What frugal things do you do that might get you on "Extreme Cheapskates"?

[LD_TAndK]

Just for fun, in reference to the 2010's show Extreme Cheapskates where the main subject might steal ketchup packets for dinner, what possibly strange frugal things do you do?

We recently went out to dinner (not cheap) with four other people. The others weren't going to take their substantial leftovers, so we boxed their food up and it fed us for our next two meals!

[GilesMM]

There was a TikTok of a lady filling an extra large soda cup at CostCo with a couple liters of "free" ketchup from the dispenser at the Cafe.


I was recently chastised for using the public transportation in my current work city at a cost of 1/6000th of my daily consulting rate vs an Uber which would be 1/200th of that rate.  The train takes a bit longer and can be crowded but exposes me to a bit more local culture which I find interesting.


My spouse gets stacks of extra fancy paper napkins when we dine out and stores them on the kitchen counter to be used in place of paper towels.  I hate this extra kitchen clutter.

[Metalcat]

I was just posting in the dinner thread about how there's a local service in my area that collects food from grocery stores that will be thrown out. They charge $40 for a week's worth of high end groceries that are right at or just past their best before dates.

So yeah, I buy primarily expired food, some of which is already bad and needs to be thrown out.

However, I used to be a chef for a catering company, I am very adept at handling a weird combo of ingredients, many of which are past their best days. Anyone who eats a lot at restaurants is likely eating a lot of this type of food.

Still, a lot of our acquaintances would cringe that we have plenty of money and actively choose to buy and eat expired food.

[MinouMinou]

This doesn’t count because I haven’t done it yet, but I’m intrigued by dumpster diving at high end grocery stores. Met someone at a party who sourced a lot of nice food that way. I don’t know of a service like Metalcat is describing in our area, if so I would sign up

[ixtap]

I was just posting in the dinner thread about how there's a local service in my area that collects food from grocery stores that will be thrown out. They charge $40 for a week's worth of high end groceries that are right at or just past their best before dates.

So yeah, I buy primarily expired food, some of which is already bad and needs to be thrown out.

However, I used to be a chef for a catering company, I am very adept at handling a weird combo of ingredients, many of which are past their best days. Anyone who eats a lot at restaurants is likely eating a lot of this type of food.

Still, a lot of our acquaintances would cringe that we have plenty of money and actively choose to buy and eat expired food.

My Dad goes around collecting the same for their local food pantry. But the food pantry clients want their familiar staples, not things they have never seen or heard of and have no idea what to do with. So Mom, Dad and some of the other volunteers fill their freezers with lamb and get to try new things.

I don't know of anything we do that counts as extreme. DH went fairly cheap on some of the components for his solar project, but he did a ton of research to make sure his cheap things met his criteria and spent when he had to. Certain things we do would seem odd to certain people in our lives, but the things I do that are on "extreme" lists were mostly started for reasons other than the money. Neither of us showers everyday: saves water and the products we use, right? But I started showering less frequently because of skin sensitivities and DH gave it a try because my skin was so much clearer than his. DH eats the same lunch out of the same container 360 days a year (OK, less because we don't take the container traveling with us). But, for a few years the protein in that salad was salmon: he just doesn't like making decisions about what to eat every day.

[Zikoris]

I brought my lunch to work today in a No Name (the legendary Canadian generic brand with bright yellow packaging, instantly recognizable) spaghetti bag. I reuse packaging to avoid plastic wrap, which I haven't used in many years now, and the No Name pasta bags are phenomenal for this because they're very durable.

I also grocery shop with a neon pink cat stroller, because no car and I hate taxis.

My clothing has to be incredibly beat up and full of holes before it gets thrown out.

We've lived two people to one small studio apartment for the better part of 14 years (briefly lived in a 1 bedroom).

[HipGnosis]

I re-use zip-lock bags - if they are clean; ie. nothing wet / sticky was in them.
This includes big, heavy bags like from frozen chicken thighs and/or breasts.
I have a fairly big foil bag that I kind of cherish.  But I'm hesitant to use it because I can't see what's in it.
I also re-use gift bags (sometimes).   I usually get generic bags; not event specific.  And I don't make any sort of fuss to get them back.

[Zikoris]

Another one: I think the beauty industry is at best a scam and at worst outright evil. Things like the truly horrific animal testing, preying on young women, and the terrible working conditions and lack of safety, particularly with the powder-type products. I opted out when I was like 19 or 20 and it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

[ixtap]

Another one: I think the beauty industry is at best a scam and at worst outright evil. Things like the truly horrific animal testing, preying on young women, and the terrible working conditions and lack of safety, particularly with the powder-type products. I opted out when I was like 19 or 20 and it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

I hadn't even thought of that one. I tried for less than a year in middle school, but I didn't get any joy out of makeup and it felt funny on my face. However, that natural revulsion has been a huge frugal move over the years. I do sometimes wonder what some of those people would.have said to me if they couldn't latch in to the lack of make up.

[curious_george]

I get rid of shirts by using the 'tear test'. If a shirt has multiple holes I will try and gently pull open one of the holes. If the shirt rips in two or rips easily then it gets thrown away. If the shirt does not rip I keep wearing it with the holes in it until it gets older and weaker and fails the tear test.

When I became a millionaire I stopped doing the tear test with my socks and boxers that become holy. Instead I just throw them away. I feel rich every time I put on socks and boxers now.

[seattlecyclone]

This doesn’t count because I haven’t done it yet, but I’m intrigued by dumpster diving at high end grocery stores. Met someone at a party who sourced a lot of nice food that way. I don’t know of a service like Metalcat is describing in our area, if so I would sign up

I'm not aware of a business like that around here either. Instead there's a semi-formal network of food banks and other individuals that have arrangements with different stores to collect and distribute the unsold inventory on different days of the week. There's a family in my neighborhood that participates in this. It started out as just once a week a few years ago. They'd fill a van with unsold food from a couple of supermarkets, set up a "pop-up food bank" in a park in a low-income neighborhood in the afternoon, and whatever was left after a few hours they'd bring it back to their porch in my neighborhood. They've since expanded to two or three days per week. They post photos of their haul on the local Buy Nothing group. Some days they ask people not experiencing food insecurity to stay away because they don't have a ton, while other days they encourage anybody and everybody to come take stuff so it doesn't go to waste. Don't mind if I do!

[MinouMinou]

I sew up holes in socks. They can be a little bumpy, but oh well. What else…don’t buy any paper products like napkins, paper towels, just use cloth equivalent. Now that I think about it, I don’t have too many frugality habits that might be considered unusual. There goes my cheapskate pride….

[MinouMinou]

Oh! I only buy tofu from the “tofu factory outlet “ store. Half price for oddly shaped chunks.

[Shuchong]

I re-use zip-lock bags - if they are clean; ie. nothing wet / sticky was in them.
This includes big, heavy bags like from frozen chicken thighs and/or breasts.
I have a fairly big foil bag that I kind of cherish.  But I'm hesitant to use it because I can't see what's in it.
I also re-use gift bags (sometimes).   I usually get generic bags; not event specific.  And I don't make any sort of fuss to get them back.

I also re-use zip-locks!  Most of the produce I eat in the winter is home-grown and frozen in freezer bags, which are pretty durable.

I also clean and re-use tin foil after baking.  Because my mother did it, because her mother did it, because her mother did it, because of the great depression.  I was in my 30s before I bought a roll of tinfoil and realized how dirt cheap it is.

[spartana]

No car on the mean streets of the LA/OC metro area for a few years (just bought a used one because I moved) and have never taken Uber etc - bike or feet! No home internet, computer, laptop, or tablet (typing using data on my cheap pay-as-you-go Tracfone). Just bought a TV after not having one for a long time  but antenna only so mainly to watch (free!) DVDs from the library. Friends think Im weird but then they are all still working ;-). Some other things for environmental reasons but nothing too weird like wash dishes by hand in a bucket and use it to fill toilet tank etc.

[MinouMinou]

@spartana , you inspire!!

[curious_george]

No car on the mean streets of the LA/OC metro area for a few years (just bought a used one because I moved) and have never taken Uber etc - bike or feet! No home internet, computer, laptop, or tablet (typing using data on my cheap pay-as-you-go Tracfone). Just bought a TV after not having one for a long time  but antenna only so mainly to watch (free!) DVDs from the library. Friends think Im weird but then they are all still working ;-). Some other things for environmental reasons but nothing too weird like wash dishes by hand in a bucket and use it to fill toilet tank etc.

Oh wow - I feel like I should start asking you for more frugal living tips. You are very inspiring. :)

[rosarugosa]

I don't think it's too extreme but maybe a bit unusual: I cut Q-tips in half (or their generic equivalent).  I use them to apply medication, so I only need one half at a time and it seems a shame to waste the other half.  I cut my finger badly once while cutting up Q-tips, and I thought I might need an urgent care visit for stitches.  I was pondering how many swabs I would have to cut in half to offset my out-of-pocket for urgent care, lol, but fortunately the visit was not necessary.  I am much more careful now though.

[Omy]

I keep cell phones FOREVER. My last one only made it 4 years, but the previous two phones lasted 10 years each.

[Metalcat]

I keep cell phones FOREVER. My last one only made it 4 years, but the previous two phones lasted 10 years each.

Yeah, sadly that's much harder to do now. Without software updates they steadily turn into useless, glitchy pieces of shit pretty quick now.

I just replaced my Moto G, which was 3 years old and limping along. I got a brand new Pixel 7 and I can't get over the difference in function of having a phone running updated software. I specifically chose a Pixel for the longer update schedule, hoping to get a bit more time out of it.

It's heinous to me that these powerful little computers with powerful little cameras become useless so quickly because of companies withholding software. Just fucking charge for the software!! The physical waste is obscene and makes me seriously consider giving up on using a smart phone.

[Omy]

I loved my old Nokia phones. I had to replace the batteries every couple of years, but I was allowed to replace my own battery!

The most recent phone was a glitchy piece of junk by the end of 4 years.

[spartana]

No car on the mean streets of the LA/OC metro area for a few years (just bought a used one because I moved) and have never taken Uber etc - bike or feet! No home internet, computer, laptop, or tablet (typing using data on my cheap pay-as-you-go Tracfone). Just bought a TV after not having one for a long time  but antenna only so mainly to watch (free!) DVDs from the library. Friends think Im weird but then they are all still working ;-). Some other things for environmental reasons but nothing too weird like wash dishes by hand in a bucket and use it to fill toilet tank etc.

Oh wow - I feel like I should start asking you for more frugal living tips. You are very inspiring. :)

I'm not super frugal in most ways - at least not in the "wash my plastic bags out" kind of way. But I'm a (lazy) minimalist tech Luddite so not attracted to most shiny things and just keep it simple.

[Zikoris]

Oh yeah, my ancient flip phone would probably land me a slot if none of the other things did.

[spartana]

I keep cell phones FOREVER. My last one only made it 4 years, but the previous two phones lasted 10 years each.

I still have an old LG phone I bought from Tracfone (via HSN - only online thing I ever bought besides a tool) several (7? 8?) years ago for $50 that included a year service and 1500 minutes each of talk, text and data - all.which roll over. I really only use occasional data and texting (which are cheap to buy if I need more) and never talk on the phone so have over 10k minutes. But I need to upgrade to 5G so I ordered a Samsung something something 5G from tracfone (again via HSN) and it's also $50 for the phone and includes a year service plus 1500 of talk, text, and data each. After the first year it will cost about $20 to add 3 months of service and extra data, text and phone to keep it active. So around $80/year. On my current phone all the minutes etc triples too and can be rolled over - forever even to a new phone. Hoping the new phone will last several.years!

[Alternatepriorities]

Last summer I spent two days shoveling gravel into a small cement mixer rather than hire a redi-mix truck. True it was the absolute cheapest way to make solid floor for my shed and sauna, and it was good exercise, but even I think it might have been a bit far.

[JAYSLOL]

I refuse to outsource - to the point where I will spend however long is necessary to learn how to fix or maintain something we own, and I end up with a backlog of projects taking up my free time, which drives DW nuts sometimes. 

[LD_TAndK]

My wife and I re-use dental floss until it frays. Usually get about 5 uses per strand

[Omy]

Ok...you "win".

[Metalcat]

My wife and I re-use dental floss until it frays. Usually get about 5 uses per strand

That would literally get you on Extreme Cheapskates, there was a couple featured who do that.

[LD_TAndK]

We started because we were thru-hiking and wanted to cut out the weight and packaging. If we're willing to re-use toothbrushes, why not re-use floss?

Another, I reliably eat other people's fat trimmings off their cuts of meat. It's the best part! We have a strange social aversion to eating fat. What a waste!

[Metalcat]

We started because we were thru-hiking and wanted to cut out the weight and packaging. If we're willing to re-use toothbrushes, why not re-use floss?

Another, I reliably eat other people's fat trimmings off their cuts of meat. It's the best part! We have a strange social aversion to eating fat. What a waste!

There's very good reason not to reuse floss though. The fibers of floss are not the same as the fibers of toothbrushes, which are designed to be cleaned and reused until they sustain too much damage. Floss sustains damage immediately, you aren't even supposed to reuse the same section on the next tooth if you are using woven floss.

Flossers that kids use often have a different type of floss that isn't woven specifically for this reason, but they are supposed to be rinsed between use on each tooth, although no one does this.

I would not consider a piece of woven floss to be clean after use even if it was well rinsed. I would never reuse floss and this is coming from the person who eats primarily expired food.

[ChickenStash]

The thing that gets me the most "feedback" from friends and family is that I rarely call in pros and prefer to DIY. Cars, houses, etc. I'd rather take the time to learn and do it myself even when it means taking a lot longer and sometimes having to do things multiple times before it's done right. I usually only get comments when whatever it is I'm trying to fix results in some perceived inconvenience.

I caught all kinds of flak when I lost the controller board on my AC compressor and it took ~2 weeks in the peak of summer to troubleshoot, find repair parts (for a 12yo system), then fix it. "OMG, my wife would have killed me by now!", "Just call the guy!", "That's just insane!"

[ixtap]

The thing that gets me the most "feedback" from friends and family is that I rarely call in pros and prefer to DIY. Cars, houses, etc. I'd rather take the time to learn and do it myself even when it means taking a lot longer and sometimes having to do things multiple times before it's done right. I usually only get comments when whatever it is I'm trying to fix results in some perceived inconvenience.

I caught all kinds of flak when I lost the controller board on my AC compressor and it took ~2 weeks in the peak of summer to troubleshoot, find repair parts (for a 12yo system), then fix it. "OMG, my wife would have killed me by now!", "Just call the guy!", "That's just insane!"

It probably would have taken a week to get the pro in and another two for the pro to get the parts and schedule the second visit...

[ChickenStash]

The thing that gets me the most "feedback" from friends and family is that I rarely call in pros and prefer to DIY. Cars, houses, etc. I'd rather take the time to learn and do it myself even when it means taking a lot longer and sometimes having to do things multiple times before it's done right. I usually only get comments when whatever it is I'm trying to fix results in some perceived inconvenience.

I caught all kinds of flak when I lost the controller board on my AC compressor and it took ~2 weeks in the peak of summer to troubleshoot, find repair parts (for a 12yo system), then fix it. "OMG, my wife would have killed me by now!", "Just call the guy!", "That's just insane!"

It probably would have taken a week to get the pro in and another two for the pro to get the parts and schedule the second visit...

That was usually my response but haters gonna hate, I guess. :)

The irony is I did actually call in a pro when I hit a roadblock trying to locate replacement parts. He completely blew the diagnosis and told me the compressor was seized (it wasn't) and I needed a new condenser unit for $2500. A few days later I found a used controller on eBay for $100.

[AMandM]

I also clean and re-use tin foil after baking.  Because my mother did it, because her mother did it, because her mother did it, because of the great depression.  I was in my 30s before I bought a roll of tinfoil and realized how dirt cheap it is.

My mother, a chemistry teacher, instilled in me a horror of using aluminum foil because of how much energy is required to smelt bauxite into aluminum.

[Morning Glory]

I also clean and re-use tin foil after baking.  Because my mother did it, because her mother did it, because her mother did it, because of the great depression.  I was in my 30s before I bought a roll of tinfoil and realized how dirt cheap it is.

My mother, a chemistry teacher, instilled in me a horror of using aluminum foil because of how much energy is required to smelt bauxite into aluminum.

I've had the same roll of "foodservice foil" since around 2007 that i mainly use for lining the bottom of the oven. Refused to chuck it when I moved because those things are like $30 now. I did throw out the gently used pieces though.   If I use it to cover something while baking I will stick it in the freezer to use again.

[Monocle Money Mouth]

The clothes I wear at home are one step above rags.

I'm currently wearing an old undershirt with holes in the armpits and a collar that has split open from being washed so many times. I'm wearing a stained Dickies Eisenhower jacket with split open cuffs and elbows that are noticeably lighter than the rest of the coat. My jeans are a pair I had thrown in my yard work clothing basket. They have some stains too, but I'm in the house most of the day so nobody sees them. I'm wearing all of this stuff until there is nothing left to wear and they become actual rags.

When it's dark out and I take my walk in the morning, I wear old sneakers with a hole in the heal or my old boots where the treads are crumbling. I am throwing away the shoes this week since they are no longer water tight and its getting wet and sloppy for the winter. I can probably get another month out of the boots.

Fortunately, I have a pair of sneakers in better shape that will become my new sneakers I don't care about and another pair in the closet I haven't even worn yet. I also have a new pair boots in the closet ready to go when the old ones get too ridiculous to wear. The heals are becoming noticeably uneven.

[Josiecat22222]

*reuse plastic bags and foil and parchment paper etc until no longer safe/sanitary to do so
*wear my same Old Navy zip up hoodie damn near daily (originally obtained ten years ago from a girlfriend's donate pile)
*use up *all* the condiment packs that come with sandwiches/takeout/etc....this is an infrequent occurence as we don't eat out much, but still
* use the little tubes of toothpaste from the dentist
* always buy the day old bread at grocery for half price (when I don't make my own) and other grocery items on the "clearance rack" (as I don't think the food expiration dates hold any meaning.

I'm sure there are more, but I can't think of them offhand

[DirtDiva]

My wife and I re-use dental floss until it frays. Usually get about 5 uses per strand

That would literally get you on Extreme Cheapskates, there was a couple featured who do that.

Do you share the same piece?

[AMandM]

I also re-use gift bags (sometimes).   I usually get generic bags; not event specific.  And I don't make any sort of fuss to get them back.

I re-use wrapping paper. My family expects creases on their packages. When I was a kid, the family wrapping stash included several distinctive pieces of paper that were prized above the others, and part of the fun of Christmas day was seeing who got a present wrapped in the coveted ones.

[Photograph 51]

I don't use my water heater.  I wash clothes and dishes in cold water, and take cold showers when the outside temperature is at least 70 degrees.  The rest of the year, I heat a gallon or so of water on the stove for bathing.

I have so far this season had the heat in my house at 50 degrees.  The only reason I don't try going colder is because the pipes might freeze.

I bike to the nearest state parks to avoid having to pay entry fees and only go to the local art museum on the one afternoon per week that there is free admission.

I buy my groceries from either a dent and bent or a warehouse that gets stuff that didn't sell well/sell in time.

I don't have Internet or TV at my house, instead using public sources for necessary internet.

I get so much stuff at the library that the employees at multiple libraries know me and know what I'm likely to check out.

I keep using my 51 year old kitchen, even though I can easily afford to replace it and it is falling apart.

I think there are a lot of things that I do that I don't even think about as being cheap because for me they are normal. 

[Photograph 51]

My wife and I re-use dental floss until it frays. Usually get about 5 uses per strand

I once got a dental infection from doing this because a small piece of the floss got stuck.  Since then, I use a new strand every time.  Dental floss is much cheaper than dental infections.

[Photograph 51]

I also clean and re-use tin foil after baking.  Because my mother did it, because her mother did it, because her mother did it, because of the great depression.  I was in my 30s before I bought a roll of tinfoil and realized how dirt cheap it is.

My mother, a chemistry teacher, instilled in me a horror of using aluminum foil because of how much energy is required to smelt bauxite into aluminum.

When I had my first adult living situation, I decided to see how long I could make aluminum foil last because I had read that that was a tightwad thing to do.  I didn't even have to buy it, since a roommate had bought a roll.  When he moved out, he left the aluminum foil and I decided to continue seeing how long I could make the roll last.  The thrill went away when that roommate died 17 years later.  The aluminum foil had lasted longer than he did.  I've still never bought aluminum foil.

[hooplady]

I re-use wrapping paper. My family expects creases on their packages. When I was a kid, the family wrapping stash included several distinctive pieces of paper that were prized above the others, and part of the fun of Christmas day was seeing who got a present wrapped in the coveted ones.

Ooh, I had this going for several years with a relative. It was good quality paper, one of the nieces or nephews sold it as a school fundraiser. I don't know who ended up with it last; I eventually trained everyone to not send me gifts anymore.

[MinouMinou]

While it would certainly be more frugal to just not wear makeup, I tear the removal wipes into quarters.

[Shuchong]

I don't use my water heater.  I wash clothes and dishes in cold water, and take cold showers when the outside temperature is at least 70 degrees.  The rest of the year, I heat a gallon or so of water on the stove for bathing.

I have so far this season had the heat in my house at 50 degrees.  The only reason I don't try going colder is because the pipes might freeze.

I bike to the nearest state parks to avoid having to pay entry fees and only go to the local art museum on the one afternoon per week that there is free admission.

I buy my groceries from either a dent and bent or a warehouse that gets stuff that didn't sell well/sell in time.

I don't have Internet or TV at my house, instead using public sources for necessary internet.

I get so much stuff at the library that the employees at multiple libraries know me and know what I'm likely to check out.

I keep using my 51 year old kitchen, even though I can easily afford to replace it and it is falling apart.

I think there are a lot of things that I do that I don't even think about as being cheap because for me they are normal.

You win!  Last year, I was seriously considering buying a "dry cabin" (no plumbing, wood stove for heat) and even MMM forum members urged me to resist.  And I do like me some nice hot showers.  But you, you are the perfect candidate for the cabin in the woods lifestyle. 

[Metalcat]

While it would certainly be more frugal to just not wear makeup, I tear the removal wipes into quarters.

I personally find coconut oil to be the best makeup remover.

[iris lily]

Not me, but DH. 70 year old man.

He loaded everything we owned into his little truck and trailer to move households, loaded over a one year period. Many 85 mile-one-way trips to our new house. We don’t have a lot of furniture, but we have a lot of STUFF you know, an accumulation from 33 years living there.

And if those trips weren’t enough, he hauled truckloads of brick. And limestone. All for potential building projects.

He asked for help for only one thing: the full deep freeze in the basement.

He is a crazy man. Please know the trips were ones he would have taken anyway. We were/are renovating our 1941 cottage and it is a slow process.

[cannotWAIT]

I also clean and re-use tin foil after baking.  Because my mother did it, because her mother did it, because her mother did it, because of the great depression.  I was in my 30s before I bought a roll of tinfoil and realized how dirt cheap it is.

My mother, a chemistry teacher, instilled in me a horror of using aluminum foil because of how much energy is required to smelt bauxite into aluminum.

We watched an episode of "How It's Made" that showed this and now I can hardly bring myself to use it. It's really astounding that such a labor- and resource-intensive product is treated as a single-use disposable.

[iris lily]

I also clean and re-use tin foil after baking.  Because my mother did it, because her mother did it, because her mother did it, because of the great depression.  I was in my 30s before I bought a roll of tinfoil and realized how dirt cheap it is.

My mother, a chemistry teacher, instilled in me a horror of using aluminum foil because of how much energy is required to smelt bauxite into aluminum.

We watched an episode of "How It's Made" that showed this and now I can hardly bring myself to use it. It's really astounding that such a labor- and resource-intensive product is treated as a single-use disposable.

Not in our house though. For years, I didn’t buy it because when I grew up we didn’t buy it. We just didn’t have it around in our house. And then for some years, we hosted a lot of potluck parties, and I was always thrilled to end up with so many pieces of barely use aluminum foil.

Then a couple years ago one of my friends complained about her mother-in-law with dementia who kept buying aluminum foil boxes. I popped up to say oh wow I would take some of those off your hands! And she gave me some.

Paper towels is another thing that I don’t buy, but DH does buy for his construction projects. Every fall I need a couple of paper towels to drain fried green tomatoes on. Once in a while, I’ll grab a sheet of paper towel from his stash to drain fried chicken. But for the most part, I don’t use paper towels, they are super necessary for major pet cleanups, but it’s been a few years since I’ve needed paper towels for that. I have all kinds of toweling rags and use that in place of paper towels.