Irrational frugality

[devans0]

Coupons.

 

[Walt34]

.
I prefer the free water, others in my family insist on bottled. I can't taste any difference, but others claim the bottled stuff tastes better.

Where I worked one of the [-]secretaries[/-] administrative assistants insisted bottled water was better. When we started picking her used bottle out of the recycling bin and refilling it with tap water she never noticed.

I suspect it is simply a matter of the colder temperature, assuming you keep it in the refrigerator.

 

[Texas Proud]

In the 70's who would have ever thought people would pay a dollar or two (inflation adjusted) for plastic bottles of water.

Many brands of bottled water is nothing more than filtered water from municipal systems with a picture of a mountain on the label.

We have great well water with an RO (reverse osmosis) system so it's almost free.

OK... I want to know... what kind of system do you have and how much water can you get out of it within reason...


I ask because I have one under the sink and now it starts to peter out before you can get a pint out of it... it will still give water, but at a very reduced rate (almost a trickle)....

I cannot remember how much we used to be able to get out before this happened, but I know the flow is reduced (and it is not the filters, I think it is the storage tank)...

 

[samclem]

OK... I want to know... what kind of system do you have and how much water can you get out of it within reason...


I ask because I have one under the sink and now it starts to peter out before you can get a pint out of it... it will still give water, but at a very reduced rate (almost a trickle)....

I cannot remember how much we used to be able to get out before this happened, but I know the flow is reduced (and it is not the filters, I think it is the storage tank)...

It almost surely is the storage tank. It sounds like the air bladder is low on pressure. It's simple to add air (you can use a hand pump or a small compressor, it's got the same type of valve stem as a tire), but you need a sensitive low-pressure gauge so that you don't put too much air in and burst the bladder. I can't recall the amount of air pressure they typically take, I think it is around 10-12 PSI. Mine needs to be topped off about every 5 years or so.

If adding air doesn't work, the air bladder may be ruptured/leaking. Just get a new pressure tank, they aren't very expensive. The rest of your RO system should still be fine.

 

[fleefromhome]

For me, it's more about the irritation I feel whenever I've paid too much. I dislike being ripped off in principle more than I feel the loss of a few dollars here and there.

There's also the feeling that I should be setting a good example for my children.

+1 on this. It is the principle. Exactly why I would NEVER buy soda and popcorn at the movie theatre. I am not going to let them get away with robbery.

 

[Live And Learn]

This thread is why I love this forum !

To the OP, I do not think your frugality was irrational at all. Like someone else, I barely use paper towels, reserving them only for nasty floor cleanups. I tear old clothes for rags and I have a dozen white facecloths that I use for cleaning. I wash them in the laundry with some bleach to sanitize.

I thoroughly wash and reuse freezer bags. I hate the thought of tossing all that plastic into a landfill.

I follow the practices of reduce - reuse - recycle. It makes me feel good and it saves me money as a benefit.

The reason I was able to retire at 52 was precisely because I can be frugal and still have an awesome quality of life. That frugality got me here, and it will keep me here. And I'm not ashamed of it one itty bit

 

[RenoJay]

This irrational frugality is an interesting concept. I know a lot of people who will scrutinize the cost of paper towels but get gun shy when they have an opportunity to haggle for something where it can make a big difference in their lives like a raise, a salary, the cost of a home, car, home repair or sales commission. Personally I prefer to ignore the little things and save my chutzpah to ask for a discount on just the big stuff.


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[Texas Proud]

It almost surely is the storage tank. It sounds like the air bladder is low on pressure. It's simple to add air (you can use a hand pump or a small compressor, it's got the same type of valve stem as a tire), but you need a sensitive low-pressure gauge so that you don't put too much air in and burst the bladder. I can't recall the amount of air pressure they typically take, I think it is around 10-12 PSI. Mine needs to be topped off about every 5 years or so.

If adding air doesn't work, the air bladder may be ruptured/leaking. Just get a new pressure tank, they aren't very expensive. The rest of your RO system should still be fine.

Thanks... I looked it up on you tube and found a video... will have to get in there and do it...

 

[Danmar]

I stopped picking up pennies 10 years ago. If I hurt my back I would just hate myself -

As a country, Canada did away with pennies years ago. It was many years before that that I stopped using them by throwing them away.

 

[Marita40]

This is an interesting thread. I find my own habits irrational--in some things I'm quite frugal and in others rather liberal. Guess it just depends on what one values.
One area where I'm often torn is Aldis. I really like their selection and price, and I find much of what I need there. But not everything, so I then have to make a trip the opposite direction to Target where I do the remainder of my weekly shopping. It is starting to be a time-versus-money issue for me in that I resent having to go to the two stores. Also with home projects I do less (or, at least, attempt less) on my own now than I did previously. Now I hire more things out. But this is also largely the fact that I am still employed and time really is at a premium.

 

[FUEGO]

As a country, Canada did away with pennies years ago. It was many years before that that I stopped using them by throwing them away.

This explains the inordinate amount of dimes we found on the ground in Toronto. Canadian dimes, the new penny. I guess they aren't worth a whole lot more than US pennies at today's forex rates are they?

On the note of finding money, my daughter crushed it in Toronto/Niagara Falls while there on vacation for 2 weeks. Once she found a $20 right outside City Hall, then found $5 on the ground right next to the falls. Since we charged almost everything to a credit card, that was our cash supply during our vacation. I gave her a US $20 once we got home for her efforts (yeah, I lost $0.73 on the forex on that trade).

 

[aja8888]

Water we get(NJ) is from very very old rustic pipes and even with filters it slowly affected our bodies. I was so sick in late 2014/early 2015 that I thought I was done. We first switched to Kirkland brand water in Costco and now Poland Spring. We even cook our food with that water....No half measures or frugality here as it concerns our health. our health have been improved and we do not get sick as often.

Curious, but the municipalities I have obtained water from are required to demonstrate that they meed U.S. Safe Drinking Water Act standards for pollutants of concern (the Act was promulgated in 1974) . If you get water from a regulated supplier, I would suspect that your provider also mails you an annual summary of their water quality analysis to prove to the residents that their water meets the safe drinking water standards.

Are you getting your domestic water from a regulated municipal utility, a non-regulated water source, or is your home plumbing the issue that has been making you sick?

 

[Htown Harry]

I've been known to walk in the gas station and pay cash to save $.10/gallon.

I've had my DW drive out of the way a few blocks to save 2 or 3 cents/gal on gas.

Lightweights...the truly frugal walk to the gas station carrying a red gas can in each hand.

 

[FUEGO]

Lightweights...the truly frugal walk to the gas station carrying a red gas can in each hand.

I do that sometimes when I need to refill my 1 gallon can for the push mower. Seems silly to drive the half mile to the gas station on the corner when the weather is nice.

Invariably a friend or neighbor sees me and tries to give me a ride.

 

[samclem]

Speaking of frugality and gas: For every $100 we spend, our supermarket gives us 10 cents off per gallon of gas, but just on one fillup. The max fillup is 35 gallons. When it is time, DW and I both go in separate cars to opposite sides of the pump and do a single sale. Plus I bring my 5 gallon can. We got 34 gallons in our two cars plus the can last time. It's a bit of a hassle, but only takes about 15 minutes, and we saved $30 last time.

 

[JDARNELL]

Speaking of frugality and gas: For every $100 we spend, our supermarket gives us 10 cents off per gallon of gas, but just on one fillup. The max fillup is 35 gallons. When it is time, DW and I both go in separate cars to opposite sides of the pump and do a single sale. Plus I bring my 5 gallon can. We got 34 gallons in our two cars plus the can last time. It's a bit of a hassle, but only takes about 15 minutes, and we saved $30 last time.

We do the same thing. When they give 4x points we load up in gift cards. Keeping a spreadsheet of how much I save.


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[doneat54]

 

[FUEGO]

Speaking of frugality and gas: For every $100 we spend, our supermarket gives us 10 cents off per gallon of gas, but just on one fillup. The max fillup is 35 gallons. When it is time, DW and I both go in separate cars to opposite sides of the pump and do a single sale. Plus I bring my 5 gallon can. We got 34 gallons in our two cars plus the can last time. It's a bit of a hassle, but only takes about 15 minutes, and we saved $30 last time.

We have this trick where we just don't drive a lot. The cost per gallon doesn't decrease but we're saving money in the gas category overall.

 

[freedomatlast]

OK... I want to know... what kind of system do you have and how much water can you get out of it within reason...


I ask because I have one under the sink and now it starts to peter out before you can get a pint out of it... it will still give water, but at a very reduced rate (almost a trickle)....

I cannot remember how much we used to be able to get out before this happened, but I know the flow is reduced (and it is not the filters, I think it is the storage tank)...

The system I have is two tanks mounted on the basement wall with a line going to a tap on the kitchen sink. I can easily fill a gallon jug in a very reasonable amount of time. I installed the system in 2014 and haven't had to change out the cartridges in the tank yet. When it's time, the water will come out in a trickle instead of regular water line pressure. Perhaps that's the issue with yours.

 

[freedomatlast]

It almost surely is the storage tank. It sounds like the air bladder is low on pressure. It's simple to add air (you can use a hand pump or a small compressor, it's got the same type of valve stem as a tire), but you need a sensitive low-pressure gauge so that you don't put too much air in and burst the bladder. I can't recall the amount of air pressure they typically take, I think it is around 10-12 PSI. Mine needs to be topped off about every 5 years or so.

If adding air doesn't work, the air bladder may be ruptured/leaking. Just get a new pressure tank, they aren't very expensive. The rest of your RO system should still be fine.

If that's the case, the water pressure in the entire house would be affected. I'm betting the cartridges in the RO system need to be changed out. Very low pressure (trickle) out of the RO system is what typically alerts the user to change out the cartridges.

 

[Cobra9777]

Speaking of frugality and gas: For every $100 we spend, our supermarket gives us 10 cents off per gallon of gas, but just on one fillup. The max fillup is 35 gallons. When it is time, DW and I both go in separate cars to opposite sides of the pump and do a single sale. Plus I bring my 5 gallon can. We got 34 gallons in our two cars plus the can last time. It's a bit of a hassle, but only takes about 15 minutes, and we saved $30 last time.

We do the same thing. When they give 4x points we load up in gift cards. Keeping a spreadsheet of how much I save.

+2

I love 4X fuel points on gift cards at Kroger. They usually offer this near the end of the year. I stock up on Amazon gift cards and use them for online purchases. I also use my AMEX Blue Cash which earns the 5% "grocery" discount on gift cards purchased at Kroger.

I once calculated a 19% discount with the 4X fuel points (AMEX 5%, plus $1/gal discount on fuel up to 35 gal). It's 12% with 2X fuel points, which is the standard deal for gift cards. My Suburban holds 30 gallons, so I just have to wait until it's completely empty and also bring my 5 gallon can. I once brought a 1 gallon can also, but the pump cuts you off at exactly 35 gallons.

 

[kcowan]

When I ever say "Its not worth my time" it is really a code word for I am either too lazy, or just do not want to mess with it. And that happens often since I value my time as $0.0 per hour.

When I was making the big bucks ($250k/yr), I would gladly change light bulbs or paint walls and called it therapy (a lot cheaper than a therapist!).

 

[kcowan]

As a country, Canada did away with pennies years ago. It was many years before that that I stopped using them by throwing them away.

I did away with pennies by using my debit card for all purchases under $10, CC for above. Since parking meters and buses started using prepaid or credit cards, I have no use for change.

 

[samclem]

If that's the case, the water pressure in the entire house would be affected. I'm betting the cartridges in the RO system need to be changed out. Very low pressure (trickle) out of the RO system is what typically alerts the user to change out the cartridges.

A couple of things: 1) The pressure tank I was referring is a small one just for the RO system, they have a total volume (air and water) of just a few gallons. When it loses pressure in the air bladder it has zero impact on house-wide water pressure. 2) A properly functioning RO system will ONLY put out a small trickle of water from the RO membrane cartridge. That water gets collected in the separate pressure tank and accumulates there for later use. If the air in that pressure tank bladder isn't at the right pressure, the drinking water won't dispense under pressure (in practice, what often happens is the water does accumulate and develop some pressure against the deflated bladder, but only the first few ounces will come out at a "normal" rate and then the rest comes at a much lower rate).

I suspect you may be thinking of the household--wide pressure tank used with a residential well system. That's a different thing.

 

[samclem]

The system I have is two tanks mounted on the basement wall with a line going to a tap on the kitchen sink. I can easily fill a gallon jug in a very reasonable amount of time. I installed the system in 2014 and haven't had to change out the cartridges in the tank yet. When it's time, the water will come out in a trickle instead of regular water line pressure. Perhaps that's the issue with yours.

If what you have is an RO system, you can't tell if the RO cartridge needs replacing by the flow rate of the drinking water. It will remain high even with an RO membrane that is shot. You'll need to periodically test your drinking water with a TDS (total dissolved solids) tester to know when it is time to change the membrane. Now, if you don't have an RO system but just have filters, sometimes flow rate can tell you when to change them . . . sometimes it doesn't.