Cheapest Charlie

[mrtoad]

I'm a cheap charlie too. I bought a 2nd hand Omega and a Tag Heuer for $3,000 rather than buying them both new for $5,000.

You got yourself a bargain, but think Scratchers wouldn't be looking at buying those types of watches.

Well, you have a point. After buying the 2 watches I decided that I didn't like either of them that much so I sold them both (at a profit) and bought a new Omega with a little extra cash. Now I can't wear it as I don't trust myself not to lose it while I am out. Nice to have it in the safe though.

When I was a young lad I saved all of my sheckles and then purchased a Rolex. A buddy and I went on a road trip and at the start both took off our watches and threw them in the glovebox of his car swearing that we would not be bound by a timetable on the trip. A few days in we pick up a beautfiul young teenage girl who was hitchiking. She stayed with us a couple of days and I shagged her. We dropped her off at a friends house and then a few days later we had to refer to a map in the glovebox. Then we discovered that she had stolen both our watches. I haven't owned a watch since. Neither has my friend. In this age of mobile phones, what exactly is a watch useful for?

Getting a shag off a hitchiker?

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[ZigZagMan]

I'm a cheap charlie too. I bought a 2nd hand Omega and a Tag Heuer for $3,000 rather than buying them both new for $5,000.

You got yourself a bargain, but think Scratchers wouldn't be looking at buying those types of watches.

Well, you have a point. After buying the 2 watches I decided that I didn't like either of them that much so I sold them both (at a profit) and bought a new Omega with a little extra cash. Now I can't wear it as I don't trust myself not to lose it while I am out. Nice to have it in the safe though.

When I was a young lad I saved all of my sheckles and then purchased a Rolex. A buddy and I went on a road trip and at the start both took off our watches and threw them in the glovebox of his car swearing that we would not be bound by a timetable on the trip. A few days in we pick up a beautfiul young teenage girl who was hitchiking. She stayed with us a couple of days and I shagged her. We dropped her off at a friends house and then a few days later we had to refer to a map in the glovebox. Then we discovered that she had stolen both our watches. I haven't owned a watch since. Neither has my friend. In this age of mobile phones, what exactly is a watch useful for?

Hitchhiker eh? Is this an example of another classy girl you hang with?

At least these thieves you date have good taste.

Edited April 12, 2014 by ZigZagMan

[ZigZagMan]

I'm a cheap charlie too. I bought a 2nd hand Omega and a Tag Heuer for $3,000 rather than buying them both new for $5,000.

No, you get a pass. You don't sound like a cheap charlie...unless of course you stole the toilet paper from the jewelers restroom.

Edited April 12, 2014 by ZigZagMan

[kurnell]

I'm a cheap charlie too. I bought a 2nd hand Omega and a Tag Heuer for $3,000 rather than buying them both new for $5,000.

No, you get a pass. You don't sound like a cheap charlie...unless of course you stole the toilet paper from the jewelers restroom.

I used to nick the dunny roll from work

[Jingthing]

I'm a cheap charlie too. I bought a 2nd hand Omega and a Tag Heuer for $3,000 rather than buying them both new for $5,000.

No, you get a pass. You don't sound like a cheap charlie...unless of course you stole the toilet paper from the jewelers restroom.

I used to nick the dunny roll from work

Who hasn't?

[AhFarangJa]

Had a Guy sit down at a noodle stall at the same time as my wife and order a bowl of noodles. (I was indulging in a liquid diet across the road!), When he finished he got up, told the stall owner his wife would pay ( meaning my wife) and then scarpered.

[IMA_FARANG]

Knew a Thai-Chinese guy who operated a guest house in Bangkok.

Once had a Brit show up wanting a single room.

Now there were two types of rooms in that guest house, One was a single bed, half size fridge, and had fan only no air-con. Also had a stand-up shower but no tub, it went for about $10 a night (using U.S. dollars as the standard).

Other room had a double bed, full size fridge, with an air-con and a fan also.....$20 dollars a night for that room.

Had a tub as well as a shower in that double room.

Brit wanted a single room but there were none available.

So he insisted on a double room for half the price a $20 dollar a night room for $10 a night.

His reasoning was he would:

1. Sleep only on one side of the double bed.

2. Only use half the full size fridge.

3. Not use the air con, only the fan.

4. Never use the tub, only the shower.

5. And not use the shampoo and soap that came with the the shower .... he had his own soap

Therefore since a $10 room wasn't available he should be allowed to take the $20 room for $10 a night and he would only use half the room.

He didn't get a room. My friend, the Thai-Chinese owner told the Brit to go find another place to stay for the night.

[celso]

Once I had to walk from central chitlom to centralworld, I took the BTS to Siam just so I wasn't wasting a trip walking through the station.

Edited April 12, 2014 by celso

[kriswillems]

IKEA in BKK doesn't have free cold drinking water.

So, I see people in IKEA in BKK making free cold drinking water by mixing free ice with free hot water (that is normally used by people that buy tea).

And then there's the trick of the refill drink (single glass) that's used by the whole family.

Edited April 12, 2014 by kriswillems

[celso]

Isn't IKEA a furniture shop??

[Loles]

IKEA in BKK doesn't have free cold drinking water.

So, I see people in IKEA in BKK making free cold drinking water by mixing free ice with free hot water (that is normally used by people that buy tea).

And then there's the trick of the refill drink (single glass) that's used by the whole family.

Good point Kris.

When I have heard about the IKEA comes to BKK I thought this:

- Oh la la, will be problem in their restaurant about refillable glasses.

The IKEA's costumers mostly (80%) BKK Chinese people who are famous about their chipest charlie (and a bit more) life. I just seen today afternoon in restaurant 3-4 BKK Chinese family use ONE refillable glass for free drink to all family. Sad to see that when they finish the lunch take back to dirty tray area a full glass of drink cause everybody is full but they take one more free.

I have seen also the hot water & icecubes system, but they are bad luck cause the ice cubes are big and can't reach too much drinking water.

In restaurant the 600 ml drinking water is 15 B, a can of coke, etc also. So they can save up a lot like the fatdrunkandstupid mate. Check above.

[Old Croc]

Isn't IKEA a furniture shop??

They usually have a café type shop for customers. The last one I was in also had soft serve ice-creams.

[balo]

IKEA in BKK doesn't have free cold drinking water.

So, I see people in IKEA in BKK making free cold drinking water by mixing free ice with free hot water (that is normally used by people that buy tea).

And then there's the trick of the refill drink (single glass) that's used by the whole family.

Good point Kris.

When I have heard about the IKEA comes to BKK I thought this:

- Oh la la, will be problem in their restaurant about refillable glasses.

The IKEA's costumers mostly (80%) BKK Chinese people who are famous about their chipest charlie (and a bit more) life. I just seen today afternoon in restaurant 3-4 BKK Chinese family use ONE refillable glass for free drink to all family. Sad to see that when they finish the lunch take back to dirty tray area a full glass of drink cause everybody is full but they take one more free.

I have seen also the hot water & icecubes system, but they are bad luck cause the ice cubes are big and can't reach too much drinking water.

In restaurant the 600 ml drinking water is 15 B, a can of coke, etc also. So they can save up a lot like the fatdrunkandstupid mate. Check above.

Same at Carl Jr burger restaurant. Refll is free for one person but I see the whole family buy one drink and share it in a group of up to 5 people.

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[baneko]

Isn't IKEA a furniture shop??

It has a food court.

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[djayz]

I knew someone who would refill a 2 litre water bottle everyday at the school he worked at to save himself 10 baht for a 20 litre bottle.

Local folk would too.....................

Absolutely, if you really want to know how Thai's value 1 baht..... just be observant.

Correct, 1 ltr petrol, 1 baht short of the needed 43. The shopkeeper then proceeds to change the 1000 baht note LOL

That's understandable... whatever money is missing at the end of a shift is (usually) deducted from the employees pay. If staff were to lose a bath or two on every customer, that would add up to maybe 40,50,100, 200 Baht per shift. For somebody who's on let's say Baht 10,000/month, that then really hurts.

[copa8]

I've found that it's the Thai Chinese that take this to extremes and they are usually well off.

My Landlady who was a Judge and married to the Thong Lor Police Chief wore one dress and the other one was always out drying. She came to congratulate me on the birth of a daughter and put up my water bill by 500 baht as we'd be using more. She'd collect my wastepaper and sell it out on the street and she owned property worth at least 1 billion baht, probably a lot more.

The Jews of the East, as some have often quoted.

[Jingthing]

I've found that it's the Thai Chinese that take this to extremes and they are usually well off.

My Landlady who was a Judge and married to the Thong Lor Police Chief wore one dress and the other one was always out drying. She came to congratulate me on the birth of a daughter and put up my water bill by 500 baht as we'd be using more. She'd collect my wastepaper and sell it out on the street and she owned property worth at least 1 billion baht, probably a lot more.

The Jews of the East, as some have often quoted.

What are you saying? Jews have only two dresses?

[copa8]

Saw a caucasian man at the food court in Central Festival in Pattaya go from table to table after the table was vacated with his own fork eating the food that was not consumed.

That's impressive.

Could have been more impressive, had he done so before the tables were vacated.

[hellohello123]

Back home, when I go to the movie, a large coke and popcorn and ice cream is almost $20

So I go the local supermarket spend my $6 and get the equivalent without ice for the same price and walk in

One of my friends on a big salary calls me a tight ass

Another friend in a big salary also does the same and goes to the supermarket

The $14 I save, will it change my life? No? Will I buy something else for $14? No?

Will I at the end of the year assume I have an extra $140 and go buy something? No!

Should I have spent the $14 and just experienced the experience like ordering room service at a hotel? Maybe!

I hate myself for behaving like this, but I love a bargain, it makes me feel better

And then I ask myself, where do you draw the line? why buy the food yourself.when you can pay someone to go and buy it for you? Or why even drive to the cinema? Why not get a taxi or even a limousine?

[ATF]

It's definitely a disease as some others have mentioned and the older one gets the worse it gets. I bargain like crazy and get good deals and I always ask for a discount at a proper restaurant and usually get it but that goes to paying for the tip.

Remember when you were a kid and your Grandmother (God Bless Her) was always complaining about the price of everything now and she'd give you some money like it was huge but you could only get a few sweets with it. It's the financial equivalent of Alzheimer's disease.

[pitrevie]

Dame Edna Everage on a trip to New York stayed with Joan Rivers. She complained that the toilet roll holder in the bathroom would not accept her credit card which of course the gloriously bitchy Rivers thought was hilarious.

[thaibeachlovers]

I often take my own water in to bars and other high end venues. Why. I purchase 20 litre bottles for 12 baht. Why the <removed> do I want to pay 20 or 30 baht for 500ml here in Phuket.

For the service, the A/C, and other running expenses the bar has? It is a business, not some NGO. You'd do this stuff in my hotel and I'd whack you with a 5 Dollar corkage fee.

Had this coupe staying at the hotel that demanded that the Chef heat their ready-made curry and that the staff served it to them. They squealed when I charged them USD 20,00 for the pleasure.

Had another couple demand that they can bring their own ingredients and cook their food themselves in our kitchen. I am afraid they did not get a room......

That is the beauty of Thailand. Tin pot hotels and restaurants like yours are a dime a dozen. If I get any sort of grief whatsoever...I go elsewhere...for good. You are just another boring Farang run hole in the wall...you business has No USP...other than your own misguided image of how important you are...

Hit a sore spot there, have I? Because I work in a 5-star, 130-room "tin pot" hotel that you obviously could not afford.

When you go and see a doctor, do you take your own medicine? When you do stay in a hotel, do you take your own bed?

I do not understand the logic of people like you, but then we luckily have better educated and behaved people than that.

<When you go and see a doctor, do you take your own medicine?>

It's probably cheaper to buy the meds yourself than from the Dr and you can do that in Thailand, so I guess that would be a yes.

<When you do stay in a hotel, do you take your own bed?>

I take a topper pad with me in the car, as I find Thai hotel beds to be too hard to sleep on, so I guess that would be a yes.

[Choonpon]

I have seen someone taking paper napkins back from 5 * hotels toilets. A whole heap stashed into their handbags.

[Choonpon]

Saw a caucasian man at the food court in Central Festival in Pattaya go from table to table after the table was vacated with his own fork eating the food that was not consumed.

That's impressive.

Could have been more impressive, had he done so before the tables were vacated.

That's not considered cheap Charlie. He's hungry and has no money. That's really sad:(

If I see one, I would gladly offer to buy him freshly cooked meal.

[umbanda]

In the BanChunsongsang Homestay in Chiang Mai, the chepeast room (400THB) do not includes toilette paper......

[Eliot Rosewater]

I've found that it's the Thai Chinese that take this to extremes and they are usually well off.

My Landlady who was a Judge and married to the Thong Lor Police Chief wore one dress and the other one was always out drying. She came to congratulate me on the birth of a daughter and put up my water bill by 500 baht as we'd be using more. She'd collect my wastepaper and sell it out on the street and she owned property worth at least 1 billion baht, probably a lot more.

Hey, hey now; the OP is clearly trying to rag on westerners; I'm sure he would think it unfair and "unThai" for you to bring locals into this

[pgrahmm]

Sometimes I feel like I am....the wife/we contribute to the family every month & they are great people that work hard and never ask for a thing....I've noticed on our visits some things that can make life better for them (new fridge). The old one is just that - very old - the shelves are sagging/splitting and it is undersized for 5 people....I want to buy them a new fridge but do not want to open the floodgates for evrything else that comes along.....bringing - getting gifts to take to them the Wife has always been modest with purchases & recently dissuaded me from buying t-shirts for everyone when we were visiting a resort area Aon-Nang/Krabi......

There's other items that are minimal that would help upgrade their life and what they are used to also.......

Her family taught her not to spend money on big items but put it away for food - this is what she believes in......I'm fortunate that way......

But is still makes me feel like a Cheap Charlie.......

Edited July 4, 2014 by pgrahmm

[GuestHouse]

I know a guy who while on a full expat deal in Thailand would, when invited to join his co workers for food on a Friday evening after work, turn up a 45 minutes later than the agreed start time.

He'd then order a bottle of Chang and proceed to scrape leftovers off the plates of other people who had finished eating.

When the bill came he'd grudgingly open his wallet and pay for his beer, remarking 'well I only ate the left-overs that nobody else wanted'.

[A1Str8]

I know a guy who while on a full expat deal in Thailand would, when invited to join his co workers for food on a Friday evening after work, turn up a 45 minutes later than the agreed start time.

He'd then order a bottle of Chang and proceed to scrape leftovers off the plates of other people who had finished eating.

When the bill came he'd grudgingly open his wallet and pay for his beer, remarking 'well I only ate the left-overs that nobody else wanted'.

He still ate at the buffet so what made him think that he wouldn't need to pay? Poor man. He is a bit misguided.

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[Choonpon]

Sometimes I feel like I am....the wife/we contribute to the family every month & they are great people that work hard and never ask for a thing....I've noticed on our visits some things that can make life better for them (new fridge). The old one is just that - very old - the shelves are sagging/splitting and it is undersized for 5 people....I want to buy them a new fridge but do not want to open the floodgates for evrything else that comes along.....bringing - getting gifts to take to them the Wife has always been modest with purchases & recently dissuaded me from buying t-shirts for everyone when we were visiting a resort area Aon-Nang/Krabi......

There's other items that are minimal that would help upgrade their life and what they are used to also.......

Her family taught her not to spend money on big items but put it away for food - this is what she believes in......I'm fortunate that way......

But is still makes me feel like a Cheap Charlie.......

I'm sure many guys will envy you;)