# are you extremely thrifty? in what way? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 31, 2012, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-extremely-thrifty-in-what-way/633317 "2012-08-31T23:45:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-extremely-thrifty-in-what-way/633317/41 "2012-09-07T15:30:44Z")
I bake all my own bread. All the food I eat I prepare entirely from scratch. No meat, lots of fresh vegetables, eggs, whole grains, and dried not canned beans, or dal. I even make my own [corn tortillas](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11371902&postcount=67) by hand. I save the good foods like pesto (made from scratch, of course) for when I’m cooking for my GF. When feeding myself, I live on a lot of potato curries, latkes, dal & chapatis, and most of all [corn pone & beans](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=612278) for frugality’s sake. Also cause I know how to make em taste good. I’m chowing down on my onion pone recipe for brunch right now. I just invented it. I have like 2 dozen variations on corn pone. ---
**Author:** ![perfectparanoia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@perfectparanoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/perfectparanoia)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-extremely-thrifty-in-what-way/633317/42 "2012-09-07T16:43:46Z")
> [@LynnM](#): > > **perfectparanoia** : > \*ETA: I also no longer pay for books. The local library has a great website where you can track what you have read/want to read and you can submit holds online. It’s like an online bookstore but free! \* > […] > _We replaced our cable with Netflix. More selection for the kids and only 12.99 a month (streaming plus unblockus to get american)._ > > I ask only from curiosity: Doesn’t your library have videos and DVDs? Or does Netflix offer something in addition? Convenience? > > I’m a big library user too. I figure: I’ve already paid for that stuff. Why buy or rent books and DVDs I’ve already paid for? Our library doesn’t have a good selection of DVD’s. Netflix has a great selection and isn’t too expensive. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-extremely-thrifty-in-what-way/633317/43 "2012-09-07T18:08:09Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > My wife is pretty good, too but sometimes does stuff that makes me pull my hair out. I know, right? Like she’ll take a used plastic baggie and throw it away instead of washing it to re-use it? Or use brand-new saran wrap instead of wrapping the thing in a plastic grocery bag? I hear, you brother. Yes, this kind of thing is an occasional discussion at our house. I prefer the term ‘tightwad-American’, thank you. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-extremely-thrifty-in-what-way/633317/44 "2012-09-08T11:10:23Z")
We’re fairly extravagant on a lot of things, but I’m weird about clothes. I will either buy at thrift shops, or haunt my neighbor’s garage sales (they have nice stuff). My hi-school daughter is on the homecoming court this year, and I have to escort her onto the field. I’m renting a suit from a recycle store for the event, because I’m too cheap to buy one. I spend more on craft beers in a month than I do on clothing for a year. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-extremely-thrifty-in-what-way/633317/45 "2012-09-08T11:36:10Z")
I wonder if anyone read the blog I linked to - [Early Retirement Extreme](http://earlyretirementextreme.com/) - it’s really interesting, folks otter consider it. 🙂 maybe it deserves to be it’s own thread but I also wonder if anyone here lives “off grid”. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2012, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-extremely-thrifty-in-what-way/633317/46 "2012-09-12T18:57:51Z")
I never ever, waste food. And when traveling I buy paperback books from charity shops because I’m going to give them away after I’ve read them. ---
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2012, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-extremely-thrifty-in-what-way/633317/47 "2012-09-12T19:41:19Z")
Little things come to mind. I got this one from my mother: When I open a new scrubbing powder I take the peel-off and reapply it covering half of the holes. I reuse paper towels. If I pull one off just to dry my hands I let it dry out and use it again. A gal in VT taught me that one. Lately I’ve been doing that with tissues too as I’ve been blowing my nose like mad–just clear stuff. I lay it on the counter or something and I’ll use it again maybe 2 more times. Oh and I save the sauces from take out Chinese. I tend toward the spicy stuff. There’s always more sauce than the actual dish. Then I add it to a curry soup or something. (But maybe this is more of a cooking thing.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-extremely-thrifty-in-what-way/633317.md?page=2)