An absolute ban on credit of any kind. I will not use it any more, period, and therefore I don't pay interest on anything (except the last of my student loans from before). This includes the use of checks, or debit where going into overdraft is possible.
Meh, it's still good for freerolls as a time waster. I haven't been able to play for money since WA passed that stupid law, but I still hang and play for fun.
Modelworks
Lifer
- Feb 22, 2007
- 16,240
- 7
- 76
kranky
Elite Member
- Oct 9, 1999
- 21,019
- 156
- 106
Tutor or babysit. They make a lot of money given the workload. Babysitters here (in a very low cost-of-living area) get about $10/hour. Tutors $15-20/hour.
If you are near high-income areas, try to line up some tutoring since parents will pay very well to have someone help their lazy unmotivated kids.
If you are near high-income areas, try to line up some tutoring since parents will pay very well to have someone help their lazy unmotivated kids.
Engineer
Elite Member
- Oct 9, 1999
- 39,230
- 701
- 126
Get a program like Budget Calendar (shareware Link. - costs about $15 IIRC) and enter in all of your transactions with categories. You will be surprised how much you spend on crap and where it is. Much easier to cut that way and you can see a day by day spending chart for each month.
As for cutting, haven't cut much as I'm a damn tightwad anyway. Didn't buy computer components for about 8 months but bought a few things lately.
Pick up stuff on the way home instead of going out again to get it.
Never really eat out anyway but cut it even more.
Canceling features on TV service.
Dropping vehicle #1 to liability only (getting ready to do the same on vehicle #2). Both are near 7 years old and it's getting to the point that full coverage is a waste.
Buy only sale items at grocery store or store brands. Be careful with store brands as they sometimes will cost more than name brand, especially with good sales. Stock up when really good sales come along.
As for cutting, haven't cut much as I'm a damn tightwad anyway. Didn't buy computer components for about 8 months but bought a few things lately.
Pick up stuff on the way home instead of going out again to get it.
Never really eat out anyway but cut it even more.
Canceling features on TV service.
Dropping vehicle #1 to liability only (getting ready to do the same on vehicle #2). Both are near 7 years old and it's getting to the point that full coverage is a waste.
Buy only sale items at grocery store or store brands. Be careful with store brands as they sometimes will cost more than name brand, especially with good sales. Stock up when really good sales come along.
Circlenaut
Platinum Member
- Mar 22, 2001
- 2,175
- 5
- 81
Cheeseplug
Senior member
- Dec 16, 2008
- 430
- 0
- 0
kranky
Elite Member
- Oct 9, 1999
- 21,019
- 156
- 106
I would focus on making more income rather than cutting spending. Sounds like you are not making any big mistakes on the spending side, and you could spend a lot of time and effort for a very small return (every penny counts, I understand, but there is the point of diminishing returns).
If you and your husband each work just 5 hours a week at a part-time gig and average $10/hour, that's an extra $400/month gross. Wouldn't that be easier than trying to come up with $300/month less spending? (dollars saved count more than additional dollars earned due to taxes).
If you and your husband each work just 5 hours a week at a part-time gig and average $10/hour, that's an extra $400/month gross. Wouldn't that be easier than trying to come up with $300/month less spending? (dollars saved count more than additional dollars earned due to taxes).
get yourself addicted to WoW. really.
$15 / month is hella cheap for 150-200 hours / month of entertainment.
$15 / month is hella cheap for 150-200 hours / month of entertainment.
yllus
Elite Member & Lifer
- Aug 20, 2000
- 20,577
- 432
- 126
Have you considered signing up with http://www.mint.com/ ? That should let you track your expenses in a really useful way.
Bill Brasky
Diamond Member
- May 18, 2006
- 4,324
- 1
- 0
last i checked, bc and/or condoms are >15 / month. especially for 150 hours of action. raw might work, but i'd argue you'd eventually end up with a kid or an abortion which completely negates any savings you were able to muster previously.
El Guaraguao
Diamond Member
- May 7, 2008
- 3,468
- 6
- 81
at 28:
not buying a house
renting with 2 other roommates
waiting until a crash to throw all my savings in stocks (less my 401k)
not buying a house
renting with 2 other roommates
waiting until a crash to throw all my savings in stocks (less my 401k)
Heh. I agree. I've tried cutting back, but I really couldn't come up with that much in savings. Or the savings didn't justify the sacrifice I had to make. Better solution was to work my ass off and increase my income.
StageLeft
No Lifer
- Sep 29, 2000
- 70,150
- 5
- 0
That has been the staple of my lunches for years.
Best thing i've found is i only use credit card for online purchases, otherwise we are using cash for everything. psychologically or whatever it's been working well. we have no cc debt and our savings account has grown at a very surprising clip. really, though, you need cheap tastes. so not going out for lunch or buying expensive clothing or anything. ignore the arguments about points, they are rubbish and minutiae. only when you are paying for your life with cash (or debit) can you clearly grasp how much you make and how much you can spend.
btw your husband doesn't need all that done on his car. the struts, forget it. the clutch, only if it's slipping. 5k for a car should get you a completely replaced powertrain.
piece of paper will do.
ditch silly habits like starbucks every day, collecting dvds (a bullsh*t term anyway, they are not collections, they will be worthless in a decade, completely worthless), requiring new cars, don't buy cds, rarely eat out. in time whatever "pain" you have from cutting back takes a back seat to the comfort that your finances are completely sorted out.
debt makes sense for a house and education and little more, barely cars. definitely not anything like furniture or electronics, not now not ever. ignore the noise about 0% intro rates on a new love seat or whatever else in the same vein.
I'd look at the amount of money you spend on gas, food, and utilities and see why those expenses are what they are. Using the A/C and Heater less will save you a lot of money and not wasting electricity or using lots of gas for a simple commute could be saved if you change your ways and vehicle.
You don't NEED to keep the interior temperature at around 70F ALL YEAR ROUND, THEY'RE CALLED SEASONS FOR A REASON.
Engineer
Elite Member
- Oct 9, 1999
- 39,230
- 701
- 126
If you have money and are going to buy anyway, I disagree about ignoring the 1 or 2 years intro 0% rates. Why not let your money earn interest at their expense for a few years, eh?
Like paying for everything with a credit card to get the 1.25 to 5% rewards (paying if off at the end of the month, of course).
StageLeft
No Lifer
- Sep 29, 2000
- 70,150
- 5
- 0
It's all about the state of mind to me. It starts becoming very gray as to whether you truly were going to buy it or not, and it's not just me saying it, the statistics behind it are quite clear: people simply spend more when they are using credit, quite a bit more. And on things they may not otherwise buy. It is the financial equivalent of adultery
I use mine sometimes for a couple of days between pay checks (we normally budget quite closely and extra money right at insertion point hits savings, so we don't keep a ton in checking) but the most i've had it up to in many months is about $600. I generally pay it off every two weeks or less, i just fvcking hate them.
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