Kids with frugal parents share their craziest experiences.

For tightfisted folks, every penny is precious, and being thrifty is how they live. Unlike those who enjoy spending on a lavish lifestyle, cheapskates, even if wealthy, always prioritize making every dollar matter.

You’ve probably met someone who’s really into saving money. These folks love finding great deals, reusing things, and more. Spending money isn’t just about buying for them; they find happiness in getting the best value from every purchase.

When they get something for free, it’s a reason to celebrate, whether it’s a free coffee, a small shampoo sample, or a promotional pen. If you haven’t encountered a super thrifty person, get ready, because kids of frugal parents shared some wild experiences from their homes. Here’s what they said.

Comments have been fixed for better grammar and understanding.

1. Dad’s Smart Move for a Free Soap Bar

u/[deleted]: When my dad moved into our house, he had a guy show him how a water filter works for free. The guy used a soap bar in the demo and left it behind.

Dad called at least four other companies for free demos just to keep the soap and never planned to get a water filter. He does stuff like this more as he gets older, but I just let him be.

2.Dad’s Paper Towel Obsession

u/TheCommonStew: My dad keeps a lot of paper towels. Even now, at 21, he wants me to ask before using them, afraid I might waste them. I once thought a roll was worth $100 because he worried so much about it.

He’s really thrifty and ends up spending more because he always buys the cheapest things that often break. Once, at his place, I spilled a gallon of milk, and my girlfriend used a whole roll to clean it up.

I felt a bit guilty, but the expression on my dad’s face when he found out we used a whole roll was unforgettable. I knew he wouldn’t scold us in front of my girlfriend, but he was clearly holding back his disappointment and frustration over the “wasted” roll.

u/notronbro: Oh man, dads can be something else. Mine really dislikes paying for electricity, so he hangs his clothes outside, even in freezing weather.

Whenever my sisters or I cleaned our rooms, he’d check our trash for anything valuable, like money or recyclables. Gas prices are his obsession, and once, I sat with him for half an hour as he drove around town looking for the cheapest gas.

When he wants to go downhill in his car, he puts it in neutral, opens the door, and pushes himself with his foot. Once at Burger King, I could only have chicken fries because a burger was “too expensive.”

4. The Return Policy Expert

u/halfadash6: My dad really made the most of Costco’s return policy. He returned an outdoor furniture set we had for around eight years. It was worn out from the weather, and a few pieces were broken. They accepted it, and he used the money to cover most of the cost for a new patio set from Costco. Incredible.

5. My Grandma’s Thrifty Ways

u/Acetylene: As a little kid, I spent summers at my grandparents’ place, and one of my jobs was setting the table each night. When we had guests for dinner, I had to use “the good napkins.”

Those were the ones without restaurant logos. We only went to restaurants when my grandmother thought she could get a good deal, and she had many ways to make that happen.

She used coupons, but that was basic. When she did something for someone, she’d make them take her to dinner as a “favor.” Her big purse often ended up filled with napkins and buffet leftovers.

She wouldn’t bother with restaurants that didn’t have a salad bar. Once, for her birthday dinner, my mother and I had to drive over an hour to a Sizzler she hadn’t been banned from.