What are you not willing to scrimp on?

[Walt34]

That sounds like an accurate analysis! I buy my gas at the most expensive station in town (the big, beautiful new Chevron on the corner just down the street). I only fill it up every 6 weeks, though. At 16 gallons per fill-up, each extra penny per gallon means another $1.44/year spent. Oh horrors!

Okay.... Every six weeks!

What kind of car, driven how far?

We burned about that much today, helping my niece move some stuff with a 4WD GMC full-size pickup truck, and 16 gallons is about half a tank. On a good day it gets 18 mpg.

Note: If you own a pickup truck, you find a lot of friends....

Bumper sticker on PickupTruck.com: Pickup Truck News, Reviews, Community and Help Finding a New or Used Pickup - "Yes this is my truck and no I won't help you move". But I make exceptions for family.

 

[loosechickens]

Well, I think of myself as being really frugal, but there are certainly things we don't scrimp on.

I don't mind getting most of my clothes from thrift stores because I prefer soft, casual, comfortable clothes, and find an abundance second hand, but here are the things we don't really scrimp on at all

good shoes
Smartwool socks
top quality organic food
organic cotton sheets
Belgian chocolate
broadband internet
travel
giving to charity

I'm sure I'll think of more as soon as I post this. Our normal system is to be very frugal where it doesn't matter to us (such as washing out the plastic bags or hanging up the laundry instead of using a dryer), yet do not hesitate to spend, sometimes a LOT for the things that matter to us. Of course, the frugality on a number of other things makes it so that there is always money NOT to scrimp on the stuff that matters to us.

LooseChickens

 

[Janet H]

You really need to spend some time in a warmer climate...

Maybe I just need a better way to keep my feet warm?

 

[W2R]

Okay.... Every six weeks!

What kind of car, driven how far?

We burned about that much today, helping my niece move some stuff with a 4WD GMC full-size pickup truck, and 16 gallons is about half a tank. On a good day it gets 18 mpg.

Note: If you own a pickup truck, you find a lot of friends....

Bumper sticker on PickupTruck.com: Pickup Truck News, Reviews, Community and Help Finding a New or Used Pickup - "Yes this is my truck and no I won't help you move". But I make exceptions for family.

I drive a 4-cylinder 2000 Toyota Camry Solara, and I put less than 5000 miles/year on it. I live a mile and a half from work, and I have no life!

I used to get my tank filled once a month. I haven't driven as much in the past couple of years, for whatever reasons. Also if I wait until the little light goes on, sometimes it's 17 gallons.

 

[W2R]

Our normal system is to be very frugal where it doesn't matter to us (such as washing out the plastic bags or hanging up the laundry instead of using a dryer), yet do not hesitate to spend, sometimes a LOT for the things that matter to us.

That is so wise! I think that knowing what we really want is the key to being happy and not feeling deprived while LBYM'ing.

 

[Goonie]

I live a mile and a half from work, and I have no life!

That must be nice! When I was still w*rking, I had a MUCH longer commute......2 miles! I had to fill up (3/4 tank) about once a month, unless I went out of town several times, then it was a little more often. Normally just once a month, or less, though.

That was back in the good ol' days ( ) now that I'm retired, I have to fill up at least every 2 weeks! I'm always go here or there, for this or that......and thoroughly enjoying every minute (and mile) of it!!!

 

[W2R]

That must be nice! When I was still w*rking, I had a MUCH longer commute......2 miles! I had to fill up (3/4 tank) about once a month, unless I went out of town several times, then it was a little more often. Normally just once a month, or less, though.

That's really great! I forgot to say that on the weekends, when Frank and I go out together he always prefers to drive. So, that saves some gas, too.

That was back in the good ol' days ( ) now that I'm retired, I have to fill up at least every 2 weeks! I'm always go here or there, for this or that......and thoroughly enjoying every minute (and mile) of it!!!

I'm hoping to do a lot of walking when I retire. So, maybe that will cut back on my gas mileage. If not, maybe I'll be getting gas every half month, too!

 

[Notmuchlonger]

Out of all of this. I agree with socks and wine and food. In no particular order. I enjoy running so socks check! Wine well ... I do enjoy a good wine. And well food thats why I really need to run Eh cheers!

 

[Ronstar]

I agree with a lot of you - one can not scrimp on high speed internet or socks. Or food, travel and entertainment.

 

[redmcclain]

During the winter months my feet remain cold so I splurge on fleece socks from LL Bean - they cost $15/pair which is a crazy amount to spend on socks but they are so incredibly soft and keep my feet toasty warm.

 

[Martha]

You can get the same kind of fleece socks for $10 at Sierra Trading Post - Save 35-70% on Famous Name Brands.

 

[Dawg52]

Maybe I just need a better way to keep my feet warm?

Can I buy you a cup of coffee? Oh yeah, I already asked you that.

My answer to the original question......drum roll please......... golf.

 

[unclemick]

After my early years - I don't scrimp on nothing anymore - I buy only name brands when Salvation Army has their sidewalk sales. And I just bought a 'new' used snow tire from Tom's Used Tires - $30 mounted and balanced plus four tubes of sand from Ace Hardware to pile in the pickup bed passenger side - for extra traction in the snow. It only takes one tire - not that much snow here.

Time in the market - the first ten years of ER helped the old portfolio - so I don't scrimp anymore - except sometimes I slip - old habits you know.

heh heh heh -

 

[Martha]

One snow tire! Four tubes of sand equals one Unclemick!

I don't think you are that big of a guy. Those tubes, at least around here, weight about 75 pounds each dry. I suggest that you to distribute the sand equally just to the front of each rear wheel and buy another snow tire.

 

[redmcclain]

Thanks!! I'll have to try them. I found a cheaper pair a few years ago but they weren't as warm and wore out fairly quickly but it looks like the ones at Sierra received glowing reviews.

 

[MikeD]

Note: If you own a pickup truck, you find a lot of friends....

My BIL borrowed my pickup ONCE. He used it for a day and returned it with the exact same amount of gas in it as when I lent it to him.

Cheap bastard.

I asked him if I could borrow his sports car because I felt the need to drive fast around corners. He declined.

Mike D.

 

[M Paquette]

What I won't scrimp on?

Carbon paper - It's our most important resource at MegaCorp.

(FIRE -9 weeks and counting...)

 

[Martha]

Thanks!! I'll have to try them. I found a cheaper pair a few years ago but they weren't as warm and wore out fairly quickly but it looks like the ones at Sierra received glowing reviews.

Yes, the Acorn brand is a good brand and often the exact same socks as you get from another catalog. I have small feet so I generally buy the kids extra large size and save another couple of bucks.

 

[Meadbh]

What I won't scrimp on?

Carbon paper - It's our most important resource at MegaCorp.

(FIRE -9 weeks and counting...)

They still make carbon paper? Who knew?

 

[Meadbh]

I scrimp on everything except.......

................
help me out here............

 

[Goonie]

They still make carbon paper? Who knew?

The little 'feed & seed' store that I buy bird feed at, still hand-writes receipts on those little pads with the carbon paper between the original and the copy. Except when I shop there, I haven't seen that sort of thing in YEARS!

Along the same lines, we went to the local 'monument' (tombstone) shop last week to buy a lawn ornament, and they had one of those old-type credit card sliders (or whatever you call them).....it's been eons since I saw one of those!

Welcome to rural, small-town America!

 

[Rustic23]

Grizz
I ask my 96 year old FIL what was the greatest invention during his life time.

Toilet Paper!

And, he did not have to think long. He said he could remember a bucket full of water and corn cobs in the out house. Not fun on a cold day!

 

[audreyh1]

We really don't scrimp.

We simply don't buy most stuff. We don't accumulate a bunch of stuff. We feed few hobbies, have few toys. We rarely go shopping other than for groceries.

BUT - when we do, we don't scrimp. We're willing to pay high dollars for very good quality IF that's what it takes. We have the mentality that if we're going to buy something (and we can afford it), we might as well buy the good quality stuff.

Audrey

 

[kcowan]

We always walk or bike instead of driving. We take transit when the weather is bad.
We hate spending over $350/night in a hotel even in NYC and Venice.
We shop online for travel and travel on Tuesday to save air fare.
We swap homes for 2 vacations each year.
We share newspapers with a neighbor.
We reuse Ziploc bags and liquor store bags (they are really good and we always have some around).
We have one Visa and one MC, each with 2 cards.
We save elastic bands that the mailman sometimes uses.
We reuse water bottles, filling them from the tap.
We reuse plastic containers like the ones we buy with 3-bean salad.
We pay online to save the stamps and envelopes.
When we go shopping, we ask our neighbors what we can get for them.
We use nightlights rather than flipping lights on in closets and bathrooms.
We buy used computers for half price off craigslist.
We sell surplus stuff (e.g. cell phones) on craigslist or BuySell.
We repair stuff.
We use fans instead of AC.
We avoid prepackaged foods, preferring meals from scratch.

But we buy good quality food, coffee and wine.
We keep the heat up in the LR, DR and kitchen.
We travel four trips a year.

 

[audreyh1]

Newspapers?

Do people still pay for newspapers?

(Sorry, couldn't resist - haven't bought a newspaper in > 10 years. Don't get magazines either.)

Audrey