HFWR
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
We have donated hundred of golf balls....
+1000
We have donated hundred of golf balls....
... Don't HAVE to, but thought we'd give frugality a try as we enter into retirement, to see what happens.
Alex in Virginia, This was a fun post to read!
Mulligan, we have more in common than Anthem. I like your thermostat settings!
rbmrtn, I have the same problem with coupons. They are typically for things I don't need or use. And if they are, I'll clip them but then loose them. Need to get more organized!
... Oil changes would be another example of a time when I'm happy to lose the frugal game. I know I could save some money by climbing under there and doing it myself, but that's something I'm happy to pay someone else to do.
But you rbmrtn are way more of a man than I am... Thermostat set at 85? Although when outside my range of comfort can be anywhere from 40-100 degrees my indoor comfort has gotten extremely narrow. When it gets above 73 inside during the summer I am hot and when it is below 70 in the winter I am cold. If my utility rates doubled I would be furious, but still wouldn't adjust the thermostat.
I will have to agree with you and rb both on the coupons, though I have good intentions, something always happens. I had a $5 off rest. coupon, but 6 miles down the road I realized I forgot it. My daughter says turn around and get it we have time. I said, never mind, I would spend $5 in gas just going back and getting it.
...When there are deals or coupons, I definately think its a game. For example, every so often Kohl's sends me a coupon for $10 off. I think Kohl's is betting I'll go in and spend $50 to buy stuff I probably don't need. It's tough to do, but I've managed to find items that cost just over $10 and so I've bought a set of socks and a good knife for about 50 cents each.
+1 mostly ! if my bill doubled I'd probably adjust the thermostat by a degree or two but there is no way I'm going to be warm inside my home when its hotter than hades outside. Probably added 2 years to my FI calculations but we have to prioritze
If I start to run low, on Sunday evening I'll go walk the rough on a few holes on our course. Not hard to find 2 or 3 dozen balls and get some light exercise in an hour or two. I also find when I hit a ball into the woods, it's not uncommon for me to find 2 balls to replace the one I just lost. The worse I hit, the heavier my bag gets with found balls!I buy used golf balls from lostgolfballs.com. Does that count?
Right. I think the game part should be "getting something for nothing" or "sticking it to the man". It should be about finding gains in the margins or turning constraints inside out; social judo.
If the strategy is to do without, you lose at the game.
Right. I think the game part should be "getting something for nothing" or "sticking it to the man". It should be about finding gains in the margins or turning constraints inside out; social judo.
If the strategy is to do without, you lose at the game.
Marko, I agree but I want to clarify that a bit. (Thanks for the reply to my post, btw.)
I am doing without cable TV because I have more than enough to watch on Netflix at a fraction of the cost. I am doing without my old fee-based credit monitoring service because I now use Credit Karma and Credit Sesame for free. I am doing without my lights and electronics being on when I'm not using them because, hey -- I'm NOT using them. I am doing without 3 or 4 separate store runs a week in my vehicle because I gang them all together once a week and free up some of my money AND some of my time.
You probably get the idea by now. Finding gains in the margins, as you put it, is at the core of the Frugal Game and where those margins are can be constantly optimized and improved.
IMHO...
Alex in Virginia
As far as saving on utilities, I always line dry my laundry.
I do mine indoors for several reasons...Line drying is great. I like it because it burns a few extra calories, saves money, drying outside on sunny days helps kill germs, and it is better for the environment. Line drying and a front loading washer saved us quite a bit on energy costs.
I do mine indoors for several reasons...
1. No bird plops or bugs on my clean laundry.
2. I can hang it and leave it regardless of weather or season.
3. I use clothesline rope with D connectors at both ends to attach/detach it quickly on the heavy duty nails I drove into my fireplace mantel (railroad tie). I leave the connected ends on a metal ceiling support jack.
I have a dehumidifier in the room anyway, so no moisture retention in the room. The clothes dry very quickly.
Says it all!Yes. Practicing no-sacrifice frugality puts me more in control. Helps me come out ahead. Gets me in a winning mood. And who isn’t going to feel good about all of that?