Examples of extreme frugality!

amother

↑ Puce

Tue, Jun 25 2024, 7:17 am

amother Obsidian wrote:

@Puce, where do you shop second hand in Israel?

I was laughing at the lady on the TLC show who saved the dryer lint to use in place of cotton balls LOL

In Beit Shemesh we had two great stores, plus two gemachs routinely get donations of NWT overstock. Lil legs, Daniella Faye, and Elys and Co have donates alot of overstock. I went when a shipment came in and got swaddles, crib sheets, and outfits for 2-5 shekels.

A month or two ago I got a NWT Daniella Faye top for 5 shekels as well, she she donated a bunch of velour black shirts.

↑ Amelia Bedelia ↓

Tue, Jun 25 2024, 7:24 am

Busybee5 wrote:

Same! I often boil eggs on Thursday for Shabbos. I'll add a bit of salt and leave in the fridge like that.

Boiled eggs with shells on don't qualify as leaving eggs overnight - unless you peel them. People salt the water while boiling eggs because it's supposed to prevent the shells from cracking (although I don't find that it works).

imasinger

Tue, Jun 25 2024, 7:26 am

It's a common attitude in life that whatever you do is sensible, while others do either too much, or too little.

For me personally, that means:

- reusing foil pans and plastic takeout containers until they're no longer useful; but not those cheap plastic disposable plastic plates, because they don't get clean enough to reuse.

- waiting an extra day to run a full dishwasher, rather than running it half full

- happily shopping at second hand stores for clothing, but never forcing a kid to wear something, and never buying secondhand shoes, which can hurt the feet

- in general, following the mottos, "waste not, want not", and "use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without" for more expensive items (fixing cars, good quality clothing or shoes, electronics).

- eating up or making a new meal using leftovers

- as a rule, not choosing to buy extras we don't really need, so that when we do, it feels like a real treat, and we can enjoy it a lot

- not buying, throwing, or not throwing things because of other people's opinions, using our own judgement.

- saving clean paper or plastic bags for reuse

Being stingy with guests strikes me as a big no-no. So does refusing absolutely every expensive request from a teen (or granting every expensive request).

I also don't like hoarding masquerading as frugality -- saving rusty screws, bent nails, parts of antiquated electronics, boxes and boxes of receipts, bits of string, etc.

That's my definition of common sense. But you do you.

↑ Amelia Bedelia

Tue, Jun 25 2024, 7:26 am

amother Wallflower wrote:

True stories from a family I know-
Have one bedroom with teen boys hand girls with furniture mechitza down the middle
Not buy trash bags use shopping bags and constantly take them out
Wear shmattas from 20 years ago (and I know there's nice clothes from 20 years ago. I'm not talking about that)

This is obviously because they can't afford or can't find a larger apartment. Why make fun?

↑ BH Yom Yom ↓

Tue, Jun 25 2024, 7:58 am

I reuse shopping bags - they are great for putting in the small garbage cans in the bathroom, perfect size.

For making guests reuse the same plastic cup for a drink, I could see this making sense when you have a house full of teenagers and they have their friends over for hours and hours every day in the summer. Instead of having six girls taking a new cup of water every hour for seven hours straight, let them label their plastic cup, and just reuse it every time they want to drink of water.

Mommyg8 ↓

Tue, Jun 25 2024, 8:05 am

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

Reusing foil pans and glass jars like from pickles or baby food may present issues of tevilas keilim and one should ask a shaila from their Rav if they intend to do this.

If one follows R Moshe's psak - which many people do - you are allowed to reuse these without tevilah as we follow the intention of the item was to be used once and thrown away.

↑ Mommyg8

Tue, Jun 25 2024, 8:07 am

imasinger wrote:

I love this!

On imamother this is not mentioned ever, but it is not considered a good quality to be a miser. As with everything, we should strive for the middle ground... but what's the middle ground? Good examples!

amother

↑ Darkblue

Tue, Jun 25 2024, 8:19 am

amother Oxfordblue wrote:

I find ways to repurpose food a fun game.
Who knew stale cereal makes such good shnitzel.
I consider any frugality that results in loss of dignity extreme- consider pajamas whose elastic died and it closes with safety pins

Yes, I think that is a good indicator. If it negates self respect and dignity, that's where to draw the line.

amother

Honey

Tue, Jun 25 2024, 8:41 am

amother DarkGray wrote:

My in laws are super frugal and they can afford whatever they want.
1. Shabbos timers - FIL tries to calculate the minute exactly when the AC and lights should go on and off but it's always getting messed up and then the rooms are dark and hot , AC went off too early, light didn't go on in time for the meal.
2. Reusing shopping bags - even if they aren't clean, he doesn't realize and he puts them aside and then when you need one, crumbs fall out or you see something dripped. It's so gross
3. Buying the cheapest version of something even though no one will eat it.
Eg: in our home my kids like dips with challah. I buy the dips in a high quality store and they taste homemade and have no preservatives. MIL buys the cheapest supermarket brand and then complains that my kids don't eat them in her house.
This happens with other food items as well.
4. They refuse to buy the trash bags that have drawstring because they're more expensive , but then it's much messier to remove the bag from the trashcan and someone has to clean up the mess.
5. Go on the cheapest vacations possible and then complain that the hotel is run down.

Doesn't look like you like your in laws very much! Sad

Trademark ↓

Tue, Jun 25 2024, 9:01 am

Mommyg8 wrote:

I agree that the middle way is the best way. It looks different for everybody.

Some people on here think that kamtzanus is not a bad middah. It is, even for yourself, as you end up being miserly with others. You can often see it how little people fargin others...

amother

Papayawhip

Tue, Jun 25 2024, 9:07 am

My inlaws are wealthy but extremely frugal (actually its my fil and its like an illness)
They bought a set of couches 30 years ago, and left the plastic on for years, when that got ruined they covered it with sheets so the "couches shouldn't get ruined" I never saw them uncovered and don't even know what they look like. (Sheets are old stained and faded lol)
They only open the oven once a week to save electricity
The heat is set so low they wear sweaters constantly
There's no plastic anything ever!
No cleaning lady ever!
(However they bought all their married children houses bc that my fil thinks is important) it's just a mentality he grew up with and is extremely stubborn to change

↑ Bnei Berak 10 ↓

Tue, Jun 25 2024, 9:39 am

amother Oxfordblue wrote:

Anyone in the restaurant/catering business learn early on how to repurpose leftovers.

↑ Bnei Berak 10 ↓

Tue, Jun 25 2024, 9:43 am

amother Papayawhip wrote:

So you have a fully paid house by your in-laws?