I am not cheap, but frugal/thrifty. I like quality stuff, but often buy used. I have several SIGs. All used except 1 and most are LEO trade ins, including 5 or 6 from AIM surplus. My kids and I like to snowboard. They are 11 & 12, so they need new boots every year. Every year I find a set of like new boots on Craigslist for a fraction of the cost of new ones. Snowboards & binding too, although they get several years out of them. This year I needed a new garden tractor. Husqvarna wants $4,500 for a new one. I just picked one up off of FB marketplace with 55 hours on it for $1,500.

I have studded snow tires for winter, I have 2 sets of factory OEM aluminum rims for my Tahoe (2010) and my wife's 4Runner (2022). I picked up a set of 4 factory wheels for my wife's 4Runner last week, $150 and I had to drive an hour to get them. Minor scuff on 1 of them, but otherwise great shape.

I also buy most of my clothes at a thrift store in a very affluent area. Many of their dress shirts are from the local dry cleaners. People drop them off and forget. After 6 weeks or so they donate them to the store.

My son has a 95 KX 60 I picked up off of CL for $700. I'm going to sell it this spring and I'm gonna ask $1,300. I'm selling it because I picked up a 98 CR 80 in non-running condition for $700. I took the carb apart, cleaned it up and it started right up. When my son upgrades in a few years I'll sell it for more than I have in it.

I make a point to tell my kids how much something costs new, and how much things cost if you can get them slightly used.

I'll drive a lot to save a little if the drive or destination is new to me or potentially interesting. But today I needed a small amount of thread locker, but did not buy it because a 1 oz tube was $8 bucks. That's ridiculous. I spent $600 for two new sealed wheel bearing assemblies, but could not pull the trigger for the thread locker for the bolts. These days with inflation I'm living pretty cheap, except when I'm fixing the house or cars, I won't put substandard parts in either. You'll curse yourself for buying cheap parts when your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere or watching your house burn down from the street.

I squeeze every last drop out of the container of whatever: paint, toothpaste, mustard (I’ll cut the bottle in half to scrape the last 10% out). Even soup. Don’t know why. I’m doing ok. Live comfortably. Can’t help myself.

Conversely, money is no object; Only OEM auto parts, top shelf liquor and of course guns (might take me 25 years to buy a revolver, but it’s gonna be a Python LOL)

Since we’re both retired, we no longer wear business attire. QMy wife and I are now cheap with clothing. Costco is perfect for us. I just bought 2 pair of Buffalo Jeans for $9,97 each. I love ‘em. Nice tees are 2 for $12. I needed a Tux last fall - ebay to the rescue. I just bought a nice pair of casual shoes at Costco for $18.97. Cheap, cheap, cheap.