Thrifty Diner Gifts

"The 'intern lunch' and a glass of water."

'I'm impressed at your choice sir, you certainly know your budget wines.'

"Is this to make me feel bad for not getting you that laptop?"

"We were able to retire 6 years early by canceling cable & eliminating anything fun."

As you like it - 'Waiter, chicken with watercress please' 'I'm sorry sir we haven't any chicken left ... but if you wish I bring you a larger portion of watercress...'

"Ten Dollars?! I can't eat that." Bob was on a strict low-cost diet.

"I'll have the drum an sea bass, the house salad and the techno nachos!"

"The lobster dinner is thirty eight dollars, or for ten dollars extra you can have him returned to the sea."

"Can I get this to go in an organic, locally recycled, eco-friendly doggie bag?"

'You raised the price of air to 50c!' 'Inflation.'

"Would you like to see the markup?"

"I'm taking your advice and saving my money!"

"I don't know...seems like budget cuts have gone pretty far this year."

'Margaret, what are we doing on this cruise ship that we couldn't have done at home, cheaper?'

'Phone for help? Are you mad? Have you any idea how much it costs to use a mobile abroad?'

"Let's start with a couple of glasses of water and if that goes well I'll order two coffees."

'Withdrawal symptoms.'

"Years of penny-pinching really paid off. The price of copper just went up again."

"I've been told to go through all our expenses...cut out any fat, get rid of any costly perks!"

"We could have a Do-It-Yourself wedding! Your friends could do the cake and flowers, Uncle Jim could do the photos..."

Martin hated dining alone – but loved the savings.

Cost cutting construction ideas that failed: using rhubarb instead of rebar in concrete.

'He's studying to go to university' - Student reading book; 'HOW TO LIVE ON NO MONEY'

'If the pound is worth so little, can I have a couple?'

"C'mere, space heater."

"Uh, Dad, I appreciate the 'walkin' around money,' but I need 'walkin' around New York City money.'"

Husband dismayed to get cold mutton for dinner again. Wife comments that someone must be economical on the housekeeping money she is given.

"It may not be the lowest cal, but it's low enough cal for me."

"There's no getting away from the numbers....only by forgetting holidays, giving up drink, the cinema, meals out and socialising...will we be able to afford any quality of life when we retire."

"How much if I pedal?"

"The portions here are so small, thank goodness there's a food bank around the corner."

"An ounce of prevention." "This way we don't need to raise as much."

'Our financial adviser urges us to take a hiking vacation this summer.'

"It's cheaper to buy soap in chunks instead of bars. Just chip off what you need."

"I don't get it. Dad wants to cut the household budget? How do we do that?"