When it comes to stingy people, every penny is a treasure, and thriftiness is a way of life. While there are people who like to spend their hard-earned money to live a luxurious life, that’s not the case for cheapskates. Even if they earn a fortune, these people will always make every dollar count.

You probably have come across a cheapskate. These people have a tendency to scout for the best deals, repurposing things, etc. To them, it’s more than just spending money; they find joy in getting the most value out of every purchase.

When they get something for free, is a cause for celebration, whether it’s a free cup of coffee, a sample-sized shampoo, or a promotional pen. If you have never encountered a stringy person, buckle up as these children of cheapskate parents revealed some of the crazy experiences they went through in their household. Here is what they had to say.

Comments have been edited for grammar and clarity.

1. How My Dad Scored a Free Bar of Soap with a Clever Trick

u/[deleted]: When my dad moved into his house, he had a guy come over to do a free demonstration for a water filter that goes under a sink. The guy used a bar of soap for his demonstration and left it when he was done.

My dad called at least four other companies for a free demonstration just to keep the free bar of soap and never intended to have a water filter installed. He does things like this, which worsens as he ages. But I just let him do his thing.

2. My Dad’s Attachment with Paper Towels

u/TheCommonStew: My dad hoards his paper towels. To this day, he still expects me to ask permission to use them (I’m 21) because he doesn’t want me to waste them. I remember thinking it was $100 bucks for a roll because he was so concerned about me wasting them.

He is a cheapskate and spends twice as much money on everything because he only gets the cheapest thing that breaks or doesn’t work as well. While my girlfriend and I were at his house, I dropped a gallon of milk everywhere. She grabbed paper towels and used the whole roll to soak up the mess.

I felt so sinful helping her, but the look on my dad’s face when he found out we used a whole roll, was priceless. I knew he wouldn’t yell at us because he was too polite to yell in front of my girlfriend. But, he was visibly holding back his pain, anger, and heartbreak over the “wasted” roll.