Is there such a thing as being too cheap? Would you consider this to be obsessive?

[comrade]

Originally Posted by puckluck

You just explained the whole Arab and Jewish race.

Some people are just wise with their money. The guy who owns Modern Beauty Supplies in Calgary is one of the richest Calgarians I know. He's at least got $20 million in the bank, and guess what kind of car he still rolls around in? It's so old I don't even know what kind it is. Something in the 1990-1995 range. He owns rental property as well and till this day he shovels the sidewalks and cuts the grass instead of paying someone to do it.

Some people just hate spending money they don't have to.

When I hear about people like that I always wonder what is the purpose of saving all that money just to have it sit in a bank account.

[puckluck]

Originally Posted by comrade

When I hear about people like that I always wonder what is the purpose of saving all that money just to have it sit in a bank account.

Well honestly this guy came from war and being broke to coming to Canada and going around selling shampoo and other beauty supplies in his old van to being a multi-millionaire. Sometimes people just have a hard time justifying spending money on useless stuff especially when they have been through a lot in life.

[username]

Originally Posted by puckluck

Well honestly this guy came from war and being broke to coming to Canada and going around selling shampoo and other beauty supplies in his old van to being a multi-millionaire. Sometimes people just have a hard time justifying spending money on useless stuff especially when they have been through a lot in life.

Fair enough but for me, I know that when I die I want the last cheque that I write to bounce.

[Jake]

If your so cheap you inconvenience/piss off your friends, you are probably too cheap.

A few friends and I used to take turns buying beer in University, except one who never did despite drinking a lot. That is too cheap IMO.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Am I the only one who found this thread a tad odd?

First the OP shares a story that I didn't find malicious at all, yet he's accused of it by several people.

He asks quite clearly in the title if it is too cheap.

IMO his friend obviously is beyond just being frugal. He has a serious obsession and somewhat debilitating cheapness. His lack of proper parenting because of his cheapness is evident if what the OP says is remotely accureate.

Then I see people compare several different races and ethnic groups to this individual who like I said has some form of mental health issues if he refuses to feed his child proper food because his money obsession is so extreme. Nobody else finds this insulting? I know certain groups are stereotyped as being excessively cheap and sometimes those stereotypes have some valid basis but to just blanket a vast group of people of taking part in similar behaviour to this guy is highly offensive to me.

This isn't just a "hey he's really cheap". This is a get this mofo on A&E pronto because he needs some help.

[killer_carlson]

Your friend may have more money than me upon our respective deaths, but I'll guarantee I'll have had WAY more fun.

[Igottago]

If you're not going to spend money to feed your kid properly you have a problem and are a moron. I understand being financially responsible but opting for the cheapest food often means opting for low quality food, and sometimes stuff that barely qualifies as food.

In general, I think its about balance. Its dumb to spend all the money you have and get into loads of debt for material items, but also, you work hard for money and can't take it with you when you die, so you might as well enjoy your life.

[AvsJerk]

Originally Posted by HodgePodge88

Theres a reason why i went 7 years without seeing him and ill continue that trend. Nice guy but at his age now i doubt hes going to change.

I've heard all the crappy stuff about this friend of yours. What are some of the nice things about him?

Off-topic---I grew up in the stereotypically thrift Scottish household...only thing gramps didn't scrimp on was his scotch(or did he?), bought it in giant bottles that had their own built in stands and you would tip the bottle to pour a glass. Grampy would give the kids this stuff like it was robitussin...ear-ache, stomach-ache, scraped shin, you name it and he'd give you a wee bit of the scotch. Anybody know what this swill was and where he was getting it from? Never seen anything like it in the states.

[Slava]

I'm just wondering how you never talk to the guy and haven't seen him for 7 years....he has a 6 year old and you know exactly how the guy is raising the kid?

Let me just say that i'm not advocating that kids be fed junk food for every meal. I just wonder about the accuracy of some of these comments here when you basically admit you have no idea?

[puckluck]

Originally Posted by Slava

I'm just wondering how you never talk to the guy and haven't seen him for 7 years....he has a 6 year old and you know exactly how the guy is raising the kid?

Let me just say that i'm not advocating that kids be fed junk food for every meal. I just wonder about the accuracy of some of these comments here when you basically admit you have no idea?

Good catch. You a lawyer by any chance? lol

Story seemed like a bunch of BS to be honest, and this only confirms it. I have no doubt his friend is cheap, but looks like he exaggerated a whole lot.

[HodgePodge88]

Originally Posted by SeeBass

He wants everybody to do everything for nothing but I bet he is the first guy to cry if he thinks his wage is too low

Ya he is! Totally!

[HodgePodge88]

Originally Posted by Russic

Exactly. Being cheap is no big deal. It's irritating, but he's not really doing anything to hurt anybody beyond his own free time. What he's doing to his kid though is quite a big deal. To not feed your child at the most basic level is taking your quirky problem into a realm that requires therapy. I hope his kid likes diabetes as much as his dad likes Ikea hot dogs.

Is that how diabettes is caused? Too much sugar intake? Its pretty scary, actually really scary how much junk food his boy takes. Eating candy, chips, chocolate, wendys, McDs, KFC, ice cream, pop everyday as your meals cant be good in the long run. There will be some serious long term consequences.

[puckluck]

Originally Posted by HodgePodge88

Is that how diabettes is caused? Too much sugar intake? Its pretty scary, actually really scary how much junk food his boy takes. Eating candy, chips, chocolate, wendys, McDs, KFC, ice cream, pop everyday as your meals cant be good in the long run. There will be some serious long term consequences.

Are you even going to bother respnding to Slava's post above?

[HodgePodge88]

Originally Posted by puckluck

Good catch. You a lawyer by any chance? lol

Story seemed like a bunch of BS to be honest, and this only confirms it. I have no doubt his friend is cheap, but looks like he exaggerated a whole lot.

Originally Posted by Slava

I'm just wondering how you never talk to the guy and haven't seen him for 7 years....he has a 6 year old and you know exactly how the guy is raising the kid?

Let me just say that i'm not advocating that kids be fed junk food for every meal. I just wonder about the accuracy of some of these comments here when you basically admit you have no idea?

I'm definitely NOT exxagerating. I know it may seem unbelievable but I really do mean extreme when I said it In my original post. I saw with my own eyes, multiple times the kid getting fed nothing but junk food and fast food everyday for every meal. My friend even admitted to it to my face. He said "nothing wrong with it, its cheap that's all that matters." What bothers me is the boy can't even choose what to eat, or how much he eats.

Say it takes 2 $1 wendys burgers to fill him up, he only gets one no matter how hungry he still is. He will have to eat candy to become full. So not only is he being fed crap but he's not being fed enough food. Just the other night he had a $1 wendys burger, he wanted more, said he was still hungry, dad said no, so he gave him 3 cream eggs.

[trackercowe]

The Dollar store isn't all that bad...

Ever try going to the 33 cent store? Expired Plankton can be really hard to choke down at times (especially considering the Ride Tide poisoning that comes with it).

[To Be Quite Honest]

Originally Posted by HodgePodge88

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.

There is an app for that.

[TylerSVT]

Originally Posted by puckluck

You just explained the whole Arab and Jewish race.
.

Really? Arabs are frugal? Maybe ive mistake all the ones driving blacked out BMW M3's and Audi S5's while wearing $500 sunglasses.

IMO arabs are not frugal at all. Jews yes, Asians... cheap yes. Arabs. No.

[HPLovecraft]

If he thinks tipping is a scam and he refuses to do it as a result, it's time to reconsider some things. I don't tip if the service is bad, but tipping a scam? I'm assuming he doesn't go out much besides BK and Wendy's?

[Redliner]

Originally Posted by HodgePodge88

I'm definitely NOT exxagerating. I know it may seem unbelievable but I really do mean extreme when I said it In my original post. I saw with my own eyes, multiple times the kid getting fed nothing but junk food and fast food everyday for every meal. My friend even admitted to it to my face. He said "nothing wrong with it, its cheap that's all that matters." What bothers me is the boy can't even choose what to eat, or how much he eats.

Say it takes 2 $1 wendys burgers to fill him up, he only gets one no matter how hungry he still is. He will have to eat candy to become full. So not only is he being fed crap but he's not being fed enough food. Just the other night he had a $1 wendys burger, he wanted more, said he was still hungry, dad said no, so he gave him 3 cream eggs.

Something about this seems off. Aren't those Cadbury creme eggs about a buck each? It wouldn't be any cheaper to feed the kid candy than to just buy him another damn burger.

[McG]

with diets like that, i expect their physical condition to be terrible.

the boy is on a one way trip to oversized clothes, and probably has no stamina for sports or learning.

people can live how they like (and i have great friends who become jerks about or with money and so the topic is avoided) but isn't it a subtle form of child abuse to not properly look after your children?

children need proper foundational foods; that is the concern for me on this sordid tale.