Cheapskate stories

[RobinduBois]

I'd say that in that context it means 'thief' more than it means 'penny pincher'--it's not just cheap, it's a swindle and a deception thing.
I also think that, historically (assume some historical context , it may have some of the racial/irish slur associations with it too.

'Chiseler' can be considered very close to 'grifter'.  It's used to describe a sly, manipulative person who can't be trusted as far as you can throw him.

It 's definitely Irish and was used by Irish people themselves.  I seem to recall that James Joyce used the term.

Thanks for the explanations.  I'll now appreciate the word's connotations better if I come across it again, but I think I'll avoid using it myself.

Robin

[audhs]

Heehee...first thing that came to mind when reading about the sugar was Marilla Cuthbert muttering "Twenty pounds of brown sugar..." after Anne whirls in and then back out with her puffed sleeves.

Me too

[bloo]

This story is almost unbelievable.
http://notalwaysright.com/acting-like-a-has-bean/29002

That the woman would work that hard to save a few bucks.

Summary:

Woman decides to bag a single coffee bean in one of many bulk bags of single coffee beans because the weight of a single bean and bag is zero = so no price. It's free!

But she gets defeated by the register/scale at checkout!

[ica171]

This story is almost unbelievable.
http://notalwaysright.com/acting-like-a-has-bean/29002

That the woman would work that hard to save a few bucks.

Summary:

Woman decides to bag a single coffee bean in one of many bulk bags of single coffee beans because the weight of a single bean and bag is zero = so no price. It's free!

But she gets defeated by the register/scale at checkout!

I couldn't believe she ditched them after paying for them!

[Amara]

Hahahahaha. That story sounds so plausible I believe it is likely the unembellished truth.

[8cowwife]

This story is almost unbelievable.
http://notalwaysright.com/acting-like-a-has-bean/29002

That the woman would work that hard to save a few bucks.

Summary:

Woman decides to bag a single coffee bean in one of many bulk bags of single coffee beans because the weight of a single bean and bag is zero = so no price. It's free!

But she gets defeated by the register/scale at checkout!

Sounded to me like she dumped the beans into one bag and threw away the now empty bags.


I couldn't believe she ditched them after paying for them!

[Thipu1]

This story is almost unbelievable.
http://notalwaysright.com/acting-like-a-has-bean/29002

That the woman would work that hard to save a few bucks.

Summary:

Woman decides to bag a single coffee bean in one of many bulk bags of single coffee beans because the weight of a single bean and bag is zero = so no price. It's free!

But she gets defeated by the register/scale at checkout!

I couldn't believe she ditched them after paying for them!

That's one of the problems with 'Not Always Right'. Many of the stories sound like something that a Middle School student might dream up in a creative writing class.  It sounds like a good idea but it just doesn't work in real life and the author hasn't had the experience to know that it won't work. 

Where we buy coffee, you put a bag underneath and open a hopper to dispense the beans.  I know of no place where you can choose a bean from here and a bean from there. 

[mbbored]

This story is almost unbelievable.
http://notalwaysright.com/acting-like-a-has-bean/29002

That the woman would work that hard to save a few bucks.

Summary:

Woman decides to bag a single coffee bean in one of many bulk bags of single coffee beans because the weight of a single bean and bag is zero = so no price. It's free!

But she gets defeated by the register/scale at checkout!

I couldn't believe she ditched them after paying for them!

That's one of the problems with 'Not Always Right'. Many of the stories sound like something that a Middle School student might dream up in a creative writing class.  It sounds like a good idea but it just doesn't work in real life and the author hasn't had the experience to know that it won't work. 

Where we buy coffee, you put a bag underneath and open a hopper to dispense the beans.  I know of no place where you can choose a bean from here and a bean from there.

I've seen bulk bins where you scoop the coffee and could come up with a bean at a time. I've also stopped by the bulk bins to pick up 2 bay leaves for a recipe (I don't normally use them) which rang up as free.

[Thipu1]

Another one from the ILs. 

In the 1960s and 1970s, FIL would make several trips to China a year. He could do this because his company was involved in a joint venture with the Chinese government.  Sometimes, MIL went with him to visit family.  Flying from NYC to China involved several long flights so they flew first-class.

In those days, in-flight meals were served quite frequently and each meal was served with real flatware.  In China, a gift of six small spoons was considered a fine gift.  MIL would pocket the teaspoons that came with meals on the flight and present them to her relatives as a gift. 

She also gave them to us.  somewhere around here we still have a few spoons with airline insignia. 

[Carotte]

My cousins everyday flatware all bear the crest of the national air travel company, brought by my uncle, one piece at a time over a few years (he used to travel a lot).
It was a funny thing to do for him, it's not done out of cheapstakeness at least, and he doesn't boast about it.
It probably was more along the line of "how much time will I need to have a complete set?".
And I guess with all that he paid in (over priced) fare it's justified for him. It's still a bit eye-rolly anyway.

[2littlemonkeys]

I spotted some cheapskatey behavior from a relative recently.  It's also a bit brain hurty.

Relative had to pay a water bill.  It had been left too late to do via mail so the options were:

*to go to city hall to pay it

*to go to one of our currency exchanges (you can pay a variety of bills there)

*pay it online

The currency exchange and online options included a $2 convenience fee.  Relative ranted and raved about how stupid it was and they were not going to pay a penny more than what was owed.

Finally, another relative pointed out that $2 was less than round trip train fare and they could take care of the chore in 5 minutes, versus having to go out, stand in line and come back.

Suddenly, the $2 fee looked a lot better, LOL 

[Piratelvr1121]

I was reminded of this thread when I watched a sketch from the Carol Burnett Show today, the "No Frills" sketch where a guy (Tim Conway) starts off boasting about how he's saving all this money by sitting in the no frills section, only to be ignored or treated like carp by the stewardess (Carol), there's no glass on the window, he's the only one that feels turbulence and when he says he's getting off in Chicago they throw him off the plane! LOL!

[DollyPond]

Here's a cheapskate event that backfired on the cheapskate.

I just traveled this past few days with my moocher friend Kay.  Things have gotten a lot better with her thanks to advice from E-Hellions here and reading about Roe's tactics with K'innihave.  Now that the Bank of Dolly is closed there are far fewer mooching episodes.  Now on to the story...

At dinner one night there were 5 of us and we all asked for separate checks.  I ordered my entree and a side of guacamole.

Kay: (in a condescending tone) Are you going to shaaaaare that with the rest of the table? (referring to the guacamole)

Me:  No.  I ordered it as a side for my meal.

Kay:  (haughtily) Fine.  I'll order some but IIIII will Shaaaaaare it with everyone.

When her entree came it had guacamole included and there was also the extra one she ordered.  No one else at the table wanted any.  So she wound up wasting (and paying for) an order of guacamole that no one ate.

[Asharah]

On that show "Extreme Cheapskates" there was a family that didn't use TP at all. They used cloth rags that got washed and reused. Part of me says that the average cloth diaper contains a higher volume of ... well, you know, and people used those for eons before Pampers were invented, and some families still do, for ecological reasons, so what's the big deal?

But another, larger part of me just says, "Ewwww!"

My mother grew up with an outhouse. They used the Sears catalog. 

[Chip2]

My son just graduated from college and my SIL flew down to Phoenix to see him using a cut-rate airline that only flies on Tuesdays and Fridays. My son's ceremony was on Friday, so SIL missed it and let everyone know she was upset about missing it. Ms. Chip took the opportunity to point out that SIL would be missing the graduation specifically because of the airline she chose and, given that, the flight wasn't such a bargain after all. SIL hemmed a bit, but wouldn't agree she didn't buy what she wanted versus what was cheapest.

But I had a side conversation with her. She said the flight was cheap enough that she could use that airline to fly down and see us more often. We live about 200 miles from Phoenix, so it's a 3 to 3 1/2 hour one-way drive there. I pointed that out; SIL said she'd pay for gas. I said, "Still ain't happening," so SIL went for an overrule by Ms. Chip. Ms. Chip's response?  "You can rent a car or fly to Tucson."