Bill in hedge: if it wasn’t too difficult, I’d grab it. 10 cent coupon for my brand: wouldn’t bother - my time is worth more than the dime plus I’d forget it anyway. Toll, or gas 2 miles out of the way? Not for a dime a gallon or 2.00 toll, I’d spend that much in getting there. Sweater: would depend on how big a price difference and how much I wanted / needed the other one. Crushed tomatoes / different brand: if I bothered with the coupon in any case (see above). I just get whichever brand is cheapest (except I won’t get the cheaper-than-store-brand stuff which has NOT been very good the times I’ve tried it).
Some cheapskate (or not!) things I do:
Save and roll coins, myself - vs., say, Coinstar which takes a cut. I know my time is worth less than what I’ve saved, but it’s sort of a game.
Fridge: The energy cost savings are significant with the bottom freezer and might add up to the 150 dollars over a fairly short time. So for that it would be worth it to spend the 150 dollars (and I’ve been known to spend more for a more-efficient appliance in the past). First and only time I’ve actually bought a fridge, I compromised and got a side-by-side (worst of all worlds, LOL).
Some hypermiling techniques (like when I can, easing off on the gas well before a traffic light, as opposed to cars that gas until the last minute and then brake). Obviously that’s dependent on the traffic situation.
I might get the dollar, but if it was a bush with a lot of thorns, or muddy, probably not. The price difference on the fridge is probably enough for me to change my choice. I won’t drive out of the way to get cheaper gas.
My rule of thumb is to value my free time @ $100 per hour. For any combination which saves more than that–for example, 15 minutes of hassle that saves $25–I’ll do it. For less, I won’t.
Ha! I once superglued a nickel to the floor of the poolhall I worked at,was fun watching people trying to pick it up.The person that finally got it picked up the gumball machine and whacked it with the base,came right up(that person was me ).
I pick up ever coin I see as well as bottles with a deposit.
There was a thread here a while back about dopers who just through change away.I was amazed at how many people do it.Wish ya’ll would save that change in a jar and help out my college fund.
That project is over, but I still find money on the ground almost every day - and I pick it up unless circumstances prevent me (for example, if it’s underneath a bench that someone is sitting on). The other day, I spotted a £20 note on the train track, but there’s no way I would risk trying to retrieve that.
Suppose there was a $1 bill caught within a hedge, but it’ll take some careful maneuvering to get at it – would you bother? Probably not. Would you take a route to someplace that would take fifteen minutes longer, but it avoids a $2 toll? Definitely not.
**Would you buy a different brand of, oh, crushed tomatoes if you had a 25 cents off coupon? **I don’t bother with coupons.
**Would you even bother to cut out a 10 cents off coupon for a brand you actually do buy?**I don’t bother with coupons.
Would you go a couple miles out of your way to get to the gas station with 10 cents per gallon cheaper gas? Maybe. But probably not.
Would you buy the light blue sweater that’s 50% off instead of the medium blue sweater you really prefer but which isn’t on sale? If by sweater you mean shirt, then probably yes. (I don’t wear sweaters.)
Would you buy the fridge with the top freezer (instead of the bottom freezer you’d rather have) because it’ll save you $150? Probably, but only because I wouldn’t care that much. If I *really really *cared about a bottom freezer, then that is what I would get.
Suppose there was a $1 bill caught within a hedge, but it’ll take some careful maneuvering to get at it – would you bother? Most definitely.
Would you take a route to someplace that would take fifteen minutes longer, but it avoids a $2 toll? Nope.
Would you buy a different brand of, oh, crushed tomatoes if you had a 25 cents off coupon? Sure.
Would you even bother to cut out a 10 cents off coupon for a brand you actually do buy? Nope. I don’t use coupons unless they are next to the product in the store.
Would you go a couple miles out of your way to get to the gas station with 10 cents per gallon cheaper gas? Nope. That’ll save me around $1. Not worth it.
Would you buy the light blue sweater that’s 50% off instead of the medium blue sweater you really prefer but which isn’t on sale? I’d buy a T-Shirt at Walmart.
Would you buy the fridge with the top freezer (instead of the bottom freezer you’d rather have) because it’ll save you $150? I’d prefer the top freezer, so I’d certainly pay less to get it. If you switch them to the bottom freezer being cheaper, then I’d buy the one with the bottom freezer. I don’t care $150 worth as to where my freezer is located in relation to the refrigerator.
I’d get the dollar from the hedge.
At 60 mph, I’d save a quarter by skipping the toll. I’d pay the toll.
I would try a different brand if the coupon made it cheaper than any of the other acceptable brands.
I never see coupons for the brands I buy.
Two miles for ten cents off per gallon is worth it for my car. It’s really irrelevant because the cheapest gas available is always on my way to or from wherever I go regularly. A little planning goes a long way in saving money and gas.
I hate sweaters and never wear them, whatever the color.
On refrigerators, I have no opinion.
I do comparison shop. I will take a calculator with me and compare the unit prices of the grocery items I want. The big “economy size” is not always the best price. Wal-mart is particularly bad about selling their larger sizes at higher unit prices.
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:eek::mad: