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Fun Stuff => CHATTER => Topic started by: tinysmidgen on 06 Jul 2009, 15:52
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I need, no.. I NEED to save money, any ideas on how I should accomplish such a daunting task?
Right now this is what I have..
(http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj60/tinysmidgen/budget1.jpg)
and
(http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj60/tinysmidgen/budget2.jpg)
also I'm saving all receipts, cash, check and card, in a small expandable folder divided by month..hopefully I can track/curb my useless expenses and budget my check in a responsible manner.
Thoughts? Ideas? Advice?
The reasons I'm saving:
1. Moving to Massachusetts
2. Buying a new computer, preferably an iMac
3. Buying a new iPod
4. A list of CDs that I have that I want to buy, i think it came up to 468 CDs
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hey ts,
i have a pretty similar spreadsheet where i keep track of all my purchases/expenditures for each credit card and bank account that I have. I update it every week with all the receipts in my wallet and then check my spreadsheet against my credit balances online.
You can do the same thing online using quicken https://www.quickenonline.intuit.com/quickenweb/pages/iam/login_main.jsf
The reasons I'm saving:
1. Moving to Massachusetts
2. Buying a new computer, preferably an iMac
3. Buying a new iPod
4. A list of CDs that I have that I want to buy, i think it came up to 468 CDs
iMac + iPod = $2000?
468 cds = $5000ish?
Move to Massachusetts = security deposit + 1st month rent?
Looks like you need about $10k You can easily cut that down to $5k if you make just download the music with bittorrents. If you save 400 a month you can have 5k in a year.
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Do not buy food out, make it at home then bring it with you. Making large batches of stuff and freezing the excess is tops.
Become a financial vegetarian. It's cheaper, or at least it is over here.
Sell shit you don't use anymore.
Quit drinking/smoking, or drink/smoke less, or alternatively brew/grow your own.
Learn how to sew, so you can fix things instead of buying new stuff. eg. darn your socks instead of buying new ones.
Learn how to cook with leftovers. eg. making stock with bones instead of chucking them.
Get yourself a disused pushbike for free, fix it up and use it instead of a car where possible.
Sell your hair?
Do not spend money on useless shit.
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Do not buy shaving cream! It is a con. Your average bar of soap does the job just fine.
In fact just stop shaving at all. Then sell your beard hair to a wig shop.
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I find its easier to approach it in reverse, honestly. Set aside 5-10% of your weekly income to go into a savings account, and work the rest of your budget out from there. If you are struggling to pay bills and save that amount (http://every week)you need a better job/cheaper rent/give up heroin
If you approach it forwards like you seem to be, it becomes a lot harder to separate essential things from non-essential things, especially when it comes to food (if your food bill is over 50 dollars AU a week, you probably can save a lot more) and little luxuries you treat yourself to and so you're more likely to find a saving budget unworkable. If you figure out how much you want to put aside a week and stick to it, you'll have a much easier time figuring out what you can cut out from your life.
In fact, how old are you? How essential is a car to your life?
If the answer is not "I literally would starve to death and die for my car is my livelihood in the most literal sense of the word" and you don't have a family or other responsibilities you can't really shirk that require a car, I'd seriously recommend selling your car until you NEED one or can afford one comfortably, because car's are fucking expensive.
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panhandle!
bonus spare change if you can play guitar or juggle or something. i made $20 in highschool just walking around town with a sign that said "will do backflips for cash"
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Hat speaks the truth, that is actually the best way of doing it.
I think we need to keep up the depression-era wisdom, though. Like save your toenail clippings and then glue them onto the end of a stick instead of buying a scrubbing brush. Or make coffee by filling a sock with coffee grounds then dunking it in water.
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Do not buy food out, make it at home then bring it with you. Making large batches of stuff and freezing the excess is tops.
Become a financial vegetarian. It's cheaper, or at least it is over here.
Sell shit you don't use anymore.
Quit drinking/smoking, or drink/smoke less, or alternatively brew/grow your own.
Learn how to sew, so you can fix things instead of buying new stuff. eg. darn your socks instead of buying new ones.
Learn how to cook with leftovers. eg. making stock with bones instead of chucking them.
Get yourself a disused pushbike for free, fix it up and use it instead of a car where possible.
Sell your hair?
Do not spend money on useless shit.
ALL SOLID ADVICE
Actually how do you darn socks because my sock budget is like, fucking 20 dollars a month because I love walking around in socks HOOK A BROTHER UP WITH SOME KNOWLEDGE/A WEBSITE WITH SOMETHING YOU MIGHT MISTAKE FOR KNOWLEDGE
I actually became a financial vegetarian last week. My housemates sometimes cook food for everyone that contains ample meat, and my parents wouldn't dream of serving me up anything that wasn't mostly meat when I pop around for dinner every couple of weeks, so I'm still getting a pretty reasonable amount of meat but just not paying for it aw yeah
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BAM (http://www.ehow.com/how_648_darn-sock.html)
edit: Yeah I don't buy meat and cook it at home... I get most of my meat intake at $5 steak nights every now and then.
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my sock budget is like, fucking 20 dollars a month
Style costs money. I don't wear socks at all with my cheapo open sandals (yes, all year round).
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is there any really important reason you need to buy all those cds? they're awful and a waste of space and money, imo. if you want to support artists you like, it's much cheaper to just buy mp3s online.
a couple of other tips:
- buy food that expires the next day, usually it's about 50% off and totally edible so long as you either eat it that day or keep it in your freezer.
- don't eat out, ever, even fast food, it seems cheap sometimes but in the long run it is crazy expensive. always cook for yourself when possible.
- drive as little as possible. if you end up taking the bus a lot instead of driving, get a monthly pass.
- eat less meat. most people eat way more meat per day than they need to. you really only need to eat about 2-3 servings of protein a day, unless you are training to be an athlete or something. servings are pretty small: 2 eggs, 1/2 cup of meat, or two tablespoons of peanut butter are all examples. generally, grains and fruits are a lot cheaper than protein-loaded foods.
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my sock budget is like, fucking 20 dollars a month
Style costs money. I don't wear socks at all with my cheapo open sandals (yes, all year round).
Man I just ain't ready to make that sacrifice for cash yet. I think the reason you mostly see older dudes wearing them is that it takes a dude a pretty hefty chunk of his life to realise that style just isn't worth the cash you spend on it.
Although the fact that Violent_Dove is apparently a total budget whore makes me wonder if I might just be chasing the entirely wrong end of the stick.
Dude do you just steal all your clothes from Gypsies? That is a rad idea.
Edit: took me three goes to figure out the plural form of gypsy
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your advice is welcomed, thank you all
@Hat: my car = i usually go to work at 10 in the morning (parents go to work at 5:30 and 7 respectively) and usually work till 7 (my parents get off work at 2 and 5 respectively), we live ten miles out of town, so i suppose i could bike on decent days, and the night(s) that I don't play d&d..actually..i work 10-7 tomorrow, and I usually get up around 7 anyways, so I'll try and bike to work (weather permitting)
notes: i don't drink/smoke, so that's good
the first thing i do is set aside money for bills...340 a month + 20 a week/every two weeks for gas..no rent yet
i dont eat that much meat generally, me thinks..but it helps that my mother is buying all the food for me to make my lunches with (living off of parents isnt that honorable =\ )
and im trying to save up enough money to go for a couple months without a job, just incase i can't find anything when i move
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If you have any hobbies, make a profit out of them. My food budget comes fully out of my commissioned paintings. If I don't paint I don't eat. I also get store credit from the store that sells the stuff I paint, so I use that to buy stuff, and then later sell it after it has been assembled and painted. It helps me buy food as well, and I enjoy doing it.
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Also making money out of hobbies is a good idea but if your hobbies are making drinks and smoking pot maybe be a bit careful
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making chainmail? i plain on making chainmail bags for a couple of the guys i D&D with, they're buying the rings and paying for the work on it, so that will be about 20 per bag
idk though, i dont have many hobbies that are good sources for income...i read and listen to music and surf the webz, that's about it
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and im trying to save up enough money to go for a couple months without a job, just incase i can't find anything when i move
do not move until you have a job lined up.
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Depends on how old he is really. If he's only 19 or so, moving to a new city without a job and some cash isn't a bad idea. Think of it as kind of an adventure and bear in mind anything valuable you bring with you, you might need to sell for food.
Of course once you start to get into your mid 20s the whole idea just seems patently ridiculous.
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me thinks i could transfer to another Aubuchon's...*shudder*
It's not that the company is a bad company to work for, it's just, I'd like to have a social life when I move, and most Aubuchon's are open from 7, 7:30, 8 until 6, 6:30, 7.
But the reason I want to save more than for the deposit/first& last month's rent is this....what if i lose my job, i want to be able to have a buffer, rather than saving everything from my paychecks when i move
and i will be 19 in 19 days
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Ok, I haven't had a job in over a year, so my way of saving money is to basically go "do I need this, or just want it?" if the answer is 'want' then I put it back and move on. That or I don't take my wallet with me when I know I will just be going window shopping. Can't spend money if it is not on you! I am going to do what Brett is saying when I get a job in order to pay back money I owe, by working out the maximum amount of money I can put away each time I get paid, then once that is paid off drop it down to $20-$50 a week into a savings account to have when I need to register my car, or if it breaks, or if I move out and need to buy a bed etc.
All of Nick's advice is really good. Some things I can think of is to go thrift shopping rather than going to proper stores when buying clothes (or other stuff sometimes. The Vinnies stores here sometimes have a huge range of cookwear and crockery, which is almost always cheaper than anywhere else, and that may come in handy when you move?). Actually, that is all I can think of that really applies to your situation, but what other people have said is good, and you seem to have worked out a way to monitor your spending. Good luck!
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the general rule of thumb is to always have enough extra cash set aside, all other expenses considered, that you can live for three months with no income whatsoever. having another job lined up before you move would definitely be ideal, especially since the job market sucks amazingly right now, but if that doesn't work out you should be able to find something decent within three months since you are young and your standards for work are probably not as high as an older person's might be.
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only standards for a job are these:
1. no crazy crazy hours
2. a liveable wage
3. wouldnt mind something that i can destroy things for work
4. being able to listen to the music i like would be a major major major plus
5. along with being able to text at work
but that's about it, i could suffer through most anything
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Sounds like you want to be test engineer, especially the ones that test the life cycle of products.
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i dont wanna go to college again :( book work is so not for me
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only standards for a job are these:
1. pays me enough to get by
but that's about it, i could suffer through most anything
Fixed it for your situation. When you move somewhere, the first job you take is the job that will hire you. You look for something more preferable while doing that job. Texting/listening to music are extremely minimal sacrifices to get your feet on the ground.
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I'll give you twenty quid for a mug full of semen.
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only standards for a job are these:
1. no crazy crazy hours
2. a liveable wage
3. wouldnt mind something that i can destroy things for work
4. being able to listen to the music i like would be a major major major plus
5. along with being able to text at work
but that's about it, i could suffer through most anything
>You step out of the bus into a new city. In front of you is A SERVICE INDUSTRY JOB
>COMPARE SERVICE INDUSTRY JOB to STANDARDS FOR A JOB
>RESULTS = ZERO
> you refuse to take SERVICE INDUSTRY JOB
> you are found dead in a gutter three weeks later
Short answer is that I agree with Tyler.
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i dont wanna go to college again :( book work is so not for me
you can join the army. they blow stuff up.
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I'd like to have a social life when I move
Hahaha
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For the love of all that fucks, do not and I mean do not shop for food on an empty stomach. This is a terrible awful no good very bad idea. Always fill up before going to the market. Always always always.
Other tips -
- save and use coupons.
- Patronise freecycle (http://www.freecycle.org/).
- shut off lights and appliances when you are finished enjoying their services.
- Patronise your local library for entertainment. Besides books they'll have magazines, probably some DVDs, maybe games as well. Failing that, hulu and torrent sites for shows on the computer. Don't pay extra for cable.
- If you drink coffee, brew it yourself.
- Go to matinees when you go to the movies.
- Buy in bulk where you can.
- Don't smoke, you lousy cunt.
- Know your grocer and its habits. See if you can't get cheap bread and pastries at night (they'll probably be loathe to throw them out)
- If you're living on your own, don't build your own computer. Go to a Dell outlet and buy cheap. There's no such thing as a "Budget Rig".
- If you've got self-control enough, a credit card can be a boon. Pay off your debts ASAP and rack up the reward points or whatever. But respect the beast if you want to play with it, it's capable of fucking you up in ways you can never recover from. But if you play it right the benefits, short term and long term, are considerable. Building credit is always good. If you have any sort of spending impulse stay as far away as you can manage.
- Even if you live alone, cook a large meal that you can separate into smaller portions to freeze to eat later. Spaghetti sauce is the perfect example: you can make a large batch at one time and freeze it. Then you can use it to prepare a lot of different meals: lasagna, macaroni... you can even use it as a pizza topping instead or regular tomato sauce. Food is the #1 source of out-of-control spending, for myself and everyone I know.
- Be single.
- Learn to love the taste of tap water. Don't drink the bottled stuff.
- If you've got to have a car, get an old model, small Japanese build. Might be a bit pricey but they hold their value for good reasons.
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i made $20 in highschool just walking around town with a sign that said "will do backflips for cash"
Please tell me you have pictures of this.
I need to learn to do backflips.
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- Don't smoke, you lousy cunt.
quotin' this for my own benefit
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Money is really the only reason I do not smoke. Yes I am aware that it can kill me in all manner of painful ways.
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other reasons are that a lot of the ladies do not like it but I am addicted
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Become a drug dealer. You'll make shit loads of money in no time if you have a large circle of friends.
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And you can go to jail.
:police:
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Where they will provide you meals.
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and a free room.
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And all the buttsex you want, seein' how you're so pretty.
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See? Problem solved!
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Do you really need a new computer? Do you not have a computer at all and would you be computerless upon moving to Massachusetts? Unless you have a job where you will need a computer to work from home (sounds like you don't) I would advise against buying a new one until you're in a position where it's a comfortable amount of money for you to spend. Especially since you want to buy an expensive computer. Use the computers at the library if you need one to find a job and check email, don't waste your money you could be spending on food and shelter on something you can get for free with a bit more effort. Oh, you also do not need to buy those CDs or iPod. "Need" and "CDs" don't go together like that... "need" is more for things like food, water, sleep, you get the picture. Anyway, what would you do with all those CDs? Rip them to your computer as MP3s, transfer them to your iPod, then put them on a shelf and not touch them? Just download if you really need to, it's cheaper.
Social life... you want to have a social life... please don't turn down jobs because it will cut into your social life. Being social requires money a lot of the time. Also, I will never understand when people want a job that lets them text at work. You are at work! Someone is paying you to be there and do work therefore someone owns your time. Text your friends on your own time.
You say you spend 340 a month on bills right now, but you live at home with your parents... what kind of bills are we talking here? Are any of them unnecessary? Car insurance, you'll need that one if you're going to continue driving, but you might be able to save money by switching insurance providers. Credit cards, if you already have them you'll need to keep paying those off. If you're paying for TV or internet or a separate mobile phone bill, cut the first two and see about getting on a family plan with your parents for the phone. If you're pitching in for utilities bill, cut back your usage. Colder showers, wash your clothes in cold water, unplug things when you're not using them, switch to CFLs, turn off the air conditioner and go sit around and do nothing somewhere where the AC is free, like a coffee shop or the library or something.
Everything else already said is good advice too... especially the eating at restaurants part. If you make sacrifices in the food area, make sure you're still being healthy. I used to save money by eating the same 10yen head of cabbage with sesame dressing for dinner for a whole week... probably not the most balanced of meals.
Don't kill yourself trying to not use your car... a lot of people on this board live in places where public transportation is readily available and things are close and in biking range, but a lot of us are also from suburban/rural American towns and know a little differently. If you need your car, use your car. But look for cheaper insurance and drive smarter to save money. Open the windows instead of turning on the AC, driving 55 instead of 65 saves you gas, accelerating slower saves you gas, combine trips so that you drive less, only go places that you need to go, etcetera.
But really, all you have to know to save money is that "need" and "want" are not always mutually exclusive groups, but they usually are. Nobody in the world needs an iPod. Really.
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Just stop complaining and win the lottery.
Problem solved.
Also try getting on quiz shows.
Or win pub quizzes for a living.
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Do not buy shaving cream! It is a con. Your average bar of soap does the job just fine.
Not true, it'll make your skin more dry and that doesn't help for irritation and razor burns.
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Not true, change your soap.
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I've been using the same tube of Neutrogena shaving cream for...4 years, now? You don't need a whole lot.
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where in massachusetts are you planning on moving? boston-area?
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So, as I said yesterday, I was planning on biking to work this morning. You should all be proud of me, well, maybe...I managed the ten mile bike ride in an hour, got to work a half hour early, and couldn't feel my legs for the next half hour. Lessons Learned on the Bike Ride to Work: EAT FUCKING BREAKFAST FIRST SO ONE HAS ENERGY!!!....yeah..
Anyways..
@KvP:
-working on the saving part ;P
-i've plenty of books and i patronize websites for my movie viewing needs
-don't drink coffee
-don't go to movies much but i do go to matinees
-i plan on it
-i dont
- okay
-the one i plan on buying will be basic
-i would so fuck up a credit card
-will do
- :| :| :| :| :|
- i detest the taste of bottled water, probably because i've developed a taste of tap water from a well (hard water)
-i have an '03 toyota matrix, my mother's old car, i'm lucky that i got that, it's not a bad car and i only have to pay insurance and gas
@yayniall: o.O wai you want my semen?
@ ViolentDove: I rarely use shaving cream, I'm just that rugged
@yelley: insurance (it'll be expensive anywhere, i'm a nineteen year old male who's already wrecked his car once, not too bad though), i am on a family plan for my phone, unlimited texting to anyone and something like 300 minutes a month for 40 dollars a month, and i didn't die with the bike ride to work this morning, on the social life thing, it'd be nice to have friends :|
@allison: i'm pretty? aww thank'ye love
@allybee: north/south/easthampton to boston to sandwich, i don't know yet
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it'd be nice to have friends :|
is this what the move is all about? you don't need to move to boston to make friends. I'll be your friend.
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no, lol, i'd be one shallow fuck if i was moving just to make friends
and that'd be cool :)
Allo, my name's Tyler, what's yours?
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I'm Norbert, and i'm a huge Rasheed Wallace fan. I'm really stoked he's going to Boston.
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Your name is now "other Tyler" or "the not as pretty Tyler"
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Novatyler
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What about Pseudo-Tyler?
When is this Rasheed Wallace show Nobo?
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Or win pub quizzes for a living.
I did this for something resembling a living but the prizes were alcohol and resulted in a lot of bad decisions.
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When is this Rasheed Wallace show Nobo?
Rasheed Wallace is a basketball player. He's playing for the Celtics as of this July. I'm assuming that's the Rasheed Wallace he's talking about.
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Wait! This thread cannot be able Tyler v. Tyler or Rasheed Wallace yet because it still needs to be about Money because I have a question:
I am trying to figure out my student loans. (I am terrified of my student loans.) This September I'll be a sophomore in college and I've spent the afternoon trying to understand the loans I've already taken out and the loans I'll be taking out in the coming years. The only conclusion I have come to is that they are purposely confusing (to be big meanies), but also I have made no other conclusions (they have successfully confused me). I am pretty sure some of you have successfully navigated your student loans before -- where do I start with student loans, as far as understanding them? Is there a book or a blog that is particularly helpful?
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Hat speaks the truth, that is actually the best way of doing it.
I think we need to keep up the depression-era wisdom, though. Like save your toenail clippings and then glue them onto the end of a stick instead of buying a scrubbing brush. Or make coffee by filling a sock with coffee grounds then dunking it in water.
My take on this is penny-wise, pound-foolish.
I mean, he may have been joking with these specific suggestions, I'm not sure, but overall a lot of saving tips (including a few in this thread, sorry) come across to me as wasting time nitpicking. I find it much more productive to concentrate on items where you get the most bang for the buck and then just make sure not to be a complete spendthrift about everything else.
For example, suggestions like sell your car, quit smoking, don't eat out, and cancel cable are really useful because they save a lot of money with a minimum of effort. Suggestions like sewing your socks or even clipping coupons seem counterproductive to me however because you're spending lots of time to save not that much money really.* Unless you already are given to lots of frugal habits (in which case you wouldn't need any of this advice anyway) then all that nitpicking about a dollar here, a dollar there is just going to demotivate you and make it harder to cut back where it actually matters.
*I'm assuming here that you buy cheap generic socks. If you buy expensive designer socks, stop buying those and get cheap ones.
ADDITION: I didn't notice this bit at the end of the first post:
4. A list of CDs that I have that I want to buy, i think it came up to 468 CDs
I'm sorry, that's retarded. The other items you listed for why you need to save sound reasonable (personally I think the new iPod ought to go too since that implies you already have an older iPod, but hey we are different people with different priorities,) but this is just ridiculous.
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Rasheed Wallace is a basketball player. He's playing for the Celtics as of this July. I'm assuming that's the Rasheed Wallace he's talking about.
Yelley, you have just become my new favorite poster on these boards.
here is Sheed
(http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p125/lhfirex/sheed.jpg)[
I am trying to figure out my student loans.
Yunior, I have $125,000 in student loans between undergrad and grad school, and I pay around $800 a month for the next 15 years. Obviously I made a poor decision in taking out so many loans (grad school, out of state, no-research grant = $100k).
Anyway, there are 2 different types of loans, private loans and subsidized government loans. You want to get the subsidized student loans because those do not collect interest while you're still in college, the private ones do. To qualify for those you have to fill out the FAFSA and then your student financial aid office will tell you how much you can take out from them.
Then you may or may not have 2 options, fixed rate or variable rate. Variable rate depends on the govt loan rates. Right now they are very low, but they can get really high, so that is a risk. A fixed rate is usually a higher rate, but it will never change.
After you graduate you get a 6 month grace period before you start paying off your loans. If you can't find a job you can get an extra 3 months grace period.
What else do you want to know?
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Or win pub quizzes for a living.
I did this for something resembling a living but the prizes were alcohol and resulted in a lot of bad decisions.
The prize is £300 at my local.
If you know the year Al Capone died anyway.
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See, I was wondering why that name sounded familiar and not linked to a band.
I don't follow basketball too heavily, rarely actually. So, forgive me for my unknowledgeable ways.
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I'm moving out of boston but I'll be back periodically and during the summer. so if/when you're here, send me a PM, I'd be happy to show you around (we can do things that are free).
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nobo, I am also a bit of a Rasheed Wallace fan... not that I'm really into basketball at all, but I enjoy watching it more then most sports and watching the Pistons a few years back was good.
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I'm with you on that. I used to root for Sheed and the Portland Trailblazers when they went head to head with the Lakers. I remember Sheed getting thrown out of the game just for looking at a ref. Then my first college roommate and my gf are both from the detroit area, so when he signed with the Pistons I was super excited.
Now having Rasheed Wallace and Kevin Garnett on the same team should be awesome.
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So, another method for saving just popped up...torrents instead of cd's :)
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Yes, don't buy those CDs, you're playing them through an mp3-player anyway. If can then sod the ipod as well :o
My own advice is pretty general, and inspired in part by Eddie Murphy's observations about pockets (in Raw) and in part by my mum. If you want to save money, you should have a good place to keep your savings.
1. A good and dedicated savings account. My bank offers a number of alternatives that are specifically for saving money over a certain period of time, and those options generally have far better interest rates as well.
2. A piggy-bank! Whenever you have change, dump it in the piggy-bank. It's effortless, and I have learned from my mother's example that the money can amount to quite a lot after a year or so.
Putting money aside for the essentials at the beginning of each month is a good idea, and then budgeting the remainder pretty tightly helps. If you find yourself with an excess of money at the end, put that into your savings account as well and start fresh with your new cash load.
Eris's advice about asking yourself if you just want something or if you need it is one of the best for anyone who wants to have better control of their finances, I reckon. You don't have to deny yourself everything, of course, but it's a good way to cut down on expenses. Joe's advice about focusing on the most significant expenses is also very good.
I may have missed this, but what are you options when it comes to making money? Jobs, scholarships, medical experiments...?
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I went to the mall today..with twenty dollars in my pocket, I left with eleven dollars and change after buying lunch. I picked up and put down about fifty things because I wanted them..so far this advice has worked when I've used it before. As for money making opportunities, I have a job, it's roughly full time, ranging 32-52 hours a week, depending on how the schedule is worked out. It's fairly secure, as long as I keep up and continue to work and not slack off, I shouldn't lose my job. As for savings, I'm keeping the money in an envelope in a safe, it's easier for me to save if it's in cash form rather than going to the bank and depositing it into a savings account...something about having the physical money there, me thinks. I do keep my change in a sort of piggy-bank, it's four tubes that hold the coin (each denomination in their own tube) in the amount that the paper wrapper for the coins holds, so when the tube is full, the coins go into the wrapper, no messy counting needed :)
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Simple and elegant :o I'd recommend you put the money in the bank and retrain your psyche to not need an envelope full of cash, but it's up to you ;)
When I found myself needing to know where my money was going, I found that my tendency to pay for _everything_ with my debit-card came very much in handy. Very easy to get an overview of monthly expenses through the bank's online services that way :)
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*glares at debit card in wallet* you make things too easy to spend, you do
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Yeah that doesn't work for me, paying with a debit card makes it feel like the things are free.
My solution to using my card too much is to leave it at home, and always carry £10 I do not need, preferably which is borrowed from someone. The fact that it's borrowed means I feel like it isn't mine so I can't spend it, and the fact that it's there means that if something happens I'm not stranded.
Put your money into an account with online banking, so that you can look every day and night to see what the figures are. I love being able to log in from anywhere and know exactly, to the penny, how much money I have and where it came from.
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it's not really a problem of not knowing how much money I have, but rather, why I'm wasting money on useless shit I don't need. Like today, at Staples, I was deciding whether or not if I should buy a pack of 50 jewel CD cases for $10.79; while the 25-pack was $9.99 as well. Needless to say, I didn't buy either, because I have a CD holder thing, so when I burn all these CDs I'm getting from torrents, I can just put them in that until I can afford the 450 jewel cases that I'm going to need...>.<
Why CDs you ask? I don't know, I just like having them there. Also, it's like an external hard drive for your music, one album at a time....I'm not making much sense because it's ten of one in the morning here. Also, when I buy my new computer, I'm getting a new external hard drive for it, one that acts like a flash drive, just plug it in and put your files on it; none of this syncing settings and wallpapers shit that the one I have does.
G'night.
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Not true, change your soap.
Olive oil. 10 bucks gets you a cheap bottle of pure oil that will last nearly a year.
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Any good quality soap, really. Something like Dove will last you for ages, and as an extra bonus it'll treat your skin way way better, and give you a better shave than any of that expensive-ass goop in a can that gets foisted on poor unsuspecting sods as shaving cream.
As for razors, if you have one of those multi-blade things with the platic knobbly bits and the racing stripe and the vibrator and the microchip and all of that ridiculous junk... Toss it. A pack of four blades for those things cost, what, like >$20? Pish posh. Once again, the much cheaper alternative will also happen to give the superior shave. For a dude on a particularly heavy budget, I'd suggest looking for a single-blade disposable razor, in particularly the BIC brand. Disposable razors are always going to be a bit dodgy but the BIC single-blade is probably as good as they get. Slightly more expensive is the Gillette Sensor which is a two-blade "shaving system" (i.e; handle with replaceable blade cartridge). The Sensor is still fairly common so it shouldn't be hard at all to find blades but it has long been superseded by the Mach 3 and Fusion models and as such is rather cheap.
Another alternative is to try your luck looking for second-hand (or new!) safety razors on eBay or the like. Safety razors are great not just because they are old-school as hell and deliver what is probably the best shave you're likely to get short of a professional barber straight razor shave, but also because blades are ridiculously cheap. So even though you may outlay slightly more on the razor itself, you will more than make your money back within pretty much no time. Of particular note are the Israeli-made generic "Personna" blades. You can get 100 of the motherfuckers for $10, which is enough for two years of daily shaves. And they are great blades, very much a favourite among the discerning shavegeek.
It's possible to get new & used safety razors, some more than 50 years old, for next to nothing on eBay. Obviously, buyer beware, make sure that they are in good condition before buying and thoroughly clean and disinfect any used razor that you purchase. Look for Merkur and Gillette razors, and avoid no-name/generics.
Of course I know that you said that shaving wasn't so much a big worry for you, Tyler, but this thread has pretty much become general savings advice anyway, and I'll seize any excuse to preach stentorian from the mount about shaving.
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Olive oil. 10 bucks gets you a cheap bottle of pure oil that will last nearly a year.
At first I thought you were suggesting that he wash himself with olive oil and I was really grossed out because that is probably not effective at all.
A lot of toiletries are unnecessary. 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioner works like a charm, and you can get cheap store-brand body washes that double as shaving gel/cream/whatever and don't kill your skin. Go for bulk packages too. Ask for free samples. Seriously, you can get free samples of ANYTHING if you just ask.
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I was quite a fan of shaving oil when a mate of mine had some and tried it out - a tiny amount did for the whole face, and it gave a tremendous shave, if I recall correctly. I am seriously considering the purchase of an old-school safety razor now.
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Dooooo eeeeeet.
Of course it is entirely possible to turn a pragmatic money-saving decision into a wallet-draining weirdo obsession, as it has with me, quite obviously. This typically happens when you realise that, hey, shaving can actually be fun! And so begins the hunt for different razors, creams, lotions, soaps, brushes, mugs and so on and on. Be careful.
Ooh ooh another good shaving-saving tip: Ask your grandfather if he still has a safety razor!
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I am also really tempted to buy a safety razor now. I just have to decide if I can afford the $30+ to get one....
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You can get older ones for much, much cheaper but it involves running the risk of it having been on a hobo.
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Maybe I should pick one of the old ones up and throw it in the autoclave....
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As a girl, I have to say that whoever did the scent research for the foam-goop shaving cream knows their shit. A freshly shaved dude smells AMAZING.
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So, one has to choose, do you want to smell wonderful for the ladies? Or do you want to save some money and go with soap/olive oil/whateverelse... Gah, how women screw with our brains :(
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i really don't care what a dude smells like as long as he smells like something that isn't sweat or urine or feces. the extra effort to smell sexy is appreciated, but personally, at long as they wear deodorant and bathe occasionally i'm really not gonna be picky.
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I bathe daily AND wear deodorant ... do I get extra points?
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i really don't care what a dude smells like as long as he smells like something that isn't sweat or urine or feces.
There are so many smells you didn't cover.
ITT: tania has low standards for smell.
I have been using my shampoo for soap as well because, well, I ran out of soap and I have no money.
Also, if you cook for yourself (something I tried to do and failed at) put rice or pasta in most dishes, it is cheap as hell to buy in large amounts and because it is a starch it will fill you up quicker.
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dude if you gave me your address i would honestly mail you soap, i have so much soap it is insane.
the downside is you will smell like berries and melons because the reason i have so much soap and shampoo is that all of my friends and relatives who know nothing about me send me soap i do not need every single dang birthday and christmas. maybe ladies will like it though. ladies like weird things nowadays.
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I believe that it's been proven in a general consensus that women are more attracted to men that have a perfumy scent, while men are generally attracted to women that have a sort of cologne scent about them. If you think about it, that's kind of true in a logical sense. Perfumes and colognes are marketed to members of a certain gender based on scent, women prefer the smell of a (for comparison's sake) flowery or berry scent, while men prefer one of trees or whatever the hell colognes are supposed to smell like...did that make sense?
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I like to smell like an axe.
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Then it's not quite a coincidence that I own four axes....I live in the woods, and I build bunkers for paintball..speaking of which, I'm going to be busy Sunday morning.
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dude if you gave me your address i would honestly mail you soap, i have so much soap it is insane.
the downside is you will smell like berries and melons because the reason i have so much soap and shampoo is that all of my friends and relatives who know nothing about me send me soap i do not need every single dang birthday and christmas. maybe ladies will like it though. ladies like weird things nowadays.
Tania I really like faggy scenty soap. Will you send me some? I will figure out something to send you in return, although I can't promise I will ever send it.
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I also enjoy smelling faggish. But my mother does not enjoy the concept of fags so she will not buy me soap or allow me to buy it. Tania should give me the fag soap.
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ladies, ladies, i have enough faggy soap for everyone
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screw safety razors
(http://www.altayteknik.com/ürünler/ustura/ustura.jpg)
get one of these. they're cheaper and when you get used to shave with one of these, you'll never want to touch those double-triple-quadruple bladed bullshit again.
and they're f-in' MANLY.
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My razor has seven blades. One is a decoy blade that lulls the hairs into a false sense of security while the other six blades sneak up behind them.
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mine has six blades in total, five grouped together for normal shaving and one on the back for detail work
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screw safety razors
get one of these. they're cheaper and when you get used to shave with one of these, you'll never want to touch those double-triple-quadruple bladed bullshit again.
Of copurse, prepare to lose a LOT of blood in the interim.
My razor has seven blades. One is a decoy blade that lulls the hairs into a false sense of security while the other six blades sneak up behind them.
Champagne Comedy
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Getting all up on the whole straight razor thing is part of my plan, but I think it's something to work up to, you know?
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I'd rather have someone else carve my face up with a straight razor, if it has to be done that is.
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ladies, ladies, i have enough faggy soap for everyone
I want some faggy soap
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Man, all of us want faggy soap.
We are so gay.
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screw safety razors
(http://www.altayteknik.com/ürünler/ustura/ustura.jpg)
get one of these. they're cheaper and when you get used to shave with one of these, you'll never want to touch those double-triple-quadruple bladed bullshit again.
and they're f-in' MANLY.
Those are not cheaper, as far as I've ever been able to tell. Where would you be buying that and for how much? I've been trying to find a straight razor for about 3 years now.
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Also, if you cook for yourself (something I tried to do and failed at) put rice or pasta in most dishes, it is cheap as hell to buy in large amounts and because it is a starch it will fill you up quicker.
oo oo that reminds me about one of my latest culinary favorites. Besides the rice, get chicken bullion cubes. Brown the rice in some oil for a couples minutes, then simmer for 20 minutes in chicken flavored water in a saucepan on the stove to get an awesome side dish.
Cooking doesn't get much easier than that.* Little prep time, you barely have to pay attention to it while it cooks, and you can buy in bulk one time because the ingredients keep forever. Throw in any fresh vegetables you want and it's even better! I like using diced tomatoes.
*Another of my recent culinary discoveries is the easiest possible nutritious side dish there is. Hopefully you have a gas stove, because you can take a whole green pepper and just put it directly on one of the burners. Just sit it on there for a few minutes and turn it a couple times and you have a roasted pepper. It's so fucking easy!
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Those are not cheaper, as far as I've ever been able to tell. Where would you be buying that and for how much? I've been trying to find a straight razor for about 3 years now.
He probably means cheaper in the long-run, as once you buy one there's very little ongoing cost compared to buying cartridge or disposable razors.
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Cheaper in the very far long run, as you have to buy the razor, plus the strop and stone to sharpen it, and of course you need a proper badger hair brush for the soap... starting up seems like it will cost well over $100USD, probably closer to $200.
Just don't shave. Cheapest option ever.
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And now because of yelley there will be neckbearded men all over the place
Thanks a lot yelley
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Hah, this reminds me... the other night Lunchy found a poster entitled "Beards: music for people with beards by people with beards" or something like that. Apparently beards is now a music genre, too.
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You'll all probably think I'm super lame for using an electric razor, but it's just so much easier than dealing with shaving cream or lotions or any of that.
Which actually brings up an important counterpoint to all this saving talk. Sometimes skimping is a waste of money, and electric razors are an example of that. While you certainly don't need to spend the completely ridiculous amounts the most expensive models cost, buying the cheapest ones is a waste of money because they'll just break and then you gotta buy another.
The same principle is true for a lot of things, although maybe not things you care about in your current situation. Another good example of this principle is cookware, but it sounds like that's not something you'd care about anyway.
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Hah, this reminds me... the other night Lunchy found a poster entitled "Beards: music for people with beards by people with beards" or something like that. Apparently beards is now a music genre, too.
Bearded crabcore!
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Very much agreed, Mr. Hocking.
Example, in high school I wore through 3 pairs of black boots before my parents broke down and spent the $120 on the Doc Martens I wanted. I still wear them 11 years later.
Shoes. Cookware. Knives (especially knives). You get what you pay for.
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Speaking of hair and saving...
This is one of the best purchases I've ever made: http://www.consumer.philips.com/consumer/en/ca/consumer/cc/_productid_QC5170_00_CA_CONSUMER/Hair-Clipper+QC5170
Once I got over myself and my ridiculous insistence on actually shaving (with BLADES) my entire head, I realised the above product would be a far more practical, time-saving and economical option than regular razors. And it was so :o and this way I get the stubble I want at once, instead of after a couple of days.
Razors are nice and all, but if you shave often then, at some point, an okay electric razor will probably prove to be a more economic option.
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My electric razor just irritated my skin.
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so much easier than dealing with shaving cream or lotions or any of that.
That's the best part!
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ELECTRIC RAZORS ARE FINE FOR SHAVING YOUR VAGINA, BUT I NEED SOMETHING ELSE TO DEAL WITH THIS MANLY BEARD ON MY FACE.
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Tell him to stop kissing you?
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NO FAGGY SHIT
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I just wanna put this out there that not all girls like boys with all the fancy smelly soaps and stuff. I like the smell of most essential oils and dirt, I also like that musky man smell of lack of deodorant. I don't mean like gross and not hygienic just musky c:
Oh also, dear shaving-advice, you should put a big disclaimer,"IGNORE IF YOU ARE A WOMAN"
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Actually, there is some stuff ladies can do as a chick to make shaving easier and have better results, but it doesn't really end up cheaper.
-A scrap of flannel cloth (not a terrycloth flannel like a rag, but like a bit of what you would make pajamas from) rubbed in circles works really well at getting rid of ingrown hairs, for some reason.
-Shave twice: once with the grain first and then once against it. This helps with razorburn.
-Exfoliate your leeeggggsss. It can be as simple as a decent scrub with a rough washcloth and hot water.
-Always use some sort of cream to help raise the hairs and moisturise your skin. almost all [bar] soaps will dry out your skin and make the hairs sort of sticky because it strips the moisture out, so they are harder to cut with the razor. If you want to save money, use all the old hair conditioner you don't put in your hair anymore since you switched to that other brand.
-And, of course, try not to shave when it's too cold. Try and get the temperature of the bathroom somewhere around "tolerable", because otherwise your razor shaves off the tops of your goosebumps, too.
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I know it's not strictly related, but what am I doing wrong when trying to wax my legs with Veet waxing strips? It doesn't seem to work at all. I followed the instructions to the letter but I get better results shaving with a Bic razor.
I'm getting it done professionally on Friday, but I'd still like to know.
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Hah, this reminds me... the other night Lunchy found a poster entitled "Beards: music for people with beards by people with beards" or something like that. Apparently beards is now a music genre, too.
The only reason I have ever heard of the Beards, is that my friend wanted to start a band with an identical name and tagline to them and then found out some dudes in adelaide had already thought of it first and he was so furious
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waxing yourself is really tough to do in general. a lot of my friends do it, but i never could figure out how to wax myself properly cos i can't seem to ever suck up enough to pull as hard as i'm supposed to and i always end up in a world of sticky bumpy pain instead. getting waxed professionally is how i usually roll.
maybe you could talk to the professional and ask her? she'll probably have lots of tips. or, if you think the problem might be that you're not pulling fast or hard enough, asking your friends to wax you is okay if they are up for that. my roomies were totally fine with me asking, but maybe it's only cos they liked seeing me in pain. it definitely makes it a lot easier to do it right when you have someone else doing the waxing who isn't you.
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wax strips are just a lot weaker than waxing the regular way. even when used properly they are never going to work as in depth as actually rolling on some wax and using regular cloth strips.
however, i know that waxing the regular way is a huuuge pain in the ass and the first few times you try and do it there is just a big sticky useless mess everywhere. my advice would be to use a natural substitute for wax - i recommend moom (http://www.moom.com/). it's just way easier to use until you get the hang of it because it washes off really easily (unlike wax which sticks around forever... ugh) and i could swear it's less painful too. although i'm pretty immune to the pain now anyways so i am probably not a good judge. just make sure that it's warm enough to spread evenly but let it cool for about 30 secs before you yank the strip off because otherwise it won't work (took me a little while to figure this out).