Should we take the money??

[spdrun]

At least in NYC, Time Warner scrambled everything this year, requiring a box and more expensive plan. Solution: Mohu antenna to get over the air channels, and Netflix for the rest…

Oh, and grow some veggies 🙂

[scaredyclassic]

[quote=flu]…One area to also save…..
Watch your food bill. Never buy food that isn’t on sale. Change your eating habits such that you eat what’s on sale that week.

I know it’s seems ridiculous, until you notice that at your typically grocery store like Vons/Albertson/Ralph/etc, the difference between a sale item and a regular marked item is that 3x-4x more…That might not be such a big deal if you’re single. But If you’re got 2 + 3 kids to feed, that will be a big deal.

And by sale I don’t mean buying nearly expired food. I mean grocery stores regularly rotate normal food items that are discounted every week.

Now would also be a good time to give up pop and beer if that’s your thing, or at least reduce consumption of it. Not to mention, it would probably be healthier for you.[/quote]

generic vodka straight from freezer is very economical per serving especially if you get 1.75 l. Plastic jugs.

[FlyerInHi]

I’m no connoisseur but they say all vodka is the same. Something with distilling process maybe.

[FlyerInHi]

Come to think of it, managing your financial affairs well is one thing. But don’t go out with friends and be cheap. That’s very bad. Stay home if you don’t want to spend money.

[spdrun]

Or find friends who are into hiking rather than nightclubs…

[The-Shoveler]

I have sold three SoCal homes in my lifetime,

I have come to regret ever selling two of them, even the one I don’t regret so much is now worth considerable more than I sold it for.

Anyway, Just My two cents.

[lpjohnso]

We really hope you all know how much your posts have meant to us. The intent of frugality was brewing before we asked for your advice, but now it is full steam ahead.

I just took photos of numerous items to sell on Ebay and Craigslist.

We cut out cable last year, but unfortunately we are under contract on our phones.

I’m agoraphobic, so that makes limiting vacations just fine by me. Who knew an anxiety disorder could come in so handy with financial planning?

We won’t buy anything unless it’s necessary, and even then, we’ll buy it when it’s on sale. No more $16 Sculpin 6-packs (no, I’m not crying, I just have something in my eye), and eating out with the family 3-4 times per week will be something in the past. Once per month sounds much more reasonable.

The kids already have enough toys to last until they are grown. Has any one wrapped up toys that your kids already had, gave it to them as a present and try to pass it off as new?? Oh yeah, we’ll go there. Especially with the baby.

Yes, we have gap insurance, thank goodness. The plan like several suggested will be to pay off the Prius. When the lease is up on the Honda we will definitely buy preowned.

We will stay in the house and be happy to be here and we won’t take it for granted. We will try to embody a real “forget what you want, look at what you have” mentality.

If we stick to this plan, 5 years down the road is already lookin’ pretty damn sweet. Thank you all so much again. Really, truly. Perhaps I’ll return to this forum and let you know how it all went.

joec, it IS hard to convince driving an older model car to a woman! I should know, because I am one.

🙂

[FlyerInHi]

[quote=spdrun]Or find friends who are into hiking rather than nightclubs…[/quote]

They did a study of hiking demographics. It’s almost like skiing. Hikers are earthy crunchy middle to upper middle class. They are likely to drive Subaru, Prius or even Porsche Cayenne. You have to buy some equipment and take trips which cost money.

Poor people don’t hike.

[Anonymous]

[quote=FlyerInHi]I’m no connoisseur but they say all vodka is the same. Something with distilling process maybe.[/quote]

Russian vodka is superior. You can taste the centuries of hardship.

[spdrun]

There are hikers and there are posers… It’s not really that hard or expensive to get equipment that works together, especially if you’re talking about day trips.

[svelte]

[quote=lpjohnso]

The kids already have enough toys to last until they are grown. Has any one wrapped up toys that your kids already had, gave it to them as a present and try to pass it off as new?? Oh yeah, we’ll go there. Especially with the baby. [/quote]

We just did this with the grandkids – on accident.

I always weed out old toys and put them into plastic storage containers in the storage room. I do this in case they ever say “whatever happened to toy X?”, I can simply go retrieve it (they’ve never asked by the way). My mom used to throw away my toys without asking and it made me furious, that’s why I don’t toss them.

Anyway, They discovered a few of those storage buckets the other day and they’ve been having a great time rediscovering toys they didn’t even know they had! They are just as happy with’em as if they’d been new toys…

[CA renter]

[quote=FlyerInHi][quote=spdrun]Or find friends who are into hiking rather than nightclubs…[/quote]

They did a study of hiking demographics. It’s almost like skiing. Hikers are earthy crunchy middle to upper middle class. They are likely to drive Subaru, Prius or even Porsche Cayenne. You have to buy some equipment and take trips which cost money.

Poor people don’t hike.[/quote]

Nonsense! When I was dirt broke, my friends and I hiked regularly — at least once a week. We’re talking hiking (and some repelling with cheap gear that one of my friends had left over from his Army days), not hard-core mountain climbing, which probably costs a bit more.

California is filled with great places to hike. Just drive the beater car a few miles and you’re there. Pack some apples, maybe a couple of (cheap) granola bars, some water, and that’s all you need. Easy peasy.

[Coronita]

I really look forward to lpjohnso and her family turning this around. It’s encouraging to hear there people doing things to get out of the financial predicament they are in.

[svelte]

[quote=flu]I really look forward to lpjohnso and her family turning this around. It’s encouraging to hear there people doing things to get out of the financial predicament they are in.[/quote]

Me too. Please do keep us posted lpj.

My wife and I have gotten ourselves into jams too so don’t feel like you’re the only one. 🙂

We struggled for awhile but analyzed the situation (like you’re doing) and righted our boat…there is no reason I can see that things won’t turn out just as well for you.

[Anonymous]

[quote=lpjohnso]We really hope you all know how much your posts have meant to us. The intent of frugality was brewing before we asked for your advice, but now it is full steam ahead.

I just took photos of numerous items to sell on Ebay and Craigslist.

We cut out cable last year, but unfortunately we are under contract on our phones.

I’m agoraphobic, so that makes limiting vacations just fine by me. Who knew an anxiety disorder could come in so handy with financial planning?

We won’t buy anything unless it’s necessary, and even then, we’ll buy it when it’s on sale. No more $16 Sculpin 6-packs (no, I’m not crying, I just have something in my eye), and eating out with the family 3-4 times per week will be something in the past. Once per month sounds much more reasonable.

The kids already have enough toys to last until they are grown. Has any one wrapped up toys that your kids already had, gave it to them as a present and try to pass it off as new?? Oh yeah, we’ll go there. Especially with the baby.

Yes, we have gap insurance, thank goodness. The plan like several suggested will be to pay off the Prius. When the lease is up on the Honda we will definitely buy preowned.

We will stay in the house and be happy to be here and we won’t take it for granted. We will try to embody a real “forget what you want, look at what you have” mentality.

If we stick to this plan, 5 years down the road is already lookin’ pretty damn sweet. Thank you all so much again. Really, truly. Perhaps I’ll return to this forum and let you know how it all went.

joec, it IS hard to convince driving an older model car to a woman! I should know, because I am one.

:)[/quote]

And I’ll wake up at 5am every morning to exercise, and I’ll floss my teeth twice a day, and call my mom every weekend, and …

Cutting the spending on cars and eating out will make a big difference. You can do that much.

Cheep beer is is doable also. Think of it as ironic hipster thing.

Convincing the kids that they don’t “need” stuff won’t be so easy…

[Author]

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