How much have you saved?

[flyingaway]

I guess the 2% credit card rewards have been built into the spending budget.

[11522914]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ivinsfan Actually the cost of CC cards is on you too, even if you pay with greenbacks. It is already baked in the pricing from the get go. As for smartphone pricing it's not apples to apples but I agree if you can buy a less pricey phone and keep it for a long time you are ahead of the game.

Excellent point. There is no cost to using cc for me other than time and the benefits far outweigh the time spent.

I also end up buying Google Nexus/Pixel phones as I found they offer a compelling value when compared to other brands. I always wait till they are on sale, buy them new, and sell them on ebay when I'm ready to buy a new one. I found they're usually good for about 3 to 4 years. I currently have a Pixel 3aXL and love it. On top of all this the 2 Pixel 3aXL I bought for me and my wife were purchased with CC reward points.

[ivinsfan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobbieB I don't save anything. I'm past saving, I'm retired. Now I just blow that dough. No budget, no tracking anything. But 7 years after I retired, I've got more dough than I started with. So spending looks OK -

Even with BTD, do you look to spend more then you need to for certain items?



This thread has gone totally off the rails but started with a poster asking how much do you save a year by using readily available things to lower the price of something you buy anyway. It's actually an interesting question.


In a totally lame example for some darn reason there is a huge toothpaste, mouthwash, etc war going on at Walgreens dot/com.


Between manufacturers coupons, Walgreens coupons and Walgreens cashback bonus money, they are almost giving the stuff away.



Now I use these items every single day and have a prodigious supply on hand. I'd rather do that then run to the store and pay full retail.

[pacergal]

I don't track how much I "save" every month, but I do use coupons and buy/stock up grocery items when they are on sale. I buy clothes off season, so they are cheaper.

my by-line is a quote I read from someone on this forum. Its a reminder for me!

[daylatedollarshort]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ivinsfan In a totally lame example for some darn reason there is a huge toothpaste, mouthwash, etc war going on at Walgreens dot/com. Between manufacturers coupons, Walgreens coupons and Walgreens cashback bonus money, they are almost giving the stuff away. Now I use these items every single day and have a prodigious supply on hand. I'd rather do that then run to the store and pay full retail.

I like looking for bargains like that, too. Why pay more than you have to for items you need anyway? Our closest supermarket charges 3 times more for organic produce than a local farm to doorstep deliver service does and saves time, too. I really enjoy finding bargains like that and am always on the look out. We're retired and have time to price shop like that, so why not? Most price shopping these days can be done pretty quickly online.

[CaptTom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daylatedollarshort A big one is product reviews - over $5K this year.

Can you offer any details on this? I looked into doing reviews or surveys, but haven't found a good, reputable company to sign up with. I figure it would be a good way to kill time, rather than playing games or watching stupid videos on the phone or laptop.

[1242Vintage]

I have a post retirement part time job at a rock quarry. If I ask am sure I could get an employee discount on rocks!

Would save a ton of money the next time I need landscaping rock for the yard.

[RobbieB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ivinsfan Even with BTD, do you look to spend more then you need to for certain items?

No, I don't look to pay more. Typically I'll find something on the internet and copy the item and google search it yo make sure I'm getting a good price. But no coupons. Sometimes I let my ACE rewards expire as I'm not there in the store or forgot to load them into my wallet.

[RetiredHappy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobbieB I don't save anything. I'm past saving, I'm retired. Now I just blow that dough. No budget, no tracking anything. But 7 years after I retired, I've got more dough than I started with. So spending looks OK -

+1 Well said. Same here, Retired for 5.5 years.

[JT90505]

"...This thread has gone totally off the rails ..."

...but its gone off the rails in a fun and interesting way that made me think

[daylatedollarshort]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptTom Can you offer any details on this? I looked into doing reviews or surveys, but haven't found a good, reputable company to sign up with. I figure it would be a good way to kill time, rather than playing games or watching stupid videos on the phone or laptop.

I just kind of lucked out on that program. It is an invitation only program with participants invited based on their prior product reviews.

[ivinsfan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daylatedollarshort I just kind of lucked out on that program. It is an invitation only program with participants invited based on their prior product reviews.

Where did you post the reviews that got you noticed?

[daylatedollarshort]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 11522914 Thanks for the response. You are definitely one of my favorites to follow. I probably do 75% of your suggestions and will be looking into some of the other ones. I've been playing the credit card rewards game for decades now but I just started this year doing bank bonuses. Already made $1,500 moving 50k around. That $1,500 took a couple of hours of my time at most. When the pandemic is over I will definitely look into seat filler memberships.

I need to do another round of the bank bonuses and credit card hacks. I slacked off on those lately and they are easy, free money. Thanks for starting the thread. The same buzzkills always come around and post whenever anyone starts any kind of frugal thread and make the same comments. Don't let those posters discourage you from more threads like these for those of us who enjoy a good bargain.

[Sunset]

Quote:

Originally Posted by teetee I don't believe in credit cards. Everything you get from them is from you, you just don't recognize it. The same part is that I like to save money from finding good deals online. Recently someone on a different forum posted that including the phone purchase cost and the plan, they spend around $30/mo/line for their smartphone spending. I followed the same method, and my smartphone spending in the past four years was averaged $1.6/mo/line. Before that it was even cheaper because I had a flip phone with $10/year prepaid. Once I reach the retirement age I will definitely try the gov sponsored free phone plan and see if their 'free' phone+plan is true.

The credit card $$$ I get is from Everyone, including you.
This last CC I spent $4,000 that I would have to spend anyhow, just used the CC instead of cash. For that they gave me $1,300

For cell phones, we have smart phones and depending upon use, the cost per year for each phone ranges from $10 to around $40.

[Sunset]

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyingaway I guess the 2% credit card rewards have been built into the spending budget.

Not for me, I'm going to spend $X amount per year, whether I get zero or 32.5% bonus. (Last CC , spent $4K got $1,300 in cash as bonus).

[Winemaker]

Through a grocery store loyalty program, DW and I have received 30 gallons of free gasoline per month over the past 10 years. The grocer reports that has saved us about $1500/year. Using a Southwest credit card for the past 8 years, we have qualified for a companion pass for the past 7 years. While we have only taken a total of 6 trips since the pandemonium broke out, we were taking 7 trips per year. But there are over 400,000 points accumulated for future trips. Once we hit our "limit/target", we then start using our Delta AM Ex card or our United card, to start earning points there for a trip where SW doesn't go.

We are probably paying higher prices somewhere along the lines but we're happy with the present scenario. When we bought granite countertops through a box store using gift cards purchased at the grocer, we had so many gasoline points that I filled up gas cans, and we gave gas away to neighbors, and relatives, for weeks.

[athena53]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptTom Can you offer any details on this? I looked into doing reviews or surveys, but haven't found a good, reputable company to sign up with. I figure it would be a good way to kill time, rather than playing games or watching stupid videos on the phone or laptop.

I don't know if e-Rewards is signing up new members but I've been using them for years. I do get the occasional frustrating survey that kicks me out after 10 minutes of thoughtful answers, but I occasionally get products to test. Nothing in the $5,000/year range but paper towels, toilet paper, skin creams, etc. Supposedly I've got a high-end coffee maker arriving soon that will require me to use a smartphone app and upload info on my use for a year. I then get to keep it.

Last year I responded to a FaceBook ad and got $200 for being on a mock jury via Zoom. It was a tragic car accident and the lawyers wanted to run things by a model jury and see what we noticed/didn't notice and how we'd answer the questions they posed about who was at fault. Really fascinating.

[Retired Expat]

I can’t be bothered to keep track of that stuff. My Ex used to pick up every penny or coin she came a cross and put them in a special jar. After 10 years she had about $27. I then found a couple hundred dollars on the street one day! Came home, handed a hundred dollar bill to my wife and said “Here, I am not picking up any more damn pennies!

[CaptTom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by athena53 I don't know if e-Rewards is signing up new members but I've been using them for years.

Their web site says invitation only.

I've tried a few survey sites, but I suspect the problem is I'm not in their demographic. I suspect they're more after what the BTD crowd thinks.

I've seriously considered simply lying. Yes, I shop at Whole Foods all the time. Never look for discounts. Buy lots of top-name-brand clothing. Spend hours in high end stores every week. Subscribe to every streaming service. Line up for every new iPhone. That sort of thing. I bet I could make a fortune.

[11522914]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winemaker Through a grocery store loyalty program, DW and I have received 30 gallons of free gasoline per month over the past 10 years. The grocer reports that has saved us about $1500/year. Using a Southwest credit card for the past 8 years, we have qualified for a companion pass for the past 7 years. While we have only taken a total of 6 trips since the pandemonium broke out, we were taking 7 trips per year. But there are over 400,000 points accumulated for future trips. Once we hit our "limit/target", we then start using our Delta AM Ex card or our United card, to start earning points there for a trip where SW doesn't go. We are probably paying higher prices somewhere along the lines but we're happy with the present scenario. When we bought granite countertops through a box store using gift cards purchased at the grocer, we had so many gasoline points that I filled up gas cans, and we gave gas away to neighbors, and relatives, for weeks.

Thanks for sharing.

I'm 972 points away from earning companion pass for 2021/2022.

Then near the end of 2022 my wife will sign up for her Southwest card and we'll get companion pass for 2022/2023.

Wow, 400,000 points with companion pass. That is awesome and a TON of free travel.

Love Southwest