Calling tight arses

There might not be a definition for a Tight arse but you know one when you meet one.
You read stories about people that others assumed were broke and they die multi millionaires. That's just crazy.
I don't like wasting money and have always been a good saver. I spend $100 in woollies (on stuff I need) to get the $20 voucher. I LOVE travel and spend a lot on travel each year. But then again I don't buy "things".
Being thrifty is sensible. Denying yourself things to hoard money doesn't make sense to me (I do like money though- but for what it can do for me). My mother put up with one hotplate in her stove for years because she didn't want to buy a new one. She had the money. We had to twist her arm to go on a cruise (which she loved). I keep telling her- spend it otherwise we will.

 

This is one of the things that makes me murderous.

I often get; "I want to keep it local, but what's the best price?" type conversation...

***** off. (I don't say that)

I never do it - even though I need every cent I can spare in my life right now - my mindset is if I am using local folks for their products and services, they need to make a profit, so I treat them how I would like to be treated.

So I never haggle the price. I just ask how much, and pay with a smile and say; "See you next time".

I usually round up the payment too..if it's $7.50, I give em $10, or if it's $95 I give 'em $100, and so on.

I even give the folks doing the sausage sizzle in front of Bunnings a $5 note for the $2.50 sausage and say; Keep the change!" If I'm with the two kids (usually am), we buy 3, I give 'em a $10 note and say "keep the change".

I mean; how frickin" hard is it? These folks are giving up their Sat to raise money, and I see miserable arses standing there waiting for 50c change. jeezus H.

 

And fish around in the bins outside Coles for the fuel discount voucher section on the dockets.

 

Pirate DVD's and TV shows hehe
But not tight enough to scrimp and buy Jim Beam over Jack Daniels..
I shake my head at my discretionary spending choices. Luckily I my Mrs can pull the reigns in when savings are needed. Also, we don't have kids yet so budgeting has not been a big issue to date.

 

That's your preference and lucky you that you can afford that luxury. Some people may rely on 50c here 50c there to makes end meet. a lil empathy goes a long way!

 

Oh, come ON!

In Australia, reasons for haggling out of 1,000 sample, I bet they'd be distributed something like this:

Have an absolute need for something that they genuinely can't afford: (round up) 1
Aren't quite that hard up but the saving makes a real difference: 9
Just want to feel like they've "won" buy paying less than asking: 990

Edit: just realised @Greyghost was probably talking about paying extra - different kettle of fish. The quoting feature only shows the first part of @Bayview's quote and made it look like you were referring to haggling.

 

I've been reading this thread with interest.

I totallay agree. Kathryn is driven to get the best she can out of the little she has. That's why she's successful. She started out with next to nothing and has now come to the stage where she can live overseas for half the year. She's still working on the income side of things, so they supplement their income by housesitting (for accommodation) and Bob working in the outback. They are an inspiration that shows that you don't have to be a high income earner to acheive your goals, you just have to have determination and the will to do what it takes to get there.

I have a huge problem with this attitude. The whole 'go earn more' argument is flawed. Sure, it might have worked for you, but there is a whole lot of people who just can not earn more. They may have limits on their available time, they might not be smart enough to get a better education, gosh, there's hundreds of different scenario's that come to mind as to how illogical it is that everyone can go and earn more if they choose.

Also, the scarcity mentality, I'm sure that was created by someone in an ivory tower looking down on those less fortunate. It's great if you've got a decent income, but not so great if you haven't.

It was the rounding up of $5 on items that got me more than the 50c, and yes, I agree with you. Some people NEED that $5.

What always gets me is that the majority of posters here, or at least the most vocal ones, have an above average income. I hear such things constantly like "Oh, I could never live on less than $100k indexed to inflation in retirement". And this is with their PPOR and cars paid off, but take a look around in the real world! There are hundreds of thousands of people living on LESS than that now, and also paying down mortgages & cars and raising a family.

The average income is something like $80k, I think (I could be wrong there). There are people raising families and paying down their mortgages etc, on that and LESS. Remembering that this is the AVERAGE income. So.....there's a heap of people on even less than that.

Many of us here are priviledged, and we need to remember that. There are a lot of people here on high incomes, or with very successful businesses, or large portfolio's etc.....We here are NOT the average man or woman in the street. Even those of us that started with nothing, have worked damn hard to make something of ourselves. Yes, even Kathryn, that some of you have a hard time with.

 

I find it amazing that people need to justify, or hear others justifications, as to whatever happens in ones life choices and then attack because of this and or that reason a person explains is their way of going about things.

Seriously, get a life and just get on with things for heavens sake!

Just saw your post Skater, well put !
(like 100 times if I could)

 

I'm planning on becoming one after my extended holiday in Bali! I'll be reading here for ideas.

 

I'm so tight, I did a bulk deal with KMart to supply really inefficient heaters specifically targeting students in Brisbane share houses.

 

I am frugal to a point so that I can achieve what I want want. Whether that be an investment, holiday or something else.

 

Jen Selter is probably the most famous tight arse I know?

 

Well said Skater.
I thought petrol nozzles turned off at the valve in the handle? Here I was all this time looking at hose lifters as weirdos.
Bought a quality set of Wahl hair clippers back in '89 for $90 exactly what Barbers use. Buzz cut once a week for the last 10 years. Even at a saving of $10 a haircut they've paid for themselves many times over.
I still shake my head at the thought of some guys at work with $100-$150 a week smoko truck bills. Bringing lunch to work is my own personal health/wealth choice. I also choose to be in Debt for multiple houses rather than rent. Doesn't make me better than my peers, simply making different choices is all.
Tightass? Probably. But it's not hurting anyone else.

 

Well said Skater.

If we worry about what others think then we are taking it too seriously, and that is a problem, and means perhaps it is an issue for you, otherwise why would you care?....

We make our own choices in life whatever it is and as long as we are happy, then why would it matter what someone else thinks, it's just an opinion.

MTR

 

Agree. The difference is that often these same dudes who do what you are talking about will stand around and slag off you, and/or every other "rich ****" and fail to see the sacrifice and dedication you and everyone else have completed to get to their (financial) position.

 

Correct.

I call it "opportunity cost".

For example; we spend zero on clothes comparatively - no $200 shoes, or jackets etc. All kids clothes from the OpShops or Kmart, and mostly same for us. The kids don't know, and we care less about what the other parents might think of them in their non-designer kids' clothes or what they think of us. We also market shop for food and then Aldi, and then Ritchies - in that order. The savings are enormous of you avoid the chain supermarkets as much as possible.

But that saving frees up funds for bills which we cannot discount, and allows for cheap holidays and weekend trips etc, where many of the costs are non-negotiable.

If you are on limited/low income, it is imperative that you learn to be frugal in some areas so you can maximise funds to be used in other areas where you cannot buy cheaper.

 

I am tighter than my partner. He buys the $5+ juices from the supermarkets, I wont. Yes they are nice, but if he goes through more than 1 a week I think its costing money, not as bad a cigarettes or anything but its $5 to $10 a week that you just consume. I think its nice to have in the house but I would limit my own consumption to no more than half a cupful every second day whereas he doesnt think twice.

If we make spaghetti he also goes for the leanest mince meat that costs something like $16 per kilo or so at Woolies or Coles, I would just go for the normal stuff thats $5 at Aldi. And he expects me to share half of these shopping bills...

If traveling I tend to look at Airbnb and Budget Ibis and YHA as options first. The partner will consider my choices but if it was up to him only he looks at YHA but if he wants a "getaway" he would look at hotels for ballpark $150 or more per night. I just think what a waste of money...
High on his priority list are what they serve at breakfast....(which can be about $25 for a full breakfast).

We did a nice trip up to Byron Bay a year ago but every dinner he would choose to eat at a restaurant... Unnecessary spending (around $30 per person per meal) and I was saying we should cook.

We have 1 car between the 2 of us. Its 9 years old now. For car maintenance, he'll always take the car back to the dealers (it a Citroen). I'd just get a local handy guy, he seems to be able to repair it for a fraction of the price. He expects me to pay half for all repairs. Fair enough but why take it back to the dealers mechanic?

Anyway in the last year he's been thinking of buying a new car, he's waiting for a particular Skoda station wagon to come out, he's even been visiting the dealership. I don't want to be paying for a new car. Plus I know a 2/3 year old car is better value. If he starts talking about buying a new car I will push back.

Anyway, this is probably the biggest downside to the partner..... If it wasn't for my partner I would have had a much bigger property portfolio than I do now. I'd find all these awesome buys, but I couldn't get loans on my income after the second IP. "Servicability issues". He wouldn't let me include his income on any loan applications, even though it's well over $100k. Lots of great opportunities ended up slipping through. Would have easily made a few hundred thousand dollars or even half a mill or so extra equity if he would just let me do that.

Anyway, enough on the partner.. . Here are just some things I do for myself....

I play volleyball and it costs money to participate, there's unavoidable rego and competition costs. These days I effectively earn an income from when I play - I manage two competitions and referee at another one, so overall it makes me some cash in exchange for a little extra time and a little work. I recently rediscovered how much I love touch footy too.... was thinking of joining a local comp and refereeing too to make money!

For work I walk to the next bus stop when I know I have enough time, (love the tripview app for Sydney!) this saves me a $1 for the trip.

 

Doesn't sound much like a 'partnership' looking at those examples above.

pinkboy

 

Agreed! But then, Hubby is awesome!

When we started out, he couldn't care less about property, but he trusted me, and supported whatever I wanted to do. His only input at first, was signing the paperwork, and doing reno's, because he's a hands on kind of person.