I like Extreme Cheapskates. At least I used to like Extreme Cheapskates. I started watching it as a way to glean money saving ideas. And I continued watching it because it was just so entertaining. I did learn early on not to eat while watching it. There is nothing more unappetizing than watching people fill to go boxes with OTHER peoples left over food. Or scraping pasta sauce or salad dressing off plates and back into their bottles. Even the plates of the guests you invited over! How about dumpster diving for food that you then take to a kitchen where you are teaching a cooking class? Already eaten on lobster tail! Out of a dumpster! Or going door to door in your neighborhood and asking for any left over food. Taking a vacation in Vegas and instead of treating the teens to a nice buffet meal like promised, one to go box at 12.99 is dickered down to 5.99 and everyone gets to share a few bites out of it! And they all take extra packets of condiments , most without even eating in the establishment!
BUT....along with the disgusting food episodes I am noticing something about the people on these shows. They are not in the least bit concerned about using up other peoples or businesses resources. The only ones saving money are themselves. And in the process they are putting people in situations that are embarrassing and uncomfortable. Like the woman who weaseled and badgered until she ended up paying less for fabric than the store owner had. The owner said she never wants to see that customer back in her store. Or Going into a sporting goods store and using a machine every day. Not ever intending to buy it...just getting your work out in at someone else's expense. Using your brothers gym membership to exchange dirty for clean towels, take your daily shower, fill up your hand sanitizers...... And why do people allow it to continue? Why does the sporting goods owner not tell the woman to no longer come into his store. Why doesn't the fabric store owner say NO! I think these cheapskates know how to work with peoples emotions. Like the two young women sleeping in their car, waiting for a hotel customer to leave then begging with puppy dog eyes to use the shower in that room before it is cleaned. How is that clerk to know that they are not legitimately in need or not. Which they weren't. The night before they had eaten at a pub with a free buffet. A free buffet if you buy a drink. When told that they needed to buy a drink they talked the bartender down to one $1.50 drink that they split! These types of people are also very nervy!
What about the children in these families? The children whose parents stop for gas and they are made to run into the bathrooms and fill water bottles...using other peoples resources. Or the children living in homes with no furniture because a parent is too cheap. Or being allowed a certain amount of juice or milk in their glass. And all food is measured. Or the ones that take a bath in the same bathwater and then sleep in the same bed as the rest of their family. Or the teens who are only allowed a ten minute shower twice a week. A teaspoon of shampoo, toothpaste, mouthwash?
And I have also seen broken marriages on this show. Spouses interviewed that still cry over how miserable life was with a cheapskate. Marriages that are heading to divorce court because of a penny pinching spouse.
BUT....along with the disgusting food episodes I am noticing something about the people on these shows. They are not in the least bit concerned about using up other peoples or businesses resources. The only ones saving money are themselves. And in the process they are putting people in situations that are embarrassing and uncomfortable. Like the woman who weaseled and badgered until she ended up paying less for fabric than the store owner had. The owner said she never wants to see that customer back in her store. Or Going into a sporting goods store and using a machine every day. Not ever intending to buy it...just getting your work out in at someone else's expense. Using your brothers gym membership to exchange dirty for clean towels, take your daily shower, fill up your hand sanitizers...... And why do people allow it to continue? Why does the sporting goods owner not tell the woman to no longer come into his store. Why doesn't the fabric store owner say NO! I think these cheapskates know how to work with peoples emotions. Like the two young women sleeping in their car, waiting for a hotel customer to leave then begging with puppy dog eyes to use the shower in that room before it is cleaned. How is that clerk to know that they are not legitimately in need or not. Which they weren't. The night before they had eaten at a pub with a free buffet. A free buffet if you buy a drink. When told that they needed to buy a drink they talked the bartender down to one $1.50 drink that they split! These types of people are also very nervy!
What about the children in these families? The children whose parents stop for gas and they are made to run into the bathrooms and fill water bottles...using other peoples resources. Or the children living in homes with no furniture because a parent is too cheap. Or being allowed a certain amount of juice or milk in their glass. And all food is measured. Or the ones that take a bath in the same bathwater and then sleep in the same bed as the rest of their family. Or the teens who are only allowed a ten minute shower twice a week. A teaspoon of shampoo, toothpaste, mouthwash?
And I have also seen broken marriages on this show. Spouses interviewed that still cry over how miserable life was with a cheapskate. Marriages that are heading to divorce court because of a penny pinching spouse.
I do a couple cheapskate things. I cut open hand cream and other lotions to use every last bit. But I do not do that with toothpaste...I found it just very messy. If I go to a function and am offered any leftover food I will not turn that down. I save slivers of soap and mush them together to continue using. I add water to liquid soaps to get the last speck out. I make my own laundry soap and plan on trying the fabric softener (but right after Craig told Liam not to throw a ball last night, he threw the ball and knocked over my glass of water at the computer desk and it ruined my little piece of paper with the fabric softener recipe on it ). I love the Duggar's motto: 'Buy used and save the difference'. I usually hit the thrift stores when I need something that I know there is a good chance I will find in one. Especially clothes for Liam, and some clothes for Craig and me. Recently we needed a new popcorn popper. I thought about checking at a thrift store but decided against it. I always in the back of my mind thing "there is a reason it is here". Our air popper was dying. It was still popping fine but it no longer pushed out the popped corn. I had to use a wooden spoon to keep it moving. I would never have donated that but I know some people would have done that as apposed to putting it in the garbage. So there are some things I just wouldn't spend my money on there. Up until moving into this home we only had three pieces of furniture that were bought new. Two of them at 'ultra clearance let us practically pay you to take them out of the store' sales. And two of them came in a box so we are not talking super high end stuff here.
So that is my ramble. Something that just has been sort of bothering me for a while. I think I will just stick to the blogs about frugality that I like. The Tightwad Gazzette, and Mary Hunts books. Extreme Cheapskates has even lost its entertainment value.
I will leave you with a Liamism: His little finger is healing. The nail has not fallen off yet but he is down to just a regular bandaid unless he will be playing with friends. The other night as daddy was changing the dressing and I was saying what a brave little boy he has been and how sad I am his finger is hurt, you know, being a pitiful mom....he said "Don't worry mommy, God will take care of me". Oh such a precious little man.
So that is my ramble. Something that just has been sort of bothering me for a while. I think I will just stick to the blogs about frugality that I like. The Tightwad Gazzette, and Mary Hunts books. Extreme Cheapskates has even lost its entertainment value.
I will leave you with a Liamism: His little finger is healing. The nail has not fallen off yet but he is down to just a regular bandaid unless he will be playing with friends. The other night as daddy was changing the dressing and I was saying what a brave little boy he has been and how sad I am his finger is hurt, you know, being a pitiful mom....he said "Don't worry mommy, God will take care of me". Oh such a precious little man.