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I make six figures after all deductions - but I don't feel the need to live "lavish" nor do I have expensive taste. Often, some are bewildered at fact - that I "budget/bargain - "shop cheap". I adore Target and absolutely LOVE Old Navy. I would never spend $600 on a shirt or $1500 on a pair of jeans, sometimes $40 seems steep, lol.
Of course, I have family, friends, neighbors, co-workers etc. that are fans of Louis Vuitton, Celine, Chloe and Hermes but $6K for a handbag? Really!? There was a planned trip to Bali, $8K per person. Well guess who didn't go? Lol.
The ONLY items that are "needs" that I spend or I invest in ($10K+) are for gaming purposes (laptop, PC, TV, etc)
I have no issues using coupons or shopping sale items, it's just me.
Does anyone else budget/bargain/coupon shop frugally? If so - where? Any tips to share?
I make six figures after all deductions - but I don't feel the need to live "lavish" nor do I have expensive taste. Often, some are bewildered at fact - that I "budget/bargain - "shop cheap". I adore Target and absolutely LOVE Old Navy. I would never spend $600 on a shirt or $1500 on a pair of jeans, sometimes $40 seems steep, lol.
Of course, I have family, friends, neighbors, co-workers etc. that are fans of Louis Vuitton, Celine, Chloe and Hermes but $6K for a handbag? Really!? There was a planned trip to Bali, $8K per person. Well guess who didn't go? Lol.
The ONLY items that are "needs" that I spend or I invest in ($10K+) are for gaming purposes (laptop, PC, TV, etc)
I have no issues using coupons or shopping sale items, it's just me.
Does anyone else budget/bargain/coupon shop frugally? If so - where? Any tips to share?
Everyone ***should*** bargain shop. You must be an idiot to pay 'retail'. I know the actual purchase price of many large retail stores. Lets not get into when I speak to the actual manufacturers from China, Bangladesh, Cambodia etc. I will not buy any item of clothes at more than 50% off the regular price.
But I shop at Burlington for staples such as undewear, socks, tshirts for the Mr. Much cheaper.
I love thrift stores. I buy vases and furniture there. (not beds) I make sure there are no termite and bug issues. Spray them and change the handles.
I use the neighborhood kid to cut my lawn. He is cheaper and he earns pocket change. He does the lawn of 3 other houses on the block. Our lawns look just as nice as the professional landscaper mowed lawn.
Groceries I buy only when they are on sale and stock up on none perishables.
I coupon everywhere. I have no shame about this. I went to the Audi dealer coupon in hand this week.
I sign up for those reward points it's free money. You get points for purchasing and then you can redeem the points for cash off your purchases and those points accumulate fast.
Have friends who work in the airline industry. You only pay the taxes when traveling . *Disclaimer * this may not work for everyone. Your friends must like you enough to give you buddy passes or designate you their travel companions.
But $300 for tickets to Europe and $50 to $150 for tickets to the caribbean are amazing!
Everyone ***should*** bargain shop. You must be an idiot to pay 'retail'. I know the actual purchase price of many large retail stores. Lets not get into when I speak to the actual manufacturers from China, Bangladesh, Cambodia etc. I will not buy any item of clothes at more than 50% off the regular price.
But I shop at Burlington for staples such as undewear, socks, tshirts for the Mr. Much cheaper.
I love thrift stores. I buy vases and furniture there. (not beds) I make sure there are no termite and bug issues. Spray them and change the handles.
I use the neighborhood kid to cut my lawn. He is cheaper and he earns pocket change. He does the lawn of 3 other houses on the block. Our lawns look just as nice as the professional landscaper mowed lawn.
Groceries I buy only when they are on sale and stock up on none perishables.
I coupon everywhere. I have no shame about this. I went to the Audi dealer coupon in hand this week.
I sign up for those reward points it's free money. You get points for purchasing and then you can redeem the points for cash off your purchases and those points accumulate fast.
Have friends who work in the airline industry. You only pay the taxes when traveling . *Disclaimer * this may not work for everyone. Your friends must like you enough to give you buddy passes or designate you their travel companions.
But $300 for tickets to Europe and $50 to $150 for tickets to the caribbean are amazing!
That is what I'm talking about. You are on it.
Until last month I didn't know Burlington sold items besides "coats"
I grew up to be frugal, so I spend around $300-400 after rent and save between 30-35% of my income depending on what's going on in the month. As someone said, experiences to me are more worth material possessions. Off the top of my head:
Clothes - I generally don't buy clothes, and if it's something simple like belts or plain t-shirts to wear under heavier shirts, Canal St is great. 5 belts for $10 is probably one of my favorite deals. A lot of my clothes I've had since high school which is now peaking on over 6 -10 years ago. I'm not a fashionable person either, so the thought of getting those $20 dress pants at K-Mart for an interview is right down my alley.
Furniture - Always handmedown. If not that, then craigslist. Everything but one of my 2 desks, my bed and bed frame, and bookshelf thing that I also use to hold my tv I got for free. The bookshelf I got for $20 from someone getting rid of stuff from their storage (it's worth like $300). The bed and bed frame I bought on Amazon for a sale. New memory foam queen bed for less than $300, not bad not bad.
Groceries/Food - Always buy on sale from the plethora of grocery stores and never bother to shop at whole foods or the like. Waste of money and I don't seem to gain weight as it is. My work also gives me $20 in free Seamless that I string on for like 3 meals each week, so I'm probably paying around $100 for -necessary- food in a month if that. I go out to eat during the weekends generally because I can without remotely breaking the budget. Speaking of which, I rarely spend over $10 on a meal, and if I do it doesn't go above $20 unless it's a special occasion, which isn't very often.
Most of my other expenses are just cheap flat costs. $30 for cell service, $60 for utilities, etc. I splurge a little and do $16-20 for drop off pick up laundry a week, but that's because my clothes are heavy and I'm lazy. I take buses to other cities on great deals too, last Boston trip cost me $3 round trip in April 2016.
Now if only I could lower my rent! Happily rent stabilized in my own place without roommates at 50% market value though, I don't foresee it falling anytime soon.
I agree about the pricey bags, but you should have gone to Bali! That's the type of thing to spend money on!
I've been there before and the kids loved it. Sharing an experience with them is more rewarding for me than a random getaway "just cause". Yes! I never understood the obsession with overpriced handbags.
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