You remember the days of top ramen, hot pockets, wearing the same pair of jeans for two weeks in a row, and strategically planning your gas tank to be on empty when mom and dad came to visit? These were typical college experiences for many of us. I did some thinking over the weekend, and realized I still have some old college habits.
Although I like to think of myself as an “okay” cook, there is just something about a mother’s cooking that can’t be matched. I tutor a lot of high school kids and have become pretty good friends with them and their families over the years. One of the perks of knowing so many local families…they frequently invite me over for dinner. I definitely jump at any and all opportunities to score some free grub. In college, I stood outside of a Chiptole for two hours just to get a free burrito….frugal much?
Not only do I keep some of my old frugal food habits, but ya know I am still reppin’ the Target plastic storage bins with pride. You know the one’s, that you would slide underneath your college bunk to store unwanted junk (hehe that rhymed). Well, six years later, I still have those same bins. They have come in handy as sock and underwear drawers. Most people keep undergarments in a dresser, but the plastic bins have treated me fine and I have no intentions to upgrade any time soon.
Oh how about this one…I still order water just about every time I dine out. One of my favorite college maneuvers was the free glass of water at dinner. It easily saved me $3 bucks on my bill each time, as opposed to ordering a drink. I love water, but I realize whenever I go out to eat with my parental units (they pay of course) I almost always order a soda or lemonade. What does this mean? It’s means I’m a cheap bastard and never fork out for a “luxury” drink when I’m out with friends.
Lastly, sometimes I’m too cheap to buy toilet paper so I forgo wiping for a couple days. Just kidding, it’s Monday morning, so I thought I would throw that little curve ball in there just to wake ya’ll back up 🙂
I have some other awkward college habits that I never parted with, but I am far too embarrassed to disclose. Maybe I’ll save them for another day. Now it’s your turn to take a walk down memory lane, and share some of the habits you never let go of after you received your diploma. At what point should we give up the ramen noodles and plastic storage bins? I keep telling myself when I get married I will grow up 🙂
p.s. I promise I really do wipe every time (too much information?)
when I go visit my parents, I'm not ashamed to do laundry before I leave… so I've got clean clothes when I get back home 🙂
Definitely TMI but I did run out of toilet paper and didn't want to go buy any for about two weeks. I found it was REALLY easy because I live a mile from work – so I'd just do my business at work. If I did have to do some #2 action at home I'd just take a shower afterwards. Yup, I just admitted that on the internets. My name is SS4BC and I'm totally okay going weeks without TP. 😉
I never "went off to college". Instead I moved out and got married, so I never experienced dorm life. I do let the parents pick up the check when they visit though.
By the way, kudos on the water trick. Growing up, we rarely went out to eat, and when we did, my dad would order water all around before we even had a chance to beg fora soda. I really appreciate it now because I am in the habit of always ordering water. I also learned to share meals when dining out, which I finally got the wife into the habit of doing. Growing up, the limit was 5$ a person and we were to share the meal with a younger sibling 😉 boy things were different back then..
@SS4BC yea thats too much info 😉 I think ninja was borderline but you pushed it over…
Um…what's wrong with wearing the same pair of jeans for two weeks in a row?
I was the opposite of frugal in college because I was living on someone else's tab. I was never more stylish.
And don't act like you're still holding onto these college habits for like a decade! I know how old you are, you were in college just a few years ago. :p
Hahaha @ Kunsthure… yeah there comes a point when still continuing your cheapy college habits becomes a problem. I enjoy top ramen or cup of noodles every now and then but I'm weird and actually like it! I still have one of those plastic bins with the 3 drawers, haha. I use it for towels and bedding now…oh and I also still have my metal shelfing (you know the kind that that you set up with holders in the corners and you can arrange the cubes in different ways? Haha)
My boyfriend told me when they would run out of toilet paper in college his roommate would use the bathroom then just hop in the shower to wash off after. Kind of gross but I guess its better than not wiping at all!
Oh and when I was working with a lot more clients in home about a year or so ago, I loved it because their families would always cook up some BOMB food (homemade Asian food…mmm) and "force" me to take it!
I was just back visiting my college this weekend and I brought a case of Bud Select. Everyone marveled over my 'fancy' beers. The cheap, water beer was something that I definitely left in college.
After re-typing for the 5th time…I decided.. I just have no comment on any of the comments.. hehe =D
loving ur blog more each day but maybe not as much today.. LoL! w2m 411 confessions..LoL =D
To save on water, if it was yellow, I let it mellow. If it was brown, I flushed it down. I still find myself doing that to this day.
Now that's some TMI!
Haha, wow this post turned in to something I wasn't expecting. Some people take frugal to the extreme (SS$BC).
It's funny how some things change and some things don't as we get older.
@Lydzz, sorry for the comment frustrations 🙂
Ninja, I wanna hear about the other college habits you had (or still have) which you're too embarassed to disclose. C'mon… they can't be that bad 🙂
GETTING WATER WHEN YOU PAY AND GETTING POP WHEN SOMEONE ELSE PAYS IS WEAK SAUCE!!!!! Don't ever get pop when we go out to eat because I refuse to be taken advantage of. Either get pop no matter who is paying, or get water no matter who is paying.
Ill order pop when I want thank you very much
@anonymous. Flipping out over getting water/pop is weak sauce. You won't be "taken advantage of" if/when you go out with Ninja. He's an adult and pays his own way. Getting pop when you're with your parents is not a big deal at all. As Ninja said in another post, his parents make 6 figures. It's not going to bankrupt them to pay for him to drink Coke when they go out.