What if we spend too much on fountain pens #TightwadDad 075

I am a #TightwadDad and making my family happy with...

- Big supermarket top-up shop: bread and milk.
"What if we were to you know just stop eating bread and milk?"
JOY 6

- Swimming Lessons.
JOY 9

- Stationery shop in high street: Fountain Pen.
"Purely to stop them from buying something they’ll regret and break 10 minutes later. Our spending on fountain pens feels like it's higher than most people.
That feels like that should make us better people.
But somehow it doesn’t."
JOY 10


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Getting away from our smartphones #TightwadDad 074

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Getting away from our smartphones #TightwadDad 074

I am a #TightwadDad and making my family happy with...

- Martial Arts monthly fee.
“There has to be something cool in a month where martial arts is one of your biggest outgoings.”
JOY 10

- Water company direct debit.
“Now my kid is thinking up more inventive ways to use less water, than washing less.”
JOY 1

- Coffee with my wife in an independent coffee shop.
"We did it to get away from our smartphones for an hour.
Then spent an hour talking about stuff we've seen on our smartphones."
JOY 9


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Broadband company going through our stuff #TightwadDad 073

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Broadband company going through our stuff #TightwadDad 073

I am a #TightwadDad and making my family happy with...

- Broadband bill.
“Think we’re getting our money’s worth this month.
Hate it when they tell us how much we’re using though, even though it doesn’t affect the bill.
It’s like they’re going through our stuff.
When really, it’s our stuff going through them.”
JOY 6

- German supermarket chain top-up shop.
“I can’t even bring myself to write out some of the things we bought again.”
JOY 8

- Pilates.
JOY 10

- Big supermarket chain top-up shop: Including trying to stop the kids buying national charity day plastic junk so the supermarket chain can advertise itself on the national charity day and losing out to “But it’s for charity.”
“National charity day plastic junk didn’t even make it as far as the car park.”
JOY 1


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Fasting for kids #TightwadDad 072

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Fasting for kids #TightwadDad 072

I am a #TightwadDad and making my family happy with...

- Mobile phone bill
“Really will look into moving networks.”
JOY 1

- Coffee shop chain: Decaf coconut latte.
“Took it completely for granted.”
JOY 6

- German supermarket chain: Bread x2
“Buy one get another slightly less offer.”
JOY 9

- Burger chain restaurant meal for the kids.
“It felt really good for us, the adults, not to have one.
That’s willpower.

And one of the kids talked about trying out fasting.
They really want to do it.

I think they were giddy on a burger-and-fries buzz.

But I really want to have a go at that.
Can you start a fast when you’re not on a burger-and-fries buzz?
I’ll have to find the right moment.”
JOY 9


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Companies goalhanging our charity money #TightwadDad 071

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Companies goalhanging our charity money #TightwadDad 071

This is happening more and more, and I can't quite put my finger on it.

You finish a transaction with a company.
You're about to pay.
Our business together is done.

And then they ask you that question.
"Would you like to donate something to charity?"

Yes. Of course the answer is yes.

But... do I have to do it right now?

What's bugging me about companies rattling the collection tin at the checkout or on the payment page...

...is that they then get all the glory from my 5 pence.

They won't mention me when they present the novelty cheque.

They will completely take the credit for my cash.

I'm the one who donated.
Not them.

And now they won't shut up about it.

We haven't even finished our deal yet.

Are they trying to distract me?

Why can't they ask me after I've bought their thing?

This is too much to take in.

So I don't tick the box.

And now suddenly I'm the bad guy.

And it's not even their 5p.


I am a #TightwadDad and making my family happy with...

- Big Supermarket top-up shop:
“I don’t know. I got rolls and eggs. It was 15 quid and I can’t even remember what I got.”
JOY 7


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Criminals don't pay for the criminal checks #TightwadDad 070

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Criminals don't pay for the criminal checks #TightwadDad 070

I am a #TightwadDad and making my family happy with...

- DBS (criminal record) check for a volunteer position.
“Funny how the criminals don’t pay for this service...
but everyone who’s innocent and clean, does.
Almost like some kind of sign of how society works.”
JOY 8

- German Supermarket Chain top-up shop: Fish, milk, bread.
“It feels like a Biblical shop.”
JOY 7


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What does it take to move banks #TightwadDad 069

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What does it take to move banks #TightwadDad 069

I am a #TightwadDad and making my family happy with...

- Banking fees.
“I don’t know what it’s going to take to get me to move banks.”
JOY 1

- German supermarket chain top-up shop: Meat, bread, own-brand butter faking a famous brand butter
JOY 7

BIRTHDAY TRIP!
- Pizza chain in a massive shopping centre in another city.
“Spent 10 minutes trying to work out the combination of offers which worked best in our favour. Felt so good about this that we splashed out on not sharing one unlimited drink.”
JOY 9

+ Parking: FREE.
“Tried out a theory that I could negotiate my ticket not working at the barrier, but ended up driving straight through unchecked. Win!”
JOY 10

- Big supermarket chain petrol station: Diesel.
“Lovely chat with the booth woman about her second massive full colour arm tattoo that was flaking all over the till.
Used a voucher which saved us about half the cash we spent on the extra drink at lunch.”
JOY 9


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Kids party stuff #TightwadDad 068

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Kids party stuff #TightwadDad 068

I am a #TightwadDad and making my family happy with...

- German supermarket: Stuff for kid's party (pineapple, bananas, melon, popcorn) cereal, and maple syrup x2 (there's an offer on)
JOY 6


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Not helping with the goldfish food #TightwadDad 067

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Not helping with the goldfish food #TightwadDad 067

I am a #TightwadDad and making my family happy with...

- Online Supermarket Delivery: Incl. birthday cake ingredients and goldfish food.
"Brazened out standing there while the delivery driver carried the crates to the kitchen.
Acting like someone from Downton Abbey.
Didn't enjoy it though."
JOY 6


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Bus countdown better than jet packs #TightwadDad 066

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Bus countdown better than jet packs #TightwadDad 066

I am a #TightwadDad and making my family happy with...

- Train ticket
"Paid extra to travel in 45 minutes earlier for a meeting that was cancelled because the train company, Department for Transport and person I was meeting hate me."
JOY 4

- Bus fares x2
"My phone counts down when they'll arrive. This is better than jet packs and hoverboards."
JOY 9

- London Underground fares x2
"I love any place where my phone doesn't work."
JOY 9

- Pint of beer, pint of coke and a tray of chips.
"Playing the game, "Which will end my life first.""
JOY 9


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66 Days To Form A Habit #TightwadDad 065

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