I'll just have water

[bigtiller]

Most all of us have had financial rough times in the past. And probably do things by habit. So the question is;

What is a "poor people" habit you'll never stop doing, no mater how rich you get?

I just have water at a restaurant.
If I see a penny, I will pick it up off the ground.
And many more.

 

[Alan W.]

What you are calling a habit, some of us call a lifestyle.
Everything is paid off and can buy what we want. But by todays standards we are poor. Im quite ok with it.

 

[Oaktree]

Even though I'm reasonably comfortable financially in retirement, old frugalities die hard.
I'll do water in a restaurant, and (usually) pick up a penny. My mother used to say it's good luck if you pick up a penny and put it in your shoe. Dunno if it's true, but I'll do it anyway.

I'll also check the markdown section at the supermarket, likewise in the lumber section at HD/Lowes, plus ask for a discount if I see an item that's damaged but usable.

 

[Doofy]

Back in High School, we would throw coins in the urinal to see which teacher fished them out. We never realized how underpaid they really were.

 

[Runner]

• Stay out of debt
• Don't pay interest
• Live within my means (e.g., own modest house, even if you can afford better/bigger)
• Drive cheap cars that get good mileage and are reliable
• Use items until they are worn out (clothing, shoes, tools, appliances, etc.) I regularly wear clothes that are 20 or 30 years old (men's clothes don't really go out of style...). After my old running shoes are full of holes, I wear them to work in the yard until they come apart....
• Don't eat out
• Don't have an I phone
• Turn out lights when I'm not in the room
• Save scrap steel, lumber, wire, plastic, hose, nuts, bolts, nails, screws, containers, etc., for use in future projects
• Build things myself where it makes sense to do so
• Pick up things along the road and dumpster dive (I don't do this much any more, but recently did find a nice Estwing brick hammer and a pair of Chanelock long nose pliers) Still use a number of things that were picked up over the years....

This doesn't mean that I am poor, or that I won't spend money on things. I just like to decide what I really want to spend the cash on (good quality tools, TRACTORS, etc.) and where I can save a little. When I do buy stuff, I tend to invest in good quality stuff that I will keep for a long time.

If I had to, I could live REAL cheap.

 

[fidowanttobe]

Recycle. Whether it's worth money or not, I despise throwing it in the landfill.

 

[oldnslo]

My wife and I will frequently split a meal if at a restaurant and bring leftovers home for another meal or two. I have never liked wasting food yet am amazed at what people throw away.

 

[square1]

Go to the gas station that's a penny less a gallon

 

[tacticalturnip]

I have a really hard time throwing away anything my brain thinks could be conceivably useful, which makes being organized extremely difficult. It's helpful in some instances, but in many others, that stuff will never actually be used because I forget I've got it.

 

[Thomas]

When I was tadpole much wasn't wasted,over time it's still with in me.