When DH had surgery the family waiting room had a little buffet set up, with full-size Rice Krispie treats, Nutrigrain bars, and single-serving packs of several kinds of cookies. Um...let's just say my purse was heavier when we left the hospital. I use used dryer sheets for dusting, and I frequently cut the new sheets in half to make them last longer. I always grab a handful of napkins from fast food restaurants to use as tissues in the car. We always use tp as tissues at my house, so there's rolls of tp sitting everywhere. We buy a cheap box of real tissues if someone's coming over we want to impress.

I've picked up stuff from the curb, that people put out for garbage, many times. I'm still kicking myself for not picking up the pet carrier we saw at the curb while we were taking the nieces and nephews trick-or-treating last night. I'm actually considering driving back out to their neighborhood to see if it's still there.

I have an ice maker but we don't use ice in our drinks. I just empty the ice into a plastic grocery bag and store in the deep freezor, especially when my freezor is less full. That conserves energy and when anyone in our neighborhood needs ice for coolers, they know who to come to. I have not paid for ice in years.

Oh and I know what neighbors get both a local and less local newspaper everyday. I have asked and they leave them out for me on trash day! Last week, it was raining, but I came home to find 3 sets of inserts in my paper box!

As a young newlywed, i helped my dh build our coffee table out of 2 black wastebaskets and a black slab of wood. We got many compliments for this table. i also rip paper towels and napkins in half, and I stock up on plastic utensils and napkins at fast food restaurants.

There are some great ideas on this thread.

But, someone is going to have to explain to me how "stocking up" on plastic utensils and napkins at fast food places, or on granola bars from a hospital waiting room ISN'T theft. Those things are there to use what you NEED while you are there, stuffing your purse full is greedy and unethical.

I actually have a spreadsheet with all of my coupons. Very time consuming but so worth it. I can just search by brands that are on sale to see if I have a coupon to match it up with. I can't believe I'm actually admitting this hahaha.

I said my purse was heavier, I didn't say I stuffed it full. I ate one, and put two in my purse--one for myself because I didn't know how much longer I would be sitting there (it ended up being another three or four hours), and I didn't have any money to buy something to eat at the gift shop or cafetiria. The other one was for DH to eat. He had had to fast for the surgery, the hospital was at least half an hour from home, and I knew he'd be grumbling about being hungry long before we got home.

Just speaking for myself, as for the napkins, I'm a messy eater, and my nose runs all the time. Those fast food napkins are little, so it takes me at least three or four to get through a meal. I don't empty out the dispenser or anything, I grab what I'll need to eat plus another couple, because I know one of the triggers for my nose is eating hot food. Whatever napkins are left get stuck over my visor for the next time it runs. Plus, I've learned to keep a straw and a utensil to keep in the glove compartment in case on the next trip, I find out too late that they didn't give me one.

I feel crazy for stopping by AC Moore at least once a week with my 50% off coupon to buy clothes for the American Girl dolls, with the coupons the outfits are $5 each. I'm saving them for Christmas.

I was thinking the same thing. In the long run it costs us all more.

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