Cheapskates Often Pay More

[kskboys]

Seen this happen so many times, where the cheapskate tries to save every little nickel and it costs them.

Last week, a customer of mine had me cut up some cattle panels and tie them together to protect his fledgling trees from his sheep. Note CATTLE PANELS.

I had told him to get horse panels, or at least the 4 by 4 panels. Nope, he proclaimed these were cheaper.

OOOOOOOKKKKKKKKK. Got them connected and up. The sheep stuck their heads through the fence and massacred his trees!!!!!!!!!

Sooo, now he's paying me to attach welded wire to each tree surround. And that stuff costs 50 bucks/roll.

Why don't cheap people learn? And I'm not referring to people who are frugal. Huge difference between being cheap and being frugal.

 

[Runwildboys]

It's smart to try to save money if you can, but when the professional tells you it's a bad idea, maybe give it a second thought?

 

[Sarek]

Seen this happen so many times, where the cheapskate tries to save every little nickel and it costs them.

Last week, a customer of mine had me cut up some cattle panels and tie them together to protect his fledgling trees from his sheep. Note CATTLE PANELS.

I had told him to get horse panels, or at least the 4 by 4 panels. Nope, he proclaimed these were cheaper.

OOOOOOOKKKKKKKKK. Got them connected and up. The sheep stuck their heads through the fence and massacred his trees!!!!!!!!!

Sooo, now he's paying me to attach welded wire to each tree surround. And that stuff costs 50 bucks/roll.

Why don't cheap people learn? And I'm not referring to people who are frugal. Huge difference between being cheap and being frugal.

I recently had to buy a new dryer. I'm not sure what is considered expensive for new dryers but i seen quite a few listed for $600 to $800. I got one for about $950, after tax and extended warranty my total was about $1,125. I do wash clothes daily though because of exercising so i needed something stable/effecient.

There are some items i do buy on the cheaper side, like off the rack suits/lapel pins/french cuffs, if i was rich i would get the good stuff though . Out of about 15 suits i only have like 3 that cost a pretty penny. What's funny is i never buy cheap dress shirts or dress shoes, go fiqure.

 

[Runwildboys]

I recently had to buy a new dryer. I'm not sure what is considered expensive for new dryers but i seen quite a few listed for $600 to $800. I got one for about $950, after tax and extended warranty my total was about $1,125. I do wash clothes daily though because of exercising so i needed something stable/effecient.

There are some items i do buy on the cheaper side, like off the rack suits/lapel pins/french cuffs, if i was rich i would get the good stuff though . Out of about 15 suits i only have like 3 that cost a pretty penny. What's funny is i never buy cheap dress shirts or dress shoes, go fiqure.

I buy all my major appliances from the Sears Outlet store. Scratch and dents where you don't see them, and at least a couple hundred dollars cheaper.

 

[Sarek]

Something else i do which i shouldn't because i really can't afford it is flying international premium economy or first class if the price is right, which i usually find cause i hawk the prices everyday for months before i book. I can't stand being crammed in coach. Flying long distance in those tiny seats is a crime aganist humanity unless your a small person. Piece of advice if you never flew 1st class before, well don't, once you do it you can never go back.

 

[kskboys]

Had a customer last year who was selling her land, 40-50 acres, so she wanted to get it cleaned up first. She got two bids, one for $36,000 and the other for $11,000.

I begged her not to take the cheap bid. Tried hard to talk her out of it, but she wouldn't listen.

Talk about a clusterfudge. Crapp everywhere, trees slaughtered, oak trees cut on w/o treating, just a mess. She then hired another cheap crew to clean up, paid them around $20,000. Yet another clusterfudge. Finally hired a professional bulldozer crew to finish it up for another $15,000 or so. Also paid me around $6,000 for parts of the job.

This isn't the first time she'd done crapp like this. I've been mowing her lawn since 2011, and I've seen her get screwed over and over and over through the years. Just cannot accept that really cheap prices are never good.

Lesson: Get several bids, and NEVER take the lowest bid. You might get a good deal doing that 1 out of a 100. Or less.

 

[Sarek]

Had a customer last year who was selling her land, 40-50 acres, so she wanted to get it cleaned up first. She got two bids, one for $36,000 and the other for $11,000.

I begged her not to take the cheap bid. Tried hard to talk her out of it, but she wouldn't listen.

Talk about a clusterfudge. Crapp everywhere, trees slaughtered, oak trees cut on w/o treating, just a mess. She then hired another cheap crew to clean up, paid them around $20,000. Yet another clusterfudge. Finally hired a professional bulldozer crew to finish it up for another $15,000 or so. Also paid me around $6,000 for parts of the job.

This isn't the first time she'd done crapp like this. I've been mowing her lawn since 2011, and I've seen her get screwed over and over and over through the years. Just cannot accept that really cheap prices are never good.

Lesson: Get several bids, and NEVER take the lowest bid. You might get a good deal doing that 1 out of a 100. Or less.

I hear similar stories about people who hire a cheap builder for new custom homes and the house ends up with many problems.

 

[kskboys]

I hear similar stories about people who hire a cheap builder for new custom homes and the house ends up with many problems.

Yup, heard tons of those.

Years ago I had a carpenter crew I'd sub out to. Did a bid to build this guy a smaller BNB. I don't remember the exact price, so let's just say it was $85,000. A crew from Austin Texas came in and bid it at $45,000!!!! Amazing, and the guy took the bid.

Let's just say he ended up paying my guys thousands to fix it!!!!

The roof, from end to end was swayed badly, and there was also about an 18 in drop from end to end. They used beaded wall board on the floor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Had to replace just about everything!!!

 

[Tabascocat]

I wish that I was cheap or frugal, but no........I spend it like the $$$ grows on tress. I always have no matter if the money was there or not

 

[CouchCoach]

Penny smart and pound foolish.

However, I have also made the mistake of gauging value based on cost. And I continue to do that. I will look at the higher cost item and try to figure out why it costs more and is it worth it? I am also the easiest sale I'll ever make.

Part of that came with being in the business I was in for so long, radio. Everyone wants a deal and to negotiate and with so many stations and many ignorant buyers, it was a constant battle. I had to become a tough negotiator to protect the product but I hated that part of the job. That crossed over into my personal buying.

I never, ever, negotiate for a lower price, not with a car or my boat. I told them up front that I will not play that and just give me their best offer and I will decide on that alone and I will either do business or walk. And I stick to that.

The boat salesman was pretty young and this threw him for a loop as he was used to the game, start high, I go low and we meet in the middle. Especially dealing with men who fashion themselves as the best deal getters. I've heard so many brag how they "got over on some sales schnook". I do not have that gene my Dad had that he had to get the best deal, it was a pride thing. So, this young man goes to the owner and they talk for about 5 minutes, glancing in my direction often and they see I am just sitting there, I am not even looking at the boat I want. And I do want it, I've already visually put myself at the wheel as I navigate the waterway.

He comes back and has the offer on the sheet of paper and I look at it and say "OK, get her ready" and I could see "really?" all over his face. I've gotten to know him pretty well as he'll come out to talk whenever I get a launch and I've given him some sales tips that he says have worked really well for him. My name is partially correct as I was a Coach for my folks when I worked and that was the part of my job I loved, watching young people learn about themselves and what they're capable of was very rewarding. And the best lesson I ever taught them was not to negotiate, once you start, you never stop.

 

[Londonboy]

It's smart to try to save money if you can, but when the professional tells you it's a bad idea, maybe give it a second thought?

Yup, when that expert is KSK and the subject is controlling sheep, You know it's advice You can trust.

 

[Runwildboys]

Yup, when that expert is KSK and the subject is controlling sheep, You know it's advice You can trust.

He's like the Pied Piper, except he makes them play the flute.

 

[jsb357]

Why don't cheap people learn?

Did you give this person a sign?

 

[kskboys]

Yup, when that expert is KSK and the subject is controlling sheep, You know it's advice You can trust.

Tall boots. Dark. Bring chloroform. That is all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[kskboys]

Did you give this person a sign?

He's now wanting me to wrap old fencing around the cattle panels!!! Asked me to try to keep the labor costs down!!!!

Funny crapp, and all because he went cheap to begin w/!!!

 

[StarMan2112]

Sometimes the cheapest way out is the most expensive way in.

 

[Big_D]

A friend of mine is super cheap. Just doesn't make sense. He builds everything himself, built his pool, new kitchen, half done sheds, the deck, an extension on the house etc etc. Everything's crooked, nothing is done correctly or finished. Plus he never got permits and someone ratted him out so now he's getting fined on top of it. Now he has to move his pool 6 feet off the property line and the addition needs to come down. It's a mess that could've all been avoided if he paid a professional and did it correctly the first time. And I still don't think he learned a lesson at this point?

 

[65fastback2plus2]

Seen this happen so many times, where the cheapskate tries to save every little nickel and it costs them.

Last week, a customer of mine had me cut up some cattle panels and tie them together to protect his fledgling trees from his sheep. Note CATTLE PANELS.

I had told him to get horse panels, or at least the 4 by 4 panels. Nope, he proclaimed these were cheaper.

OOOOOOOKKKKKKKKK. Got them connected and up. The sheep stuck their heads through the fence and massacred his trees!!!!!!!!!

Sooo, now he's paying me to attach welded wire to each tree surround. And that stuff costs 50 bucks/roll.

Why don't cheap people learn? And I'm not referring to people who are frugal. Huge difference between being cheap and being frugal.

its not always just trying to be cheap, but being frugal is how millionaires and billionaires got there.

The issue is not having the experience to know how and when to be frugal.

 

[kskboys]

its not always just trying to be cheap, but being frugal is how millionaires and billionaires got there.

The issue is not having the experience to know how and when to be frugal.

Ummmmm....don't really agree. Aside from a few exceptions, most mil/billionaires got there by wise investments, money management, building up a busines or three, stuff like that. Often they are frugal due to the extreme high value the put in having a lot of money. They value it highly.

 

[CouchCoach]

My Dad loved value but I do think he was cheap on some things. He would wait for sales on his booze and buy 1.5L of off brand liquor but he was a mixer so I guess it doesn't matter that much; however, he never stopped busting my balls about my "extravagances" when he could get his shots in. He was a bit of enigma, he bought 2 Mercedes and top end Lexus and had a Rolex with all the diamonds but if my Mom didn't buy his clothes, he'd have bought the cheapest stuff he could find.

The lesson of perceived value turned the tables on him one Christmas Eve when I was on the patio smoking an Opus X cigar that I'd reserved for this special occasion. He came out to join me and I offered him a stogie and he declined. I had poured him a glass of The Balvenie 15 and he added sprite to it, if that gives you some idea of his tastes. So, as we're sitting there I know it's coming, he's dying to ask me how much I paid for the cigar. He already asked me what made the scotch special and when we got to the price, his silence screamed in my head.

So, a moment of silence before he pops the question. "So, how much did that cigar set you back"? Not how much is it, how much did it set you back? I felt like saying "it's pricey but the kids don't need to eat this week, they've had all that Christmas stuff". But I just answered 50 bucks but it's a special occasion. I should have just said "hey, found those documents you keep with your guns and I know I was adopted". The look of incredulity on his face was priceless, wish I'd said $100. "For one??? I paid that for a box back when I smoked cigars".

OK, I'd been waiting for this, I came prepared and had worked up an analogous situation to make the point. This was especially important to me as I was a golf orphan where my Dad was concerned and it's been a problem all of my life, even today. "How much do you pay for one round of golf at all of these fancy schmancy golf courses you and Mom go to?" "That's different, that's a vacation and a once or twice in a lifetime opportunity". "How many times have you done that"? I had him, it was a goal of his to play the storied courses and they'd played all of them in the US and Bermuda. "I bought two of these cigars and I am smoking one of them now, would you like the other"?

I didn't wait for an answer and produced the stogie in question and handed him the cutter and lighter. He was shocked as he realized I had come prepared to share one with him. After taking a couple of puffs, he said "that's one hell of a cigar but I don't know if it's worth $50". I replied "yours is probably even better because you didn't pay $50 for it". About two inches into the cigar he said "I can see why you save this for a special occasion". I said yep "nothing like a $50 cigar to go with a $100 scotch and Sprite".