[quote]Headhunter wrote:
3) Adopt a soldier overseas and send him things to make his/her life a little more bearable. Won’t save you any money, but its good to do anyway. 
HH[/quote]
That is so good. Any soldiers fighting in the Middle East, if you want Hawaiian products, feel free to PM me your info.
[quote]kellyc wrote:
I’ve got this one beat,
Drink a six pack on the way to the bar, 5.95, as compared to 2.50 each when you get there.
Find a decent looking fat chick and show some interest in her, she’ll more than likely buy your drinks,
Let her get you wasted and take her home,get her to spring for jimmy caps, if she wants it bad enough she will put up the 4 bucks too,( Note, fat chicks will do you like there’s no tomorrow, besides they never know when they’ll get some again), they are also willing to try anything.
Okay, no we just solved the drinking for free problem, and now there’s no need to get popped by the cops picking up a prostitue, not getting busted for that will save you a crap load of cash.
Premium protein is the way to go sorry guys, but I don’t wanna go around bustin ass like the fat chick your gonna be working on this evening.
As for the ladies, roll your own tampons, ( I know this one was gross). Clip your own goddamn toe nails,( My wife spends thirty bucks every two weeks getting this done). Let the bush grow, who needs a Brazilan wax job, lets do some role playing, " Ugh me Tarzan you Jane", and get midevil with that thing.
Drink tap water, buy a Brita water pitcher filter, @ 28.00 bucks and you’ll replace the filter every two or three months, @ 8 bucks. The initial investment is high but it pays off quickly. The water machine’s you see in grocery store parking lots are good too .25 for a gallon can’t beat it.
Buy precooked frozen grilled chicken breasts, 8 breasts for 6 bucks. The energy it takes to cook the breasts not to mention the heat associated with it and how much it heats your house while cooking them, you’ll save money by popping these in the microwave.
If you travel with protein powder, empty the powder out of the jug and put it in a one gallon ziplock bag, and then put the bag in the jug. I had one of the jugs come open in my carry one, 36.00 worth of protein in my bag, covering everything plus dry cleaning cost= Too god damn expensive not to use a zip lock.
Bullpup
I’ve got two problems with this post. First, never get drunk and bang a fat chick. She will own you when she sqeezes out your kid. Not a good money saving plan.
Second, never, ever pass on the Brazillian unless your wife is the fat chick that trapped you into mariage.
[/quote]
I would rather nail a fat chick than risk getting picked up for trying to hook up with a prostitue,
Also, not shaving is just a joke the majority of this post was a joke except for the protein powder, and the brita filters.
Bullpup
[quote]kellyc wrote:
I’ve got two problems with this post. First, never get drunk and bang a fat chick. She will own you when she sqeezes out your kid. Not a good money saving plan.[/quote]
Additional insurance: Have a vasectomy, and never tell chicks. Just be sure you have some good insurance for the day one of them tells you she’s pregnant and you confirm her why it can never be assuming successful vasectomy, of course).
I see the merits in getting a used car, my G/F’s bro got a Honda S2000 used for 18,000 and it had almost no miles on it (lucky bastard for finding that deal!) but 6 years old??? I don’t know about that…that’s asking to pay for some repairs, even on a Honda! At that point go get yourself a Kia brand new with the 100,000 mile guarantee.
When you pay your utilities, round up to the nearest $50 or $100. Gradually you’ll develop a credit. Also Bank of America has a neat program called Keep The Change, where they round up every debit card purchase to the nearest dollar, which then goes automatically into your savings.
[quote]Sonny S wrote:
I figured we could start a thread on ways to save money easily. I stress the word EASY. For example, making and preparing your own food doesn’t qualify because that involves actually shopping and cooking and effort.
Here are 3 of mine:
1- Make and bring your own coffee and drinks. You make coffee anyway in the morning, so just bring enough for the rest of the day with you. I love Snapple, but at 1.25-1.79 a bottle depending where I purchase it, it adds up. So I use Crystal Lite and bring it with me. I save even more money when I use the supermarket brand of instant iced tea.
If you want to be super cheap, screw regular coffee and use caffeine tabs. Walgreen’s brand of NoDoz is 6.99 for 200 tabs which is 400 cups of coffee.
2- Join Costco. You’ll save money on food and other items like crazy, regardless of whether you’re single or have a family. A few examples include: the savings on cartons of 1/2 and 1/2 alone pay for the yearly $50 membership fee; I saved $80 on contacts; fish oil and Rogaine are unbelievably cheap.
3- Drink before you go out to a nightspot. You can start drinking right before leaving (if the place is closeby) or if the place is farther away start drinking right before arriving at the club OR in the car after you’ve parked.
Not only do you save money, but you can also easily taper off the alcohol as the night goes on. I start drinking a lot of water 1/2 way through the night, so by the time its time to go home, my buzz is wearing off or gone. Plus all the water keeps me hydrated and lessens the possibility of hangovers.
Let’s hear some of yours[/quote]
[quote]kellyc wrote:
For some this might not be easy, but, never buy a car less than 6 years old and buy a Honda or Toyota.[/quote]
I swapped the lease on my 05 Grand Cherokee and bought a 98 Camry in February. I’m currently saving about $430 a month by way of:
Monthly payment: $-183
Insurance: $-100 approx
Gas: $-150 approx
[quote]Charles Staley wrote:
When you pay your utilities, round up to the nearest $50 or $100. Gradually you’ll develop a credit. Also Bank of America has a neat program called Keep The Change, where they round up every debit card purchase to the nearest dollar, which then goes automatically into your savings.
[/quote]
This may be a dumb question but why would you want to have a credit with you water or electric company? Would it not be better to keep that 50 or 100 bucks in a savings account where it gets interest? Even its only 0.40 a month, that’s still money for doing nothing. I just started paying the water and electric bills this yr (my old room mate used to handle that matter) so I may be missing something, let me know!
Not the biggest way to have an extra, but since we all must spend ANYWAY, here goes:
(DISCLAIMER: Not for those who can’t balance their budget. You’ve been warned.)
(One can even transform that 1% into an investment or use it to reduce fees at the financial institution that issues the cc. Works in Canada. Not sure if this exists or applies in the USA.)
As a bonus, it’s a nice way to keep bank fees down. Some people do the same thing with AirMiles.
As for watches, I don’t have any. My cell phone does the job.
These are some really good ideas you guys have. I personally dont watch TV so I dont have cable. Minimize on cooling and heating costs, by making sure you properly insulate your home/apartment. Invest in some good blinds or drapes, so in summer, you keep the windows and shades closed on windows that the sun is shining on.
You can change this based on the time of day, of course I work all day but I keep the shades closed usually all day with the windows open on the opposite side to keep it cool. In winter, leave the shades open to have the sun heat your place, and keep your heat on low. Its all about minimizing the use of things.
I like making all my meals at once for lunch during the week, as it only takes a bit longer to cook for the whole week than just one day, and it saves time too. I freeze the meals and its quick and easy, and eat hot meals at lunch, and something simple at night, kind of like switching lunch with supper. This saves alot of time, so that you can exercise or make use of the time. I see this as saving money.
Quit smoking, my biggest advice, I am still trying to quit, and it will make a significant amount of savings. I think of it this way, in Quebec, a pack of smokes runs you for about 6-9$ a pack. When I think of it, I dont even hesitate to buy a pack of smokes but when it comes to buying a slab of steak or beef between those prices I find it ridiculous. I find this funny.
So my plan is, quit smoking and spend the extra cash at the end of each week or month by stocking up on some Extra lean ground beef, protein powder or steak or other supps, or if you already do that, pay off your bills with the money your saving or put it into a savings account. Cut back on drinking. Im not saying dont drink, but I usually like a bottle of wine with my meal, and its not 4$ a bottle like in the USA, here its 10$ a bott, so I instead not buy it. Better for your health and your wallet, I taught myself to ask myself this one question, do i really need it?
Grand cherokee is nice, but Im sure you are happy with the Camry, I have heard so many stories about how great they are, aka, stories where people never changed the oil for like over some ridiculous amount of miles without any issues.
If you’re getting a significant interest rate and you have the discipline to make regular deposits into your saving, sure, of course. I’m just suggesting an easy, painless way of saving.
That said, when you develop a credit on your utils, you then have the option of 1) NOT paying your utils for a few months, or 2) taking the credit with you when you move and/or change utility companys.
[quote]CrewPierce wrote:
Charles Staley wrote:
When you pay your utilities, round up to the nearest $50 or $100. Gradually you’ll develop a credit. Also Bank of America has a neat program called Keep The Change, where they round up every debit card purchase to the nearest dollar, which then goes automatically into your savings.
This may be a dumb question but why would you want to have a credit with you water or electric company? Would it not be better to keep that 50 or 100 bucks in a savings account where it gets interest? Even its only 0.40 a month, that’s still money for doing nothing. I just started paying the water and electric bills this yr (my old room mate used to handle that matter) so I may be missing something, let me know![/quote]
[quote]mike08042 wrote:
Invest in some good blinds or drapes, so in summer, you keep the windows and shades closed on windows that the sun is shining on. You can change this based on the time of day, of course I work all day but I keep the shades closed usually all day with the windows open on the opposite side to keep it cool.[/quote]
Slightly off topic, and of course cannot be applied in real life, but aren’t blinds or drapes useless if used inside? Once the heat gets through the window, doesn’t it stay trapped in?
Here are a few things that have worked for me:
1) Only use 0% interest credit cards and transfer the balances until paid off (be sure to pay more than the minimum balance). I’ve been doing this for the past two years. One card will be paid off next month. The other card now has my car loan transferred to it so I don’t pay interest on a loan. The only other loan I have is my school loan. I may also transfer that to a 0% credit card in the future to pay it off sooner. I am down to about $3,500 on that loan (~$100/month right now).
2) Sell your car and get something cheaper. I sold my 2003 Honda S2000 for a 1996 Mazda Miata in January. My Honda had 34K miles when I sold it. My loan was just over $20K at that point. It cost me more than $400 a month in payments, $70 month in insurance and almost $40 to fill the gas tank every 5-7 days. My Miata cost me less than $7K. It has 58K miles, my payment is currently $150, my insurance is down to $60, and my gas is less (87 octane instead of premium and better gas mileage).
3) Get a Sam’s/Costco/BJ’s membership. I buy the majority of my food in bulk (Beef, chicken, eggs, etc.).
4) Don’t spend your money on trivial stuff. I rarely spend money on clothes, entertainment, etc.
5) Don’t drink soda, alcohol, tea, coffee, sports drinks, or buy cigarettes, tobacco, etc. I don’t drink, smoke or use drugs or have other vices. Drinking water all the time and wherever I go (from the tap) is one of the best things you can do to save money and stay healthy.
6) Do everything possible to live below your means. Eliminate things you don’t need or use very often (do you need digital cable?).
[quote]MrChill wrote:
mike08042 wrote:
Invest in some good blinds or drapes, so in summer, you keep the windows and shades closed on windows that the sun is shining on. You can change this based on the time of day, of course I work all day but I keep the shades closed usually all day with the windows open on the opposite side to keep it cool.
Slightly off topic, and of course cannot be applied in real life, but aren’t blinds or drapes useless if used inside? Once the heat gets through the window, doesn’t it stay trapped in?[/quote]
Well personally I find it keeps my place alot cooler without the use of an air conditioner, although its more of a fact that I cannot afford the AC itself but a fan and blinds do fine. I am sure it saves me alot more than using an AC unit. Thats how it ties in to saving money…
[quote]CrewPierce wrote:
I see the merits in getting a used car, my G/F’s bro got a Honda S2000 used for 18,000 and it had almost no miles on it (lucky bastard for finding that deal!) but 6 years old??? I don’t know about that…that’s asking to pay for some repairs, even on a Honda! At that point go get yourself a Kia brand new with the 100,000 mile guarantee. [/quote]
I got a '93 Corolla for 2,500 eight years ago and have hardly spent a dime on it. I change the oil every 2-3k and had the breaks done once. Not for picking up chicks but could not be better for the commute.
[quote]MrChill wrote:
Slightly off topic, and of course cannot be applied in real life, but aren’t blinds or drapes useless if used inside? Once the heat gets through the window, doesn’t it stay trapped in?[/quote]
I think the problem is when the visible light is converted into heat (infrared) once it strikes objects in the home. Infrared doesn’t pass well through glass. Drapes reflect much of the visible light back through the window before it has a chance to convert to heat. Certainly, the drapes would be even more effective on the outside, and aluminum foil (or some other highly reflective substance) is also more efficient than most blinds or drapes.
[quote]nephorm wrote:
MrChill wrote:
Slightly off topic, and of course cannot be applied in real life, but aren’t blinds or drapes useless if used inside? Once the heat gets through the window, doesn’t it stay trapped in?
I think the problem is when the visible light is converted into heat (infrared) once it strikes objects in the home. Infrared doesn’t pass well through glass. Drapes reflect much of the visible light back through the window before it has a chance to convert to heat. Certainly, the drapes would be even more effective on the outside, and aluminum foil (or some other highly reflective substance) is also more efficient than most blinds or drapes.[/quote]
Thanks! On a different note (from http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news_features/real_estate/spring2006/maintain.shtml):
Windows can also fail when people use drapes to protect what’s behind their windows, keeping sun from penetrating, Spatta said. The light comes through the window as ultraviolet light, passes through the glass panes, is absorbed and reradiated as infrared light, which cannot pass through the glass. The heat gets stuck inside, heating the inside pane of a double window faster than the outside, eventually causing breaks in the window sills.
(Still searching.)
[quote]PGJ wrote:
.
Never buy expensive shoes, watches, tires or protein powder. The cheaper versions will do the exact same thing.
[/quote]
The shoes ok…the tyres ? Do they do a budget 265/35 ZR 18 then ?
The watch ? If you don’t wear one at all, that’s the cheapest.
Cheap Protein powder can be shit too.
Having been bankrupt to the tune of nealry 70k ukp (130,000) usd, I suggest its easier to look for ways to make money than save money.
The time some people spend penny pinching saving a coupla quid on coffee and lunch they could be using their knowledge on a second job. Some probably do already, but its all in the application.
Rather than cut your mobile phone down to less minutes…use those minutes to get more work, or a better job, spend more time searching for ways to improve your career than watching tv etc etc.
The time some people spend jacking off trying to save 500 quid on a car hey could have been buying and selling stuff and making cash.
Ebay is great for some people…in 2004 I bought various Fender Strats particularly the Tom Delonge one at times when auctions were ending at less efficient times, like say Sun Morning when people are in bed, or mid month when people are more skint (less cash) and re-sold them making a hefty amount of cash. Practically zero effort requires just a little savvy.
Or I could have spend that time saving a few pennies on my brekfast by driking UHT milk rather then fresh…
[quote]MrChill wrote:
mike08042 wrote:
Invest in some good blinds or drapes, so in summer, you keep the windows and shades closed on windows that the sun is shining on. You can change this based on the time of day, of course I work all day but I keep the shades closed usually all day with the windows open on the opposite side to keep it cool.
Slightly off topic, and of course cannot be applied in real life, but aren’t blinds or drapes useless if used inside? Once the heat gets through the window, doesn’t it stay trapped in?[/quote]
Most blinds and curtains have a white lining to reflect the energy out.
It works.