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With coupons and sales you can get items to put aside, toothpaste, deodorant, hairspray, toilet paper, etc. I have plenty in reserve but you do have to check every once a while, sometimes you forget how much you've used up.
I don't really go to garage/estate sales but my mother and sister love them - they've bought a lot of nice clothes for me at those - probably I am wearing a dead person's stuff but I gotta tell you I like some of these shirts better than some I bought in London on Jermyn Street. Knowing they were like a dollar or something only makes me like them better!
I don't really go to garage/estate sales but my mother and sister love them - they've bought a lot of nice clothes for me at those - probably I am wearing a dead person's stuff but I gotta tell you I like some of these shirts better than some I bought in London on Jermyn Street. Knowing they were like a dollar or something only makes me like them better!
I never find anything good at garage/estate sales; maybe I'm going to the wrong ones!
Doesn't every city have a big outdoor swap meet somewhere? Dallas must have one or two big ones somewhere. Try a swap meet.
We have a 40 acre one here in North Las Vegas, Saturday's and Sunday's.
I was there one time, when someone purchased the contents of 3 storage units, dumped it all on the ground at the Swap Meet.
A whole box of cassete music tapes, still in the plastic, never played. Ten cents each, bought a hundred.
But I don't go to them anymore. Can't control myself! If I go there to specifically buy some pants or shirts, what will I end up bringing back to my car?
You guessed it, anything but what I went there to buy! Piles of used VHS tapes at 50 cents, used DVD's, used CD's and used books. Got distracted at the first booth I came to, went home with a trunk full of goods, and then later wondered: Where are the pants and shirts? And I do I dare go back there next weekend?
I hate to admit this, but this really did happen to me - at work. I wear old clothes to work because I work in horticulture and my good clothes get ruined. One day, my old shorts torn and I didn't noticed, but my coworker did, and didn't tell me at first. Finally told me after awhile. Said it was too amusing.
I have had to replace my entire wardrobe, including underwear, after losing over 100 lbs. It has cost a fortune but it was worth it! I can't even wear last spring's clothes. I am counting on staying the same size for the foreseeable future so hopefully the costs will go way down, but I've been shopping for clothes mainly at Old Navy and Target. Yep, Target!
Congratulations BIGD, You lost 100lbs.Way to go dude.Now your spending less on food and you get to live better and longer.Now learn to cook yourself healthy and save the money this year that you shelled out for clothes.Frugal is smart not cheap.Buying a $1,000 dollar leather couch that lasts ten years as opposed to a $500 one that lasts 2 years and screws up your back.That is frugal.Frugal is being smart and getting bang for your buck.You just lived longer and better.Remember frugal is smart not cheap.Now make up your mind(the body follows the mind)to be the same size forever.Peace.
Actually, any smart frugal person knows to stock up! Frugal doesn't mean to completely avoid spending money. It means to do a little research and make your dollar stretch further. For example, I've seen people stock up on certain groceries because they're on sale, they have a market coupon, and they have a manufacturer's coupon and get the item(s) almost free! Many cases, people can spend less than $20 on $150 worth of groceries if they do their homework and put a little time into it as well as knowing how to properly stock a pantry for the long run!
Geek, lot of good estate and garage sales in Lakewood and Park Cities in Dallas.
Yes, my late father from the Depression did tend to go overboard buying stuff at these sales..however he still died (15 years ago) a multi-millionaire with money saved from a somewhat modest job at an excellent corporation over 32 years. We certainly did almost everything we wanted, including nice vacations (not staying at The Ritz mind you) had one maybe two new cars, had a lake cabin, etc. -- somehow he made it work - I am a bit puzzled at exactly how he did it now --I know one thing is that once he bought something he never sold it (except for a couple of cars). Also we lived in an area with a lot of money (in modest homes) but it was very egalitarian and folks did not show off (considered rude) and most didn't care about keeping up with the Joneses.
Geek, lot of good estate and garage sales in Lakewood and Park Cities in Dallas.
Yes, my late father from the Depression did tend to go overboard buying stuff at these sales..however he still died (15 years ago) a multi-millionaire with money saved from a somewhat modest job at an excellent corporation over 32 years. We certainly did almost everything we wanted, including nice vacations (not staying at The Ritz mind you) had one maybe two new cars, had a lake cabin, etc. -- somehow he made it work - I am a bit puzzled at exactly how he did it now --I know one thing is that once he bought something he never sold it (except for a couple of cars). Also we lived in an area with a lot of money (in modest homes) but it was very egalitarian and folks did not show off (considered rude) and most didn't care about keeping up with the Joneses.
I suppose I am odd for someone from my generation in that I don't care what the Joneses are up to...just what BigDGeek's bottom line is up to. If I cannot afford a project, I don't do it. I also refuse to finance any home improvements unless they are necessary for the house to be livable/insurable and I do not have the cash on hand to pay for it. So far that hasn't happened yet and I have an account that I put money into every month for just such a situation. Say like I suddenly had a $5,000 foundation repair staring me in the face and had only $4500; I would try to borrow that remaining $500 from family and would just live tighter for a while. Other people might finance the entire $5,000. Not me.
As for furniture I do not see the point in financing it unless it is a very good deal and you need to build some credit history. In 2008 I financed a TV using one of those no interest for 12 month deals; paid it off in 11 months. I needed to build some history in preparation for buying a house in 2009. But would I finance furniture today? No, I just do without. I have what I need. I do not have everything I WANT, but that can wait.
Don't forget auctions. Most of my furniture are beautiful pieces I've bought at auction. Most are nearly 100 years old and will last at least that much longer as they are made of good quality mahogany, cherry or walnut with skillfull inlays. It took 25 years to build it up, but I love every piece! Most were bought for $100 - $300. You just can't get this quality made to day at any price.
Check your local papers for estate sales and local auctions. You can get everything from clothing, to dishes, to flatware, to fine china, furniture, books, music - you name it and for a good price.
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