals etc. What made it worse was hearing from friends about how he "was always the first to chip in for petrol" and yet knowing that he had never once offered me petrol money. I began to ask for money to be returned, as I was struggling financially and when he suggested days far afield, I'd say "that would be fine as long as you chipped in for petrol and parking costs".

The first time I asked him for petrol money after he asked me to drive 100 miles each way to another city with him for an event, and pay £12 for parking for the day he said, "Oh look, there is a seagull sat on your car, are you going to charge him for petrol too?"

Another time, he asked if we could catch a play after work in another city which would then involve me driving him home to his home city after the show and then another hour to my hometown late at night, only to leave for work again at 7am the next morning. I suggested he go alone but he said he didn't want to go without me, made me feel special and all that shit.

Anyway, we agreed we'd have to grab something to eat when we arrived near the theatre. He still owed me for a take away earlier in the week (when he heard I was having one, he asked if he could come with me and have one too then "forgot" his wallet).

I think I wasn't feeling 100% and when he asked me what I was having at the fast food place we settled on, I said "I'm not hungry, I think I'll just have a coffee." but it was a specific named one, like "Pumpkin Spiced Latte". He said "Oh! I've got a voucher here for a free loyalty one!" and began taking it out of his wallet. He submitted his order (two adult meals for himself and a large soft drink) and then proudly said "AND a pumpkin spiced latte". The coffee came first and he handed it to me with a big smile on his face.

I said "thank you, that's very kind", thinking that given the fact I had driven him, accompanied him, was driving half an hour out of my way to get him home (so far no petrol money) meant that he was giving me his free coffee as a way of saying thanks.

Nope.

He said, "what are you thanking me for, it's not for YOU!!!" He then went on to say that as he had ordered two meals and two drinks for himself he couldn't carry them all himself and needed me to carry them to the table and that if I wanted a coffee I needed to buy my own and not expect favours. He might have even said something about me being an entitled Princessy type.

I significantly reduced contact with him from then on out!

Arsehole.

Namechange84,
He sounds like the loser I met about 15 years ago and I still have nightmares about him now .
There had been times when we went out to dinner and he had paid the bill at a fancy bar before we went onto dinner ( In London) then he was in the bathroom or talking on his phone ( long distance ) when the bill came .He did this lots of times.

One of my DHs former employers had a ' chocolate allowance' for his son of one half of a chocolate button per week. When they went on holidays abroad he would buy a loaf of bread and a packet of cheese for the week and spend the holiday going for walks in places where they could pick fruit from trees for the rest of their eating requirements. He owns a number of posh holiday cottages

I even believed him when we went on holiday for 5 nights in Ibiza .He booked the flights no problem there and the rent a car no problem then we went to the apartment( no problem) or so I thought .
He then told me on day 2 that he lost his card ( hahaha) and he had reported it to police but the apartment needed paying for in full as he had only paid a securing fee ???💀💀

Sounds like they were cut from the same cloth @avamiah. I definitely think the arsehole I knew was used to freeloading and I strongly suspect he is doing this today with his wife and her family.

Your guy sounds like a real con artist though.

Namechange84,
Yes I agree with you, but at the time I had just got divorced and I stupidly told him so and the rest is history and a terrible nightmare .

A sibling. Tighter than a ducks arse. Extremely wealthy but moths fly out when the bag / wallet is opened.
Sat with them at a concert one night, I had bought the first drink, they hadn't had to pay for tickets. So basically a free night out. Nope, stuck to seat, not even an offer of a drink.
Unbelievable.

That's just one example btw.

CharityDingle,
OMG ,I have been there and it’s so embarrassing as your glass is empty and you just bought the drinks ?
So what do you do ?
😶

DH - I once texted him to ask him to get some milk on his way home. He walked through the door and asked for HIS 86p back. How I did not pour the milk over his head is beyond me. Needless to say, he got 'the look' and has never repeated the same mistake again because I regularly bring it up

Ex friend who received handouts from his parents and whose career plan basically is waiting for his inheritance.

Constantly sending messages with a pleading “sub-me” tone, if ever I commented on anything I’d been able to do I’d get a woeful “I can’t do that because of what the Tories have done to the country” style pitiful messages.

Fair enough but he had no children, no wife, was in his 40s in good health, had obtained a good degree when there were no fees and a full grant and wasn’t disabled

Not at all to do with the fact that he’d made no effort at any point to save any money or move jobs or stop treating himself to random wannabe middle class tat (for himself) and nights out.

We had a day out once and I said I’d get dinner if he got coffee beforehand.

He claimed he’d forgotten if he’d paid or not and if we just walked out “they’d call us back”.

It was clear as day he hadn’t paid and he must have known I’d known as we hadn’t left the table and no one had come over - in his weird mind either I’d be embarrassed and stump up or we’d rob the cafe (but then he’d spend £20 on a rare record for himself).

It’s just so pathetic. It’s not even the money - it’s the level of calculation that goes into it in a “aha I’m so clever I’ll get one over them”? Like they must be so full of resentment and entitlement inside

My stand out example was a guy who was setting up an art course I was considering going on - course was already a lot of money, something like £100+ for 8 weeks or so. He was also then going to charge extra on top for individual biscuits and tea bags - I did think he was joking at first, but then I realised he was serious.
I didn't bother signing up.

I think the plastic flowers for the grave one sounds reasonable. My own mother would love it if we did something like that, she wouldn't want us spending money on things and would be glad we were reusing a discarded item.

The tightest things I have encountered were both on my birthdays, two years running. First time, it was an aquaintance who was a CF generally. She needed a ride to the salvation army toys for tots drive to pick out gifts for her kids. Her allocated slot was 11am so even though a snow storm had started and it was usually a 30 minute drive, I still took her because she probably wouldn't get to reschedule. At the side of the freeway dozens of cars had slid off the road and crashed. I'm a super careful driver so although we skidded a few times and visibility was poor, I got us there in one piece. Only to find the place had closed due to inclement weather. I wanted to drive straight home as the snow was due to continue, but my acquaintance said "nonsense! Driving all this way for nothing. It's your birthday. Let me treat you to lunch. I really want you to try this diner I know..." so, because it was the first time she had ever offered to pay for anything, and because it was my birthday, I accepted. I was aware she is poor though so I only ordered a slice of pie and a coffee. She ordered 2 drinks, a main course and dessert. At the end of the meal the waitress gave us the bill and she took it, handed it to me and said "thanks for lunch. Like I said, I really want to get it for you next time, for your birthday." I was shocked... and honestly horrified as if I had ordered anything more than I did, I wouldn't have been able to cover the bill either... I had never intended to eat out and was broke myself.

The following year another friend invited me shopping to the mall on my birthday. We hung out and she had said before we went that she was getting me lunch. She had recently come into some money from a lawsuit so I knew she was good for it. I even joked to her about the previous year and she expressed outrage at what the other woman had done. She then went around the mall and spent a lot on stuff for herself and her condo. She picked a restaurant that serves booze and ordered a couple of expensive cocktails as well as food and dessert. I was driving so didn't drink, but ate a full meal this time. At the end, the bill came and she just sat there and carried on talking about her new things and was also a bit drunk and hyper. She clearly had no intention of paying, and was sounding manic so I had to assume she had totally forgotten she had offered to pay. I ended up buying my own birthday treat again.

Now, weird thing is, both these women are bipolar. The second one severely so. And they both have the capacity and desire to be generous. This has been evident from a different occasion when friend B took my husband, myself and our kids for Mexican and paid for us all when she was less manic and had received a windfall. And person A, whilst generally the most CF I have ever met (I have stories a mile long about her), once told me she had been left money in an old lady's will and insisted on taking me to a fabric shop and buying me $50 of fabrics to 'make up for all the times you've paid for me'. So clearly being tight isn't in their make up, and maybe just being a bit selfish or unaware of tsking advantage is part of their condition. I don't know. But I do know I always make sure I have enough money on me to cover dinner if a friend ever offers to treat me these days.

flyingspaghettimonster funnily enough my mother is bipolar (also diagnosed with manic depression amongst other things)
and she is the tightest person I know.