Living below your means

TubStain

Senior member
Apr 19, 2001
935
0
0
So I just got an email from The Motley Fool about how their "Living Below Your Means" forum is pretty hot. I thought I'd start a thread here about how some of you live below your means. Cost cutting ideas (other than shopping at the Hot deals forums). Maybe strategies into living on the cheap but not necessarily eating ramen noodles 24x7 cheap.

Do you live below your means, and if you do, what are your tricks and ideas for that lifestyle...
 

Ameesh

Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
23,686
1
0
btw i leave beneath my means by making my savings like a bill, i pay it all the time and whatever money i have left is for me to spend as i want.
 

Yossarian

Lifer
Dec 26, 2000
18,010
1
81
I got rid of my landline phone and went wireless only. Saves $30-40 per month, especially since LD is free.
 

Ogg

Diamond Member
Sep 5, 2003
4,829
1
0
I dont think that in America youre allowed to live below your means......
I tried but the credit cards wont let me.
 

Yax

Platinum Member
Feb 11, 2003
2,866
0
0
Originally posted by: Ameesh
you have the best name on the forums ive seen so far

DELETED

One more mention of her and you will find it difficult to post here

AnandTech Moderator
 

Kenny

Platinum Member
Oct 12, 2002
2,567
0
76
Water and sometimes juice. No soda, that stuff gets expensive.

Homemade sandwiches for lunch, and once in a while eat at the dollar menu @ McDonalds, and other cheap local food ($5 and under)

No computer upgrades, haven't upgraded in almost a year and proud of it. (Haven't upgraded anything, and I used to upgrade a part here and there every 6 months)
 

Mr N8

Diamond Member
Dec 3, 2001
8,793
0
76
My wife and I used to eat out 4-6 times a week, and it didn't strain out budget. We started making all of our own meals, and only eating out Saturday morning. We easily save an extra $150 a month on this alone. We also dropped our landline. We realized that we really only used our cell phone, anyway, so there wasn't much use for the landline, other than getting sales calls. Lastly, we only buy used vehicles. Their value decreased hugely after 2-3 years of use, so we won't buy a new vehicle. Its just not worth it.
 

Spoooon

Lifer
Mar 3, 2000
11,563
203
106
Landline phone is gone. I usually turn the AC off when I leave for the day. Since I'm out of the apartment for 5-8 hours a day, it can add up.
 

conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
58,686
3
0
I'm learning to.

I buy Kroger-brand food when I can and name-brand when it's on sale with the Kroger card. I live a mile from work so my monthly fuel bill has dropped dramatically. I'm going to look into moving into a 2br townhome instead of a 3br, that will save me $150/mo. Sold my DISH equipment and went to cable tv/internet/phone. Don't go out to eat but maybe once a month as I'm cooking at home more now and cooking meals that are lower cost (chicken, tuna, fish fillets). Called Cingular and lowered my monthly peak minutes and cut out text messaging ($15/mo. savings.) May be losing my car and will try and borrow one from my dad for a while. Trying to lower my utility bills (selling a PC to my sister and will sell another one...they've been on 24/7 running SETI so that will lower electricity a bit.) Reading more and watching less TV (again, lowers electricity bill a bit.) Making a Savings "Bill" that I force myself to pay $50 per check into a separate savings account so I don't squander money leftover after each check.

So far...it's helping and my daughters haven't complained. They enjoy the home-cooked meals, actually :)
 

Yax

Platinum Member
Feb 11, 2003
2,866
0
0
Hmm,

Before I can live below my means, I'd have to:

1. Sell my house
2. Give up my job because its so far from where I live.
3. Give up health care.
4. Cancel my car insurance.
5. move to a trailor park.
6. buy lots of pork and beans.
7. cancel internet access.
8. Cancel my DTV.
9. Sell the car.

nuf, I think I'll just live above my means.
 

labgeek

Platinum Member
Jan 20, 2002
2,163
0
0
Going to the hot deals forum has never helped my checkbook. The opposite actually.
 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
40,730
670
126
Don't buy new PC hardware just for the bragging rights or for only a tiny jump in speed, wait until you really need it and the speed increase will be noticeable.

If you're a gamer, consider waiting for the game to drop from $50 down to $30. Try some of the cheaper old games you missed like Planescape: Torment and Jagged Alliance 2, or get some of the "shovelware" bundles that have 5 games for $10. This also helps you put off that upgrade a bit longer.

Do more of your own cooking, less fast food & take-out.

Don't carry a credit-card balance -- earn interest at ING Direct or eTrade instead of paying 10-20% on your debt.

Join netflix instead of buying DVDs -- unlike P2P it's legal, the quality is true DVD quality, and you can easily watch 8-12 DVDs for $20/month.
 

conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
58,686
3
0
Originally posted by: cheapbidder01
Originally posted by: Ameesh
you have the best name on the forums ive seen so far

DELETED

One more mention of her and you will find it difficult to post here

AnandTech Moderator

wow...can't even mention the name anymore :Q
 

crumpet19

Platinum Member
Feb 10, 2002
2,189
1
0
Originally posted by: conjur
Originally posted by: cheapbidder01
Originally posted by: Ameesh
you have the best name on the forums ive seen so far

DELETED

One more mention of her and you will find it difficult to post here

AnandTech Moderator

wow...can't even mention the name anymore :Q

Looks like we've woken the PMS mod! ;)
 

BigSmooth

Lifer
Aug 18, 2000
10,484
12
81
I always clip coupons and shop at the warehouse-style grocery store. I buy what I can in bulk at Costco.
I always shop around extensively before making any decent-sized purchase.
I'm patient if I want something... for instance, one of my luxuries is a gaming console. I don't buy games when they first come out no matter how fun they look... I know if I wait as little as a few months I can get it much cheaper.
I hold back on buying things I *want*... for instance, I could afford a bigger/nicer TV, and I'd love to have one, but mine works just fine.
I bought a car that is economical and reliable. Also, I'm actually paying it off faster than necessary because I financed it back when interest rates were at 7.5% or so. :(
I shopped car insurance quite a bit as well and am getting a good rate.
I don't carry a balance on my credit cards.
I consolidated my school loans and am paying minimal interest.
I treat my stuff well so it lasts longer.
I don't buy clothes that often, and when I do I find good deals.

Still, I don't consider myself "cheap". I am more than willing to spend a few extra dollars here and there to get nicer things. I just "trim the fat", so to speak.
My weakness is probably eating out/going out with friends. My gf and I do cook the majority of the time but we like nice restaurants so we spend more than we probably should in that regard.
 

TubStain

Senior member
Apr 19, 2001
935
0
0
I guess I should contribute as well....

- I definitely live well below my means. I try to think of money as pure numbers...getting emotionally detached from it somehow makes saving so much easier. I look at the numbers and I just think...I have to make that go up as fast as I can. It's weird but it works. I'm not sure if I can explain the idea well..

- Cooking saves me tons and I love cooking, serves as my moment to myself...away from the computer, tv...etc. Learn a couple of recipes to perfect and soon enough, I'm sure most people will like it. Plus it''s much healthy and allows me to eat a LOT (I'm trying to gain mass) on the cheap.

- Lights are always off whenver I leave a room. Plus most lights are the energy saver type.

- Shop at samsclub. I buy meat etc in large quantities, when I get home I immediately chop it up and freeze in individual ziplock bags for single meals.

- Try and coast to stops when driving instead of hitting the brakes at the end. Trying to curb my lead foot though.

Those are just some that I've developed, I'm sure theres more that I just can think of...little things. I'll post them if I do.
 

MaxDepth

Diamond Member
Jun 12, 2001
8,757
43
91
Originally posted by: conjur
Originally posted by: cheapbidder01
Originally posted by: Ameesh
you have the best name on the forums ive seen so far

DELETED

One more mention of her and you will find it difficult to post here

AnandTech Moderator

wow...can't even mention the name anymore :Q

the name?
<---- the un-hip poster of ATOT
 

slycat

Diamond Member
Jul 18, 2001
5,656
0
0
make my own lunch, bring my own lunch to work...
eating our during lunch is a killer..u can save TONS that way.
 

TubStain

Senior member
Apr 19, 2001
935
0
0
Another idea..

If you are dreaming of purchasing something significant, instead of taking a loan and paying more than you should via interest, save towards that goal and let the bank pay interest towards your purchase resulting in lower cost.

This does mean you have to wait for a couple of years, so this works well for large purchases.

The above is also known as saving :D....just sounds better when the idea is explained.