How far would you go to be frugal?

My first mother in law used to wash every plastic bag that came in her house and reuse it. I wash some but not all. I also do not wash aluminum foil to reuse. I will scrunch it into a ball if I remember, and scrub the grill with it. I will also not dry and reuse paper towels, or wash plastic disposable plates. I do recycle plastic containers from meat and frozen dinners and use in art supplies, though.

What do you consider to be your most extreme frugal practice? Well with the way our economy is going, I can't think of being too frugal, LOL. But everything has to planed out to the detail anymore to be sure to cover all costs before we do it. To me that is extreme, but necessary if we don't want to be broke afterward. Where would you draw the line before you considered a practice to be too much or just plain being a tightwad or scrouge? If I have the funds and choose not to use them because I just like seeing that money set there, that's when I feel I'm going too far and have become a tightwad. For instance, I have the money to by a birthday gift for a friend, but I choose not to, so I can have more money. If I ever did that, that's the point where I think I would seek help, LOL.

I seen on the news last week about a woman that said she was diging threw the garabge to be "frugal" worst part was she was at a grocery store. She said that they some times throw away cans and other things that are "just" fine! I don't agree to me that is just GROSS! Canned or not GROSS! She was asked why she did it - her answer - She said yes but if I can get it for free - why not? I'm sorry but that is taking it to the EXTREAM!!! I'm not saying there is any thing wrong with picking up that really nice end table sitting in the garbage BUT food come on, it can't be THAT bad! And if it is there are food banks and Aldes! I guess I would have to say my cheapest thing I do is just what I said about the furniture. If I see some thing on the side of the road end table or shelf I'll pick it up - why not!?!?

long-ago I was a hard-core frugal fanatic. Every one of my bills was very low. Even my electric bill was only $27 a month (it normally runs 100). I had instituted a policy within my family that went something like this: "if it's brown flush it down. If it's yellow, leave it Mello. it drove my wife nuts. Not only that it stunk. Thankfully, I'm not nearly as hard core today

I had this converstaion with a friend recently. He seemed to think that if you are tight on money you should cut out everything that is a "luxury". He seems to think that because I am low on money I need to cut of my cable and internet, not go anywhere or do anything and live off top ramen. And I should consider getting rig of my dog and cat so I don't have to "waste" money on pet food. I thought this was ridiculous.

I reuse plastic bags and containers and even save melted candles to use it in my recycled projects. I also save boxes to use as card board whenever my siblings has project in school. Bottle cork and bottle crowns are also part of my recycling projects which I design into colorful circles and objects inside a recycled box.

well, i try to live frugally but try not to be too over... i don't think i have any extreme frugal practice... everything that i do to save money and cut the cost is ordinary things that other people are also doing... life is too short to live in that way... take care and have a nice day...

Both sets of my grandparents went through the great depression. My grandmother on my mother's side was 18 at the start of the great depression, black Tuesday, and it had a profound effect on her. She became a world class hoarder. She saved everything, paper towels, butter dishes, kleenex. She would stash stuff away in every nook and cranny. She went so far beyond frugal it was unbelievable. I am a very frugal person but not to that extreme.

I will not reuse a coffee filter! lol I don't know what is my extremest frugal practice. I do try to use things up before buying new. xoxoxoxoxo

I am not really good about those things, but my wife tries to be. I have seen her washing out and re-using plastic sandwich bags. She has also bought the really cheap toilet paper, which I thought was aweful, I told her to spend the extra quarter and get the good stuff.

I don't know that I could say I have any extreme frugal practices. I always know what I can spend and I stay within that limit. If we are running low on funds, the bills get paid, we eat and, if anything is left over, we may eat out or I may buy something I need or want. I don't buy lots of junk food and we do eat leftovers. I guess I learned from my Mother. They were married during the depression and they bartered lots back then. What they couldn't get they done without. And what they had they took care of. My Mother has always been very frugal. I may not be as frugal in some ways as she is, but I try my best to practice being frugal. I don't pay any attention to books, newsletters, or especially web sites that talk about the frugal lifestyle. I know some do take it to the extreme. Being too extreme would be having to do without my satellite or my computer/DSL. We have a telephone and DSL through them. And our satellite is the only way we can receive TV. Without it, we would only get two local channels, although there are about 6 or more. That's why we had to get satellite since we don't have cable in our area. I know it wouldn't kill me to do without either of those, but I don't want to have to do without. We may one day have to lower the amount of channels we get, but hopefully never have to completely cut it off.

In the last month or so I have not bought any meat other than burger or chicken leg quarters. They were the cheapest. A couple of days ago the family revolted!!! I cant blame them...I was having a hard time coming up with decent or new recipes. Last night we had pork chops, the family loves me again. lol I guess its good to splurge every once in a while.