Stingiest thing you've seen stingy people do

Brussels Sprout · 08-04-2012 4:50pm

So, I totally ripped off the idea (and title) for this thread and put it on another forum that I frequent. That site is predominantly American so the stories are a little bit different but at their essence they still feature the same sick people who make these anecdotes so great.

It's been going for 2 years now and there's nearly 4,000 posts in it so lots and lots more stories for anyone who's disappointed that they've reached the end of this thread.

It's worth opening alone just to read the stories by "Double Down" who starts writing about his Dad in post #2536. Here's a sample:

So a few years ago, my buddy and I were in Vegas for the weekend. I called up the pops to make plans for us to get together on Saturday morning for breakfast. He really wants to go to the Green Valley Ranch for the breakfast buffet for some reason.

Nether my friend nor I are really up for a buffet, and besides, I hadn't seen my dad in six months and a buffet is a really terrible way to have a meal with someone you haven't seen in a while. Half the time, someone is up getting food while the other is eating. A great way for buddies to have a gorge fest, but not a way to catch up. This doesn't matter to him though, he's dying to go to this buffet! He's going on and on about how awesome their buffet is, and it's a great price.

I'd eaten at this buffet a few times and never found it anything special. Not bad in any way, but also certainly not deserving of the glowing recommendation that my dad was suspiciously blessing it with. I'm thinking, does this guy own stock in their buffet? Is he getting kickbacks for promoting it? Wtf is going on?!?

So we meet him there around 10:30 (prime buffet time. You get the end of breakfast and the beginning of lunch. Pretty standard move, yes?) and begin to walk towards the buffet together and he says, "Hang on. I'm going to play a little video poker for a minute." I ask him if he wouldn't mind waiting til after the meal. I mean, I hadn't freakin' seen him in half a year. But he then explains that on Wednesdays, if you earn 100 points on the machines, you can exchange it for a free buffet. (zomgzomgwtfbbq free buffet!!!) Aha, so this is why he wanted to go so badly. I ask how long it'll take for him to rack up 100 pts. on his card and he says it should only take a few minutes. (insert irony foreshadowing music) Oh, and bear in mind the buffet is $6.99. I repeat, the buffet is $6.99.

So we go with him to a VP machine. He sits down, inserts his player's card, pop in a $20, and gets to work. We stood behind him and watched as he lost almost every single hand. Seriously, only a few times did he get a winner, and only hands like a pair or 2 pair. It was a quarter machine, and he loses this $20 in about three minutes. He sheepishly hit the button to show how many points he'd earned so far: 35 points. Yeah. He pauses for a moment deep in thought, weighing out the situation. He then reaches into his pocket for his wallet and pulls out another $20. This buffet is $6.99 by the way.

My friend and I glance at each other, pretty unbelieving about what we're witnessing. Before he continues the abuse, I tell him that I actually think I can get comps for all three of us at the BJ pit, no problem. He keeps repeating, "No, it's cool. It's cool. I'm almost to the 100 points," inserts the $20, and we're off.

Somehow, nearly mathematically impossibly, he loses this $20 in less time than the first one. I've seriously never seen someone run so bad on a VP machine. It was just ugly. He hits the summary button: 60 points. Now, determined, he reaches into his pocket and whips out another Jackson. I implore my dad to let me get us three comps for the buffet, but he says that he's so close to the 100 points that it would be foolish not to go for it. He inserts his now third $20 and gets to work. Have I mentioned that the buffet is $6.99?

My friend and I are in shock. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I look over at my friend, and he is doubled over, paralyzed so hard with laughter that he has tears streaming down his face. This third $20 ends up going the way of his previously fallen brethren. My father, now down $60, hits the summary button: 95 points. So close!! Out comes the wallet, out comes another $20.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

$6.99 buffet.

It's no use talking to him at this point, he's going to get this free mother****ing buffet if it kills him. I mean, if you don't have your principles, what do you have? My friend and I are absolute messes behind him. It was just about the funniest, most heart breaking thing we'd ever seen. I tell my dad that he needs to check the points summary every couple hands because as soon as he hits 100, he has to cash out. He promises that he will, and ends up losing $10 more before he finally hits the glorious 100 points mark. I tell him, "OK. That's it. Cash out NOW, let's go." Beaten and broken and down 70 bucks, he cashes out his remaining $10, grabs his card, and proceeds to the player's club booth.

Now, with the air of a cocky ass balla, he slams his card on the counter and says, "One free buffet please," grinning ear to ear, like now it's his turn for the sweet, sweet glory of his free goody.

The man takes the card and swipes it. click clack click goes the keyboard.

Man: "Hmm, it looks like you don't have enough points for a buffet."
Pops: "No, I definitely do. I earned them just now."
Man: "Sorry sir, it's showing that you haven't earned enough points for it."
Pops: "But today's Wednesday."
pause
Man: "Yes, yes it is."
Pops: "Isn't the Wednesday special earn 100 points for a free buffet?"
Man: "No, sir. It changed last week. It's now 300 points."

A little piece of my dad died right then in that moment. I told him to wait there with my friend, went to the BJ pit, and five minutes later came back with 3 comps for the buffet.

He didn't really have much of an appetite.

Now I know this story isn't that crazy $$$-wise. I know that much more has been lost in the name of trying to get a comp, or even a free drink. And maybe knowing my dad helps make this a lot funnier, I'm not sure. He's just such a mild mannered, docile dude and watching him get furiously beat down in his wildly passionate attempt to get himself a $6.99 buffet and ultimately be told he's only 1/3 of the way there, well, it remains with me as one of the most tragically comic things I've ever witnessed.

bijapos · 08-04-2012 7:48pm

_AVALANCHE_ wrote: »

Is she good looking?

I don't know why I even want to know this

Martyn1989 wrote: »

I played with the idea of asking that, didn't bother though as regardless of her good looks it would be spoilt by her attitude.

Still though....... is she hot? :cool:

She's a grand looking girl, very intelligent and well read too so I'd be in to her if she didn't have that personality trait. She rarely smiles, she is permanently on the look out to save money somehow or better still get a freebie. If she misses out on something she is raging.

She has had a couple of boyfriends but she refuses point blank to spend money. Now it wouldn't be too bad if she didn't go out, but she is out every Friday and Saturday night trying to scab free drinks off people. One lad she went out with is a prt time artist, he gets invited to book launches, art exhibitions etc where there is usually free wine and finger food. he ditched her because she was too embarassing, putting food into her handbag etc. After he ditched her she would show up at openings anyway until people started to bar her.

I refuse to get her a drink, she showed up in the pub with a new boyfriend about a year ago, I got him a pint as he seemed a decent sort, didn't get het one and told her why. he was a bit shocked, I never saw him again, not that I hang around with her anyway.

psychward · 08-04-2012 8:06pm

haha thats comedy gold . Down 70 bucks for a 6.99 free buffet .

Brussels Sprout · 08-04-2012 8:37pm

Post #2921 from the same thread as before. The same guy talking about his dad

Ok. So a couple years ago, I flew out to Denver for my cousin's wedding. I met up with my dad and stepmom Betty after arriving at the Denver airport because we were all staying together. On the way to the hotel, we stopped at a Walgreens and Dad comes out a minute later with this huge jug of water. I'm talking freakin' large. Like you'd need to check it through large. Don't ask me to specify the size because I don't know and it'll create a pointless, nitty derail. Suffice it to say that it would be one of my 3 things to have on a desert island. He gets in the car with it.
"You're not going to believe it!"
Before he says another word, I ask him, "How much?"
He pauses for dramatic effect, smirking with delight at his soon to be revealed secret. "A buck! Can you believe it? For this much water!!?!"
Betty and I had a good chuckle. My dad was seriously loving on this jug. One of the best purchases he'd ever made. When he put it in the back seat next to me, I'm surprised he didn't throw the seat belt on it. Or put it in a child seat for that matter.
"Great find, dad." I tell him. And it was. We had plenty of water for the weekend in our hotel room.

Did the whole wedding thing, and then Sunday rolled around and it was time to go home. And that's when the fun started.

So we get to the airport to the car rental return. My dad asks me to pop open the trunk and get out the luggage while he takes care of the paperwork inside, and lo and behold, staring up at me, it's the jug. In all its glory. And still half full! Yes, as valiant of an attempt as the three of us had made to go to town on this bad boy all weekend, we'd only knocked out 50% of the behemoth. Well, ain't nothing getting wasted. Not on Papa DD's watch.

When he gets back from the counter, I ask him about it. I say to him, "Dad, I'm thinking they might not let you take that water. I'm pretty sure it's more than three ounces of liquid." (no ****)
And he kept say, "Nah, nah, it'll be ok. It's fine."

We get on the shuttle, and here my dad is with a huge suitcase, backpack, fanny pack, and his precious half empty jug (of course, he sees it as half full). We get to the entrance of the airport, and I watch my dad, of whom I was the lucky trillion to one sperm of his to witness this scene, trying to walk and balance himself lugging his big ass suitcase in the left hand, and hefting his new best buddy, Mr. Water Jug, in the right. Fanny pack in front, back pack on the back, whatever life could possibly throw at this man at this moment, he was mother ****ing ready for it.

He refuses to check anything (obviously not a guy who's going to pay to check bags through.) so we head to security. I keep saying to him, "Dad, I really don't think they'll let you on with that." and he kept answering, "It's fine. It's all good."

Oh, I forgot to mention that it was Easter Sunday. Not joking. So the line is stupid long to get through security, and we were already cutting it closer than what was comfortable. Our flight was in about an hour. So we wait in this line for about 40 minutes, so we're starting to panic just a little about making our flight. And just a few feet ahead, is the TSA checking id's and tickets, and there's of course that garbage can there to throw out all bottles of water.

So we get up there, and immediately the agent says, "I'm sorry sir, but you can't bring that through." My dad looks at him blankly. "Are you sure?" "Yeah, I'm sure, sir. You're only allowed 3 ounces of liquid." My dad says, "It'll be fine, it's just water, and I'll drink it on the flight." I tell my dad, "Hey, we need to get on our flight. OK? Let's just go."

I am going to try my best to not exaggerate at all with what I say happened next, because the event that followed in its truth is funnier than anything I could make up. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, with a flight home in T minus 20 and a line of people a mile long behind him, this hero to the world puts down his suit case, pops the top off and starts chugging the **** out of this jug like it's the last thing he's doing before the asteroid hits.

People, I have seen few things in my life that were done with such pizazz. Such gusto. His whole body was involved in it. He had a super wide stance, and his left arm was sticking straight out as if to give himself some leverage. It's like his body realized it was being called upon to pull off a legendary feat. But my dad would be damned to let fifty cents worth of water go to waste. Not today. Not on his watch. That wasn't part of the deal, kemosabe.

People are starting to grumble in line behind us. One guy says, "we need to catch our flight." The agent says, "Sir, we need to keep the line moving." My dad acknowledges him, and therefore takes off his fanny pack as if to give himself that much more gut expansion potential, and resumes chugging. I also think it was a gesture of acknowledgment to the TSA that he was doing his best to hurry up. My stepmom says, "Bob, we really need to go!" She is thoroughly embarrassed. He is totally exasperated and choking on the water, but still drinking. He takes it away to catch his breath and stop choking and asks me all at once, "gmfhr...hunhnnk..,hey, you want some?" I could tell that this man desperately needed my help finishing off this wretched jug, but I was just totally shut off to what was happening. Better that than to actually cope with the impossible level of embarrassment that my stepmom was currently experiencing.
"No, dad. I'm good. Let's go already. Please."

He nodded, and resumed chugging as if my plea to him wasn't to just throw away the jug, but to finish it off faster. He is really pushing to complete the task at hand, choking and snorting water, making ungodly noises. I say to him, "Dad, you're going to hurt yourself." He takes the jug away from his lips to catch another quick breath, and utters simply, "It's good for me!" before resuming the chug.

The whole thing probably only lasted 30 seconds, but if you can really imagine yourself in this situation, you will realize that 30 seconds easily felt like an eternity. At the end of the day, it was unfortunately not to be. There were maybe a good 20 ounces of water left that just would not go down. So we said goodbye to the jug and left it with the TSA agent (it was way too big to fit in the trash can) and made our flight. He was the most hydrated man I'd ever seen.

Of all of the stinginess (or whatever you want to call it) stories I have about my father, none illustrate more clearly to me his issue with things being wasted. I'm sure it absolutely ate him up inside that he couldn't finish off this jug, for a few reasons. One was the waste of the water (and therefore his money). Two was that, tied in with #1, what had made the jug such a sweet deal in the first place was that he'd gotten it for a buck, and so by not drinking the whole thing, it's like he didn't get to take full advantage of the offer. Three was the jug itself, which afterwards could've been used to store any number of future items (loose change, business cards, promotional pens from the CES). It was essentially like had he finished the water, he would've won a brand new piece of luggage. Four was the epic sense of accomplishment he would've felt had he finished it off. It would have been a story for the ages (it is for me, obviously) but one for him to regale to others at parties and other events, where he could proudly claim the day that he was put to the test to see just how much he loves a good deal and emerged victorious from his Walkabout of Value a man. A deal loving, water chugging man.

God, I ****ing love that guy.

emanresu · 09-04-2012 12:23am

Brussels Sprout wrote: »

. . . I tell him that I actually think I can get comps for all three of us at the BJ pit, no problem. . . . . . . I told him to wait there with my friend, went to the BJ pit, and five minutes later came back with 3 comps for the buffet. . . .

Can anyone explain what he means by "comps at the BJ pit" please?

Quazzie · 09-04-2012 12:29am

emanresu wrote: »

Can anyone explain what he means by "comps at the BJ pit" please?

I'd assumed it meant Black Jack pit. In casino's they will give comps to the players to try keep them in their casinos rather than the player leaving to go somewhere else to eat and not returning.

Cedrus · 09-04-2012 12:51am

emanresu wrote: »

Can anyone explain what he means by "comps at the BJ pit" please?

Quazzie wrote: »

I'd assumed it meant Black Jack pit. In casino's they will give comps to the players to try keep them in their casinos rather than the player leaving to go somewhere else to eat and not returning.

I'm sooo glad to understand that, I couldn't quite get my head around the notion of anyone wanting his dad to go to the BJ pit.:o

ProudDUB · 09-04-2012 2:46am

But that begs the question of how much dough the dudes son had to drop at the blackjack tables to get 3 buffet comps in 5 minutes?

Casino's normally doll out the comp dine in goods to those who are dropping beaucoup bucks at the tables, and who are so crap at gambling that the longer they are there gambling, they increase the houses edge on getting as much money out of them as possible during their stay.

Dudes son must have been a VERY good black jack player to get 3 buffet comp in under 5 mins, without dropping at least $20 of his own at the outset.

Dammit, there is my inner stinge radar going off again. Bah !

e04bf0c8 · 09-04-2012 8:32am

Amazing thread guys. Good to see peoples stingy-ness creating some joy for once! But this thread has made me very conscious over the last few weeks to make sure I have got my round in, paid for the taxi home etc. Would be quite embarassing to read a post about myself here!! But here is my contribution:

I have a friend who recently won a pretty decent award for her achievements in work. As part of the award she was presented with a piece of jewellery. This jewellery wasn't exactly to my friends liking so she tracked down the jewellery store from where it came to try and exchange it for something that was more to her taste. The reason I found this stingy was because the shop had donated the piece as it was for quite a good cause. And it wasn't just a flimsey cheap piece either it was worth about 350.

Is it just me or does this seem kind of rude towards the shop? They did donate the piece after all at their own expense?

There is more to come however. My friend was saying the shop were pretty reluctant to do the exchange initially but eventually agreed to swap it out for something of similar value. So my friend choose a new piece that she liked and the shop said it would be ok.

But then came the piece de resistance!! The new piece was worth 330 and my firend had the cheek to ask for the price difference back!! My jaw literally hit the floor when she told me.

So just to be clear she was asking to be refunded the difference for a prize which had been donated!!!

My friend just could not see why this was so wrong and was actually pretty angry that the shop refused to refund the difference. Please tell me I am not the only one who finds this whole situation completly wrong!?

Mr. Loverman · 09-04-2012 9:13am

token101 wrote: »

My boss asked me for half my f***ing snack bar this morning. 'Oh I don't want to buy a full one'. Well I didn't want a f***ing half one.

Female boss who worries about her weight?

quickbeam · 09-04-2012 9:15am

^^ Exchanging for something more suitable isn't really stingey in my opinion. Asking for the €20 difference definitely was though.

coffee_cake · 09-04-2012 10:08am

e04bf0c8 wrote: »

My jaw literally hit the floor when she told me.

Were you born with that condition? I hope you saw a doctor after

padd b1975 · 09-04-2012 10:38am

emanresu wrote: »

Can anyone explain what he means by "comps at the BJ pit" please?

Ditto fanny pack?

*sniggers*

Brussels Sprout · 09-04-2012 10:57am

Somebody in the other thread went through and found all of the individual stories from Double Down about his father and linked them up in one place. Enjoy!

40-80 wrote: »

Really enjoyed Double Down's dad stories. For those who haven't read yet, here they are:

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showpost.php?p=24253825&postcount=2536

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showpost.php?p=24273118&postcount=2571

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showpost.php?p=24298885&postcount=2593

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showpost.php?p=24331319&postcount=2629

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showpost.php?p=24356966&postcount=2655

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showpost.php?p=24380882&postcount=2696

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showpost.php?p=24681246&postcount=2921 (posted a bit earlier. Best one)

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showpost.php?p=24870300&postcount=3017

e04bf0c8 · 09-04-2012 11:10am

quickbeam wrote: »

^^ Exchanging for something more suitable isn't really stingey in my opinion. Asking for the €20 difference definitely was though.

I agree with you here that asking for the exchange wasn't really stingy but probably more cheeky. its just that I personally wouldn't do it. I suffer from the Irish condition of "just be happy with what you get"!! It was just the refund thing that really took the biscuit and why I had to share.

sunflower27 · 09-04-2012 11:25am

Brussel Sprout - thanks for that... hundreds more pages of stingy stories from that site

We should pick our favourites on this site and theirs for a condesnsed mega thread

And then let people vote for stingiest story of all time

Laughed at this one on the other site:

my ex's mother finds overripe fruit at the store, takes it home and removes all the good parts, then drives back with the rotten parts and demands her money back. she cycles stores so she can do this on a regular basis.

gubbie · 09-04-2012 5:33pm

Dan133269 wrote: »

There was a sweet shop next to our school when we were children. The Viking News on Barrack Street in Waterford for anyone that remembers...

Some shops really take some crazy measures to get a small bit more of a 'profit'

Over 10 years ago, a shop near me used to sell those strawberry shoelaces sweets for 5p. Delicious they were and I used to buy 4 of them every Saturday. I arrived in one day to find that the stingy owners had decided to make more of a profit by halving them and selling them for the same price. You could tell they were because the shoelaces were all uneven lengths.

There is so little extra money that can be made from doing this. I just don't get it.

listenup · 09-04-2012 6:13pm

Memory Of 98 wrote: »

Once, on a train Journey from Dublin Heuston to Carlow, an elderly woman across from me asked for some tea off the travelling snack cart. But this was no ordinary tea I assure you. She paid for the cup of tea but asked for the tea bag to be left out, as she liked to apply it her own certain way. Before the stewardess could leave she called on her again claiming that her husband was partial to the odd half cup of hot water. The stewardess obliged and gave the husband the half cup of hot water. As soon as the stewardess was out of sight the old woman dipped the tea bag into her own paper cup for just a few seconds, followed by her husbands cup, making two cups of tea for the price of one.

I like her style !

listenup · 09-04-2012 6:17pm

Mollyd90 wrote: »

Went to college with a girl who had the stingest boyfriend I ever heard of.
If he went to collect her after college he would ask her parents to give him petrol money wouldnt mind but it was only from athy to carlow he was traveling. Also remember her telling me that they went out for a drink with friends one night and she didnt really want to go as she had no money but the b/f presuaded her to go. anyway they got to the pub and the b/f bought himself a drink and left her there with none. really dont know why she put up with him.

the last I heard they were engaged.... love to see what type of ring he bought her!

because she.s as miserable as him

minidazzler · 09-04-2012 6:19pm

gubbie wrote: »

Some shops really take some crazy measures to get a small bit more of a 'profit'

Over 10 years ago, a shop near me used to sell those strawberry shoelaces sweets for 5p. Delicious they were and I used to buy 4 of them every Saturday. I arrived in one day to find that the stingy owners had decided to make more of a profit by halving them and selling them for the same price. You could tell they were because the shoelaces were all uneven lengths.

There is so little extra money that can be made from doing this. I just don't get it.

They'd get double the money, which isn't really that little. But their profit is way over double because they are paying for 1 and selling it as 2.

grindle · 09-04-2012 6:20pm

gubbie wrote: »

\There is so little extra money that can be made from doing this. I just don't get it.

100% extra money! Probably pushed his shoelace profit margin to 190%.

Clever - but disgusting - bastard so he was.

[Edit: BTW, I know that 190% margins don't exist]

[Double-edit: Beaten by minidazzlerrrrr]

gubbie · 09-04-2012 6:33pm

minidazzler wrote: »

They'd get double the money, which isn't really that little. But their profit is way over double because they are paying for 1 and selling it as 2.

Thanks for explaining profit to me. I understood the concept behind it and what they were doing, even as an 8 year old. But who realistically are buying these? Kids. Kids with 20p in their pocket. These kids won't buy twice as much to get the same amount, they'll buy as much as 20p can get them and then moan about how the shop is essentially ripping them off and then just not go again (Luckily there was another near by). Yes they don't need to buy them as often, but in the long run they're not making that much more

It's the equivalent of making penny sweets 2p instead of 1p. People notice it on penny sweets but they wouldn't know it as much if a chocolate bar goes from 81p to 82p.

Victor · 09-04-2012 9:55pm

gubbie wrote: »

Some shops really take some crazy measures to get a small bit more of a 'profit'

Over 10 years ago, a shop near me used to sell those strawberry shoelaces sweets for 5p. Delicious they were and I used to buy 4 of them every Saturday. I arrived in one day to find that the stingy owners had decided to make more of a profit by halving them and selling them for the same price. You could tell they were because the shoelaces were all uneven lengths.

There is so little extra money that can be made from doing this. I just don't get it.

What's the betting that some mice got to them?

Omackeral · 10-04-2012 12:15am

I work in a prison (I wont say which one) and we have a guy in there who I'm convinced has kleptomania. Each day without fail he will 'acquire' goods which are for general maintenance in the jail i.e. Paint, cleaning products, timber etc. and will bag them and leave with them. Every day!

He also is a stinge pot in so far as he nicks prison issue foodstuffs for home constantly like salt satchets, bags of cornflakes and small cartons of milk like you would get in school. I reckon his kids have never seen a 2Litre bottle of cow juice in their lives and would freak out if they ever found themselves on the dairy aisle in Superquinn.

One day there was a major staff meeting called to explain new incoming security measures. This was concerning searches for visitors, teachers, delivery men and prison officers themselves entering the jail. We were informed that we would all under-go searches daily as to eliminate contraband coming in. Then we were asked if there were any questions. This guy, straight faced as ya like, genuinely asks ''Will we be searched on the way out?''

I kid you not.

mrsdewinter · 10-04-2012 12:30am

Victor wrote: »

What's the betting that some mice got to them?

Those bastard white mice, I'll bet...

psychward · 10-04-2012 12:49am

grindle wrote: »

100% extra money! Probably pushed his shoelace profit margin to 190%.

Clever - but disgusting - bastard so he was.

[Edit: BTW, I know that 190% margins don't exist]

[Double-edit: Beaten by minidazzlerrrrr]

I remember these gombeen shop owner penny pinching greasy till fumblers from my own childhood. Taking the free gift off of a comicbook and reselling it was a standard ploy. The reason given for the gift being missing was that ''it came all the way from England'' which never was a reasonable answer for anything.

One of these small shopkeepers would respond '' This is not a bank'' if we asked him for change for the amusement machine despite the fact we spent all our pocket money there on sweets. I guess these usually ancient gombeens were insecure in their small shops which they probably inherited as they didn't really have any skills apart from the highly developed art of being unpleasant. Now they've been mostly pushed out of the market by Londis/Spar/Centra etc

Nyan Cat · 10-04-2012 12:53am

'because its an English magazine' 'the free gifts are only available in England' you just reminded me of that stuff! I never understood why the gifts were supposedly only available there when I asked I was told it was a special treat for English readers and it'd cost too much to post them to Ireland.
Thieving swine.

ProudDUB · 10-04-2012 1:10am

e04bf0c8 wrote: »

I have a friend who recently won a pretty decent award for her achievements in work. As part of the award she was presented with a piece of jewellery. This jewellery wasn't exactly to my friends liking so she tracked down the jewellery store from where it came to try and exchange it for something that was more to her taste. The reason I found this stingy was because the shop had donated the piece as it was for quite a good cause. And it wasn't just a flimsey cheap piece either it was worth about 350.

I don't think that it is being stingy to try to replace a piece of ugly jewelry that you will never wear, with a piece that you like, that you will wear. But yeah, it can be seen as being rude if you don't go about it the right way. For example, approach whoever organized the gift donations in the first place and see if they are ok with it. Spin the jewelry store a yarn that you are allergic to metal X, so can you have something in Metal Y intead? You don't want to tread on the toes of someone who did all the work of getting the donations in the first place, or go about it in such a way that puts the jewelers off donating again in the future. Yes, trying to make financial hay if there is a price difference between the two items is 100% stinginess !

Back in his golf playing days, my dad used to win lots of big, clunky pieces of Waterford Crystal that my mother absolutely HATED. Someone at his club had a contact with china & glass dept at a major department store and got it for cost. Every time my dad would come home with the 8th or 9th whiskey decanter of the year, off she'd go into town and swap it for something that was more to her taste. Dad was ok with it. We didn't have the room to display all of his Waterford swag, even if we wanted to.

But when she began coming home with gift vouchers that could be spent anywhere in the store, he put his foot down. He thought she was taking things too far. She was pissed off at him coz she thought she scored a deal each time. Who went into the shop and swapped what for what made it back to the prize giving committee eventually, so he was the butt of jokes about being the son of a Cavan man, which he was.

My dad was a really good golfer. Neither one of them would back down, so if it got to the stage that if he was in the lead in a competition and a piece of Waterford went to the winner, he would intentionally flub his puts on the 18th, just so he WOULDN'T win it. Crazy !

superstoner90 · 10-04-2012 1:14am

This year for my birthday my aunt is getting me an easter and a happy burthday card. To cover her for both easter and my birthday ffs.

Merch · 10-04-2012 1:25am

superstoner90 wrote: »

This year for my birthday my aunt is getting me an easter and a happy burthday card. To cover her for both easter and my birthday ffs.

Sounds like she is onto them, cards are a total rip off, (although I feel obligated to get certain ones myself) even if she isn't stuck for a few quid, you should probably think yourself lucky she is thinking of you at all and sending you one, why do you need two cards for?? If your birthday coincides with easter?
Best card I ever got was one someone made for me, out of stuff they had at hand.

Why does someone even feel obligated to get a card at easter??

Stingiest thing you've seen stingy people do

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