Children Of Cheapskate Parents Share Their Horrifying Stories

We shared bathwater. My brother would get in first, then me, and then mum or dad would be last. It’s pretty gross thinking about it now, but at the time, my parents did it to save money on the water and gas bills because they were on really low incomes.

14. Dog Bed vs. Baby Crib

My dad is cheap, but my mom isn’t, so it balanced out, but this story always makes me laugh. When I was born, my dad wanted to get me a dog bed instead of a crib or bed for a toddler or whatnot.

15. Here Comes the Cheap Christmas Wrapping Paper

I used to think that Christmas wrapping paper was always printed funny, like a cheap 3D picture. All of the Santa faces were a half centimeter or more off their faces. I later realized that my mom always bought misprinted discounted wrapping paper.

The thing is, when I see really nice paper now, it doesn’t feel like Christmas to me. The cheap, misprinted paper is more Christmasy to me, even 30 years later.

Similarly, my parents and aunt would count the boxes they used to wrap gifts in before Christmas morning. So, if my aunt brought 16 gifts that required the shirt/clothes boxes you would get at Sears/JC Penney, she would start Christmas morning by saying, “I came here with 16 boxes and I am leaving with 16 boxes!”

The funny thing is, back then, you would get the boxes free with your purchase, unlike today, where you usually have to buy the boxes. So, my parents and aunt were hung up on boxes they got for free.

We still have boxes with ancient tape on them, and they’re starting to fall apart, but now my family is more likely to say that throwing them out is okay.