What's the stupidest (or smartest thing) you've done to save a few bucks

Dasfinc

Ready for the EVlution
Sep 28, 2007
20,919
1,321
Wheaton, IL
And I don't mean switching to Gecio, I mean just in a day to day "I'm not gonna pay $X for that when I can build it myself out of chewing gum and twine"

I've done some pretty stupid things to save a few bucks here and there; but I found this one especially amusing and was curious what others have done like this.

I slapped a trash sticker on a pair of hollow core closet doors last week, and my cities new trash carrier gave me a note saying it's 5 stickers (at like $3.25 each, PER door, so ~$15 each to dispose of them).

My Sawzall, an empty 32 gallon trash can, and myself had other ideas, and now they are both gone for only $3.25 of that first sticker.

What all has everyone else done to save a few bucks that in hindsight was especially stupid/petty(or smart).
 

Bob Kazamakis

I’m the f-ing lizard king
TCG Premium
Oct 24, 2007
85,194
44,838
Denver
Real Name
JK
I once saved $200 by buying a 5 pack of sawsall blades and completely disposing of a truck......

5ed3ebf49a9a2decad0c1843432c24d1.jpg
8634d598375f3bab805a4b2f638287d1.jpg
8f160dda573b7d90647ca91d025b3e6e.jpg
 

Chester Copperpot

Unvaxxed Untermensch
TCG Premium
May 7, 2010
39,411
40,181
Blanco el Norte
And I don't mean switching to Gecio, I mean just in a day to day "I'm not gonna pay $X for that when I can build it myself out of chewing gum and twine"

I've done some pretty stupid things to save a few bucks here and there; but I found this one especially amusing and was curious what others have done like this.

I slapped a trash sticker on a pair of hollow core closet doors last week, and my cities new trash carrier gave me a note saying it's 5 stickers (at like $3.25 each, PER door, so ~$15 each to dispose of them).

My Sawzall, an empty 32 gallon trash can, and myself had other ideas, and now they are both gone for only $3.25 of that first sticker.

What all has everyone else done to save a few bucks that in hindsight was especially stupid/petty(or smart).

I wouldn't say that's "stupid" but more so circumventing some arbitrary bullshit regulation/rule. Big item? money please. Tons of little items? No problem!
 

Mr_Roboto

Doing the jobs nobody wants to
TCG Premium
Feb 4, 2012
25,676
30,571
Nashotah, Wisconsin (AKA not Illinois)
Built my down stairs work bench using 2X4s and table tops I dumpster dived from the local Burrito Loco renovation. Cost me $35, can't imagine buying it premade plus I have some charming cacti on my work bench.

Also, in terms of cars doing brakes is the easiest way to save $$$$. You can typically get all the tools+parts and break even on doing it. After that is pure gravy. It's a shame you cant get lifetime warranteed parts any more hardly. I did 3 brake changes on my Civic for the price of one set of pads and rotors.
 

Yaj Yak

Gladys
TCG Premium
May 24, 2007
122,223
87,869
Niche score of 2,363
Garbage here isn't cheap by any means but those stickers sound like a real pain in the ass.....

it's super legit for me, or someone without a lot of garbage.

the container would cost:

35 Gallon Container: $22.79/mo.
Holds approximately three 13 gallon trash bags. Service includes a recycle toter

or

95 Gallon Container: $24.79/mo.
Holds approximately seven 13 gallon trash bags. Service includes a recycle toter


or a sticker is $3.50 for a 36 gallon trash can

which i maybe fill up once every two to three weeks...

$3.50-$7 a month vs $23 or 25
 

nytebyte

Not Politically Correct
Mar 2, 2004
13,627
20,958
Wanted to buy a nice workbench, but they were too expensive for what I wanted.

So, I grabbed an old bathroom vanity, ripped off the sink and slapped a big piece of particle board on top. BAM! Instant workbench!

Granted it looks ghetto, but it works and I can store stuff in the cabinets below. All for FREE!
 

boostedguy05

not well known
TCG Premium
Dec 18, 2010
34,180
25,511
DAMN, we pay like $50 for 3 months or something like that. and as long as we call they will do 1 LARGE item for free. not sure how often you can do that, every week or every month.


i had an old tube tv i busted up and put in the trach can, well because i wasnt holding onto it till an e-waste day came around and good will wont even take them.
 

CMNTMXR57

GM, Holden & Chrysler Mini-Van nut swinger
Sep 12, 2008
26,169
31,303
Elgin
That garbage is a PERFECT example...

Years back in WeGo, I asked the guy how far I could push it, and he said, if it can fit in the bins, I don't care.

Fast forward a few years, you need 12 stickers for a mattress, yada, yada. One weekend I stuffed an old dehumidifier in the can. Next day, driver had taken it out and placed an orage sticker of death on it saying that I needed 5 stickers to dispose of it.

So the next week I stuffed it (the dehumidifier), in a regular old box and put it right back in the can and he was none the wiser, and it was gone when I stopped by later that night. :D

Early this spring they had a "spring cleaning" event, where 12 stickers was unlimited trash. I had only intended to put a few things out. 3 hours later and a significant portion of the basement and attic later I had the entire driveway filled with crap.
 
Old Thread: Hello . There have been no replies in this thread for 90 days.
Content in this thread may no longer be relevant. Consider starting a new thread to get fresh replies.

Thread Info