Is it worth it?

Valintiin · 2012-05-23T15:02:17.435266+00:00

A bunch of books, reference and otherwise. Can't you get these at the library for free?

A gun (I am a small female living alone). There are millions of people that live alone that are managing to not be killed by marauding bands of thugs. A gun requires bullets, a license, and lessons at the firing range.

Business wear (only now finding the need for that). Try a thrift store. There's also TJ Maxx etc.

A poster holder. There are 50% coupons at AC Moore and Michaels. Also yard sales are great to get these for $1 or $2.

A safe. I see these for $40 on sale. At least this is just a one time expense...unlike the gun. However, do you have any idea how few people have their paperwork burn up in a fire and a small safe will be among the first things a thief would steal.

Some cake decorating supplies. I think you would be surprised just how few supplies you need to decorate a cake. A cheap lazy susan, a couple tips, some zip bags, and something to spread with. $10. Are you really going to use things things or did you watch Cake Boss and think that real people pay more than $20 for a cake with the exception of a wedding cake?

Epilator $35.

Nikon D3100. Like the gun, this is a gateway drug to expenses. You'll end up with expensive lenses, a flash, a bag, memory cards, some filters, etc. If you must, get something like a D50 or D200. Then you can at least save some money by being able to use nice older lenses.

Gameboy Color/games ....there is a place you can get an emulator and every gameboy color game all in one file.

*iPad, a full luggage set (I don't have any grown-up luggage), and some much smaller ones. * Are you a troll. I think you should go over to Slickdeals or something. This is r/frugal, not r/shopping till you drop deals. Seriously, you are a supposed poor grad student with a bigger shopping list than my family of three.

I'm not really being actively frugal. This is an understatement. Just put this stuff on a credit card - run up your debts, then come back when you find out you didn't use any of this stuff you think are needs, but are just wants.

terriblemodern · 2012-05-23T13:13:56.124793+00:00

I was using Ecos back when we had an HE washer. Very frugal.

Not as frugal for a top loader.

terriblemodern · 1 day

Why wouldn't you just put the vinegar in the rinse agent dispenser or either use a rinse agent? Your cost would be much cheaper and you wouldn't weaken your washing agents.

terriblemodern · 1 day

I'm not sure about that. Washing soda is around $2.20. Borax is around the same price. Epson salts are at the Dollar Tree $1. Sugar free Koolaid should be similar too. That's a bargain if they go as far as they do for washing detergent.

Hikkairu · 1 day

Now try it with "That white science kinda guy"

The more of these things I see, the more I think reddit is being gamed by Google employees. Like the deal with attachments in Gmail. Hey genius, Hotmail does the same thing.

dreezyforsheezy · 1 day

I dunno about shaving behind your legs or near your hooha with a straight razor.

askredditfirst · 1 day

Wreckemtech is correct. Why are you withdrawing your Roth contributions? You should be maxing out your Roth contributions until retirement.

MirandaBlogger · 1 day

You were downvoted, but I thought the same thing. I mean...70 hour work weeks only at home on weekends? Vacation every three years? Eating out twice a year?

What kind of life is this? Not one that I want. Do their kids get to enjoy life more? They sure miss out on more of their parent's love and attention that's for sure.

QuantumVibrations · 2 days

There's times in life when things are difficult. This isn't r/politics or r/bitching, so I can't help with how life isn't fair, other than say, "Life isn't fair for 99% of people."

You've got 3 degrees, and you are only making 8.40 per hour. Something is wrong here. I only have one degree and I make more than I deserve.

I'd concentrate on translating those 3 degrees into a real livelihood and then try to keep your expenses where they are at. I'd say you have some kind of issue... maybe depression.. maybe a drug or drinking problem. Solve it. If you can get resources, get them.

Then get out there. Network. Network. Network. I know that employment is difficult now. Maybe you need to move to a better area? I worked stock, moved up to delivery, then assistant manager, relocated, all while waiting for a job in my degree to open up. I sold shit at a flea market, painted houses etc.

Bust the sides out of the box you are in and start thinking, "How am I going to make a living?" I can't answer that question for you, but when you come up with the answer, life get's better. I mean...a whole helluva lot better.

Good luck.

ccsmeow · 2 days

There's no one set way that is going to work for everyone. The key is building long term habits that can give you a rewarding life.

Being denied new clothes.

I don't feel like I'm being denied new clothes. Most times I like to think of them as having been tested. I know they've already shrunk and if they wrinkle badly.

Extra treats at the grocery store

I do feel a bit denied here, not for frugality, but because I like to eat crap. I try to keep some limits so I don't end up a fat pig.

a movie night.

I don't know what anyone would want a movie night. The crunch-crunch open mouthed masticating of popcorn, so loud you can't hear the words, the two tall guys that sat in front of you, the kid kicking your seat, the rude asshole with the cellphone. Good riddance!

Air conditioning/heating.

I don't go crazy here. If I'm cold, I'll turn on the heat. If I'm hot, I'll turn on the air. I do try to respect the environment, and wear a sweatshirt in the winter, and shorts and tshirt in the summer. I also run fans.

Organic vs regular produce.

I can't taste the difference.

We still go on vacations. I still drink good beer. As a matter of fact, my life is becoming richer the more I practice minimizing the crap in my life. I'm watching less TV. I've met my neighbors.

randomhoneyballs · 2 days

Some types of beans should be transferred to a pot to be boiled in order to cook them sufficiently. A slow cooker is a poor tool for dried beans.

randomhoneyballs · 2 days

Not just cooked, but heated sufficiently. For instance, a slow cooker does not get hot enough to deactivate the phytohaemagglutinin. As a matter of fact, cooking at a low temperature will cause the phytohaemagglutinin to be up to 5 times more potent.

I cook dried bean in my pressure cooker. It uses less electricity, it's quicker, and it's hot enough to inactivate the phytohaemagglutinin.

thesnarkyone · 3 days

I use 3 large leaf bags. One at my feet, one over the sink, and one holes for my arms and head. When I'm done, I shake them outside and the pack them up and store with my trimmer.

jsnk · 3 days

We use a Marpac white noise machine and it really helps drown out the other noises that can wake you up.

ZuG · 3 days

If you buy some termite control pesticide, you'll have enough of the same active ingredients to treat every dog in your city for like $20.

Im_ur_huckleberry · 3 days

I would say that it pays for you to buy quality sheets. This doesn't mean to run out and buy some 1000 thread count sheets.

I always buy single ply 100% cotton sheets. Double ply sheets are cheating, and give you a high thread count and low quality. I like anything over 600 thread count for winter usage. I like 200 percale for summer. The last thing you want is a dense thick sheet that doesn't breathe well when the weather is hot.

Wamasutta is always a good brand. I've even had luck with some no-name amazon sheets. If they are soft, you are good to go. I wish there was some way to tell how bad they wrinkle.

prosequare · 3 days

I do too. It's weird, but they feel more absorbent. I don't like scratchy jeans or socks.

prosequare · 3 days

If you hang them up on a windy day, it is almost as soft as a dryer...unless we are talking towels, socks, or jeans. I find the towels more absorbent if they are stiff. I like to dry my jeans a bit since it shrinks them up for a snug fit.

I hang clothes on the line and toss my socks and underwear in my dryer. Then when the clothes come in, I toss them in with the socks and underwear and dry for like 10 minutes. Makes them pretty soft and most important, less wrinkled.

trot-trot · 4 days

Because the Germans have the capital to make industry improvements. Greece, Spain, and the EU countries at the periphery don't. Now, what would usually happen in such cases, Greece would debase their currency to make them more competitive with Germany and increase the price of German imports. But with the Euro, they can't. So they are buying more and more non-Greek products and their domestic products are more and more uncompetitive. This increases unemployment, resulting in less revenue, forcing the Greek government to borrow at higher and higher rates.

trot-trot · 4 days

Bingo! I live in the Southern US, and we were the textile powerhouse of the US. In our town, we made advanced fabrics, rugs, t-shirts, underwear, socks, pillows. Thanks to globalism, we've watched every single one of those manufacturers either sell, go out of business, or outsource.

And so, all those thousands of workers become unemployed. Any that can somehow retire, do - even at a much lower standard of living. The rest try to find other work in the service industry - which can't absorb them all. So there's too many left. The government has to find something for those that remain - or risk those folks deciding to TAKE back what's been stolen. The government takes out loans to make busywork projects and then debases its currency to attract a few more manufacturing jobs.

But wait! Greece and Spain can't debase their currency. The government can only take out more loans to subsidize the massive unemployed. They are fucked. There's no way out.

trot-trot · 4 days

The productivity per hour doesn't mean that they are sitting around smoking cigarettes. In the US, the productivity per hour is higher, but it also means that we've made efficiency improvements. However, those efficiency improvements result in higher unemployment...which is something Greece does not need at the moment.

As far as salaries, I said they were lower than much of the rest of the EU. I mean, you want to compare to Spain who is also in an incredible amount of pain?

The Germans are feeding a system, but the Germans are also taking from the system. It's like in the US, where we complain about the families on food stamps, but we don't complain about the subsidy that goes to farmers. But they are both getting an equal amount of taxpayer handout.

This EU debt has resulted in an almost equal amount of German subsidy.

trot-trot · 5 days

I haven't seen anything to suggest they live high on the hog with other people's money. Those Greeks that are employed tend to work longer hours than much of the EU. They also work for lower wages than much of the rest of the EU. Their pension age is similar to the rest of the EU.

The problem is they only have 66% of employable Greeks are actually employed. In Spain unemployment is at depression levels. Over 50% for young people. Over 25% for everyone else.

Can you imagine trying to balance a budget with 25% unemployment ...when employment taxes pay for the budget? Meanwhile, the rates for borrowing money doubled and you can't service your debt because you can't collect taxes and you are forced to take on more debt. Then you have Germany breathing down your neck forcing you to liquidate future earnings at firesale prices to foreign thieves.

sirgunfire · 5 days

I'm looking pretty good except for the damned picks that I bot from recommendations on this subreddit. I'm going to have to unlike you guys like I did with AceStocks. Nothing personal. Everyone is real nice. Not accusing...I'm a big boy and take full responsibility.

Like CVV? That was fucking brilliant if you are some kind of masochist. Sold! Bot GLD.

Damned the market is oversold as shit. But look at $VIX. It's at a measly 25 and counting.

INDU..INDU...where are you? You are at 12369, but support is down at 11732.

Joe_12265 · 5 days

It doesn't usually work that way. Like with the 'flash crash'

"...oh nothing to see here folks ...move along..move along."

Only people thought..'what the hell just happened? How does something like that happen in a market of such size and diversity?'

Joe_12265 · 5 days

Such manipulation. It's not often we get to watch the monkey behind the curtain. Confidence will be lost.

Sell off on Monday.

BenDarDunDat

TROPHY CASE

BenDarDunDat

TROPHY CASE

you'll need to login or register to do that

create a new account

login