50 People Are Sharing Examples Of Where Frugality Was Taken Too Far

In this day and age, being careful aboutmoneyis just downright good advice. Most people fall into the trap of overspending, splurging, and “retail therapy,” with disastrous results for their savings. But some costs are still worth paying, as some folk’sexperiencesshow.

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There Was A “Cat Tree” On AliExpress For Super Cheap. I Figured “How Bad Could It Be, Really? I Can’t Stop Laughing

My Frames Broke, So I Forced My Lenses Into Some Cheap Sunglasses Frames. I Look Ridiculous, But I Can See At Work

To Be Fair My Wife Did Think This Paddling Pool Was Suspiciously Cheap

Given thatmoneyhas been around for a pretty long time, it’s not exactly surprising that some folks get a bit obsessed with the idea of being frugal. From people way too into coupons, to a nearly pathological desire to utilize every sale, it’s easy to notice when someone overvalues money and absolutely undervalues their own time.This is perhaps why the saying “penny-wise and pound-foolish” has been around sincethe 16th century. For non-UK readers, the pound being referenced here is money, not a unit of weight. The idea is not hard to grasp. Some people are so obsessed with saving a little, one way or another, that they end up making, as seen here, costly mistakes.

This is perhaps why the saying “penny-wise and pound-foolish” has been around sincethe 16th century. For non-UK readers, the pound being referenced here is money, not a unit of weight. The idea is not hard to grasp. Some people are so obsessed with saving a little, one way or another, that they end up making, as seen here, costly mistakes.

Buying Cheap Educational Toys Is A Bad Idea

I hope my friend doesn’t have any urgent needs tonight.

Booked A Cheap Hotel In Lisbon With A Friend. The Pictures On The Booking Website Never Showed The Toilet And The Bed In The Same Picture

I Was Too Cheap To Pay For A Sea View Room At My Hotel In Brighton… Ended Up Getting A Gull View Instead

It’s not that it’s bad to befrugal. Like in all things, balance is key. For example, some might be familiar with the “boots” theory of economic inequality. This comes from Terry Pratchett’s 1993 novel Men at Arms, where a key characterargues that“A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that’d still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while a poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.”

Grow Your Own Vegetables, They Said. Save Money, They Said

That’s What I Get For Buying Cheap Knives

My Wife Suggested Buying A $99 Dresser, But I Said I Could Build One Cheaper. 2 Years And Several Hundred Dollars Later

Interestingly, this theory holds water even in the real world. For example, many companies offer payment plans, with interest on certain items, for example, children’s boots. Researchers looked atone instance, kid’s boots from Fingerhut that cost $25 on the spot or $37 with a payment plan. Poorer people tend to opt for the payment plan as they might not have the cash they need on hand.

Sister: “I’ll Save So Much Money If I Cut The Dogs Hair Myself”. She Is No Longer Allowed Near The Dog

Bought A $20 Smartwatch From Wish. I Guess, I Deserve This For Being Cheap

I Thought I Was Being Frugal By Buying A Steak From The Dollar Store

My Dad Never Wanted To Spend The Money On A New Toy After My Woody Doll Broke As A Young Child. I Present This Cursed Creation That I Spent An Unholy Amount Of Time With

I Guess That’s What I Get For Buying Pooreos

I Installed My Own Microwave Today And Saved $150 In Install Fees

But, alongside the literal costs, there are negative side effects of being too frugal. Case in point, while some might call themselves frugal, others will use a word with a more pejorative connotation, the infamous “cheap.” This is largely a difference in opinion, but one has to admit that it’s possible to be so obsessed with saving every last penny that you end updestroying friendships.

Purchased A New Bed With A Free Adjustable Frame. I Didn’t Know It Came With Bed Bugs. Thanks, Mattress Firm

Ever Thought About Hiring A Cheap Barber From Craigslist? Think Again

I Guess These Are The Cheap Seats

There is an important balance to strike. Sometimes you need an expert. After all, you wouldn’t ask your random friend to perform even “routine” surgery on you, unless they were literally a surgeon. So why would you assume you could perform repairs on a variety of household items? To be fair, there is a growing movement to allow people torepair thingsthemselves, but this doesn’t actually mean it will be cheaper.

My (Frugal) Friend’s Old Glasses At The Eye Doctor. Yes, That’s A Twig

Why Spend Money On A Hands-Free Set When You Can Do This

Frugal Engineering

Of course, for some, “not paying for it” isn’t just a practical consideration, it’s a way of life. But there is a fine line between actually being handy and thinking “How hard can it be?” That line tends to be crooked and surrounded with poorly hammered holes. Unfortunately, that incredible feeling of a good deal can be so intoxicating that, in the search for more, you end up overlooking massive flaws.

My Boyfriend’s Mom Decided To Save Some Money And Trim The Dog’s Hair Herself… He Is A Pomeranian

Me And My Business Partner Decided To Share A Hotel Room In Order To Save Some Money. We Weren’t Expecting This

Bought 10 Mg Gummies Since I Was Taking Two 5 Mg Each Night And Thought I’d Save Some Money. Turns Out The 10 Mg Container Is Still Just 5 Mg Gummies And They Tell You To Take Two

At the same time, people arepossessiveover money. After all, it can sometimes take our literal blood, sweat, and tears to get it, so spending it without a “good” reason can seem unthinkable. This ends up leading to a person undervaluing the risks. The results of this sort of thinking are littered across this article for all to see.

When I asked him about it he said that they had the type I asked for in stock, but he got this one because it’s cheaper. He kept the change.

I Gave My Roommate Money To Get A Very Specific Brand Of Toilet Paper When He Went To The Store (It’s Triple Ply And Durable), And He Brought Back This

My Cheap Tape Measure Is Missing The 40-Inch Marker

Struggling To Make Ends Meet But Decided A Camping Trip Would Be Cheap Fun. The Oak Tree Had Different Plans

My Company Found Cheaper Gloves. These Came Out Of The Same Box

I Have Officially Learned My Lesson About Buying Cheap Furniture From Amazon. Have Had All Those Plants/Pots For Years

Rhode Island Is Removing Trash Cans From Public Parks And Beaches To Save Money. No Way This Could Go Wrong

Why Spend Good Money On A New Bike When You Can Recycle?

Never Broke A Phone In My Life. First Day I Get My New One With No Insurance, I Drop It From A Height Of 4 Feet And This Happens

Fierce Storms In Sydney Today. Countless Brave, But Cheap Little Umbrellas Fought The Wind, And Rain. And Lost

When The Boss At Your Dive Bar Is Too Cheap To Get The Ceiling Leak Fixed

Lesson Of The Day: Don’t Buy Cheap Stuff On eBay From China

I Bought A Cheap Newton’s Cradle, And This Is What I Got

Good Reminder Not To Buy Things Too Cheap

This $4 Swan Pool Float From The Dollar Store

Bought Some Coasters From Amazon. Before You Make Fun Of Me, I Am Admittedly Young And Naive. This Was Me Trying To Save Money On My First Apartment

I’m Broke, But On A First Date… I Think It Went Okay. She Hasn’t Texted Me Back In A Week, She’s Probably Busy

Stayed At A Cheap Hotel This Weekend. Wasn’t Quite Prepared For This Level Of Sketch

Happy Neh Year! From The Discount Store

At Least He Saved Money, Right?

My Landlord Cheaped Out And Hired A Friend To Rebuild Our Back Fence. I Don’t Think This Is His Area Of The Expertise

Spent The Last Of My Money On Some Cheap Eats, And My Hot Pockets Were Empty

This Is What I Get For Buying Cheap Bacon

Quality Pallet - 1, Cheap Hammer - 0

Got this puzzle at a thrift store because I’ve always wanted a puzzle of the earth. Took me six months to finish it because of work and life getting in the way. When I finally finished it I found out that I was missing a piece. Went to the manufacturer’s website and it says they can’t give you replacement pieces.

Got A Puzzle At A Thrift Store

I Used Some Cheap Clippers That Gave Out 1/3 Of The Way Through Shaving My Head

He Bought The Wrong Size Because It Was Cheaper

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Decided To Save A Little Money On A Hotel Room. Here Is My $35 A Night View

Turns out manufacturers have put some sand wrapped in plastic in there for weight compensation (essentially the microphone is these 3 tiny wires)

So A Couple Of Days Ago I’ve Noticed That Sand Was Pouring Out Of My Microphone (A Cheap One As You Can Tell)

Two May 4ths? That’s What I Get For Buying The Cheapest Product

This Is What Happens When You Wanna Cheap Out On Your Floors, Then I Get Paid To Remove It And Do It The Right Way

My Grandmother Asked Me To Borrow My Kitten. To Save Money, Grandma Took Her To A Non-Profit And Got Her Spayed As A Feral/Stray Cat, Without Telling Me. They Docked Her Ear