How about a thread about "cheapness"? I recently heard this story (the lady telling it was a bit tight-fisted herself! ):

A dean was taking a cab with the president of the university. As the cab stopped, this university president leaned over to my colleague and said, "His tip is $1.75, and I only have $50; do you have a quarter?" The dean did see that he had another dollar! She reached into her purse and gave him the quarter.

Other stories? "Cheap" words? "My friend is so cheap that she....."

The Style Invitational contest in The Washington Post recently invited readers to come up with extreme cost-conserving measures for these difficult economic times. The winners appear on this page.

I particularly liked

quote:

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At the bottom of your Christmas cards, write: "P.S., Happy Valentine's Day!"
(Elisabeth Kuhn, Richmond)

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and

quote:

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Save all your calendars; then, in a dozen years or so when they start to match up again, you'll be all set while your friends have to buy new ones.
(Rikki Rabbin, Olney; Mariann Simms, Wetumpka, Ala.)

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New York Magazine ran a similar contest years ago. I recall one of the entries went along the lines of:

"Buy the kinds of paper plates that are plastic coated. Sure, it's more expensive at first..."

You're so dumb, if I gave you a penny for your thoughts, I'd expect change!

My neighbor is soooooo ugly ... he's gotta git somebody else to call his hogs for him.

I also liked this one from arnie's site:

"Turn gay. Then you can share clothes with your mate."

A few of my favorite terms for being cheap:

Chintzy
Scrooge
Skinflint
Tight fisted
Stingy
Miserly
Cheapskate

My old home town was sooooo poor that the rainbow came in black-and-white.

Texasisms:

If he had the flu, he wouldn't give you a sneeze.
He's so tight he squeaks when he walks.
She's as tight as a clothesline.
He's tighter than a wet boot.
He's tighter than a gnat's ass.

And a longer version:
She's so cheap she won't take a cold shower because goose pimplse are hard on the soap.