Archive through August 06, 2003
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TV ClubHouse: Archives: How to save money.: Archive through August 06, 2003

Fluff

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 10:55 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I am pretty lousy at saving, not to mention I have an expensive, costly hair addiction which causes me to pop up at the beauty supply store on nearly a weekly basis. Oh yeah, did I mention I'm in college and about to start school again at the end of this month?

Please feel free to share on this subject.....quick.

Sweetbabygirl

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 11:13 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Excellent thread, Fluffster....I could use some tips myself.

My check, or 'pittance' barely covers my bills. I would like to put some away in case of emergency, but how can I when there's not enough money to begin with?

Goddessatlaw

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 11:14 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Avoid Disney World.

Squaredsc

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 11:27 am EditMoveDeleteIP
money flows thru my hands like water.

Fluff

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 11:49 am EditMoveDeleteIP
This is too funny.

Tashakinz

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 12:22 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
The best way to save money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket. = )

Pamy

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 12:23 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Read Suze Orman's the 9 Steps to Financial Freedom!! It changed my life!

Squaredsc

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 12:36 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
so what's step 1?

Grooch

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 12:47 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Buying the book.

Fluff

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 12:48 pm EditMoveDeleteIP

Grooch

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 12:48 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Actually, Square, a lot of times they run her programs on PBS, and that's free. You can save $20 that way.

Squaredsc

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 12:50 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
ahh. well there ya go fluff.

Fluff

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 12:53 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Um...when does she come on? I remember seeing her once, but that was only during the time they were running marathons to collect money for the station, and I couldn't have cared less about her because I wasn't broke and in debt then.

Max

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 01:00 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Step 1: Always PAY YOURSELF first. In other words, when you get a paycheck or any other money, take 10% (or less if you have to due to REALLY tight budgeting) and put it in a savings account and, most important piece, LEAVE IT THERE.

If you do that consistently, you'll be surprised how quickly it will add up. If you have the ability to set up automatic deductions so that you never see the money in your hands in the first place, it's pretty easy to do this. :)

Fluff

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 01:11 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Doing that right now...

Sia

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 01:39 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Try to be wise with your discretionary funds; don't waste money on frivolous purchases. Always ask yourself, "Do I need this? Do I have a use/place for this? Is this item worth the purchase-price?"

When grocery shopping, try to buy only the items that the store has on sale at a special price and/or those things for which you have a coupon.

Conserve electricity at home by using compact fluorescent bulbs instead of incandescent and limit how many appliances you run at once. When I was single, I had a "three-appliance rule" which meant that I could run the washer and dryer and stero or TV at the same time, but didn't burn all the lights, for example, while sweeping.

Use less gasoline by running fewer trips for errands. Buy your postage stamps, for example, while you're out shopping already; don't make a special trip just for the stamps.

Take a good look at your "back-stock" in your pantry and in your bathroom. I have a weakness for hand/body lotions, but I must have two dozen bottles stashed in the closet that I got on sale here and there. Work off your "inventory" for a while; eat out of your freezer and hold onto that extra money that you'd normally spend.

A flexible savings plan that many people overlook is the Christmas Club at your local bank. You don't have to put a set amount in every week any longer; they allow you to put in as much as often as you like. This is a wonderful way to save money.

Save coins and roll them; deposit them into savings or into your Christmas Club.

Ocean_Islands

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 01:58 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Here is a great way to save money.

Buy one share (or as many as you like) of stock (hopefully blue chip) of a company that has a dividend reinvestment plan. Enroll in the dividend reinvestment plan with one share.

The dividends produced by the one share will be used to by more shares.

Have the dividend reinvestment plan automatically debit your checking account for $10 per month, or $25, or $50, or $100 or $200 per month. Those funds will buy more shares, which will generate more dividends, which will buy more shares, and so on, and so on, and so on . . . . then you never have to think about it until retirement.

Grooch

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 02:04 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Fluff, you need to get a part time job at the hair store so you can get a discount.

Bastable

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 02:32 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Get all your travel advice from http://budgettravel.msnbc.com. Those people are major cheapskates but they still manage to travel the world comfortably.

Goddessatlaw

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 02:36 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Bastable, dude - could you book a trip to Orlando and then scathe the f/ out of Disney World in print? MM and I would be most thankful. Love, Goddess.

PS I'm planning a torching of them in the rant thread, I just need to calm down a bit first so as to appear my normal, rational self when I do so. Feel free to use any part of my commentary. Muchas gracias.

Zachsmom

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 02:41 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I LOVE Disney World!

Bastable

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 02:47 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I actually have something in mind already, GAL. A story on how to get out of spending your money on their food. They are pretty greedy, aren't they? Post that rant; I want to see it!

Juju2bigdog

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 04:41 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Lol, Bastable, that IS actually how I save money while traveling the world. Which reminds me, I heard there is a $499 trip to China over there today, and I have not made it to that board yet today.

Fluff, walk as much as possible rather than driving and paying parking. Buy a monthly Metro pass if that is cheaper than a car. If you don't have a car, never mind. The walking will also stand you in good stead all the rest of your life.

Drink tap water instead of cokes or bottled water. It ain't gonna kill you, or at least not quickly, and bottled water is not necessarily any more pure.

Shop at thrift stores located in wealthy areas. You'd be amazed at how much brand new stuff today's throw-away society routinely throws away. I say frequent the stores in wealthy areas because they throw away or recycle better stuff, LOL. I live close to Seattle where people have lots of big money, so we have excellent thrift shops here. I am at this very moment wearing a pair of $200 Italian leather shoes from a boutique shop in Seattle. The shop owner goes to Italy herself to buy the shoes. I bought them new, unworn, for $1 in a thrift shop.

I'm sure I have a million more ideas.

Edit: Oh yeah, thought of one more. Shave your head.:)

Squaredsc

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 05:22 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
rofl grooch and juju. i love disney world too. yay mickey!!

Pamy

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 07:29 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Grooch LOL at your step 1!!