8 Ways To Be An Extreme Cheapskate

One of my guilty pleasures is watching the show Extreme Cheapskates. I know that everything on the show isn’t real (quite a bit of it is fake from what I’ve heard), but I’m sure some people do go to crazy measures in order to save some money.

I’m not making fun of anyone who is an extreme cheapskate because I know I probably do some ridiculous things that people laugh at as well, but what is life if you don’t make fun of yourself occasionally?

On a side note: I do think that some circumstances can occasionally mean that being cheap is actually stealing, which I talked about in the post Frugality And Ethics – Are You Being Cheap, Frugal, or Stealing?

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Here are 8 ways to be an extreme cheapskate. If you are looking for extreme cheapskate tips, then here you go!

8 extreme cheapskates tips

1. Dumpster dive for free food.

I don’t know if this really needs any explaining, but dumpster diving is when you go around to various dumpsters (homes and stores), and dig around until you find yourself a treasure.

A few people on the show have made full meals for their guests all from dumpster food.

I know that some people dumpster dive and that you might be able to find some good things. However, dumpster diving isn’t for me.

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2. Dig through trash cans to find free refill cups and bags.

There was one episode where a husband took his wife to the movie theater. He then dug through the trash at the theater in order to find a cup and bag of popcorn so that he could get free refills while they were there. I think he cleaned both items, but this was too much for me.

We usually just skip the popcorn and drink when we go. I think it’s crazy that it often costs $20 just for those two things! However, I won’t eat with someone else’s garbage in order to save some money.

3. Go to the bathroom in a jar or bottle instead of using the toilet.

There was one episode where the woman had a working toilet, but wanted to save water. In order to save water, she had a jar next to her toilet that she would use the bathroom in.

There was another episode where a guy only flushed his toilet once a week. It didn’t matter what happened in his bathroom, he waited ONE ENTIRE week to flush it.

OH MY!

4. Take extra condiments from restaurants.

I have seen this several times. This is when a person takes things like ketchup and mustard packets from stores and uses them to squirt into their own bottles at home.

I think this sounds like a lot of time wasted, and it really crosses the theft line as I have heard of people taking hundreds of extras in order to have enough for themselves.

I don’t think we have any ketchup or mustard in our home since we never use any, so this is something I don’t really understand. However, if there is an extra buffalo sauce in the bag after I have fast food, I tend to just throw it in my fridge. However, I will not go out of my way to take it.

5. Bring your own food to a restaurant.

In one episode, someone brought their own food for the restaurant to cook for them. It wasn’t anything crazy as it was just white rice, but she did ask the waiter to heat it up for her.

While this sounds crazy, I have actually seen something similar to this happen in person.

6. Eat leftover food when at a restaurant.

This one kind of makes me sick. This is where a cheapskate will eat what is left on a stranger’s plate. They will wait until you are done and then will ask for whatever is left.

Just eat at home!

7. Eat roadkill. 

I know that all food comes from somewhere, but driving around trying to find a dead animal just seems a little extreme to me. One family did use almost every single part of the dead animal they found though.

They ate the animal and I believe the mom made keychains for their guests as well.

8. Wear dead people’s clothing.

One woman on the show would often read obituaries in search of dead people who might have clothing that she liked. She would offer to clean the person’s home in exchange for some of their clothing.

This just seems crazy to me.

How to become an extreme cheapskate- summary

As you have learned from reading the above, there are many ways to become an extreme cheapskate.

From finding alternatives to toilet paper, reusing bathwater, cutting down on laundry, stretching your water bill, and lowering your entertainment spending, you can save some money.

Would you do any of the above and become an extreme cheapskate? Why or why not? What’s the cheapest thing you do?

If you are new to my blog, I am all about finding ways to make and save more money. Here are some of my favorite sites and products that may help you out:

• Start a blog. Blogging is how I make a living and just a few years ago I never thought it would be possible. I earn over $70,000 a month online through my blog and you can read more about this in my monthly online income reports. You can create your own blog here with my easy-to-use tutorial. You can start your blog for as low as $2.95 per month plus you get a free domain if you sign-up through my tutorial. Also, I have a Free How To Start a Blog Course that I highly recommend as well.
• Cut your TV bill. Cut your cable, satellite, etc. Even go as far to go without Netflix or Hulu as well. Buy a digital antenna (this is the one we have) and enjoy free TV for life.
• Lower your cell phone bill. Instead of paying the $150 or more that you spend on your cell phone bill, there are companies out there like Republic Wireless that offer cell phone service starting at $10. YES, I SAID $10! If you use my Republic Wireless affiliate link, you can change your life and start saving thousands of dollars a year on your cell phone service. I created a full review on Republic Wireless as well if you are interested in hearing more. I’ve been using them for over a year and they are great.
• Save money on food. I recently joined $5 Meal Plan in order to help me eat at home more and cut my food spending. It’s only $5 a month (the first two weeks are free too) and you get meal plans sent straight to you along with the exact shopping list you need in order to create the meals. Each meal costs around $2 per person or less. This allows you to save time because you won’t have to meal plan anymore, and it will save you money as well!
• I highly recommend Credible for student loan refinancing. You can lower the interest rate on your student loans significantly by using Credible which may help you shave thousands off your student loan bill over time.
• Answer surveys. Survey companies I recommend include American Consumer Opinion, Survey Junkie, Pinecone Research, Opinion Outpost, Prize Rebel, and Harris Poll Online. They’re free to join and free to use! You get paid to answer surveys and to test products. It’s best to sign up for as many as you can as that way you can receive the most surveys and make the most money.
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• Try InboxDollars. InboxDollars is an online rewards website I recommend. You can earn cash by taking surveys, playing games, shopping online, searching the web, redeeming grocery coupons, and more. Also, by signing up through my link, you will receive $5.00 for free just for signing up!