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!

[chocolatesaltyballs22]

My ex husband. Not short of money but would turn off radiators in rooms he's not using, won't even put DD's bedroom radiator on until she's physically in the house, even when it's freezing. We used to have thermostat wars - his view was that you put more clothes on rather than put the heating on. Questioned every penny of my money that I spent. I could go on....reason no 587 why he's my ex.

[leiaskye]

My ex-colleague

We had work mobiles. He refused to charge it at home as it was a work phone. So charged it in the office.

We also used to get called out for IT issues in the night. He refused to plug his laptop in to use his own electricity. If he got a lot of calls & his laptop died, he would drive into the office & claim back the petrol. Rather than just plugging his laptop into his own supply!

The phrase ‘cutting his nose of ....’ comes to mind.

[ElsieMc]

I know a couple of people like this and they were all well off.

First my friend's (now deceased) step dad. He married late in life, had a very successful business and his wife was wealthy. He stormed upstairs when my friend and I were sat in her bedroom listening to music. He said we weren't allowed to have the heater on and the record player (back in the seventies) together. We had to have one or the other. It was December.

My dd2's friend's mum was so mean it was unbelievable. I once called round and she was weighing her M and S digestives to make sure they weighed what it said on the packet. She said she had to return a pack last week as it had been "short". My dd had left brownies and she asked if she would be returning. When I said no, she replied "Oh well she wont be needing her uniform then. * can have it".

[Movinghouseatlast]

Sister in law. Ridiculously tight.

She used to go and visit her mum and dad and charge them petrol money.

When mum and dad went for Christmas they got a bill.

Gives a £1 charity shop book for a present, but expects a present herself. I can't bring myself to spend that little, actually even homemade things end up costing more than that!

Drives round supermarkets for a whole day to save a few quid.

Comes to stay for the weekend and brings nothing.

Has over a million in the bank, owns four houses outright and retired at 50!

[thecatsthecats]

My FIL is both tight and a CF.

FIL and MIL have birthdays close together. I have not one but three cheapskate stories about his behaviour.

1. MIL invited us to FIL's birthday meal out. We went expecting to pay, but she kindly and generously offered to pay for us.

FIL invites us to MIL's birthday meal two weeks later. He texts my DH saying that he'll pay on the night but can he bank transfer our share after - as a secret from MIL!

1. I have been on a diet for 2 years (lost 5st). For starter and main I had a salad. No alcohol. Now I'm not one to quibble, but FIL and BIL both had 3 courses, steak and alcohol at MIL's birthday and the split was even. But then at FIL's birthday, I happened to have more, but suddenly it was time to pay for our own food!

1. We went out for MIL's birthday. Excellent service, bonus pudding with candles. DH and I put in £40 each rounded up from £35 bill split as the staff really did contribute to a lovely evening. FIL gives the waiter a £5 tip! CF knocked our £5 off their bill as a result.

Is it wrong of me to say I hope the inheritance is worth it? Probably!

[Ferretyone]

@GunpowderGelatine

I knew a person years ago who would charge his DW mileage in the car for going shopping. I do not know if she charged him for "other services" [I think I would].

Not surprisingly it did not last

[PuppyMonkey]

My sister is amusingly tight. She and her husband are loaded and she openly boasts about the huge pension he’s about to cash in. They still shop at all the, how shall I say, downmarket places like Farm Foods and they only ever go out for a meal to Cosmo as they like the voucher/money off midweek deal thing. They could be living a really luxurious life but they truly live like they are permanently skint.

[Duvetday8]

My mum. She won a raffle prize once, it wasn't something she liked but knew I would so gave to to me... But I had to give her the 50p from the raffle ticket.
My dad... If he had money off vouchers for something (that he had got for free) but wasn't going to use them I could have them but had to pay for them

[notso]

My friends in laws are all pretty stingy and selfish. She always telling me tales of their mean ways.
The PIL won't have child seats in their car in case they mark the seats, when they visit and they want to go out with the grandchildren they have to go on the bus or train and ask for the fare from my friend.

My friend lives near an amazing bakery and always stocks up when guests visit, her PIL bring with them an loaf of cheap sliced bread 'so as not to waste it' then when they leave ask to take back the lovely bakery bread in return seeing as they brought their own bread.

They won't eat out when they visit my friend unless it's two for one. Instead of doing what most would do and split the bill they make sure they order the same or lesser value than my friend so they can say theirs is the free one and leave my friend to pay the whole bill.

The PIL are always moaning they don't spend much time as a family so their Son and his siblings organised a lovely cottage away, stocked the fridge, paid for a meals out etc for their parents wedding anniversary. The Dad worked out the price of everything and said next time if your going to spend this much just give us a cheque.

The most hilarious (to me as they are not my relations) was when one of the sons and his wife gave his Dad a £30 jumper for Christmas. The day after Boxing Day the wife noticed the jumper was now half price so ordered another one and asked FIL if she could take the original back, FIL agreed and she took it back that day. She bought the new jumper round for FIL and there followed an almighty row over who should have the £15 that had been refunded.

[selavy]

One of my friends is the stingiest person I know. We once went out for a meal and when our mains arrived she offered me to try some of hers. I did and when the bill arrived she insisted I paid two-thirds of it, as I had had some of her food
Needless to say, we don’t go out for meals very often now...

[Serendipity79]

My ex friend at my hen do objected to everyone rounding the bill up and dividing equally because a) she felt I should pay for myself and b) she drank lemonade not wine so the extra £4 it was costing her wasn't justified :(

[cptartapp]

PIL are consistantly tight, despite having hundreds of thousands in the bank and having more money coming in now than when FIL was working (has told us this). Their choice of accomodation last year as pensioners in their late 70's whilst visiting the lakes, was a youth hostel. Because it was cheapest. And still the money piles up.

[Velveteenfruitbowl]

I used to know a millionaire who would feed his children black bananas which he bought at the end of the day at the market for £1 a box.

[Buyitinbamboo]

Teenage boyfriend. He was 20 working full time and getting a good wage for that age (about £1500pm). I was 16, in college but had a retail job I got about £100pm for. He lived 30 miles away but wouldn't pick me up despite the offer of petrol money because he didn't want the wear and tear on the car so I would pay £20 every time for the train. I got the train to him on my 17th birthday, he "took me out" for dinner where he made me pay for my half of the meal and made a big deal out of the fact that he didn't charge me petrol money for picking me up from the station as it was my birthday.

[Molly2017]

I have a friend who will snap the stalk off a broccoli before weighing it.

My worse was a family member who brought my niece a play broom for her birthday. I googled it and it cost £1.99. The play set with dust pan and brush would have cost £4.99. Obviously she couldn’t stretch to that despite having just inherited £50k. I was honestly open mouthed at the tightness!

[CaptainButtock]

My mil. Delights in driving a 12 mile round trip specifically to go to the library where she can read the local paper ‘for free!!’
Needless to say, she’s loaded.

[MrsFeatherDuster]

At university, many years ago and shared a house with one of the tightest people I have ever met. So many things that she did, goodness me.
We were on a Business Accountancy course and for presentations we would have to wear 'Business wear'. She would buy a cheap pair of tights, wear them put them back into the packet and return them to the shop.She would do this for every presentation but use a different shop each time. When I asked her why she did not just keep the original pair she replied that she did not want to wear the same pair twice and didn't see why she should spend 89p (a long time ago) on a course that she wasn't enjoying. I hope they were never put back on the rack.

[Bluntness100]

One of our friends keeps an excel of everything purchased and makes his partner split it to thr Penny. Literally the penny, he says shit like you owe me 3.24. And god help her if she doesn't pay. He keeps a running tally.

But worse than that, he asks his mates to drive him places, so he doesn't have to pay for his own petrol. And he will front up at your house with the cheapest crap booze you can find, and two tins of it, then proceed to neck the most expensive stuff in vast quantities.

He was also bring his child so they can get a free feed. It's beyond bizzare.

[Windydaysuponus]

My friend's exh when they were still married....
She was a sahp and he was self employed.
She got her ' petrol allowance' on a Monday.
Her dm rang her on a Sunday and told her she had cancer-obviously wanted /needed friend to go over.
Dh said it was a shame her car was empty and she didn't get her allowance til the next day.... Twat.

[WatchingTheMoon]

My grandparents used to buy a new car every year so they wouldn't have to pay tax on their savings, but they gave me a selection box at Christmas, not even a fancy one, just a normal Cadburys one.

[cometothinkofit]

Middle-aged, comfortably off friends of DH. We know them really well, and in all the 20+ years we've known them, they've never once given dc anything, not a card, a small token gift, nothing. Even when we've been round there on Boxing Day, or they've dropped in at ours near dc's birthday - not a sausage. They remember DH's birthday and mine and send cards to us though. Most odd.

[RussianDolls]

My ex

When we would go to McDonald’s he would buy himself a large meal and me a medium one. He only saved himself about 30p.

When we moved in together we would take turns to buy the weekly groceries. When it was my turn to pay he was putting all sorts of goodies into the trolley and other more expensive items. When it came to his turn to pay he would look for the cheapest items and wouldn’t get any treats.

I then said that we would pay half every week as I was spending more.

One reason that he is an ex.

[macpumpkin1]

I have a couple of really tight friends. The best was when we had a leaving do and one of my friends had a lovely garden and decorated it nicely for the BBQ. Another friend made loads of lovely salad. My husband (although not married then) and I bought loads of sausages and wine etc. My tight friend brought his trousers in case he for cold!

[juliascurr]

elderly family friend we gave lift and used our free tickets entry to eg museum; He bought no drinks or anything at all but happily accepted lunch, coffee, tea and cakes without even an offer to pay even just for his own

[Evilmorty]

Someone I used to flatshare with.

“Don’t you remember when I paid that extra 50p for the poppadoms at the meal last week and you ate half of one”

IT WAS THE MORNING AFTER. They were going in the bin!