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!

^ that last post is just money money money, and then he said money so I said money money and the icing on the money is money.

Friend at university would constantly moan about money. We were on grants back then rather than student loans and all had the same disposable income. She came from a fairly well-off family but was permanently worried about spending and this went on for years after we left and got jobs - it got very wearing.

The thing that I found most rank among some seriously odd habits (unwashed clothes cos she didn’t want to spend money in the campus launderette) was her use of washing-up liquid instead of shampoo to wash her hair. Oh and she kept a pint glass of fag butts by her bed - but that was just mankiness.

@Evilmorty Of course it's about money!

For six months his bills were dropping massively, while mine were going through the roof and causing me to struggle financially. Not once in the first six months of him practically living here did I ask him for anything, nor did he offer. It was only when I was getting to breaking point and my wages weren't lasting the month, that I raised it with him and the arguments began.

FWIW, I had no idea that he earned a lot more than me when I met him, as I wouldn't know a designer item of clothing (except women's shoes) if it hit me in the face. And the first time I saw his car, I rolled my eyes and inwardly groaned as it's a cliché... "middle aged man drives old Porsche". Flashiness doesn't impress me one iota, never has and never will.

I've always paid my way in relationships, but that relationship was so one-sided and he made me feel like shit for daring to ask that he contributed towards the bills that he was responsible for increasing and even then, he only gave me the bare minimum and hated doing so too.

And no, the icing on the cake was him sitting there 'working from home' drinking cocktails like he was in the Club fucking Tropicana video, at 5pm, while I've had an exhausting day at work.

An ex boyfriend. Always got laughed at for notoriously never buying rounds, always hovering for other people to. I didn't really notice it overtly when I was with him (we were late teens) but as the years have rolled on he's now 40, living with his parents, with, and I shit you not, 500k in the bank. He literally has zero hobbies, hardly goes out with friends anymore, and just works his guts out. Never been married, no kids, not even a sniff of a girlfriend (or boyfriend).

Just curious how do you know how much he has in savings?

We divorced. I never felt so rich as I did after we divorced. Our son asked me to keep secret that he lost/ had stolen in school winter jacket in freezing February, and buy him secretly same or very similarly looking so his dad wouldn't notice. Child was 12. He was very high earner but ANY spending (and I mean food, shoes after kids feet grew, paying extra for kids glasses so they are comfortable, lighter and they actually would wear them) on anyone but himself was begrudged. When my children's feet overtook mine in size, I used their shoes already too small for them so I wouldn't have to get a pair for me. I am really glad to have that part of life behind me. Now me and 3 teens live on annual income what used to be monthly and our quality of life is so much higher. We don't need to feel guilty to eat.

My DSis, BIL and two DNs used to share a bath so (BIL, then Sis then the DNS in after) so the water bill and gas usage was less. DSis is the highest earner by quite a bit and yet any spending is strictly monitored by her DH. She once wanted something for £5 a month (think Netflix for example) and he kicked up a fuss and told her no despite her bringing in the higher wage. He buys mainly second hand toys for Christmas/birthdays for their kids and went through the weekly shopping budget with a fine toothed comb. He sends their kids to their regular daycare even when he's off work because they've paid for it and will make sure they get their money's worth. Spending time with the children isn't worth what they have had to pay out for the childcare.
They've paid up their mortgage and have tens of thousands in savings too. My DSis would give me the clothes off her back if I asked but her DH is definitely on the tightarse side.

This one tight but more for being a person who "tots up" what other people owe.

I had just come to the country and had no idea about rounds at a pub. I don't drink much so all through the night had 2 - one was offered to me by my flatmate and one by this guy as part of a round.

Now this sounds bad and I wouldn't do it now, in fact, I rarely even go out, but at the time I was from another world and had no clue.

I had no clue, also, that this guy was watching all night and silently fuming. He spread this around everyone at work after that and someone even mentioned it to me in a nasty way a few weeks later saying "I heard you just took drinks and didnt buy anyone one".

Welcome to Britain.

And to top it off, I paid for the bloody taxi home for everyone as I was last out so he was a complete prick not to tell anyone that.

I have always opted out of rounds since.

@avoidingwork I hope you let the person know that you'd paid everyone's taxi home! It certainly makes up for not buying a round.

Tight wedding guests and house guests are the worst.

Echoing what JudyDenchsBloomers said earlier on in the thread, I know of a couple that got a 20cl bottle of prosecco as a wedding gift - its £3.75 from Sainsburys - from relatives that are most definitely not on the breadline. What an insult.

Re house guests - if you're staying for the weekend or longer at the very least bring a bottle of wine, packet of biscuits, dessert or something! Even if you've been invited rather than asked to stay - it really grates me when people turn up with nothing, its the gesture rather than the monetary value or quality.

I genuinely don't know anyone now who is tight. Well I did in the past, and they are now long gone out of my life. Thankfully. We reap what we sow.

One of the ditched people asked me for a loan of 200 quid to pay bills and get some food. I said, no problem..... give me a list of food etc. things you need and I'll get them delivered to you. I also asked for her Electricity/Gas supplier account numbers and I would pay the bills.

Cue... total silence. Needed cash apparently to visit her toyboy in Turkey, but I knew about him, and called bluff.

I would never see anyone go hungry or be cold, but cash... never.

I felt a bit offended when after I invited my childhood best friend to visit from another country, making clear she is warmly welcome, I will pay for everything (not big deal and she doesn't speak English so easier for me to communicate), I can't really go there with my 3 teens (they not keen and too young to be left alone) and I really needed rant about my recent ex, she came for a week and SECRETLY left money in an envelope under bedding she used. Telling me only after she left.
I'll be more great full from now on.

DPs mum is the tightest person I know (she owns a million pound house) DP stayed with me at my parents house a lot in the early days probably around 5 out of the 7 days (we were 17) and my mum would always provide food ect, went to hers once, DP asked for some money to go food shopping for the weekend, £5 she gave him “because she’s not made of money” as if my mum hadn’t been saving her money by feeding him 15 meals a day plus snacks for 6 bloody months😒

So my ex husband was a bit of a wine snob. He'd come home with a wine he'd chosen for us to share, then present me with a bill and say 'That's £4 for your half.' Just before we got married, we were shopping and we saw some print wall hangings. He chose one he liked, another for his mother, and asked which I'd like. I chose one and after we'd finish shopping he asked for the £6 for my print. If I complained he'd get in a tizz about me being out for his money, even though I'd put £30k into our home and he'd put less than £1k. And when we divorced, of course he wanted 50% of everything, including the equity from the house, the furniture and utensils 🤣

My SIL bought my three children a used child's toy for their birthday to share between them. When it's her kids birthdays we get sent a list including video games etc

parrotfashionista

Don't give anything more than she does. I wouldn't.

Parrot I hope you say no no no proper parrot fashion....

I certainly won't be giving them presents like that again- actually couldn't believe it. We are not close but I found that to be very passive aggressive.

I’ve read this thread in astonishment, a huge amount of these people are abusers, it’s horrible.
Yes we would all love to be mortgage free with a chunk in the bank but these people who have achieved it yet spend their life counting every penny, what was the aim for their savings? Waiting on a rainy day that never comes?
I think there is something definitely amiss mentally as they’ve lost sight of reality and not even the loss of family gets through, what a sad lonely life.

Lots of examples. All Very wealthy people.

-millionaire asking for 40p of each of us to buy some volunteers some cheap chocolates! I’d already bought them something lovely and it shocked her when I said no!
-received a pot noodle for my 40th birthday- I still don’t get the ‘joke’. From a loaded friend, would rather she’d have come empty handed.

• millionaires selling kids clothes on fb- really!? I don’t know why but it grinds me so much. Charity shop maybe??
• I’ll stop I’m getting angry 😡😂

My SIL bought my three children a used child's toy for their birthday to share between them. When it's her kids birthdays we get sent a list including video games etc angry

So do not buy them any of that. A card with a tenner in it to split between them.

@Devora13 but you still married him????😳

Did he get 50% when you divorced?

21:33AloneLonelyLoner
Yup. I was young and a long way from home and didn't have the confidence to call a halt. And yes he did get 50%.

My SIL. When my SIL was a poor penniless student at uni, my DH went to visit her. He is a bit older than her and was working and earning a good wage by then. They went to the supermarket and he offered to do a shop for her and for dinner suggested pasta and sauce and selected a Lloyd Grossman sauce. She refused ‘on principle’ to accept the sauce as it was £1 more expensive and wanted him to buy the 30p watered-down Asda cheap tomato sauce. She wasn’t even paying for it, he was! She’s so tight she’s even tight with other people’s money!

They have recently had a second baby boy and had kept all the clothes from when their first son was born. This is sensible of course but I couldn’t believe it when she said ‘I was dreading having a girl because I would have had to buy new baby clothes!’ Nephew 2 was pretty small when he was born and she was dressing him in clothes that were drowning him because she refused to buy anything in newborn size.

She still wears clothes from 20 years ago when she was a teenager. I’m all for reusing and not chucking things out but all the clothes are from the 90s so are woefully out of fashion and threadbare. She looks like a tramp most of the time. If DH and I go for dinner and treat ourselves to a bottle of wine that is anything more than £10 she looks at us as if we are mad.

We always take cake/biscuits etc if we popped in to see them as a gesture- they came to visit us when DD was born but turned up empty handed and then started demanding biscuits because their two year old was hungry!

We are generally quite generous and were always buying little presents for darling nephew or for SIL (she likes a particular breed of dog so if I ever saw something with the dog on it, like a purse say or little necklace, I’d get it for her as a treat) but we never have anything back so I’ve stopped now on principle. I suppose with that it’s not about the money but more about the thoughtlessness.

I had a 2 friends who were both a bit tight, but fairly standard stuff by this treads standards! He'd never get a round in unless told it was his turn - She'd turn up to party with a bottle of drink, tuck it to the back so it didn't get opened then take it with her when she left etc. but when they got together as a couple it turn up a notch! If we went for a meal it had to be split to the penny, and you'd regularly hear them arguing about small amounts of money and keeping track of who had given who more cigarettes.

Oddly enough though, since they broke up they've both become "normal" with money - maybe they saw something in each other they didn't like in themselves?! We may have stumbled onto the cure to tightness!

Partner's ex-colleague and his wife who had moved overseas, visited for a week. They handed me 3 half-full jars of pickles and mayonnaise as a hostess gift! Came to the supermarket with us and added loads to the trolley but were nowhere to be seen at the checkout. We wined and dined them and they never once paid for so much as a cup of coffee. Never again!