Am I a tight a$$, am I doing it wrong?

[travelbug]

That's exactly what I am talking about... these stories "make people feel good". What about his private jet that and many other out of the norm stuff does not get mentioned??? Yes, he does have one of these. Media feeds what the public want to hear, because everyone wants to think that these filthy rich people live a very average life, and the public buy this. As I said if anyone believes this they are na?ve at best.

It doesn't make me fell good, bad or indifferent. What someone does or doesn't do with their money is their business.

He travels the world a lot, it makes sense to have your own jet.

I don't care really and I haven't looked in to exactly what he has/does. I just remembered reading it somewhere and thought I'd share.

 

[sash]

Question...how much did you spend on groceries last week?

What about Warren Buffet? Believe it or not, Warren Buffett has lived in the same five-bedroom Omaha, Neb., home since 1958, when he bought it for just $31,500 ? the equivalent of roughly $255,000 today.

http://www.gobankingrates.com/perso...finance-expert-warren-buffett-lives-frugally/




haha! Unfortunately people equate being frugal with missing out on things. When we go to the States we buy seniors meals or share because they are huge. I hate waste. Do you read Mr Money Mustache? I like his site.

I wouldn't class myself as frugal (some would though). I have never been a spender. I rarely go shopping as I hate it (Sash maybe it stems for my childhood where we were quite poor?). When I do I look in a few shops then get bored. I buy things I want but mostly I think "do I really need that"? If I mention I might buy something (thinking about an IPad mini) he looks it up, gets the price and is ready to click buy before I even think about whether I really need it (I have an IPad already).

So not frugal I don't think, just deciding if I really need "stuff".
I have been writing down everything we spend for the last 6 months (deciding whether to retire next year or stay part time, hubby is retired). It's interesting but I'm not blown away by extra spending on unneccessary things. I know a LOT of people WOULD be gobsmacked at how much they waste.

My spending vice is travel though. But I see this as investing in myself so am happy to spend it there.
Everyone is different. I had someone uestion my travelling saying "but when you come back you have nothing to show for your money". Well I'd rather live a life than have a new car and lounge and sit at home every week to pay for it.

Each to their own.

 

[travelbug]

Good one Sash. I actually spent $101. Don't know if that's considered good or bad (for 2 people)? That includes lunches, which I take to work.

Looking back the average is $300-400 a month. We occasionally have takeaway and go out to dinner but as we are traveling a lot lately, not so much.

I'm on a diet at the moment (too many cruises with good food and the last one had free alcohol ) so I'll be buying less meat and more fruit and veges.

I've spent more on traveling this year than my living budget this year (because I can ).

 

[C Stewart]

I feel sorry for the new generation.
They think spending money is the only way to have fun.

Surely it just depend on what makes you happy - personally I find making money more fun than spending it. Seems to be a pretty individual thing, not sure if there much of a generational difference.

 

[sash]

Well that is reasonable for 2 people.....particularly if they are buying carefully (i.e. Aldis).

The takeaways are on top....so still helping the economy!

Good one Sash. I actually spent $101. Don't know if that's considered good or bad (for 2 people)? That includes lunches, which I take to work.

Looking back the average is $300-400 a month. We occasionally have takeaway and go out to dinner but as we are traveling a lot lately, not so much.

I'm on a diet at the moment (too many cruises with good food and the last one had free alcohol ) so I'll be buying less meat and more fruit and veges.

I've spent more on traveling this year than my living budget this year (because I can ).

 

[property_girl]

I'm surprised by how judgemental some people are of others. How people spend their money is their business. Just because Kathryn had a cheap meal somewhere doesn't equate to her being a cheapskate. There is nothing wrong with being frugal. I don't consider myself part of the consumer society. I don't need to keep up with the Jones's; don't need to have the latest phone; don't need to have the biggest, fanciest house; and love bargain hunting. My girlfriends and I always dine at relatively cheap restaurants, but we always leave a good tip. I choose what I spend my money on. I don't scrimp on groceries; I don't scrimp on my children's education, welfare (med expenses, etc) and wellbeing (and they nearly adults); and I've just returned from an overseas trip with one of my children where we ate out every day for a month.

 

[WattleIdo]

seems frugal people are also a lot more polite than the jaded materialists...

and there are generational differences. Australia is a lot wealthier than ever before. We can see the consequences in our weights; cars; baby-cinos; technology; etc.

Being young is cool and young people are great. But older people have lived through all the time you've been alive plus more - so they do know what they're talking about. Times have changed - no offence meant.

Good on you guys for keeping track of all your spending. I've done that at times and it certainly brings a lot of mental clarity.

Maybe that helps with being polite.

 

[kathryn d]

Good one Sash. I actually spent $101. Don't know if that's considered good or bad (for 2 people)? That includes lunches, which I take to work.

Looking back the average is $300-400 a month. We occasionally have takeaway and go out to dinner but as we are traveling a lot lately, not so much.

I'm on a diet at the moment (too many cruises with good food and the last one had free alcohol ) so I'll be buying less meat and more fruit and veges.

I've spent more on traveling this year than my living budget this year (because I can ).

I'd say $101 is pretty good, compared to what a lot of people stated (in earlier threads) they spend for 2 people.
I'm not on a diet, but I do try to keep my calories to 1200 a day.
It doesn't take much food to reach that number.

For our family, eating out all the time, gets old pretty fast. (at one time, I never thought I'd say that)

 

[MTR]

I'm surprised by how judgemental some people are of others. How people spend their money is their business. Just because Kathryn had a cheap meal somewhere doesn't equate to her being a cheapskate. There is nothing wrong with being frugal. I don't consider myself part of the consumer society. I don't need to keep up with the Jones's; don't need to have the latest phone; don't need to have the biggest, fanciest house; and love bargain hunting. My girlfriends and I always dine at relatively cheap restaurants, but we always leave a good tip. I choose what I spend my money on. I don't scrimp on groceries; I don't scrimp on my children's education, welfare (med expenses, etc) and wellbeing (and they nearly adults); and I've just returned from an overseas trip with one of my children where we ate out every day for a month.

We are all judgmental....... we are always evaluating situations and trying to decide what the best option is for us in any given situation.

Just re-read your post, you are too making judgment call ????.... its just human nature.

 

[MTR]

Surely it just depend on what makes you happy - personally I find making money more fun than spending it. Seems to be a pretty individual thing, not sure if there much of a generational difference.

Me too, but it gets better if you can do both

 

[property_girl]

We are all judgmental....... we are always evaluating situations and trying to decide what the best option is for us in any given situation. Just re-read your post, you are too making judgment call ????.... its just human nature.

Not sure where in my post I have judged others for the decisions they make. And whilst we might make judgement calls all the time, we usually have the good sense to internalise them, and not let loose like :

I have to admit though I don't hang around with tight **** people cos it puts me off, not sure why, but I almost feel disgusted by the behaviour/culture, no offence to Kathryn

Just mean spirited.

 

[Colin Rice]

There is gold in ALL of us, some just take a little more digging than others to uncover it

 

[MTR]

I have to admit though I don't hang around with tight **** people cos it puts me off, not sure why, but I almost feel disgusted by the behaviour/culture, no offence to Kathryn[/I]

Just mean spirited.

That's your opinion we all have one, just like belly buttons

Kathryn is sharing information on how she lives/saves money etc etc, on a public forum, of course there will be feedback negative/positive, really what do you expect... and so what. Everyone has a choice as to what they want to disclose about their lifes etc.

I also stated Kathryn should write a book on this topic as I believe it would be a best seller.

I am not attacking Kathryn personally and never have, how she chooses to live is her own business. Please don't make it about the person, because its not.

...... and we do all judge its human nature, whether you want to admit it or not.

MTR

 

[property_girl]

Kathryn is sharing information ... on a public forum ... there will be feedback negative/positive, really what do you expect... and so what. I am not attacking Kathryn personally
MTR

What do I expect? I would expect you to treat someone the same way you would want to be treated. And I'm sure that you wouldn't like it if someone said that they 'disgusted' with what you had done and that they didn't like hanging around people like you. You keep saying you didn't attack her, but attack her you did.

 

[redwing]

Welcome back Sash

I was wondering where you were

 

[sash]

Thanks Redwing

Have been busy at work....

Welcome back Sash

I was wondering where you were

 

[skater]

Sounds like katherine and bob enjoy living a frugal life and that makes them content. I know terry well and he also enjoys living a frugal life. It is something they enjoy. Others dont enjoy it and can afford not to be. It doesnt make one better than the other just different. Its when a frugal person says someone MUST be frugal it is the issue.

The real issue is when you spend more than you can really afford. Living a caviar lifestyle on a mcdonalds salary. Things will eventually fall apart.

This is what is lost on many of the higher income earners here.

From where I'm sitting I take my hat off to Katherine & Bob. They are/were extremely low income earners, who decided to do something about it. They bought 'stuff' that most of us would shy away from & turned them into a very successful property Business. So successful that they were able to retire & live overseas for half the time.

They have proved that they are as tough as Dazz when it comes to tardy tenants, and while some of the stuff they do might shock us here in Australia, it is quite legal to do in Canada, and I'm sure the reason it's so shocking to us here is that we've all been conditioned about 'tenants rights'. In reality tenants who don't pay, are nothing more than thieves, and should be treated as such, but here in Australia they can get away with blue murder.

So.......now they have built their property empire to a level that they can afford to travel, I'm guessing that they STILL aren't that flush with funds that they can afford to just throw money out the window with a whole lot of consumerism. They travel, within their means. They subsidise this at times by working in the outback, and at other times they house-sit and earn free accommodation. AND overall they appear HAPPY.

There is nothing wrong with sharing a meal. Some of the meals at restaurants these days are just stupidly large, and there is more than enough for two people.

I think so many people here have a hard time with Katherine & Bob is because they are on such large salaries, they see the way they live as 'penny-pinching', when in reality they are just living with their means. When you don't have a lot, you CAN'T spend a lot. It's really that simple!

Sure, they could stay in Canada, and probably live a slightly better lifestyle, but they WANT to travel, so they have just found a way that they can do what they want to do NOW. No harm in that!

 

[kathryn d]

Thank you Skater,
What you say is very accurate.

Our disposable income in Canada, is very low, because we are aggressively paying off debt.
2- 11 unit apt buildings aren't cheap, along with 5 single family homes..as all our mortgages are P&I

We don't have LL insurance in Canada or NG....so we must be Dazz-like, or we will go bankrupt. We also know the law, and work within its constraints.

Our family home is a 5 unit apt building, which we reside & share costs with our 4 young adult children.

In Australia, we live solely on the income Rob makes while working in the Outback for a few months each year...he loves it, and when he doesn't we will stop...and just continue house sitting for the 7.5 months we are there.

But yes, we live very comfortable on $12-$15k a year for our personal expenses.
Material possessions are not that important.

 

[chilliblue]

Kudos to you Kathryn.

We all should never put someone down who are living the lifestyle they want at THEIR OWN EXPENSE.

By making sacrifices that many will not, you doing what you want to do. It is all about balance and you seem to have yours.

It is people who expect to have a certain lifestyle well above their means who will not make sacrifices and/or work harder that should be shamed.

 

[MTR]

What do I expect? I would expect you to treat someone the same way you would want to be treated. And I'm sure that you wouldn't like it if someone said that they 'disgusted' with what you had done and that they didn't like hanging around people like you. You keep saying you didn't attack her, but attack her you did.

We are discussing a topic, not a person, by the way I have never met Kathryn, so take a grip or a chill pill.