My buddy (who is 36) is extreme when it comes to cheap. Hes not broke, far from it, just beyond cheap, huge difference. He goes out of his way for everything, and I mean EVERYTHING to buy the absolute cheapest one possible. Whether its a TV, vegetables, hot dogs that hes buying, it doesnt matter what the quality is, infact quality doesnt exist in his vocabulary. Even if that means he has to go to 5 or 6 stores first to find it. The other day he went to walmart, then superstore, then zellers, then value village, then the thrift store, then back to walmart cause he wanted to find the absolute lowest price on a $10 rubbermaid container.
He never eats out but if he does, he doesnt tip cause he claims its a scam, so he would rather starve or eat off the street than eat at a restaurant for the sole fact that he doesnt have to pay. When he buys groceries (veggies for exampple), he doesnt buy them unless theyre on clearance. He goes to the clearance bin where it has veggies that are close to its expiry date. "Ah this is too much, I can get this cheaper in the states." "what $30 for these jeans? what a rip off" "$20 for this shirt? it should be 50 cents" "the most i'll ever pay for jeans is $10, maybe $15." Guess what? This isnt the states!
He drives across the city or any town to eat at the cheapest places even if the food is gross. The other day I went shopping with him for the first time in many years (cause I was hoping he changed but he clearly hasnt) and lets just say its the last time ill be shopping with him again. There is a reason why i havent shopped with him in so many years. I was with him and his mom and theyre like "I hope youre hungry cause we're going to IKEA for lunch...50 cent hot dogs!!!" Im not a huge hot dog fan (at least not the cheap stuff) and didnt get one, they were offended. Sorry but I like to eat food that i like not just cause its cheap and tastes like saw dust.
His mom lives off the dollar store, infact I think its scary how obsessed she is about that place. WHen you talk to her, all she talks about is how great the dollar store is. Im about to buy a drink "oh dont buy that, go to the dollar store and buy it, $1!!!!" "People who buy starbucks are crazy...you can get a big tin of instant coffee for $1 at the dollar store!!!....infact starbucks probably does that, goes and buys from there and sells it at their counter." I was like uhhhhh, the most ridiculous thing ive ever heard in my life. She goes everyday and if you go to the mall with her "oough i have to find the dollar store, its absolutely wonderful, cheap $1 stuff, good stuff!" She will spend all day in there. She loads up on bags for candy and pop for her grandson and feed it to him like its cereal.
He has a 6 year old boy and they feed him whatever food is the cheapest that day. A bag of candy from the dollar store, ice cream from the states, wendys $1.89 value menu, cheap whoppers @ Burger king when they go $1.99, 35c pop, microwave popcorn, you name it. Fast food everyday for dinner, lunch is usually leftovers, breakfast is usually candy or ice cream. He wont buy what the boy wants to eat, he doesnt even fill the boy up, just makes him wait til the next meal or gives him candy. The other day the boy wanted a chicken skewer that i was eating, and he pouted and pouted but his dad wouldnt get him one cause $3 was too much. He says to his boy, "Its too much, you can make it cheaper at home, plus its not real chicken, its powder." The boy "what kind of powder." The father "like anthrax, it will kill you....then you wont be able to go to school anymore." What the hell?
He doesnt even let him go on rides in the mall. Theyre killing the poor kid, hes gonna have a mouthful of steel by the time hes in grade 1 eating a bag of candy and litres of pop everyday. And the boy has no manners whatsoever. Always running his mouth and telling people off. The other day his grandma asked if he wanted some licorice for breakfast, the boy goes "I dont want any, now shut up you f'in stupid!" I couldnt believe what i was hearing, what the hell kind of 6yr old talks like that to his grandma?
Anyone have family or friends like this? Theyre so cheap that when you shop with them all they focus on is the price, thats all that matters. Uhh how can anyone live life like this? I think theres a certain reasonable level in terms of how cheap someone can be, but beyond that and I think it becomes OCD.