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Respectfully disagree a bit on this.
My small veggie garden doesn't save a lot of money on food costs but does provide exercise so I don't need a gym (money saved). Provides me with a hobby I enjoy that I can wear old clothes and the equipment once purchased lasts pretty long time.
Seeds are expensive only if you make that decision. I collect seeds after season is over and they grow next years garden. If there's a hybrid seed (these won't grow true from saved seed) or plant I desire maybe I can get it through trading, locally I trade plants and online I trade seeds.
There is so much more to gardening than comparing costs of food. I get more out of it than the money put into it.
I have priced things out and it doesn't make sense for me to have garden financially. I don't mind gardening but I also have to add in the cost of my time. I am just so much better off taking money for my time and paying the local farmer for his than trying to grow it myself. I have a lot of things to do everyday though as well. Maybe when I am retired...
Buying cheapest brand of grocery items. I stopped when I started reading the ingredients.
Quote:
Originally Posted by adjusterjack
Cheap disposable no name razors. One shave (and not a good one), toss it.
Going with a better quality name brand this time.
Yeah, that's the difference between least expensive and best value.
I use reasonably-priced razor blades that give me a comfortable shave without nicks. I've tried crazy-cheap razors, and I won't subject my face's comfort or appearance to that again.
I read about people who try to save gas by getting a certain distance behind 18-wheelers, turning off their engine, and supposedly being pulled by some kind of wind current effect from the truck. In my opinion, that clearly isn't worth the safety risk. In most places, it's illegal. I'd think many truckers notice when it's happening and don't like being a part of it.
a good read by michael kitces for those who resort to penny saving antics
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The personal finance space has no shortage of tips to managing your spending, from bag lunches in lieu of eating out at work to home-brewed coffee instead of the morning Starbucks routine. Yet the reality seems to be that in so many situations, we dig ourselves a tremendous spending hole because of our big purchases, and then worry tremendously about the small stuff trying to make up the difference. If you really want to change your financial reality for the better, though, it's the big stuff you really need to focus on - where you live, and what you drive.
The cheapest place to buy gasoline is the nearest gas station from where you are when you need it. If you cross town to buy it "cheaper," you've lost your price advantage in miles driven.
The cheapest place to buy gasoline is the nearest gas station from where you are when you need it. If you cross town to buy it "cheaper," you've lost your price advantage in miles driven.
That might work sometime if you added the phrase "on your route" to the phrase. In my case, the nearest gas station is about eleven miles in the opposite direction from where I go, and the cheapest is about twenty miles down the route I normally have to use.
In response to other recent posts:
Kitcies has nothing that I don't already know. My total maintenance costs last year on my old van were less than $300. The initial costs for it were paid off last century. Mortgage? What is that?
The sink as part of the toilet back has been around for a while. It isn't a good idea, as it puts dirty water from washing hands into the toilet tank. Over time, that can become a problem.
Drafting behind trucks doesn't involve turning off the engine. There can be a sweet spot a safe distance in back of a truck, where he sees you in his mirrors, but the idea only works in limited situations. A crowded interstate, where no matter what you do the distances between vehicles are small, and speeds are relatively constant. In those rare cases, you can keep at the far end of the sweet spot and keep Johnny Jumps from racing in between you and the truck and then racing out again at the next opening in traffic, saving everyone aggravation. Drafting was popular during the gas crisis in the 1970s, but has mostly fallen out of favor for good reason.
Differences in food ingredients: That is very much a case by case issue. When I used to buy pop-tarts and the store brand had a problem, I got a note back from Sarah Lee apologizing. Steering clear of processed foods can be a better alternative all around.
OH I had no idea HomeGoods was a discount store. Hmm.
FWIW it's usually apparent upon assembly whether an item of furniture is crappy or not. I've never got the appeal of Ikea so I stuck with vintage items or metal frames for furnishing.
Just sharing.
I usually check the Clearance Rooms at corporate furniture stores- a lot of items end up in there for being unsold after a season, OR a minor cosmetic issue (scuffs, a missing part) & sometimes overstock is parked there. Most stores are thrilled to let you shop around the store. They want your sale.
I actually like Ikea for the price. They have come a long way if you haven't seen them in a while! It's not going to last generations, and if you move a lot then it isn't for you. The reason I like Ikea for the price is that the finish always holds up and the furniture is generally solid. If it gets wet or needs to be moved though, then it will start to look like junk. The MDF board used for Ikea stuff just isn't very durable.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zenstyle
The cheapest place to buy gasoline is the nearest gas station from where you are when you need it. If you cross town to buy it "cheaper," you've lost your price advantage in miles driven.
Where I live my cheapest gas station is across my very small town but I can save up to 60 cents a gallon. I am definitely ahead considering I can save more than $7 in fuel by driving an extra 5 minutes.
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