How to Be Supertight. Share your habits.

[Deactivated] on 15/11/2014 - 01:51
Last edited 20/11/2014 - 22:23

Hi ozbargainers

Ok let's face it, you are reading this thread because we share a common trait - we are tight and we love a bargain.

Very often I find myself not tight enough, I like to be supertight. Please share a few ideas from your daily life that you think is considered supertight that other ozbargainers and I may benefit from.
Let me start off with a few of my habits

  1. I always frequent my local library so I could charge my phone and laptop there instead of at home.
  2. I always ask for soup bones after purchasing at my butcher. And we feed our dogs with the bones after finish using the bones for our soup.
  3. I always ask for as many rainchecks as possible at the big
    supermarket if a half priced item is out of stock so I can get my half priced item throughout the year.
  4. When I know we are invited to a dinner or party
    we always skip the previous meal or meals to make the most out of it.
  5. Sometimes fly buys send us a voucher say spend $50 for 500 bonus points. Very often our purchases may not total that amount, we scan the voucher anyway because they reduce the bill by $0.01.
  6. After shopping at the mall we drive around the parking lot to check whether anyone left their gold coins in their shopping trolleys. We will return them to bays to retrieve the gold coins.
  7. We usually go to different churches because they sometimes give out food vouchers for new visitors.
General Discussion

Comments

  • Davo1111 on 15/11/2014 - 02:28

    1 and 5 are amazing, ahahaha

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/159448
    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/95702

    I use the greywater from the washing machine to occasionally pour on to the veranda, or even down the toilet. The soapy water does a great job cleaning.

    • tumsum on 15/11/2014 - 11:06
      +5

      How does no. 5 reduce the bill by 1 cent? The coupon adds 1 cent, and when the payment is finalised, it reduces that cent. Overall there is no gain?

  • Gnostikos on 15/11/2014 - 02:39
    +7

    When checking into a hotel or likewise accommodation, never, and I mean never accept the published room rate.

    Demand to see the duty manager and ask about stand-by specials or seasonal discounts. If none are offered discuss the possibility of an extra-early check-out time, often worth a 20% rate cut.

    Tell the manager you're willing to stay in a room without windows or share a suite with a family who have a bed to spare.

    Even if none of these options work out, by the time you're done haggling it'll be morning and you'll no longer require a room.

    Also, the lobbies of up-market hotels are often large and very luxurious. Provided you're discrete, change your hairstyle daily and sleep in a mostly upright position, it's possible to spend several nights there before staff notice and have you removed.

  • blitz on 15/11/2014 - 12:00
    +11

    After I bought my car, I wrapped it in cling wrap so I'll never need to wash it. Before I sell it, I'll rip off the gladwrap and hey presto a brand new car.

    • kiamsup on 16/11/2014 - 22:29

      I will start looking out for cling wrap cars from now on!!!

  • JSQUARED on 15/11/2014 - 12:07
    +1

    This thread here also has many tips
    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/69388

  • Ughhh on 15/11/2014 - 12:09
    +4

    Wow…

    For 6, you probably waste more money on petrol driving around than the money you find.

    For 4- so you're one of those types of people, it's so obvious at dinners, annoying.

    What you could do next is dumpster diving for bottles, 10c refund if you're in SA or do it for coke labels.

    Free food at food courts by eating the left overs from other people's meals.

    Not sure how easy it will be, as you'll be competing with bums.

  • grabngo on 15/11/2014 - 13:55
    +1

    my brother orders 1 cup of large tea at mcdonalds and ask them to leave the teabag in the cup.
    Then his wife goes immediately after him to get a spare cup with hot water ie to feed baby etc
    Wala…he got 2 cups of tea for the price of 1…

  • snappy1234 on 15/11/2014 - 16:36
    +1

    No.Just No.

  • marieviv on 15/11/2014 - 17:27
    +1

    Garage sales in high end suburbs

    Pair of gold earrings - $2 worth $40 at gold buyers shop
    BNWT brand name clothes, bags etc for less than $10 - all genuine
    BNWT gift items for birthday and christmas presents, in packaging - way below cost price

    Gumtree

    Genuine Coach bag, with tags, dust bag and receipt, $50 but originally bought for $180

    When shopping retail, check prices first online

  • scrimshaw on 15/11/2014 - 18:07

    Tightass Tip 1 (this is unethical)
    Keep a spare Subways drink cup in your car. Whenever you're feeling thirsty, bring the cup to a Subways and take this to the counter and ask for a free refill. You can do the same with any fast food branch that offers free refills.

    Tightass Tip 2
    Gelatissimo charges you like $5 for a single scoop of ice cream, and two scoops of Ice cream for $7. The more scoops you buy the more you save.
    If you are out with a friend and want to buy ice cream, buy a 2-scoop of ice cream to share and ask for an extra cup and spoon to split your ice cream.

    Tightass Tip 3
    If you've lost your iPhone charger, go to any fancy hotel in town and say that you've left your charger behind during your stay. They'll pull out a big box of chargers that other people have left behind. Score a free charger.

    Tightass Tip 4
    Hotel concierges are a good source of free information. Need a restaurant recommendation — need a booking — directions, promotional coupons, or even free gifts like hand towels, cold water, approach the concierge as a guest and they'll be happy to help you out.

    Tightass Tip 5
    See an item on Gumtree that you really, really want, but is the seller being idiot and pricing his stuff way too high? Make yourself several email accounts and continually low-ball the seller with ridiculous prices, then finally email him (with your real email) your 'realistic' price.

    Tightass Tip 6
    You can score a free Security Key card from Paypal if you've been a Paypal user for more than 3 years. Simply activate two factor authentication on your account, set your phone up to receive security key SMS's, then call Paypal and complain to them that their SMS services are very slow (this is actually a legit complaint). They will then tell you as a sign of courtesy they will send you a security card free of charge.

  • SaberX on 15/11/2014 - 21:58

    Wouldn't you waste more money driving around than gold coins you could find in shopping trolleys? Didn't think it was that lucrative but whatever works…

    The only opinion i have is that you shuld be super tight but not at others inconvenience e.g. the guy who orders only bread rather than an entree or main course at a meal/trip, you're entitled to your own thing but sometimes there are socially acceptable/awkward situations like that.. (yes real example used).

    That said I find pigging out at someone's dinner somewhat inconveniencing, if they have plenty and it'd go to waste sure… but if you're gobbling to make the most of it I can't say I'm very fond of the idea. It is true to the topic though… just abit on the immoral side if you ask me…

    Same for church food vouchers if someone who genuinely needs it more has gone without juice because you took 5, rather than 1 voucher. Just my goodie tooshoo side though…. Kudos for how you all can keep to being that tight.

  • retiredfeline on 16/11/2014 - 01:21
    +1

    Oh man you're obsessed, that's my gut feeling.

  • ihbh on 16/11/2014 - 09:52
    +1

    Why go to all that trouble - you might as well let someone else have the dogs and go to the park and pat them for free.

    The local church offers a variety of free herbs - we intend to ADD to the church's collection down the track as our garden grows.

  • [Deactivated] on 16/11/2014 - 22:21
    +3

    While I think this guy is trolling, there is an important point to raise here.
    Please don't feed your dogs bones after boiling them (using them for soup). They can become brittle and when chewed and swallowed perforate the intestine.

    • [Deactivated] on 18/11/2014 - 08:48

      You mean I should feed my neighbour 's crazy day and night barking dogs?

  • easternculture on 18/11/2014 - 06:03

    Keep browsing Ozbargain all day. F5 Key is your freind.

  • cloudy on 20/11/2014 - 11:31

    A serious habit I'm developing is looking for generic products I can use instead of branded products. For example, I find toilet paper branding to be the most useless, I wipe my butt, I don't care if it's Kleenex or quilton, so now I get some unknown brand from the reject shop.

    Also, toothpaste, Ive found the recipe for cleaning teeth is well known and all the new pastes that come out to be just marketing ( me thinks). So I just go with the cheapest, I tried woolies home brand, but also saw at my local reject, grey imported Colgate for just $1. So thats the cheapest per gram so I use that now.

    I think saving on everyday products will easily be ur biggest saving habit throughout ur life time.

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