Am I a tight a$$, am I doing it wrong?
- Thread starter TMNT
- Start date
I hope not Kathryn, or we will be in a world of pain....
you foster cats, I foster dogs, may the 2 never meet...I guess we (you and me) can't be all bad then....can we?
Good on you Kathryn for taking the high road.
$100 a week is very good for food.
As a couple me and my girlfriend are approaching $1000 a month, mainly since I eat roughly double the average person due to exercise. We shy away from takeaway since it would cost a fortune to keep me fed. We eat out at Italian a lot because $40 gets a pasta dish each (and the girlfriend never finishes hers, which keeps me full).
Good example of how the amount can seem a lot, until you factor in the lifestyle I live.
As a couple me and my girlfriend are approaching $1000 a month, mainly since I eat roughly double the average person due to exercise. We shy away from takeaway since it would cost a fortune to keep me fed. We eat out at Italian a lot because $40 gets a pasta dish each (and the girlfriend never finishes hers, which keeps me full).
Good example of how the amount can seem a lot, until you factor in the lifestyle I live.
Yes, watch that boeman, my husband always eats what I can not and now he has a weight problem
I find the Money Moustache philosophy very appealing, and we are reorganising some of our spending etc at the moment in order to waste less. Having said that I don't think we would go 'full moustache'. The sad truth is that I like nice things. I like buying nice things for my kids and husband.
In fairness to the pro-frugal amongst us, I think most of us need a bit more of that in our lives. Consumer culture is pretty over the top. I think world economies could adjust to less consumption over time.
In fairness to the pro-frugal amongst us, I think most of us need a bit more of that in our lives. Consumer culture is pretty over the top. I think world economies could adjust to less consumption over time.
It does not have to be sad, it can be fun if you can afford some nice things along the way then why not.
It does not have to be sad, it can be fun if you can afford some nice things along the way then why not.
agreed, thats my POV too. having said that though there are always sacrifices that need to be made and especially so in the beginning when youre working with much smaller capital etc.
Yes, I never forget to reward myself with an overseas trips each year etc, otherwise what is the point of making money if I am not enjoying the moment, the now. I know perhaps cliche?, but my children often chat about our family trips, the great memories, great times.
I tried reading MMM to look at avenues to save money. But the majority of stuff I read on that forum is of no sense IMO. I look at approaches people on that forum take, and try to vision myself doing it, I just sit there and shake my head when I envision myself doing what these "moustchians" do. FFS, just prioritise around something but dont get creative and quirky to get there.
I'm with sash and MTR.
Spent my life having to be careful with money, still am very conscious about spending. Also aware time is short and life is to be lived. Trips overseas are more common now in my house, spending on lifelong dreams is being done as well. I don't want regrets if anything happens to either one of us.
Kathryn I admire you and Bob, you have your mix right for you too.
Spent my life having to be careful with money, still am very conscious about spending. Also aware time is short and life is to be lived. Trips overseas are more common now in my house, spending on lifelong dreams is being done as well. I don't want regrets if anything happens to either one of us.
Kathryn I admire you and Bob, you have your mix right for you too.
As others have stated; I think it makes perfect sense to keep an eye on everyday and incident small expenses, within reason.
And also where you (and others) have mentioned you can get unstuck; is when it comes to spending to much time and energy in the pursuit of comparatively small cost savings. This is not efficient and if you live by the ethos that 'time is money', you are likely to be losing money with these things.
Instead, I would focus on the everyday and incidental cost occurances that can be 'revolutionalised' once, yet reward you for many more of those same occurances.
An example here is in my native Sydney, where the roll-out of a 'Smart' public transport card is pretty much being made mandatory as of Sep 1st (it has gradually been introduced over recent months in phases). However, this means there's an opportunity for financially astute folks to calculate if they are better off on, say, an annual 'paper ticket' for their commuting journey, or an annual 'OPAL Card' for that same commuter journey.
The time invested in running the cost analysis would well be worth it, if you could save say $300 on an annual ticket by purchasing whichever ticket was best cost-value.
As a working example I ran such a calculation (factoring in public hols/annual leave and occasional weekend train transport on my route) and worked out I'm better off to buy an annual 'Paper Ticket' just before Sep 1st, than switch to OPAL. I'll have to forcibly switch in 12 months for good, but at least I've bought a significant saving with the decision.
And also where you (and others) have mentioned you can get unstuck; is when it comes to spending to much time and energy in the pursuit of comparatively small cost savings. This is not efficient and if you live by the ethos that 'time is money', you are likely to be losing money with these things.
Instead, I would focus on the everyday and incidental cost occurances that can be 'revolutionalised' once, yet reward you for many more of those same occurances.
An example here is in my native Sydney, where the roll-out of a 'Smart' public transport card is pretty much being made mandatory as of Sep 1st (it has gradually been introduced over recent months in phases). However, this means there's an opportunity for financially astute folks to calculate if they are better off on, say, an annual 'paper ticket' for their commuting journey, or an annual 'OPAL Card' for that same commuter journey.
The time invested in running the cost analysis would well be worth it, if you could save say $300 on an annual ticket by purchasing whichever ticket was best cost-value.
As a working example I ran such a calculation (factoring in public hols/annual leave and occasional weekend train transport on my route) and worked out I'm better off to buy an annual 'Paper Ticket' just before Sep 1st, than switch to OPAL. I'll have to forcibly switch in 12 months for good, but at least I've bought a significant saving with the decision.
Yep! agree wholeheartedly.
I can't help but be conscious about money (it's ingrained from birth) but we do spend money on life (eg travel).
Yes we are not big eaters (especially since we've had 3 cruises this year and are trying to lose the weight gain from those).
But when my Son in Laws come over that blows the budget. One is an Iron Man. God can he eat!! So I understand where you are coming from.
Travelbug
After 3 cruises I sympathise, back to the diet.
Also funny, I have the same problem, the boyfriends come over and the fridge is empty by the time they leave, infact one of the questions they ask .... "has your mum gone food shopping yet", am I doing something wrong or something right
After 3 cruises I sympathise, back to the diet.
Also funny, I have the same problem, the boyfriends come over and the fridge is empty by the time they leave, infact one of the questions they ask .... "has your mum gone food shopping yet", am I doing something wrong or something right
Travelbug
After 3 cruises I sympathise, back to the diet.
Also funny, I have the same problem, the boyfriends come over and the fridge is empty by the time they leave, infact one of the questions they ask .... "has your mum gone food shopping yet", am I doing something wrong or something right
When I go to the folks for dinner, Mum does two bits of meat.
One is for the family, the other is for me.
That's right go to mum's that way you don't blow the budget
You doing weights? What about carbs??
