15 *MORE* Controversial Frugal Hacks That Cross The Line!

[@charlenefriess2128]

I've found that in some apartment buildings, people will sit gently used items at the side of the dumpster. Then others take them. It's kinda an unspoken sharing system. 😊

[@kristinaerickson2353]

Yes we did this in my apartment building I got some good stuff.

[@andersonomo597]

I have a lovely chair in our entrance area which had been put out for what we call here in Oz 'big garbage pickup' When I pulled over the owner was there and I asked if I could have it, she was SO happy because she wanted to restore it but life happened. I sanded, varnished and reupholstered it over 15 years ago and still love it. Environmentally friendly, frugal, a history = what's not to love!! Cheers from Oz!!

[@gabrielafonseca4034]

One of my ex's friends was always bragging about he he got away with a bunch of cons, like buying insurance for his luggage and then claiming a suitcase got stolen when it had never existed. He'd list a bunch of luxury items that would then be refunded to him, like a Hugo Boss tuxedo. I didn't let him in my home. Being frugal has nothing to do with antisocial behavior.

[@karlinebohne789]

As long as it’s not stealing, people need to do what they need to do to survive.Back in the day, on curbside furniture disposal day, I collected a few cute pieces I redid that I still have today !!

[@granitemoss1451]

I lived in an affluent area in my early 20s and if I could fit a nice piece I found on the roadside in my Taurus somehow, off the the furniture consignment shop it went!

[@KerryJames-l6z]

In frugality there needs to be balance honesty discipline

[@mightymommom5888]

A friend of mine and I went to the houses around Frostburg State University. There’s a treasure trove of items. New vacuums, microwaves, furniture, storage containers, decorations, etc.. We had a blast.

[@KerryJames-l6z]

Stealing from work even a pen is stealing

[@marshamagic8551]

Not if you’re using it for work.. nope.

[@3namechangezalowdevry90day7]

Retaliation. For all the breaks you were promised and then had to work through.

[@marshamagic8551]

@@3namechangezalowdevry90day7 we don’t get breaks. Imho..

[@margiesoapyhairbillian4754]

I totally get stuff off the curb. Never FOOD.

[@kathrynp7595]

That’s just disgusting dumpster diving for food 😩

[@granitemoss1451]

Not out of dumpsters but if people put out extra produce from their garden to share, I will stop and grab some.

[@nata3467]

People using the food pantry who should not be using food pantries ticks me off... Food pantries are survival for some not a tick tock hack

[@janekiceniuk1578]

I don't use the food pantry. I do drop items at several roadside " give & take" boxes. I still feel guilty taking/ exchanging when I don't need to.

[@NonaBear]

Haha you are so funny about asking about a senior discount for your husband 😂

[@emmaleebuzzard1023]

I don’t think it’s okay to buy something, use it!, even once and then return it. I think that is also a form of theft.

[@catherinewilke5583]

I read online that some people buy clothes for their children at Target, then return them after they are outgrown, for full credit. That’s so dirty to me. I was lucky to find some no expiration coupons from the 80s when I was at the GW outlet. I remember cutting those off the cereal boxes when I was a kid. I can’t wait to see the look on the cashier’s face 😂. That crock pot story makes my blood boil. What a horrible person that man is.

[@StephanieJoRountree]

Love your new haircut!

[@saraconklinfrozenpennies]

Thank you!!

[@CM-q3s]

I'm not eating anything out of the trash...but rescuing Furniture is ok. Lying and scheming is not ok😂❤

[@arthurmantzouris4413]

I've made so much money from dumpster diving.....I was at a dumpster diving n found some fake flowers and made well over 300 dollars by selling 3 4 a dollar....so doing that was allowed my girlfriend to buy food and allowed us to get a room for a few days......and so much more....😊😊😊

[@mightymommom5888]

I’m all for dumpster diving.

[@J316girl]

Goodwill typically does not put any price on the receipt. Mine are always blank.

[@saraconklinfrozenpennies]

So you get to fill in your own donation price?

[@michelleprice5945]

Yes, we fill in the items and prices but for us we no longer have to keep track of donations because we take the standard deductions.

[@trumax33]

​@@saraconklinfrozenpenniesYes, the Goodwill closest to us gives a blank receipt form. We do standard deduction also, so don't take receipts.

[@kristinaerickson2353]

​@@saraconklinfrozenpenniesIf I remember right you only get to to claim up to like 500 bucks a year on miscellaneous donations like this. You have to have hard money value or actual money donated to get a higher deduction on charity.

[@loriloristuff]

I've garbage picked and dumpster dived. I've gotten some really good stuff people threw out for the garbage people! I do a keto diet and intermittent fast, so I don't eat three meals a day. But when I'm hungry- I eat. It might be a keto yogurt, or veggie sticks. In some restaurants, you can buy a kid's meal as an adult. I AM a senior, and I am a veteran, so I do take my discounts. As far as donation my used items, I don't ask for a receipt. It's not worth the effort. The Costco return policy is that good. BUT people abuse it. I buy my home office supplies when back-to-school sales start. So, I don't need to steal a client's supplies. I don't have a problem with under-the-table stuff.

[@misslanapaulford]

You do whatever you need to do at that moment in time. If you cold, hungry or Thirsty and havent eaten or genuinely struggling.

[@sandrashoup9463]

the truth is always best.

[@ginnytalbert2524]

In college I worked for Sears in the customer service and catalog departments. Sears would take back ANYTHING back then. People would return clothes, shoes, yard equipment, furniture, old toys, etc. Especially if they were decluttering for a move or if a loved one died, they would bring items in by the truckload. We had to research in the catalogs on prices etc. It was insane on how much wasted time we had to spend on this also being yelled at by the customers for taking too long processing their returns. No wonder Sears went out of business.

[@reneefoy4296]

sara, whats the story with that left arm sleeve? lol

[@sylviahufer7019]

I agree with you about dumpster diving for food , happy to pick second hand furniture , but having said that I have never needed to resort to that before , but if you are desperate , you do what you have to do .

[@nata3467]

I honestly wish we had better systems to deal with food away so people could just pick this food up

[@sylviahufer7019]

@@nata3467 I’am in Australia and lots of bigger companies donate food that is close to use by date to food banks

[@dizzysdoings]

I have several pieces of furniture that I got curbside shopping. Nothing wrong with it. It keeps it out of the landfill. I had a tax preparer tell me that if someone had a side hustle that didn't bring in much, he didn't want to know about it. A friend was told that as long as a person wasn't making more than $600 (?) at a job, it didn't need to be reported.

[@cindysams9832]

This is true. You can make less than $600 a year from a single payer without it being reported.

[@susanb.5806]

The people who do work under the table will be complaining when their social security payments are low. Unreported income has consequences at the end of your working life. 😮

[@elizabethbertsch3066]

I think most of the situations you shared were unethical. I think we can chalk this up to not teaching kids what is right and what is wrong. People who take used items back to Costco are stealing in my book (unless there was something faulty). Picking up furniture from the side of the road and dumpster diving is not stealing- those people were throwing the items out. It’s just common sense. One person said they had a problem with someone driving a nice car going to the food bank. I think we don’t know what circumstances they are in and should not judge them.

[@kristinabeerz7077]

It's called Retail fraud if you wear something and then bring it back 😊

[@flonotflow]

Yep. And what a lot of people don't seem to understand is that in the long run, we ALL end up paying for it because companies raise their prices to cover the losses incurred due to people doing this.

[@buckeyedav1]

I use to work with ladies who did that I was honestly appalled and grossed out by it. Anna In Ohio

[@flonotflow]

No issues with dumpster diving. People throw away so many perfectly good things these days, too me that's more wrong. Returning an item you've used (unless you have found it to be defective) is just wrong. We all end up paying for that in the end because those items seldom go back on the shelf and end up in the trash. The companies just jack up pricing across the board to cover for that. I see nothing wrong with using single use items multiple times EXCEPT when it becomes a health issue. And even then it's not unethical, it's just downright dangerous.

[@mariasinclair9718]

It's a sin to covert and steal, and lie. Best to be ethical in everything and every way. Be good Amen??? Blessings from Adelaide Australia 🇦🇺

[@wandacarr668]

Amen

[@KerryJames-l6z]

Amen do not cover from your neighbours

[@myaccount9498]

Hello 👋 I'm also from Adelaide & agree with u whole heartedly. The Lord always provides for us in other ways. Dishonesty costs far more than the item/s

[@michelleprice5945]

I always order the kids meal at breakfast, I don't eat much and we have our child with so no questions.

[@beckyshell4649]

I don’t have a problem with about a half of these. I don’t dumpster dive myself but I don’t look at it as morally wrong. I think returning something that came from the dumpster to the store is stealing. I wouldn’t fake coupons or lie to get a discount but I would order a child’s meal if there were no age restrictions. I have ‘stolen’ pens or markers from work ( carried them home in my pocket )but I have also brought many pens from home that disappeared at work. I will use any ‘disposables’ any way I want to I paid for them. I won’t grab handfuls of napkins or condiments at restaurants. My conscious tells me what is right and wrong and I follow it.

[@hermonorossco7988]

Stores are required to honor the price that an item is marked. With that being said they only have to honor 1 of said item. I’ve had people try to buy 10 of an item that was priced wrong and they get really upset when they couldn’t get all of them for the lower price

[@smc7929]

When I set something bigger out on the curb hoping someone can use it and pick it up.

[@damianagibbonspyles233]

Your hair looks so cute!

[@saraconklinfrozenpennies]

Thank you so much

[@wandahall4435]

Great job Sarah ❤❤😂😂😂😮😮😮❤❤❤

[@peggysanders487]

I had used the food bank once even had to borrow a friend's nice car cuz mine was out of commission...don't judge because you don't know people's circumstances!

[@saraconklinfrozenpennies]

This is not a video about using the food bank or borrowing a car. I’m a big advocate of the food bank and this video is not about judgement. Thanks for your feedback.

[@catherinewilke5583]

I think what most of us don’t like is people lying about their assets to use the food bank when they don’t qualify. That’s just dirty. I used it for a few months after I became disabled and had to stop working. It’s an amazing asset.

[@MicheleHerrmann]

7: I hated it when customers argued about expired but still up sales signage. I worked seasonal retail where this happened and the customer started cursing out the cashier and made her cry. Managers gave in and gave the price difference but the HQ flagged it and the store got into trouble for this.

[@ezmealstravels9221]

Food banks are great 💵 savers

[@mariasinclair9718]

But if your starving ???? Oh grief 😔

[@saraconklinfrozenpennies]

If you are starving, you gotta do what you gotta do. I would suggest local churches and food banks if someone was hungry.

[@lindabader-acosta7808]

I’ve gotten plant pots & a small changing table for my little dog for putting her diaper on when she’s in heat. I intermittent fast but if it was to not eat to save food then no. I’ve only returned stuff on warranty. Yes I have taken a pic for items in the wrong spot only if multiples are there. I’ve worked for Walmart so they need to know so it will be fixed. They could lose even more money that way. Contacts yes.

[@kelsey6531]

I found my 3 yr old a water table a few days ago someone had sitting out for the trash it was missing a leg but we just took the other 2 legs off and she plays with it on the ground lol she's thrilled with it she couldn't care less that it's on the ground 😊

[@imtired6104]

A lot of these examples are just plain theft, which is awful. As for generous return policies, yes, Costco used to take back items but I believe that they have curtailed it somewhat. I worked for a local warehouse in my area for many years (not in returns) and the things I would hear from the employees in Returns would make me sick. People returning half eaten foods the day after Thanksgiving, and this went WAY beyond like a moldy loaf of bread, practically the whole darn dinner would get returned. Or a flat of Coca-Cola with PULL TABS! were returned, it was unopened, clearly very dirty from just sitting there, and we accepted the return. People have no shame!

[@saraconklinfrozenpennies]

Holy cow! That’s terrible!

[@fourdayhomestead2839]

Solid furnishings that can be deep cleaned &/or made nice I'd pick up. Public secure WiFi maybe. I use to work with a lady that did what I'd say was cheating. She'd argue to get things cheaper or free. Lots of examples with her.

[@LorrieAnne]

The Costco return policy seems way too generous. Many retailers have deep discount stores it it’s a tax write off as damaged. There is always a thin line.

[@BaraSchmidt]

I was managing a high end clothing and home style business which had a terrible return policy that began with: "If for ANY reason ..." No time limit or restrictions of any kind. There were prolific returns on brutally pilled, worn sheets that had torn, clothing worn by several children in a family before finally wearing out, curtains faded from the sun, and so on. There were also clients who would buy at full price and come in with an accordion file of receipts to be refunded the sale price difference. It was disgusting to me, but the company left themselves vulnerable to this abuse by their ridiculous policies. Eventually I was successful in lobbying to have the policy revised, including a reasonable time line for returns, and removing the markdown refund since they had the benefit of first pick of sizes, etc. We teach others how to treat us, so the company was at fault, IMO

[@debrafoster499]

In most states, if you're selling food you did not prepare in a certified commercial kitchen (like your home) it's not only unethical, it's illegal.

[@saraconklinfrozenpennies]

Actually, it depends on the food. There are cottage laws (in most states) that allow you to create and sell non-perishable foods out of your own kitchen. The illegal part is the perishable foods or foods that would go bad if unrefrigerated. However, as I stated in the video, having the cook prepare the food in your kitchen is perfectly legal.

[@Silentscreamer37]

I definitely think it’s okay to have a store honor their price on the shelf. It’s only taking advantage if you purchase more than you had intended on buying to resell them. It’s the same deal for me with a lot of other things mentioned in this video. If you take it too far, it’s unethical.

[@daleanddebbysanford2073]

I am a teacher…I steal office supplies from home and take them to work…😂

[@saraconklinfrozenpennies]

You are underpaid 🥰 Thank you for doing that job and for your service to our future.

[@tfluvssoaps]

I don't have a problem with dumpster diving but it's not for me. Unless it is easy to get to. I'm short so I don't want to fall in. I think that it depends on the price tags. If it was an item in the wrong spot then I don't worry. However if it is not marked correctly and rings up for a higher price then I will ask for that price.

[@kristinaerickson2353]

I've always said it's okay to be frugal its not okay to be cheap. We all know what I'm talking about.

[@KerryJames-l6z]

Breakfast lunch dinner and a snack

[@lenisewhitley611]

For years I worked a job under the table to supplement my regular job when my kids were young. The government got enough money from me with my day job.

[@catherinewilke5583]

The only real problem with that is it doesn’t increase your SS amount. I have a friend who has been workjng under the table for years. So she can’t retire, because she won’t qualify for enough SS.

[@Rebjacjul]

Alternative video name- “Stop thievin, you cheapskate”

[@toots810usa6]

I skip meals to save money. With the state of the economy in this country a lot more people are going to be dumpster diving for food. In my town we don't have a homeless shelter, and the food bank funding went from $14 Million to $3 Million. We have a 70% poverty rate, and this is only going to get worse. We are on the brink of a depression worse than the last one. I don't agree with stealing or cheating or returning illegally in any way, but I will never judge someone for trying to find food.

[@suzettecooper382]

I understand

[@marshamagic8551]

Panera has free Wi-Fi..

[@ireneroy8820]

How about someone who uses their parents address even when they have a home and their own address to get free services? Like Medicaid or EBT benefits and etc.? I think that is awful! What do you think?

[@RussianBrunetteUSA]

I’m on west coast and we had to go to food bank one day because of the little situation in the middle of jobs, and I was surprised to see luxury cars there drivers were smoking in there and they were pickup food just like others people. I think this is extremely unethical while they can afford such cars and cig**ts but want take food from food banks

[@janekiceniuk1578]

Ok, do you really think IRS workers & anybody that knows taxes claims every dollar? Everybody makes a bit of cash under the table.

[@kristinabeerz7077]

Skipping meals is called intermittent fasting it's healthy. Not controversial.😊

[@KerryJames-l6z]

I am 56 years i am senior citizen

[@marshamagic8551]

Only eat two meals a day..

[@catherinewilke5583]

If I eat 3 meals a day, I gain weight 😂 middle age is hard

[@marshamagic8551]

@@catherinewilke5583 I know!

[@Michelle_Ellen87]

Some of these are morally wrong. 😬

[@KerryJames-l6z]

Thats stupid the reusing of disposable eye care

[@kiitos7904]

Yes!!! I dont mind a lot of stuff on this list, wouldnt do most of them myself, but people do what they need to do to survive. But I really REALLY hate the tip about reusing single use contacts. No amount of money savings are worth risking your health. Especially your eyes! And the savings are not that great. People on the internet keep saying that it's ok because it "looks clean" and "feels ok", so it's fine as long as you "clean it properly", but they never give any proof and are never actual eye doctors so I don't trust them.

[@fredswartley9778]

Honest wages are always the best policy. You will not prosper making money through unethical means. The Lord will not bless you for stealing.... Regarding under the table work, I think you are allowed to make a certain amount before having to report for taxes.

[@annelawver2703]

Using no password WiFi is opening yourself up to malware. A VERY bad idea and unethical.

[@suzettecooper382]

I see 2 sides to taking advantage of store and return policies. The supermarkets are overcharging customers continually. This happens every time we shop.

[@suefanning2067]

I knew someone that would go through the garden section of a store and pull starts off plants. Unethical and stealing.😮

[@KerryJames-l6z]

I cash bottles for ten cents each i walk were i can catch bus i shop around perimetre of supermarket on specials meal prep around those items but i will not steal i will discuoline mysrlf obey our God

[@BuffTaanJai99]

I think dumpster diving, especially for food, is absolutely okay. Its trashed. I wish it could be donated instead. Public wifi, who cares. Theres no victim, theres no crime. Dont give em viruses or anything, but if youre just using the internet i think its fine. In terms of returning items, the crockpot guy took it pretty far but the dress, meh, as long as its still in good condition. For lying about ages, i don't really care. Most of these places who do that are big box and corporate places with much money to spare. Im not bothered. People are just trying to get by. Tax write off is shady. Generous return policies, hey they exist for a reason! It depends on the single use item but ill get a few uses out of something as long as its holding up. Dont steal from your job 😅 Fake ids is a lot of effort for like 15% off. Exploit the Heck out of free trials dude. Again, no victims, no crime. The megacorps will be fine. Im not gonna advocate for trying to trick the IRS, no comment 😂😂😂

[@robinnorlund6479]

You are correct about Costco’s return policy! I couldn’t believe it but my sister recently returned a six year old mattress after her son left for college along with some other things she had bought and used and no longer wanted. She received over $900 back. Now she will buy things from Costco that she only plans on using once or twice and then she will return the items. I don’t agree with this but it doesn’t bother her.

[@catherinewilke5583]

Your sister sounds like someone I would tell off and ghost 😂

[@lorettawatkins5024]

Oh, Sarah... I'm so disappointed in this video...stealing and cheating are not ok

[@saraconklinfrozenpennies]

Yup. That’s what I said!! Thanks for watching!

[@sue8319]

Frugal is different from cheap and dishonest.

[@KerryJames-l6z]

Its wrong