I’m not sure if this makes me cheap or frugal (I’d like to think I’m scrappy), but it saves me money and I always use what I take.
Proof:
Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea
I nabbed this packet of Harney & Sons hot cinnamon spice tea from the gym of the resort we were staying at when we were in Jacksonville a couple of weeks ago. I had a cup of the tea in Jacksonville and couldn’t get over the amazing fragrance and flavor. I took two additional packets and have been saving them for a special day.
Like today. Tuesday.
After a chilly morning walk with Sadie, this tea was a welcomed treat.
My Little Love Pup
It was perfect enjoyed alongside a hot breakfast sandwich and a cold, juicy tangerine.
Tuesday Breakfast
Eggy
My breakfast sandwich included two fried eggs and Morningstar Farms veggie bacon.
Eggs 'n' Fakie Bacon
It’s the perfect cold weather breakfast, I tell ya!
Question of the Morning
Do you sometimes take little freebies, or do you think I’m ridiculously cheap and should pay for my own mini jellies and sugar packets?
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um, you should totally take things if they’re free…the margin on those things are TINY!
I definitely take freebies. They’re out for a reason!
I would show you a picture of the collection of hotel soaps that I have, but I’m not sure I can fit it all in one frame.
please tell me you watch friends & have seen the episode where ross takes EVERYTHING from his hotel room? including toilet paper… so funny!
I do catch reruns of Friends sometimes, but don’t remember that episode (and I think I would). The little soaps are the only thing I always take, though! Perfect for overnight guests, problem being that I stay in hotels about 10x more often than I have overnight guests.
I love that episode!!! And then his suitcase spills open haahhah. That is the best tea ever, they sell it at einstein’s bagels (not sure if you have one) and I am addicted!
really!? that’s awesome news! i thought i was going to have to order it online. thanks!
i always take jellies, sugar packets, mints and of course the lotions/shampoos at hotels 🙂
sometimes your “bacon” reminds me of Beggin Strips. I’m sure it tastes delish, though.
My mom does that too….I always take Splenda when I’m on roadtrips, because half the gas stations don’t have it and it’s better than white sugar or Sweet & Low (I guess I could just bring my own Truvia but that’s too complicated). It’s the best in Europe, where jams come in mini jars!!
Oh and I steal saltines too 🙂
ALL THE TIME! free hotel lotions, free soap, free tea, free coffee, free mints.. I am such the little freebie stealer- my family laughs at me.. but hey, it comes in handy!
I love freebies. i go to allyou.com all the time and sign up for free samples i am so frugal. i like your word scrappy so i am going to go with that! also, they put them out to be taken so why not oblige! i am all about it!
i also like the word “resourceful.” 🙂
i like the positive spin those words connotate instead of the negative sound of frugal or cheap. i think being resourceful is a talent that not everyone has!
I always am known to take freebies. Hey, if they are free then why not?! I love if you order room service at a hotel, they give you those mini ketchup jars or jelly jars! They are so cute, you just have to bring them home! 🙂
Oh I totally do that with tea and hot chocolate and oatmeal packets at work or when I’m at a hotel. Never know when you might need something 😉
I say…they have it there for a reason! I mean, you COULD drink the tea at that moment if you wanted to, right? That’s what I always said about our school caf. It says you can’t take things out, but if I wanted to stuff myself with 5 plates of food (like some of the guys!), I could…but I’m just choosing to eat my banana later. Is there somethin’ wrong with that?! haha.
I used to travel for work and I would always end up with 5-8 packets of tea every week because I would take them from the hotel lounge and bring them home. I have so much tea now, but I’m still using them! I don’t think it’s being cheap, just resourceful!
weeellllll, you might call me a small-scale klepto. you could call me frugal, or you could call me “vedy vedy sneaky, sir.” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCA0Lpy671g)
but I think “scrappy” and “resourceful” are great ways to describe my little habit if grabbing every Splenda packet from my table when I’m out to eat or at Starbies. 😉 my friends say they always think of me when they see little innocent Splenda packets somewhere, because if i were around, they’d be miine!
This is my favorite tea ever!!! I’m having a cup right now 🙂
I love freebies! They are there to be taken! I totally agree with the mini ketchup bottles! they are so cute! 🙂
And Harney and Sons Raspberry Herbal is one of my favorite teas! So delicious!
you are NOT alone in taking things… I DO THE SAME thing!!!! Not sure if I should feel guilty or not, but to know others do this too is nice!
and, GIRL if I found that hot cinnamon spice tea laying out I would TOTALLY grab it too! I recently discovered it the other day and find it DIVINE! I order two boxes online and look at you, you are finding it for free :):) ENJOY!!!
I can’t judge. I take splenda packets and mints from wherever I am; restaurants, Dunkin Donuts, starbucks, etc…and quite a few to be honest!! So glad I’m not the only one who does it! 😉
I definitely take the freebies! No shame!
I do it, too! I absolutely LOVE that cinnamon tea. It almost tastes pre-sweetened, doesn’t it? SOOO good! (PS – You can usually find entire boxes for sale at Starbucks locations inside Barnes & Noble) We used to have it in the greenroom of the TV network where I worked, and I’d regularly help myself to several bags to keep in my office. 😉
I always take hotel/spa shampoo, conditioner, etc. That stuff always comes in handy when you’re traveling and using only a carry-on! I take extra Splenda from coffee shops, too… terrible to admit, but I can’t remember the last time I actually bought a box.
I saw your tweet about Straight No Chaser’s version of “Fix You;” I love SNC and their “12 Days of Christmas!” “Africa is my favvvvorite song, and it was so unexpected for them to incorporate it into a Christmas song!
Anyways, you should check out a “Fix You” version from Exit 245, an acapella group from my alma mater James Madison University http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4GUizpgJ6I
Enjoy!
I am a big fan of the freebies!!
i totally do that too! if you’re at at a hotel, i figure the cost of the freebies is figured into the cost of the hotel room. same thing with the sugar at a coffee shop. so as long as you’re not taking an unreasonable amount of whatever i think it’s okay. i also follow the blog moneysavingmom.com to sign up for freebies to be sent to my house. i have a ton of free stuff all the time. if we don’t use it then i donate it or give it away to friends/family.
I figure that if i’m already paying for something, then its ok to take some freebies! I actually have a ziploc bag in which I put my little goodies!
I take freebies all the time…. yes, I am one of those people who takes the soap at hotels. 😉 I have SO may of them!
haha! my hubby does the same thing. I def take feebies at hotels tho!!
I love the freebies and ALWAYS take them! Especially hotels… I am a sucker for high-quality hotel toiletries. Recently, my girlfriends and I stayed at a place with Aveda bath amenities… you know that I took all of those home!
I think that where free items are offered, it’s fine to take a couple unless otherwise specified.
I haven’t bought a box of Splenda packets in 3 years….
Hahah I definitely do this too! Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s amples galore.. free perfum samples at Nordstrom, shampoos in the hotel rooms.. I mean, why not??! Love it 😉
I love freebies and take them as often as I can! 😛 Drawer at home full of hotel lotions, body wash and shampoos! lol
You are NOT alone in this, haha! I am the sampling queen…I mean…that’s why they’re out right? I just wanna make sure nothing goes to waste 😉
Tea is probably one of the best things to take, too. Mmm! Especially in the winter.
Enjoy your day, Julie!
I take samples and freebies, but never more than my fair share. I figure it’s a one-per-customer type thing.
Although I have seen people take huge handfuls of samples before. Seriously peeps, open those purse strings/wallet a tiny bit.
I love free stuff! I always take the hotel bathroom goodies each stay and tuck ’em away so that I get new ones every day. I always use the same bottle and take full ones home. I also stock up on the coffee and tea when I’m traveling.
I love free stuff too! My mom used to have tons of drawers filled with hotel lotions, soaps, etc….my husband thought it was so funny that when we came back from our honeymoon he brought all of the lotions/toilitries for her and gave them to her for xmas!
hahahaha. No WORRIES. I take free stuff too. Food. whatever the heck it may be!
Wow that pic with Sadie: It looks so tropical over there and its winter!!! LOL
No way you should worry about paying for those little sugar packets and jellies. Bigger things, maybe, but there’s a different between shoplifting and taking freebies!
All those hotel soaps and shampoos are perfect for shelters. My church collects them for that reason.
Doesn’t everyone do that?! I do that with napkins and straws so I always have them in my emergency stash in case I run out 🙂
I laughed at this because I definitely take the “small things.” They don’t know ho w many jellies or packets you need to use!
I definitely think you are just being clever and frugal. I take small things as well. Just last night, when I was at Starbucks, I stole some of their little packets of honey. I love bread and honey and these are the perfect packets to take with me to work. 🙂
omg, i do it all the time! 😉
i was much worse in college!
Love taking the freebies!!
When I was a Splenda addict, I used to wipe out the stash at Dunkin Donuts… 😯
If things are free, then TAKE. It’s only bad when they’re not free and you take a five finger discount. 😉
Haha I love this! I totally steal sugar packets from Starbucks! They’re so expensive at the grocery store, so why not take a few when they’re free!
Btw, how do you cook your eggs to get them like that?! Just plop an egg in the pan and let it cook? I want to try and cook my eggs like that next time since I always do scrambled – that way looks delish! And I hate doing scrambled when I want to make a sandwich like you b/c all the tiny bits fall out!
I cant resist freebies!! Whether it’s perfume samples or hotel shampoo..and for some reason, I ALWAYS keep a few packets of honey from starbucks in my purse, you never know when a little honey will come in handy!! Sometimes I just eat it straight from the packet 🙂