101 Ways to $ave

[BUM]

Andy Rooney inspired whine, "Did you ever notice articles have to begin with numbers? I haaaave." Well heres another 101 ways to...




http://news.morningstar.com/article/article.asp?id=153039&t1=1136543544

 

[BUM]

Some of these even I had'nt thought of...but others have to be filler to get to that magic 101:


#55 Duh!
#63 LOL
#73
#101 You'd think I'd planted that one there myself!

 

[Spanky]

#63 -- Don’t get divorced.

How will that save money? I suppose the lawyer fee and settlement can be expensive. However, staying married just to avoid the costs could be detrimental to your health.

 

[maddythebeagle]

#63 -- Don’t get divorced.

How will that save money? I suppose the lawyer fee and settlement can be expensive. However, staying married just to avoid the costs could be detrimental to your health.

think half of your money/stuff disappearing.

 

[unclemick]

I like the parody of Warren Buffett:

Rule no 1: Don't spend money.

Rule no 2: Never forget rule no 1.

Doing without electricity, transportation and cooking with sterno during hurricane aftermaths a few times over thirty years was always an attention getter and helpful in improving focus. Warm beer was always a challenge.

The lists are great comedy and fun to read.

We slept on the neighbors floor for six weeks after a tornado took the roof off in 1995 and were temporily homeless.

Most of these lists are a joke for the 'truly aggressively frugal.'

I know seven families personally living in FEMA trailers in their front yard right now.

Perhaps a more whimsical list created by forum members would be in order.

Heh heh heh heh

 

[SteveR]

I would disagree with #63.

That one alone got me to FI. 

It was like pugging a hole in the lifeboat.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

#63 -- Don’t get divorced.

How will that save money? I suppose the lawyer fee and settlement can be expensive. However, staying married just to avoid the costs could be detrimental to your health.

Yep, millionaire next door...most well to do couples are on their first marriages and never got divorced.

 

[P.S.]

11. Stop buying clothes that are “dry clean only.” Learn to iron.

I think there's a law that req. clothing manufacturers to include cleaning instructions on garments, but many pieces labeled dry clean only can be successfully washed in the washer or by hand.
Here's a good book on fiber care, and nitty gritty care on anything home related.
Home Comforts : The Art and Science of Keeping House
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/07...002-4436017-6958462?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

 

[SteveR]

Yep, millionaire next door...most well to do couples are on their first marriages and never got divorced.

Divorce costs a ton! Lawyer fees were the least of it. Mine were about $5k for a basic divorce with split custody of kids, sale of house, QDRO, and car division.

The real cost to me was the QDRO and assumption of debt (hers ) while losing all the equity in the house (long story) and starting all over from a NW of -$30k and raising a teen age boy on my own. Cost? never calculated it but the QDRO was 50% of my DBP and DC at the time of the divorce. It is painful but not as much as being married to a free spender with no concept of saving, investing or LBYM.

Divorce from that..........priceless.

 

[Nords]

11. Stop buying clothes that are “dry clean only.” Learn to iron.

I think it's a shame that business attire has to be drycleaned. What if everyone showed up for work in wash & wear slacks & polo shirts? Or better yet, submarine coveralls & sneakers?

Over the last few weeks I bought at least a year's worth of "ER business attire": four pairs of shorts, four t-shirts (two WITH sleeves!), a pair of slippers, and a pair of sunglasses. Total cost: $40.

Luckily it doesn't require dry cleaning and it can all do double-duty as beachwear.

 

[Gone4Good]

19. With the high cost of oil, those hybrid cars are looking more attractive all the time. Check out Hybrid Car Guide for more.

It was my understanding that the "all-in" costs of hybrids was higher than similar conventional cars even with the run-up in gasoline prices.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Yep, the break even on hybrids, even factoring in rising gas prices and tax breaks is about 10 years.

Betcha gonna need a battery replacement between now and then.

 

[Gone4Good]

Yep, the break even on hybrids, even factoring in rising gas prices and tax breaks is about 10 years.

Betcha gonna need a battery replacement between now and then.

Yikes!! What do you think that costs??

 

[Nords]

Yikes!! What do you think that costs??

How would we know? The Prius isn't old enough yet and there aren't a lot of EVs on the road to compare the costs.

But in another 5-10 years we'll be casting our conspicuous-consumer eyes on a used extra-battery Prius...

 

[kjpliny]

"36. Don’t take a loan from your 401(k) plan--you’ll save on double taxation of that repaid interest. "

Aren't 401k loans paid back with after tax dollars? That would mean the interest plus the loan amount is being taxed twice, once when you repay the loan plus interest and again when you take the money out of the account at retirement, no?

 

[Outtahere]

That's right and do you think I can get that thru the thick heads of the employees taking out loans right and left from their 401ks? They just don't get it but that's okay they'll be the ones working and keeping the SS going for me.

 

[sgeeeee]

I was looking at the numbers for mini-SUVs a few weeks ago. For the hybrid to pay off on reduced gas usage took over 250,000 miles based on a gas price of $3.00 per gallon. That doesn't take into consideration that the hybrid is more complex mechanically and less field tested, so it almost certain to be more expensive to maintain.

 

[Nords]

I was looking at the numbers for mini-SUVs a few weeks ago.  For the hybrid to pay off on reduced gas usage took over 250,000 miles based on a gas price of $3.00 per gallon.

Yup, a decent used vehicle still beats out a new retail hybrid. Our 13-year-old 22-mpg 97K Taurus is still a better deal over a new Prius.

 

[Spanky]

The idea behind having a hybrid is not so much cost saving in gas but to contribute to a cleaner environment.

 

[LRS]

The idea behind having a hybrid is not so much cost saving in gas but to contribute to a cleaner environment.

But if you are getting your electricity from coal burning plants, you are still using petroleum to power your car (and you're still polluting). Arguably electricity from a nuclear plant is worse.

So depending on what part of the country you live in, you may be spending a lot of money on the car for little or no environmental benefit.

 

[Jarhead*]

Yup, a decent used vehicle still beats out a new retail hybrid.  Our 13-year-old 22-mpg 97K Taurus is still a better deal over a new Prius.

Nords: We have a 93 Taurus that we've owned for 10 years. 161,000 miles, and still looks good and runs good.

I'm 6 foot 6, and have a problem with smaller cars.

Jarhead, who agrees with ReWahoo, that Texas is the best college football team in the country.

 

[73ss454]

Well, they are.

Texas won the national championship, I think that means there #1.

 

[califdreamer]

I can't tell you how many younger people I've talked to who want to go out and buy a BMW or something equivalent when they're early in their careers and financial lives. I always tell them to seriously consider delaying the fancy car and instead buying a good economical car (what's wrong with a Honda Civic?) and investing the rest in real estate. Yes, I'm biased toward RE investing. It would be fine if they started a stock portfolio.

Someone I know was in a similar conversation with a young working person who was describing her and her husband's debt and interest only variable rate mortgage on their condo in the SF Bay Area (look out in 2007!) and she was considering buying a Hummer! What on Earth are people thinking? Why the all-consuming (no play on words intended) drive to buy luxury goods at the expense of getting a firm financial footing early on?

I think buying a new luxury vehicle, especially for people just starting out, is one of the great money wasters of all time. I know I'm preaching to the choir, but I've had a few glasses of wine and....

 

[Dawg52]

I  I know I'm preaching to the choir, but I've had a few glasses of wine and....

A California cabernet red? 

 

[Spanky]

Well, they are.

Texas won the national championship, I think that means there #1.

Speaking of college football, the U of Minnesota has just renewed its football coach's contract under which the coach will receive $1.8 million plus bonus and other incentives for the next five years. it's so ironic that the highest paid person in an educational institution is possibly be the football coach albeit the sport brings in a lots of revenue. I thought the role is to provide an education and/or research but not entertainment. Obviously, my view will receive little support, if any. After all, sports promotes competition and competition is beneficial to the economy or society.