Stingiest things thread(op for R&R access)

rab!dmonkey

colossus-x wrote: »

I was being paid 2 quid per hour gross. My tips were my income, not treats.

Where did this happen? I can't think of anywhere with meals that price where wages like that are legal.

thesandeman

rab!dmonkey wrote: »

Where did this happen? I can't think of anywhere with meals that price where wages like that are legal.

I presume you never worked in The US?

Running Balance

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

Getting an invite to a wedding is like getting a big bill through your letterbox.

yeah or like a court summons.

Peg14

was staying with my aunt doing work experience, one day I didn't eat one of the sandwiches she gave me for lunch, brought it home with me cause there were no bins...the next day she gave me three halves, one of which was from the day before. Might not sound bad, but it was disgusting all the soggy lettuce and tomatoes and mayonaise

LynnGrace

Fishyfreak wrote: »

On holidays, 2 couples. We went for a meal in this really nice restaurant. The country was relatively poor, so the meal was dirt cheap.

End of the meal, 3 of us put our money in, the cost of the meal plus a generous tip for the staff. The 4th person tried to only put in the difference to make our payment equal the exact bill. Basically, our tips were subsidising his meal!!

His partner made an absolute show of him for it, awkward at the team but hilarious when i think back now. Stingy sh*te!

It's a trait I hate to see in anyone, it would put me right off. It must get wearing too, dealing with a stingy person, I'd guess it's been a dealbreaker in many a friendship /relationship.
I worked with someone who was of the 'hang out tea bags and reuse endlessly' , mentality. Needless to say they were loaded.

Love this thread.

Ice Storm

When I was in Cambodia, I was out for dinner with a group and there were two English girls of about 18 in the group. They were on a gap year.

They were both from pretty well off families and their parents were paying for their trip. They didn't have a huge budget though so they tried to be frugal, looked for cheap places to eat, sometimes shared meals etc.

We had finished our meal and were paying. We were in a group of about 12 and the staff were arranging separate bills for everyone. The two girls left abruptly after paying (before everyone had paid) and shorty after, someone else in the group came over to me and whispered to be careful with my change as the staff had tried to short change her. There was a bit of a disagreement going on with the staff but they rectified the mistake. My bill was fine.

The next day, the two girls who left apologised for leaving so quickly the previous night and said that they'd been given too much change back the night before and legged it before the staff noticed! They had no shame in saying this in front of everyone.

I told them that the staff must have got two bills mixed up as someone else was short changed. They seemed a little embarrassed then and said it's not something they would usually do but they were on a tight budget so... Apparently that makes it ok that the money probably came out of the waitress's pay!

An older woman in the group gave them a right dressing down; she reprimanded them like children! One of the girls even had a part time job as a waitress at home and I'm sure she must have made a mistake at some time. I thought it was disgraceful tbh, especially after all the poverty we'd seen in Cambodia. :mad:

rab!dmonkey

thesandeman wrote: »

I presume you never worked in The US?

Federal minimum wage in the US is currently $7.25. It hasn't been under $3 since the 80s.

Victor

rab!dmonkey wrote: »

Federal minimum wage in the US is currently $7.25. It hasn't been under $3 since the 80s.

That includes tips - the employer only has to pay the difference between the tips and minimum wage.

rab!dmonkey

Victor wrote: »

That includes tips - the employer only has to pay the difference between the tips and minimum wage.

So? That's still a lot more than 'two quid an hour, gross'.

Blitzkrieger

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

And by the way the trend in Airports is to offer free charging points

They only do that so you'll sit by the wall out of the way - they're stingy on space in their thoroughfares.

padma

In jakarta getting a taxi with 3 American friends to downtown CBD. Taxi pulled up..bill was 20,000 rupiah..less than 2 euro..they all start arguing in the back looking for 5000 rupiah each...i was up front..handed the taxi man a 50,000 rupiah note (about 4.50) told him to keep the change. They all got out thanking me for paying the fare..offering there 5000 rupiahs..

Looked at them all and says lads ye americans are funny..5000 rupiah is 50 cents..get a grip. Hold on to it.

Big discussion over a meal in a fancy restaurant about how cheap Jakarta is. Came to paying..all out counting their rupiahs again..one person had a notebook and worked out what each of us ate and drank and how much we owed plus a 20 percent tip.

Just threw in a big note..went out and ordered a cab, couldnt stop laughing...even after the discussion we just had. On the way back one of them was in the front..he said he will pay..we all got out..he came out angry..he was charged 22000 rupiah for the taxi back..then he asjed us to chip in for it...these were semi business people.

tea and coffee

I volunteer to organise the staff Christmas do. It's self funded, so we try to keep the costs down. The etiquette in the place generally is that the senior managers get a round of drinks between them for all staff (5 managers, 25-30 staff) or few bottle of wine.

So couple of years ago, I just reserved an area in a local pub. I had ordered platters, and everyone was asked to contribute €3 towards them (and then buy their own drinks). 4 of the senior managers gave me €20 or so towards food/drinks for the night, the 5th came in- most senior of them all- and put a 2 euro and a 1 euro coin on my desk and said "that's for my sausage rolls for friday night!" :eek:

Oranage2

Is paying exactly what your food comes to stingy? I don't do it but I wouldn't think someone was stingy for doing it.

Anyway a new joined our group and he's stingy but It's just small things. He never pays for taxis, they usually come to a euro or 2 but he never offers to pay.

At lunch time he'd get a 40p meal off the street but then help himself to our food when we go to a restaurant.

Would often forget his wallet at restaurants too, it would only come to about 2 euros so he knows we won't ask for it back.

He always leeches of generous guys in the bar to get free drinks.

Always slips out on his round.

Complained at a bar that he was given a more expensive beer than the one he ordered, it was 5 cent more.

Brings two 2liter empty bottles of water to work and uses the water fountain to fill them up. tap water isn't drinkable, another 30 cent saving.

We went to a expensive ish restaurant, his bill came to 15e, he left 10 and said he had no change and left the restaurant.

We went to a bar, when I arrived he was drinking cans bought in the shop next door and looking at the football on the outside tv.

This is only a fraction of what he does, one guy said it to him, he was in complete denial over it, and now he won't talk to us, win win really.

kowloon

ProudDUB wrote: »

Maybe so, but multiply that by several customers, using several devices, on several sockets, 12-16 hrs a day, 7 days a week & it all starts to add up, for the person paying the electric bill. It is becoming a trend for some coffee shops to stop letting customers charge their devices when they are in their premises.

That might actually hurt business. People sitting around for a while on their laptop often chain drink coffee, I know I did around exam times.

crybaby

kylith wrote: »

Nothing wrong with cloth nappies, other than the ick factor. They're a lot more eco friendly than the disposable ones.

Cloth nappies are still the norm in a lot of countries around the world as well, frankly though as a parent I think we lasted about 3 day with them before giving up, they really are a pain in the hole to put on, take off and clean.

Preset No.3

This thread has gotten stingy with its replies!

colossus-x

Preset No.3 wrote: »

This thread has gotten stingy with its replies!

Ya well the longer I leave my laptop on typing needlessly the more energy it uses up and hence the more I have to pay for the leccy.

Paramite Pie

colossus-x wrote: »

He jumped back in his car to make the 10 mile journey I guess primarily to get his 1.50 back asap.

Ha! he didn't factor in the cost of the petrol money.... there's hope for him yet!:pac:

pipelaser

Just a bit of background to the story.
I (Dave)live with Rachel and Victoria. A few weeks ago I was speaking to Rachel in the kitchen, saying that at some point next year, all going well I'd probably move in with Fiona(my girlfriend). Just chit chat.
Below is the email I received from Rachel during the week.
(To put things in context, I pay about £700 in rent and bills a month and I might stay over in Fiona's on average about 3 nights a week)

Email-

---

Hi guys,

just thought I'd put this out there in case we might be interested. My New York friend has asked if we might be interested in hosting a student who is over in London for some work experience from the 5th to the 25th Jan (3 weeks).

A couple of my friends with spare rooms / sofas are keen but I thought that in case you guys wanted a bit of extra cash I'd run it by you. I think 3 weeks is way too long to have someone on the sofa (for her sake as well as ours!). But Dave, as you mentioned maybe moving in with Fiona next year I wondered if you fancied a trial run...

Was thinking that we could ask for £450 and split it so that Dave got £250 for his room and me and Victoria got £100 each for babysitting a teenager. Or we could offer for less than 3 weeks?

Tis completely just an idea and I might even be relieved if we say no. Not sure that the split is entirely fair given that Dave would have to move out(!) but I don't want to be responsible for someone out of the kindness of my heart

Let me know what you think x

---

Tarzana2

That's just a bit odd! Not sure if stingy really. Just odd. Where do they think you'd go for three weeks. I'm guessing your GF's housemates/family wouldn't be cool with you living with them solidly for three weeks. You likely have to offer rent to do so. Just weird.

mountsky

I utterly despise 'stingy' people,so much so they make my blood boil,I actually can't be around them end of

indigo twist

Emm don't see how that's stingey at all. She's only suggesting the idea .. And no one involved would agree to the suggestion for free, why would they?! Just say no if it doesn't suit you, I don't get the impression that she's putting any pressure on you at all to agree if it doesn't suit you ..

Birneybau

indigo twist wrote: »

Emm don't see how that's stingey at all. She's only suggesting the idea .. And no one involved would agree to the suggestion for free, why would they?! Just say no if it doesn't suit you, I don't get the impression that she's putting any pressure on you at all to agree if it doesn't suit you ..

Well, Dave would be living with his girlfriend and still paying €450 is how I read it. The others picking up €100 each for no reason whatsoever.

Tarzana2

Birneybau wrote: »

Well, Dave would be living with his girlfriend and still paying €450 is how I read it. The others picking up €100 each for no reason whatsoever.

Hmmm. Well, if he's out of the house for three weeks out of the month, he should only pay ~ £220 for the week and bit he'll be there. So if they want to make money on the student staying with them, they'd need to charge £480 + whatever they want for themselves.

EDIT: Sorry! Rather he should pay the £700, then receive £480 for the weeks he's not there.

Paddy Cow

Tarzana2 wrote: »

Hmmm. Well, if he's out of the house for three weeks out of the month, he should only pay ~ £220 for the week and bit he'll be there. So if they want to make money on the student staying with them, they'd need to charge £480 + whatever they want for themselves.

Dave has said that he pays roughly €700 a month on rent/bills and this one wants to give him €250 to move out for three weeks to his girlfriend's house, where he will have to contribute, so he'll be down even more money, all so this girl can earn herself an extra €100.

Calling her stingy is putting it politely. It's telling that she put it in an email and didn't have the neck to say it to the others in person. She "might" be happy if they say no. Well that's good then. We all want you to be happy when you try to screw over your flatmate to make money for yourself :rolleyes:

Paddy Cow

pipelaser wrote: »

---

Tell her there is a website www.homestay.com that deals in short term student accommodation. Host families put up students at a cheap rate and take care of them. For the amount of money she was looking for, I'm sure the student could find something. It would be more appropriate for the student as these families are used to looking after people. They usually provide meals and I doubt your flatmate has factored in cooking etc. I know a family here in Ireland who do it and they love it, as do the students.

colossus-x

mountsky wrote: »

I utterly despise 'stingy' people,so much so they make my blood boil,I actually can't be around them end of

I feel exactly the same way. It's strange cause there are worse people in that world I don't despise as much. When I see ppl being conniving and all that effort just to save a few measly euros it just makes me sick.

cart man

I know a couple now married +10years, but when they were still going out they went to Paris for a romantic weekend. They split the costs all throughout their trip, on the last day they went to the Eiffel Tower. The girl realised she had enough money to go half way up, so he said he would take pictures for her from the top.

costadeldole

My local weekly paper costs 2.15 Euro.
I go to my local library every Wednesday to read it for free.
Until I sold my car, and got internet at home; I used to drive around my town, and park up outside local hotels/cafes/Tesco to leech their free WIFI. It was good while it lasted, but then they started to password lock. My local cafe also started turning their router off after hours so I couldn't leech it when they were closed.
Rather than pay for expensive branded cleaning products, I just use Tesco white vinegar in an old spray bleach bottle for cleaning.
I put on my washing machine on after 11.00pm when the electric units are 50% cheaper.
Whenever I bought a new car I used to lift the back seat to look for change under it.
I have change tin that I save all my coins in, and often pick up change in the street even if its only a 1 cent coin.
When making a mug of tea, I just pour a mugful of water into the kettle so it boils faster to save on electric. It just covers the element in the kettle so it doesn't burn out.
I used to live on the top floor of an apartment block, and realised the wall sockets in the stairwells were live and paid for by the landlord. So I used to run an extension lead from the landing under my front door at night and unplugged it every morning so the cleaners wouldn't catch me. Free electric every night for my heater for the 2 years I lived there.

Chance The Fapper

costadeldole wrote: »

I used to live on the top floor of an apartment block, and realised the wall sockets in the stairwells were live and paid for by the landlord. So I used to run an extension lead from the landing under my front door at night and unplugged it every morning so the cleaners wouldn't catch me. Free electric every night for my heater for the 2 years I lived there.

Sounds like the dream