27 of the sickest things you ever did to save money

**Dancing Lotus** · 07-15-2010, 04:49 PM

27 Of The Sickest Things You've Done To Save Money - The Consumerist

I thought some of these were pretty funny. Do you think you can beat them?

**Contrary Housewife** · 07-15-2010, 05:23 PM

There've been times in my life I was so broke I did a few of those things listed, not to "save" money but because I had no money. I should have thought to go work the grocery store instead of retail, like that one girl did.

I still occasionally have to sift bugs out of dry goods. Live in Asia for a while and you get over that real fast.

**frugrrl** · 07-15-2010, 05:57 PM

Most of those are pretty bad. I didn't think this one was bad enough to make the list:

15. Rice with cinnamon for breakfast, rice with soy sauce for lunch, rice with ketchup for dinner. If I was feeling very saucy (!) I would mix the soy sauce and ketchup.

I remember has a kid eating rice like that (not the mixed part though). Granted it wasn't all in the same day. In fact, I still like rice with cinnamon sometimes for breakfast.

**lisaflex** · 07-15-2010, 07:15 PM

omg. never been nearly that down and out, and while i understand it does and can happen to anyone, ...a shirt from the shed as toilet paper for a week? that is utterly disgusting....eeewwww

**druthb00** · 07-15-2010, 07:29 PM

Some of these are sad. A few are really not bad, like the rice....or rabbit even. My personal favorite is #5; the guy who could afford to go stay at a lodge on a snowboard trip...but made chili out of condiments? That's just...weird.

**sueh** · 07-15-2010, 07:33 PM

I can't top those but when I was younger I worked a local pizza place and my roommate and I used to make and extra pizza or something else because if it didn't sell within a certain time we were suppose to throw it out but we took it home for dinner.

**mauimagic** · 07-15-2010, 10:02 PM

cannot top any of those and am thankful for it!!

**frugalwarrior2** · 07-15-2010, 10:18 PM

Wow. Guess am not really frugal.
Oh mouse money! My dad worked downtown and moved counters as part of his job. There would be coins in the mouse nests. He would bring it home and put it in bleach to clean it. Every once in awhile we went out on a SAt. using mouse money!!

**AnW819** · 07-15-2010, 10:30 PM

I have done many of these, lol. I don't think I can top them though!

**sunshine** · 07-15-2010, 10:43 PM

Oh we've done LOTS of gross/icky things to survive. . .

1. Ate road kill (yep - rabbits, squirrels, racoons, possum, snakes)

2. reused water, over and over (had to haul water at $50 load) would bathe in it, then wash clothes in it, then wash the kitchen floor with it, then use it water the garden.

3. begged for dropped fruits in people's yards - cut around the buggy/spoiled parts and ate the rest.

You do what you got to do.

**mamamia** · 07-15-2010, 11:11 PM

Originally Posted by druthb00

Some of these are sad. A few are really not bad, like the rice....or rabbit even. My personal favorite is #5; the guy who could afford to go stay at a lodge on a snowboard trip...but made chili out of condiments? That's just...weird.

LOL! And how funny that I thought he was pretty creative! I also gave him a few extra points for trying to make it a "balanced" meal! Not too shabby for a guy, kwim?

Theresa

**pollypurebred39** · 07-15-2010, 11:56 PM

No, I can't beat them. But I do have a few things I did years ago when I was really struggling.

- My Sister and I used to call each other up and say, "what's in your pantry"? We'd then figure out how we could pull a meal together with the food we had. Reminded me of the stone soup story, how one family did not have enough on their own for a meal but when pulled together they made a pot of soup for the town.

-Didn't have the money for mittens for my toddler son and had no clue how to make any. I put socks over his hands.

-I used a pie plate with a pot holder for a frying pan.

-I had no money for decor so I used material scraps and junk my Dad had laying around to create art.

**Paws** · 07-16-2010, 12:59 AM

Originally Posted by pollypurebred39

-I used a pie plate with a pot holder for a frying pan.

I just have to tell you about my favorite biscuit pan...

an old pie pan.

((yes, I have more bake ware...some plain...some fancy...but I usually end up using that old aluminum pan...habits are hard to break I guess...))

**TheRootedNomad** · 07-16-2010, 08:00 AM

I actually thought some of the comments were grosser than the things listed in the actual article. Such as the guys that searched out the roaches, killed, saved, and then "marinaded them under a slice of hot pizza" while they ate the rest before complaining. Not only criminal IMO (this wasn't just hungry this was specific to free pizza and beer) but also just plain YUCK!

**Josephhgoins** · 07-16-2010, 09:26 AM

Thank you, I never realized how blessed of a life I live!

I have never been so poor that I had to do anything like these, but in efforts to pay off a bill early, get some money in the bank or save up for something I have been known to cut back really tightly IMO. I have never done anything on this list or anything like it though.

I now understand that I have never been really poor.

Thanks!