Money - emotions and thoughts: deals, methods and/or tips to save

[Cathleen]

In todays economy saving money is important. Do you have any tips or ways you save, on meals, groceries, gas, household items, etc.? Do you have a site for good coupons or deals?

http://www.couponcravings.com/

http://naughtycodes.com/

http://currentcodes.com/


There is a great deal of emotion regarding money. The relationship can be complex and not apparent sometimes. There are times I'd go thru the decision process inside out and outside in twenty times -- all emotion. It can be so frustrating to me.

Anyone else see the emotions of their money?

 

[bailadora]

Although I do have some tips to share, I'll do so in a later post.

But I do want to say that I do struggle with the emotions of money - big time!

By choice, we are a one income family and I feel very much under the gun to cut expenditures and to squirrel away as much as I can for the kids' college education and hopefully for our retirement (don't even get me started ). I am much more likely to justify spending money on the kids or on household expenditures than I will spending on myself and will admit to feeling guilty at times when I do so. It's that old internal debate going on - "Do you really need this? Can't you make do just a little bit longer?"

Don't get me wrong - my husband has a very good job and we are fortunate to have me stay home with the kids. By most standards, we'd fall into the upper middle class category and yet I still feel very financially challenged and wonder if we will be able to accomplish our future goals.

 

[silverwhisper]

tips:

1. don't pay the supermarket for convenience if you can possibly avoid it. cutting up a whole chicken is vastly more economical than paying the higher per pound cost of the alternative. wash your own lettuce instead of picking up the nominally pre-washed stuff. that sort of thing.

2. if you buy your lunch at work: stop. that's easily $30/week (or more) you don't need to spend.

3. i've seen it suggested that filling the tank in the early morning or late evening is supposed to be most efficient, but am fuzzy on the logic behind that.

i'm sure more things will occur to me at some future point.

ed

 

[TheOne007]

Pay everything in cash.


Read any or all of Dave Ramsey's books..excellent money saving help!

 

[silverwhisper]

further what theone007 said: if you're in a position to do so, pay down whatever debt you can, esp credit card debt.

ed

 

[RedHeadedGlory]

Love fatwallet.com

 

[ZoeBird]

One of the best things I ever did to cut grocery expenses was to get a deep freezer and fill it up whenever stuff goes on sale.

 

[Bandit58]

My credit card bill is paid off in full at the end of every month - no interest charges. We each get cash out once a week and use that for most things - saves on bank fees. I use internet banking to pay our bills. We have pensioner accounts which have no monthly fee and we can have 8 free transactions a month before we start getting charged - although you have to be receiving a government/welfare pension before you can get this account at our bank.

We rarely throw food out, we only buy what we need if it's perishable, and buy frozen veges most of the time (no waste). I go to the local butcher and fruit shop instead of the supermarket (food is fresher, better quality and often cheaper). I usually buy chops and sausages, sometimes chicken breasts. Easy to separate into meal size packs and freeze (although we only have the freezer on top of the fridge, it's amazing how much can be fitted in ). Non perishables can be stocked up on if they're on special. I only buy what we use - it's only a bargain if you're going to use it!

 

[emap]

The filling up in the early morning or late evening makes nominal sense, gas expands when it is heated so getting gas middle of the day mean you end up with less gas because it's expanded and looks like more to the machine.

In actualities that is a load of crock, the tanks are underground and don't get more than a couple degree's warmer during the day then they are middle of the night. It only goes through the upper part when your filling your tank.

As for saving money, when you go and buy groceries, buying in bulk and splitting it up yourself is always a good idea, cook it yourself as much as possible, as in no buying premade stuff, frozen veggies are an excellant idea, they tend to be cheaper than buying canned or fresh, besides fresh wilts and molds fast.

It's kinda of funny so far the only thing that ends up being cheaper when bought premade in relation to a making it yourself is lasagna, it's about $16 to buy everything you need to make a lasagna, and you can buy pretty darn good frozen for $10-$12. Candy and ice cream are the only edibles we buy, besides the occassional lasagna of course, usually we make a pizza when we want to have something like that.

One of the best things to buy at least here at Safeway is tenderized meats. Generally they are turned into chicken fried steaks, but we make them up for sandwhiches with home cut baked fries, or a chicken fried steak dinner with gravy and mashed taters. They cost about $1.25 per piece.

 

[WriterDom]

8 o'clock coffee has a reward program. You can get a 25 dollar visa from them. It's about the cheapest bean coffee you can get. Not great, but good enough.

 

[Bandit58]

We fill the car with petrol in the first half of the week, it's usually a few cents a litre cheaper then. We also use the premium fuel - it may seem expensive at the time, but we get more kms/litre than by using the cheaper fuel, and the car runs heaps better.

We rarely eat out or buy takeaway. I can cook a meal for both of us in about 20-30 minutes which is much healthier God bless the microwave - I cook most of our veges in it (except when Sir orders mashed potato )

 

[fire_breeze]

Granted, I don't have a family to think of or support, but I did manage to finish my undergrad debt-free, and remain debt free so far. I have a monthly budget, a half yearly one and a yearly one. I know, a little excessive, but it works for me. I can find out where I can save, what I can save how I can do what I want to do and where I can splurge a little. I managed to save several hundred bucks by making tiny changes.

I shop around online - a lot. If there is something I need or want that is above a certain amount, I will look around to find the best price. For example, I saw something that I wanted for 229$, and shopping around I managed to find the very same product, same brand, same colour for 190$ less. It takes quite a bit of time, but it's worth it. The same goes with travelling. Because I have family and dear friends in Europe (and because I so adore it), I travel a lot. But I look around, check out deals, often call the hotel (or B&B) to get the best deal.

I'm a firm believer of going out, being in good company and enjoying life. So I will usually go out for lunch with friends, or order from the daily menu. I will also cook at home or organise pot lucks. The meals tends to be better anyways. We'll go to small cafes. Or we'll go to the museum on the days that is free (I have a membership, but most don't, so it makes sense). I rent instead of going to the cinema, which is a treat for me. And anyways, I'm a talker, so my cat doesn't care if I yell at the screen whereas for some reason, the audience does .

I am also willing to spend money on quality if I know it will be worth it in the long run. Sales at my favourite stores is one way I can get both, websites, outlet centres etc. And sometimes, by spending something that is well-made or is a high-quality product will save me money, because I don't use a lot of it or because it lasts longer.

I always make more food and freeze the extra portions. That way, I won't be tempted to buy take out (except for the very occasion where I really want it).

I also credit the book, Living Well on a Shoestring, as being phenomenal. It not only gives tips on how to save without compromising quality, but it also promotes green and ethically responsible living, both which are important to me.

 

[PoeticMusings53]

We also use the premium fuel - it may seem expensive at the time, but we get more kms/litre than by using the cheaper fuel, and the car runs heaps better.

This is inaccurate on two counts.

1. There's no difference in fuel economy based on octane, unless your car requires a high-octane gas. If your car requires 87 octane and you use 90 octane, you don't get any benefit from that. If however, you car requires 90 octane and you're using 87 octane, then, yes, going with high octane or premium gas may save you money.
2. Using high-octane gas will not make your car run better, again unless the manufacturer recommends high octane or unless your car makes a "knocking" noise when it accelerates.

http://www.epinions.com/content_2346164356

Short answer: don't waste your money on high-octane fuels unless your car requires it.



There's a Costco about 2 miles from my house. I hadn't signed up in the past, but its saving me ~50 per month on groceries, and if I feel like a meal out during the week I usually go there instead of the quick serve type places I used to go all the time.

I also buy glasses online from the UK ($30 for a very nice pair versus $250+ a pair if bought here in the US), and shop on Alibris for books instead of the bookstores (~$5 per book versus ~20 per book).

 

[fire_breeze]

<snip>

I also buy glasses online from the UK ($30 for a very nice pair versus $250+ a pair if bought here in the US), and shop on Alibris for books instead of the bookstores (~$5 per book versus ~20 per book).

Alibris is a godsend. I know I have saved hundreds on course books.

 

[bailadora]

Saving money on books

I haven't tried this yet, but I'm part of a reading group on Shelfari and several of the members there rave about a website called Paperback Swap. The premise is that you list 10 books you are willing to part with. For this you get 2 credits. You can then scan the database and see if there are any titles you want. If so, you request it though the site (1 credit = 1 book, audiobooks = 2 credits), they send an email to the owner who then pays to ship (via postal service) the book to you. It then becomes yours to keep.

The flip side of that is that if someone wants a book that you listed, you will need to pay to ship it to them. When the book is received, your account receives another credit.

It's an idea I'm giving serious consideration to. I know the last time I took books to Half Price Books to sell, I got like maybe $5.00 for 20 books that were in fairly good condition.

 

[SweetErika]

For books and even things like Consumer Reports, we're very fortunate to have a great library system. I haven't bought a book in many years because nearly everything's available through the library.

I've been using Freecycle a lot recently, too. I got a bunch of great supplies for our foster dogs and even picked up a really nice, sturdy playpen for them yesterday. There's always good stuff on Freecycle, and it's a great way to clean out our space, help the environment and get what we need for just the cost of gas. And we're even saving money on pets by fostering instead of owning because the shelters take care of the vet bills, respite care and some supplies.

I've also been saving a ton by shopping at local liquidators. For instance, one near my house almost always has energy/meal bars for 25 cents or less, whereas they're at least 75 cents each at Costco and over a dollar elsewhere.

Rite Aid and similar drug store chains have good rebate programs, as well. Whenever there are free lightbulbs, beauty products, toothbrushes, etc., that I'll use, I get them and just put them in a storage container if I don't need them right away. I enter the receipt info online as soon as I get home, and they send me the rebate check when I request it. A lot of times the stuff on rebate also has coupons in the Sunday paper, so I can actually make an extra dollar or two by buying it.

I think my biggest money-savers are comparison shopping, making lists and buying where things are cheapest, though. I primarily shop for food and household goods at a really cheap grocery store (which also has a lot of bulk bins, so we can just get the amount we need at lower prices), Costco and a Walmart Supercenter. I make our grocery/household list according to the store I want to buy it at, then just hit two or three of the stores in one trip about once a month for the major stuff. I supplement with quick trips for produce and such as needed during the month, but not going to the store too often and having a good list really helps us think about and use what we buy.

We very rarely go out to eat or drink, and when we do, we use coupons/specials (Entertainment book, mailers, email clubs) about 90% of the time and almost never get money-wasting extras like drinks, appetizers and desserts. If I want a drink, I'll have it at home, or at the very least, go during a good happy hour. I can always find or make dessert at home. Even store bought desserts like ice cream and flourless chocolate cake are kind of a pain to make, but homemade is much better, healthier and WAY cheaper, too!

 

[working_girl]

1) Budget how much you're going to spend per week and withdraw it in cash. Do not use a card for purchases except in an emergency.

2) Be a card whore. Either pay balances in full every month to avoid interest or make sure to transfer the balance to a new card whenever the interest fee period is due to run out. I know a guy who renovated a house using four £5000 credit limits and bouncing them between cards. He had the house sold and the balances paid off and got his £20,000 renovation 'loan' completely interest free. If you're savvy you can save a mint.

3) Economy 7. In the UK they are bringing back cheap night-time utility rates. That means you can run a washing machine, tumble dryer, dishwasher and other appliances for far less if you don't use them at peak times.

4) Skype. Free phone calls over the internet. If you spend a lot of time on the phone chatting to family, friends or a long distance SO, Skype will save you a fortune if you get your most popular contacts to use it.

5) Minimise car use. Make a point of walking for short journeys. Taking the train or bus can be an adventure in itself for kids who are driven everywhere. Check ticket prices for longer journeys to find out whether public transport can work out cheaper. Buy and use a bicycle; good for planet Earth, your wallet and your figure. Don't fork out for costly gym memberships. A few cheap (preferably used) pieces of equipment at home like weights and a fitness DVD can do just as good a job of keeping you in shape. Throw cycling and/or jogging into the mix and you'll still keep active. Why sweat in the gym when you can cycle a necessary journey and save petrol at the same time?

6) Online grocery shopping. You will only buy what you need rather than pick up things on impulse. You can budget far more easily by calculating your spend as you go rather than being shocked when you reach the paypoint with a laden trolley. You can take the same advantage of special offers and multi-saves as you would if you were in store. They will deliver it to your door and save you travel/petrol and stress.

 

[rosco rathbone]

I know a guy who renovated a house using four £5000 credit limits and bouncing them between cards. He had the house sold and the balances paid off and got his £20,000 renovation 'loan' completely interest free. If you're savvy you can save a mint.

A whole lot of people got burned very badly doing this shit.

 

[Cathleen]

Here's a novelty...


DIY stimulus: CEO gives workers $1000 each from his own pocket

Bruce Watson
Apr 3rd 2009 at 3:45PM

Jack Windolf, the CEO of Bollinger Insurance, recently gave his 434 employees a surprise gift: out of his own pocket, he paid each of them $1000. The bonuses, which Windolf called "a mini economic stimulus package," came from $500,000 in deferred compensation that he received when he sold 51 percent of the company last year. Rather than spend the money on himself, he chose to share it with his workers.

CEOs have had a rough time of it lately. With outrage brewing about the scandalous bonuses that went out to executives at Lehman, AIG, Merrill Lynch and other huge companies, it's become increasingly lonely at the top. And for good reason.


After all, even a cursory analysis of the evolution of executive compensation over the past few decades is enough to bring out one's inner Karl Marx. By now, the statistics are pretty well-known, but let's review them one more time: in 1982, the average CEO made 42 times as much as the average worker; by 1990, they were making 107 times as much as their employees, and by 2007, 275 times as much. This meant, incidentally, that the average CEO made more in one workday than the average employee made all year.

Some studies have suggested that employees don't begrudge their bosses the extra pay as long as the company is doing well. However, even by that metric, CEO compensation has grown out of control. With companies lining up to take government bailouts, it is worth asking exactly what companies are getting for their money. One can only imagine the feelings of AIG's rank-and-file employees, and the attitude among low-level workers at Merrill Lynch must be downright mutinous.

At its base level, the incredible disparity between CEO pay and that of rank-and-file workers suggests an out-sized veneration of the executive suite. Based on pure numbers, the idea seems to be that every CEO is worth 270 trained workers. Disturbing enough as that is, this perspective also goes a long way toward explaining the massive decline in customer service over the past few years.

In this context, Windolf's decision is particularly meaningful. Faced with the option of hoarding over half a million dollars, he chose instead to distribute it among all those responsible for his company's success. In a fundamental way, he conveyed a belief that his workers add value to the company, and deserve to share in that value. While $1000 probably won't make all that much of a difference in the lives of most of Bollinger's employees, the respect Windolf has shown his workers is sure to yield huge dividends.

Maybe other CEO's should take note.

src

 

[Cathleen]

Thanks for the suggestions/advice and comments everyone.

Money is one of the biggest stressors in life and the number one reason for arguments - within most any relationship.

I've always been an excellent saver and for 99% of my life money has never been an issue, gratefully so. I don't have many wants and truly don't need anything I can think of but when it comes to picking up a few CDs or eating out, movies etc, I stop and think. Those kinds of things never caused a caution light in my brain before, so it's a change in behavior.

 

[Shagly]

Thanks for the suggestions/advice and comments everyone.

Money is one of the biggest stressors in life and the number one reason for arguments - within most any relationship.

I've always been an excellent saver and for 99% of my life money has never been an issue, gratefully so. I don't have many wants and truly don't need anything I can think of but when it comes to picking up a few CDs or eating out, movies etc, I stop and think. Those kinds of things never caused a caution light in my brain before, so it's a change in behavior.

Oh ye thrifty lassie, are you sure your not Scottish?