Pretty sure it did make a comeback sometime in late 90s. I never had any but remember people wearing them... maybe around 95-97 timeframe.
My dad is cheap because...
- Thread starter dawgstudent
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Pretty sure it did make a comeback sometime in late 90s. I never had any but remember people wearing them... maybe around 95-97 timeframe.
Raises hand. My 1990 Honda Fourtrax and 1999 Craftsman riding mower are rolling on tubes. My early experience as a kid patching tubes on my honda dirt bike in 1970s allows me to do it effortlessly with minimal f-bombs.
Parents were divorced. Dad in Chicago making great money. Mom worked in a pants factory in Amory making crap.
Dad calls Mom said work was cutting back and he couldn't send the support checks for a few months. About a year later, his sister comes south to visit and informs Mom that Dad actually got a huge raise and had a membership for him and his latest girlfriend in the Chicago Playboy Club and had laughed about fooling Mom to his sister.
Needless to say, the subsequent call to Dad was interesting.
He made triple of what anyone around us made and getting $200 a month was like pulling hens teeth.
I won't even start the story about the huge sum we were supposed to get when he died. I did get about 20 or 30 acres of useless red clay hills in Itawamba I'm probably going to leave to my brother since he lives near it.
Dad calls Mom said work was cutting back and he couldn't send the support checks for a few months. About a year later, his sister comes south to visit and informs Mom that Dad actually got a huge raise and had a membership for him and his latest girlfriend in the Chicago Playboy Club and had laughed about fooling Mom to his sister.
Needless to say, the subsequent call to Dad was interesting.
He made triple of what anyone around us made and getting $200 a month was like pulling hens teeth.
I won't even start the story about the huge sum we were supposed to get when he died. I did get about 20 or 30 acres of useless red clay hills in Itawamba I'm probably going to leave to my brother since he lives near it.
My Dad was never cheap.. He made decent money and was generous with it to a fault. He was born in 1924 and grew up in the Great Depression and was WWII vet (3 tours armored infantry) but.... I have a cheap Story to tell you that will top em all... It's not short but it's true:
My grandfather lived around the corner from us on the same land in a small community south of Houston. He was not poor, in fact he had farmed his own land, owned property, owned a store, a trucking company, small sawmill and all sorts of businesses his whole life and had done very well for himself.
One day I was over at his house on my bike back in the early 1970's. He must have been in his late 80's or early 90's, since he was born in 1886. The meter reader for the power company drove up and headed to read the meter.
My grandfather hollered out, "Hey! I need to talk with you a minute." He proceeded to inform the meter reader that he had been overcharged. He said, I know how much these kilowatts cost and I have been reading the meter behind you and I know how many kilowatts I have been using. You guys have been overcharging me.
The young man asked if he had his bill. My grandfather promptly produced it from his shirt pocket and handed it to the young man.
The young man said, "I am sorry Mr. Harrington, there is a minimum charge of $4.00 on a light bill."
My grandfather lived around the corner from us on the same land in a small community south of Houston. He was not poor, in fact he had farmed his own land, owned property, owned a store, a trucking company, small sawmill and all sorts of businesses his whole life and had done very well for himself.
One day I was over at his house on my bike back in the early 1970's. He must have been in his late 80's or early 90's, since he was born in 1886. The meter reader for the power company drove up and headed to read the meter.
My grandfather hollered out, "Hey! I need to talk with you a minute." He proceeded to inform the meter reader that he had been overcharged. He said, I know how much these kilowatts cost and I have been reading the meter behind you and I know how many kilowatts I have been using. You guys have been overcharging me.
The young man asked if he had his bill. My grandfather promptly produced it from his shirt pocket and handed it to the young man.
The young man said, "I am sorry Mr. Harrington, there is a minimum charge of $4.00 on a light bill."
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I will never miss working the hay field
Although it was probably among the first times I drove a real vehicle.
Although it was probably among the first times I drove a real vehicle.
I grew up poor as dirt. My dad was a proud but uneducated man, and made some serious financial mistakes. One being that he built a house (actually while I was at State) and paid cash for it - except he took every penny of his 401k to do it. Got hit with a major penalty, but did not want to get a mortgage until the old house sold.
My vacations growing up were visiting extended family in Birmingham or LaGrange, Georgia. Sometimes we would get to do something vacation-like (Six Flags), but most of the time it was just a car ride.
My dad would buy 100 percent of his wardrobe at thrift shops and yard sales. He'd wear shoes that were too big or too small, just because he'd paid $3 for them. I'd get frustrated because he'd expect the same of me. My mom's greatest moments is when she would find a Polo or Guess item at the thrift store for me and then try to pass it off as new. I thought of this recently when my daughter was inside a Lululemon store. Its crazy how things have changed.
I never ate at a restaurant that served alcohol until I got to Starkville. I did eat a lot of Tupelo Bonanza, Quincy's or the Pickle Barrel in Amory, MS though.
My vacations growing up were visiting extended family in Birmingham or LaGrange, Georgia. Sometimes we would get to do something vacation-like (Six Flags), but most of the time it was just a car ride.
My dad would buy 100 percent of his wardrobe at thrift shops and yard sales. He'd wear shoes that were too big or too small, just because he'd paid $3 for them. I'd get frustrated because he'd expect the same of me. My mom's greatest moments is when she would find a Polo or Guess item at the thrift store for me and then try to pass it off as new. I thought of this recently when my daughter was inside a Lululemon store. Its crazy how things have changed.
I never ate at a restaurant that served alcohol until I got to Starkville. I did eat a lot of Tupelo Bonanza, Quincy's or the Pickle Barrel in Amory, MS though.
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Sounds like you had a really good dad. I'm really sorry you lost him so soon.
As my siblings moved out - we ate out more b/c less mouths to feed.
But I remember up until I was about 8 or so - we went out twice a year. Lucky Fisherman and Pizza Inn.
But I remember up until I was about 8 or so - we went out twice a year. Lucky Fisherman and Pizza Inn.
Your dad sounds like mine.. he's not necessarily cheap, but he grew up hard and isn't against a little inconvenience. My dad would give you his last dollar, but he will also spend 3 hours working on something that would cost him $2 to fix. It's just the way he's wired. But, he's also the best human I've ever known, and I'm so thankful that he's my dad.
I once rode with my granddad, in his gigantic car, that of course the A/C had quit working in... like 12 miles across town to a different fruit stand because the one we first stopped at was a nickel too high. This was not in like the 60's either.. but in the mid 90's
My dad would put a little water in the ketchup bottle when it got low.
When my brothers and I were little he’d take us on “vacation” from Brandon over to the hotel at the I-20 & Bailey Ave exit with the indoor pool. We’d swim all day and stay up late watching tv with a coke and a snickers.
When my brothers and I were little he’d take us on “vacation” from Brandon over to the hotel at the I-20 & Bailey Ave exit with the indoor pool. We’d swim all day and stay up late watching tv with a coke and a snickers.
My old man wasn't terribly cheap. He'd spend money on things he wanted or thought we needed especially when it came to sports and hunting/fishing. But he hated to pay a mechanic any amount to do anything to a vehicle. And it was not in his universe to call a tow truck. Hell, he had more tow chains and ropes than anybody I've ever known. We had this old 2nd hand Buick Century that I drove in high school. Piece o' crap. Transmission went out on it and it had some other issues. He found some guy who was a friend of a friend who would fix it up for practically nothing if we could tow it to him. Part time shadetree mechanic, full time drunk.
We were in Vancleave, MS. This guy was in either Grand Bay or Bayou La Batre, AL. I'm like 15 years old and we towed that car behind my dad's truck. No power. Stand up on the brakes to get it to stop. I bet I ran into him half a dozen times on that trip and he chewed my *** out every time. We had walkie talkies.
It was nerve wracking as hell but I wouldn't trade those experiences for anything in the world. He was a good dad and one of the funniest people I've ever known. My oldest daughter reminds me of him with the same dry wit.
This is a fun thread, btw.
We were in Vancleave, MS. This guy was in either Grand Bay or Bayou La Batre, AL. I'm like 15 years old and we towed that car behind my dad's truck. No power. Stand up on the brakes to get it to stop. I bet I ran into him half a dozen times on that trip and he chewed my *** out every time. We had walkie talkies.
It was nerve wracking as hell but I wouldn't trade those experiences for anything in the world. He was a good dad and one of the funniest people I've ever known. My oldest daughter reminds me of him with the same dry wit.
This is a fun thread, btw.
We didn't go out to eat. Make a sandwich or maybe we had Vienna's.
We worked on our own cars. If you needed a part, you went by the salvage yard first.
I didn't need any fancy hunting clothes or gear. Learn the haBits of the animal and how to shoot is all you need.
If we went to a StAte game( only in Starkville, Jackson was to far) he might give you a few of his peanuts that he brought from home. If the peanuts made you thirsty, go drink out of the water fountain.
I still today work on my own cars. Thanks Dad.
We worked on our own cars. If you needed a part, you went by the salvage yard first.
I didn't need any fancy hunting clothes or gear. Learn the haBits of the animal and how to shoot is all you need.
If we went to a StAte game( only in Starkville, Jackson was to far) he might give you a few of his peanuts that he brought from home. If the peanuts made you thirsty, go drink out of the water fountain.
I still today work on my own cars. Thanks Dad.
My old man's spare tires were actually just tires in the academic sense. They were round; they had once been made of rubber.
Not my dad, but I asked my son this question and he nailed it...
My dad is cheap because he'd load up on condiments, plastic ware, salt, pepper, sugar, straws, and paper napkins at the self-serve kiosk whenever he bought fast food. I've got tons of this stuff that my family uses every day.
My dad is cheap because he'd load up on condiments, plastic ware, salt, pepper, sugar, straws, and paper napkins at the self-serve kiosk whenever he bought fast food. I've got tons of this stuff that my family uses every day.
I ate at the one in Starkville on a Sunday morning freshman year. After a long night that included me killing a liter of Bacardi. Get back to Hathorn and lay down. Instantly right back up and running for the bathroom. Made it just to the door and shot that breakfast at least 10 feet into the bathroom. No cleaning on Sunday. So somebody (I was never caught and never fessed up) was hated for a while.
I will never miss hauling hay but I will always be grateful for the experience. That and hauling pulpwood will definitely teach you the value of a dollar.
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I bet I've witnessed this same "Mississippi Dubmass Self-tow Set-up" 50-100 times in my lifetime. My favorites are the set-ups where the dubmasses thought it was a good idea to have a warning sign on the towed vehicle. In variably they would spell it, "IN TWO"
^^THIS^^
Hand-me-down clothes to keep me warm. The one year I got duck boots I was so excited I wore them to school for a month. I don't hunt all that much as an adult because it seems like it's become more of a fashion show...what brand shirt, boots, guns, ammo, etc. dominates all conversation around the fire more so than sports or how the hunt went.
I got my first name brand shoes, Nike, in 7th grade. Before I wore "catheads" all the time, and after if I wanted name brand I could buy them myself. His correct rationale was that they would not help me run faster, jump higher, hit further, etc. I even wore a pair of MSU shoes out of the Starkville Walmart (walking bully on one side and I think the MSJ on the other).
I owned and still do, only 2 ball gloves my entire life. Never had my own bat until HS.
Dad loves the dollar stores and a good deal. Up until a few years ago he was still sending me home with "groceries" most times I'd visit. I'm 38 and haven't eaten canned ravioli in two decades, but he got a good deal! He loves his coupons as well.
I wouldn't say any of this necessarily makes him cheap, just from an older generation.
Thinking of those old hunting camps reminds me of the first time I saw him under the influence. I woke up in the middle of the night in our one room, window-less, 8-12 bunk shack to the sounds of him and his buddies singing along with the Possum "Yabba dabba doo, the king is gone and so are you" at the top of their lungs on repeat.
Great thread. I'm glad my father is still with us and hate it for those of you who've lost yours.
"Do not go gentle into that good night," Dad.
Always the dilemma. Use a chain and nearly rip the frame out from under both vehicles, while at the same time ensuring future back surgery, OR use the fancy tow strap and hope its elasticity doesn't boomerang you into the towing vehicle. Also, it's almost required that the vehicle doing the towing NOT have fully functional brake/signal lights.
Not a Dad story but a toilet paper one....
I have a friend who was once in a monastery with the vow of poverty and everything. One brother was in charge of doling out the TP. For each request he handed out three squares. Obviously he said you learned to ask for TP many more times than you actually needed it and save it up.
I have a friend who was once in a monastery with the vow of poverty and everything. One brother was in charge of doling out the TP. For each request he handed out three squares. Obviously he said you learned to ask for TP many more times than you actually needed it and save it up.
When I was in high school, some friends rolled (some say "TP'd") our front yard.......My dad get's up the morning after it, and commences to start rolling up ALL the toilet paper, some 20 plus rolls, and uses it with pride, stating for about 4 months: "I'll never understand why someone would waste money like that, but I'll take that free TP."
My dad is 78 now and he still checks the meters for water and electricity behind the reader. Woe to the person that gets it wrong.
My father was cheap in ways, but generous to a fault in others. School lunches were 5 bucks a week, that was our allowance. Gifts were clothes and shoes.
So at the ages of 11 and 9 my older brother and I started pushing his 25 year old push mower around to the few widow ladies yards and mowed and cleaned up for them. After the first summer of this, he informed us that we would need to put back 15% of the money to buy parts, blades, and any new equipment. He would help us fix the stuff but we learned to work, to work on, and maintain everything.
He never tried to demand what we spent our money on though except for that 15%. I bought my own stuff, outside of food,, from then on. I got a $500 hand me down pickup at 14 and spent over $4000.00 fixing everything and drove it to college for 3 years. He finally went with me to trade it and talked them into giving 2500 in trade on it. Kelly blue book said it was worth 700.