What's the most extreme example of effort to save a few pennies you have heard of?

[wineoclockthanks]

Lighthearted!!

Mine is someone who buys shirts/t-shirts and asks for the hangers, then returns the clothes minus the hangers.

I did mention that Wilkos sell 10 wire hangers for £1.75 but she was adamant it was worth it.

Please can I stress this is lighthearted, I am also on a tight budget and count my pennies so not judging at all.

[spinassienne]

TBF a lot of these could be about being envionmentally conscious rather than tight.

[MaroonPencil]

My dad always takes the newspapers from the coffee shop.

Tell your dad I bloody hate him, then. Unless he takes them just before closing time. Looking forward to a coffee and a paper, I hate it when some bastard has taken all the papers.

[MissCherryCakeyBun]

I break off the stalk from the broccoli when I get it in the supermarket..... why pay for the bit you don't eat and often it's about 1/4 of the weight.

[NoYouDontKnowItAll]

My ex-partner regularly nicks the whole roll of toiler paper from the mens in McDonalds and legs it out of there with it under his jacket

[Blatherskite]

A lot of these re downright criminal never mind environmentally conscious!

[n0ne]

I used to have a flatmate who was the tightest guy I ever met. He stole toilet paper and soft drinks from work - emptied the whole fridge til they stopped providing them. He didn't even drink soft drinks

He would use all our decent food in the cupboards until the packet/jar was nearly-but-not-quite empty, then leave the rest so he didn't have to replace it. If we came to get some rice or whatever and there wasn't enough, he would always offer his, which was all Tesco's value shite.

He NEVER stood his round. After several months of people complaining, he finally agreed to get people a drink. Cue him inviting everyone into the back alley behind the pub and handing out a bottle of beer each from a carrier bag from the offie!

He was unbelievable.

[Fluffyears]

My gran didn't always have a fridge or central heating. She used to keep groceries in the hall next to the front door so they'd stay cool. A fridge is only a recent necessity for people.

[Toddlerteaplease]

I know someone who dies their shopping at 4 different supermarkets. With a toddler in tow. She says she's factored the extra petrol cost in.I think she's insane.

[DontBeASalmon]

Before fridges, people used to rely on icebox and in town had to trek bags of ice upstairs to keep food cool. Not so great.

[Elendon]

My gran used to have a cold store larder. It kept food perfectly cold. (I would love a cold store larder).

[Yogagirl123]

Great thread! Someone I used to work with was well known for being "careful" with money, and used to remove the batteries from his clocks, before he came to work.

[Crikeyblimey]

A friend of my sister only buys one pair of tights to last her the winter.

Same woman always has 2 or more ligh bulbs missing from a ceiling pendent (multi-bulb) thing.

Same woman bought 3 x boxes of crisps and handed each guest at HER WEDDING one each as their 'wedding breakfast'!

They are NOT short of money (but the above may be why)!

[5BlueHydrangea]

My dh likes to save water in the shower. He gets wet, turns it off, soaps up then turns it on again to rinse. Very sensible but I see a shower as a pleasant experience not just functional! He's ever hopeful the rest of us will do the same....

[BlooBagoo]

Same woman bought 3 x boxes of crisps and handed each guest at HER WEDDING one each as their 'wedding breakfast'!

I can imagine a lot of very hungry and very drunk guests then (if there was a bar there anyway).

[WinkyisbackontheButterBeer]

Did anyone see the extreme cheapskates where she fed her dh cat food sandwiches because it was cheaper than tuna?
I have a strong stomach but was at that.

My old boss would bring his out of date milk into work for our coffees and take the fresh stuff bought by the company home. twat

[NightWanderer]

I don't know if this is common in the US, but an American friend mentioned that in winter she treats herself by doing the washing up in warm water but only uses cold for the rest of the year.

[Badders123]

Some of these aren't miserly
They are stealing!

[Butterymuffin]

A few good ideas here (eg the water one) but some are theft and others are just mad. Many only work if you aren't at all squeezed for time, and are chasing very small savings indeed. I'd go as far as to say that ones like removing the batteries from clocks while out is a fetish. Or a mental health problem, if you like.

[LightYears]

As this thread proves, take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves. I irritate my son with that saying, it's true though.

[Igottastartthinkingbee]

An old friend used to avoid changing lane on the motorway so she could save petrol! She said the said the slight wiggly journey of overtaking or getting back into the left hand lane would've cost more than just driving in a straight line. Makes sense but it used to drive me mad if she was taking us somewhere!!

[BahHumbygge]

What a waste of perfectly good broccoli stalk, cutting it off and discarding it. I save it and slice it up to go in stirfries and soups. The very bottom inch can be a little woody, but otherwise fully nutritious and tasty

[Asmoto]

Bah Yes, my DH always cooks and serves broccoli stalks - nothing wrong with them at all .

[bimbobaggins]

Wiping out the crumbs from a sandwich bag to reuse.

[Elendon]

I'm just waiting for the person who gets the holiday abroad twice a year on quizzes and saves thousands on the grocery shop via coupons.

My ex in laws used the coupons in the Mirror to have a holiday in Scotland and were surprised to find the accommodation was not as they expected. (I still love ex MIL and sadly ex FIL passed away).

[Want2bSupermum]

The only thing I do which is crazy is dilute my milk. I buy full fat and dilute so it is 50% water making it semi-skimmed.

With food I find it easier to have a meal plan and shop to the plan. I save the most money that way and no food is wasted. As for other savings, I've always focused on increasing the top line rather than trying to find savings. Even when I had low income I would babysit for $15 an hour (I am in the US) and if they gave me money for dinner I would go without saving the money. I always brought a couple of snacks in bag to eat if I had the munchies.