Frugality out of control

I read a blog yesterday where the author ended with asking what shame we had endured for a bargain. She had purchased a pair of jeans that were on clearance. They were cheap and they fit well, but the floral pattern on the leg looked more like splashed mud. I laughed, but didn't leave a comment. But then this morning, I found myself doing something more extreme than wearing ugly pants.

Let's back this up a little and give you some history. When I was growing up, my mother had this "thing" in the kitchen. Not sure how to describe it. But, the important part--the part that I will never forget is this: It said, "Wear it out, use it up, make it do or do without." I believe it.

My shame is that I wear clothes and shoes until they literally fall apart. I do try to look presentable when I leave the house, but my pajamas and Saturday clothes are the things with too many stains or holes to wear anywhere. Actually, I'm getting better at mending the holes, so my pajamas are just weird looking, not truly holey. Which brings me to my first item of

"Frugality out of control"

1. This morning as I folded socks, I separated the ones with holes and put then in a pile to be darned. And yes, I really will darn them. It's what I do while I watched videos. I try to always wear the good socks if I'll be taking my shoes off in public, but at home, and sometimes even at work, you can catch me wearing darned socks.

2. I have 15 year old brand new towels in my cedar chest that I haven't used because I'm waiting for the ones in the linen closet to wear out. Some of the ones in the linen closet look pretty bad, but they are still usable and I can't bring myself to cut them up into rags yet. I hide them when I have company, but I still use them everyday.

3. When lip balm or lip stick gets down to the bottom where you can't just move it across your lips anymore, I don't throw it away. There are still several applications in that base and I dig them out with a Q-tip.

4. Speaking of products that need something to hold them in the container, I "made" deoderant today. Did you know that if you scrape out the rest of the solid deoderant that is left in the base and then melt it down, you can fill up another container? Seriously, 15-20 almost empty Secret Solid containers can be cleaned out and then the product can be melted and poured into 1 of the containers and it will almost fill it. But, I did notice as I did this today that the makers of Secret are finding ways to wasted less product in attaching it to the base, so it doesn't "make" as much as it used to.

Frugality or insanity? I'm not sure.

The funny part is, there are other parts of my life where I am not nearly frugal enough. I've had to set some severe limits on purchasing books and music because my spending in those areas was out of control.

What things are you super frugal about and what in what areas do you have trouble controlling your spending?