How frugal are you

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
Like I said, the carryover balance is from when I went on my trips back last year. I pay off what I add on to it every month, I'm waiting for my tax return this year to pay it off in full.


And like I said, it's extremely poor credit and financial management, as well as a bad credit habit. To top it off, if you're depending on a tax refund to pay off your debt, it's even worse. Not only are you paying interest on the debt, but you've let Uncle Sam use your money for a year with no interest. Now you're going to use the repayment of that no interest loan to try to reduce your high interest debt.

Don't parents and schools teach basic financial management anymore?

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: Pablo
No one admits to their splurges (well 99% aren't posting in this thread

)

I'm guessing eating restaurant chow is high on the list?


That's one of my biggest vices. I hate going to the grocery store, I hate spending a lot of money at the grocery store, I hate cooking, and I hate cleaning up. I prefer to skip all that, which means a lot of eating out. It can be very expensive if you don't think about it.

I also drive too much, and usually don't make an effort to save gas. Once in a while I average 19-20 MPG or so per tank, but lately with my not so smart city driving it has been 15-17 MPG.

I also spend too much money in convenience stores...too easy to buy a can of dip or caffeinated drinks. Since I pretty much stopped drinking alcohol about 9 months ago (was getting excessive and I was not practicing self-control), soft drink consumption has definitely gone up.

My frugality in other areas allows me to support these bad habits.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: Pablo
No one admits to their splurges (well 99% aren't posting in this thread

)

I'm guessing eating restaurant chow is high on the list?


While we rarely eat at restaurants, we do have our "splurges". We own a very nice rural home, along with a second lake front home we use for vacations (both of which are completely paid for). I have my antique tractor hobby and my wife has a few pursuits of her own. And we have our dogs and volunteer work that could be considered splurges.

 

[bullwinkle]

I spend too much money on motor oil!! Fortunately the rebate checks cover most of it! Seriously, I burn decent-size quantities of wood in my free-standing stove, and combined with the lower natural gas prices I've been able to 40% off my natural gas bill (from 2 years ago).

 

[refaller]

I have been nicknamed "Dollar Menu Robb" by my friends. I don't think I am too frugal. I more wonder where other people's money goes. I know I don't make as much as many of them, yet I have more equity (houses/ retirement accounts). All I can think is that they most make lots of fast food/ convenience store trips- most people have no idea how much they spend on coffee/ soda at those places. A friend and I decided everyone has their splurges for their joys. So long as you can afford what you have and save for the future, it is all good with me.

ref

 

[greenaccord02]

I take surveys on a site that sends me $50 gift cards to Express a few times a year. My wife uses these, in combination with reward sites, coupons, and free online shipping (tax free) to buy clothes. I only wear name brand, high quality short sleeve button down shirts. Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and stuff like that because they look better and last longer than cheap clothing. The thing is, they all come from Goodwill and cost $6 apiece. You have to look around, but you can find some nearly new stuff there. Once it comes back from the cleaners all starched and pressed, you'd never know. Same with pants. (My socks and drawers are purchased new.) This being Houston, there are a lot of ghetto malls with clearance centers for department stores. My wife and I shop at the Dillard's clearance center a few times a year and get new stuff for ridiculous prices ($12 for a $150 bath robe - stuff like that).

Almost every light inside and outside the house is a CFL. It's worked very well for us. They last a long time, and there is a noticeable difference in the electricity bill. When it was time to get a new desktop computer for everyday use, I built an extremely low power unit that draws a fraction of the power of a 'normal' workstation.

We drive old cars, just look at the sig. No payments means liability insurance only. I maintain our cars, appliances, and home. I'm pretty handy, so if something gets replaced or brought in for repair, it either takes a very expensive tool to fix or it's really, really broken.

I use my credit card whenever I can and get a good amount of money in cash back. Paid off monthly, etc.

We eat at home a lot. My wife really enjoys cooking and the food is good.

As far as splurges: Like I said, I take clothes that require ironing to the cleaners. It's worth it to me. Also, we eat out from time to time. I like to buy nice gifts for people, and because it makes me and them both happy, it's worth it. I have a lot of guns (though, I prefer to buy used, with poor appearance and refinish and repair them) and I collect old video games. Neither my wife nor I make a lot of money, so without doing the frugalities, we'd never have money enough to do the splurges, much less save and invest.

 

[Cup of Joe]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
I can get a Black and Decker coffee maker that is programmable for less than another maker and a timer.
So I am more frugal.


But I already had a cheap Sunbeam coffee maker. My wife has been through more then 1 of the newer progammable coffee makers in recent years. Quality is no longer part of many products these days. 1 worked fine but the burn rusted to the point of being unuseable.

I had this cheap Sunbeam that is more then 10 years old, it keeps working and doesn't rust. If it does konk out I have another one just like it in the cabinet so why not use them. When we are out of town I can use the light timer for added security.

 

[morris]

my friend washes with a wash rag and rubbing alcohol, he doesnt smell. i said wrong about water. he gets about 5 gal a week from me.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: GMFan
- I keep the heat in my place at 55 degrees in the winter and just wear more layers of clothing. I have found that a person will easily adapt and get used to keeping the thermostat down. Now when I go to my girlfriend's place (she keeps it at 70 degrees) I feel like I am baking. Heating oil prices are INSANE. Plus, I've read that it is actually healthier for your body.

- None of my clothes are designer label...any name brand stuff I buy at second party clothes stores for deep discounts. A lot of my clothes I got for free from construction supply houses etc and are my typical weekend wear.

- My only tv is a second hand 20" RCA tube tv given to me. It was manufactured in 1996 and still works fine.

- I go to a $10/month gym.


Oh, and I have discovered another great thing to save money. When I do drink juice (I usually drink plain water) I only pour half a glass of juice and fill the rest up with tap water. This not only spreads the juice and stops you from buying as much but it also is healthier (less sugar, salt etc). Although it may not be as tasty at first, I promise you that in a month or so of doing this if you try to drink plain juice it will taste way too sweet. I can't drink straight juice anymore. If you are an avid juice drinker this will save you hundreds of $ per year.

I set the thermostat at 56-58 during the day and 50-52 during the night, the heating cost is $10-15 a month on average. Why someone up north set their temperature above 65-66 during winter ?

I don't have air conditioning, so I turn table fan(s) in summer when the temp in the house is above 78-80.

I do mix 1/2 filtered water with juice too, straight juice of any kind, be it apple or orange or grape ..., is too sweet.

 

[crinkles]

I like to think we are frugal but i am not a scrooge. I am getting ok with spending money on value items, but nothing excessive. For instance we'd buy a good timber dining table, first one new, but not the bells and whistles one. Then we look after it.

We have 3 single beds for the kids we did not pay a cent for, picked them up at yard giveaways and from friends. The more people you know the more things can go around, we tend to share stuff with our friends. For instance our mate has a 5 year old, and she gave us his boots for my 4 year old. Next year, we may give her something we no longer need but she does.

We have no debt, 30, 3 kids , and in a reasonable financial positionx. I tend to think youcan't do that much nowadays on one income without being frugal.

 

[stockrex]

Originally Posted By: greenaccord02
Originally Posted By: Pablo
Don't own a coffee pot or buy toilet paper.

Both are "free" at work.


You must have 21 jewel swiss made intestines to have that kind of timing. Surely you keep emergency supplies on hand. What about weekends? Surely you don't take company toilet paper home?


;-)