What frugal thing did you do today?

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
Wannaretireearly
Posts: 4880
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:39 pm

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by Wannaretireearly »

michaeljc70 wrote: Mon Jul 04, 2022 8:31 am
Wannaretireearly wrote: Mon Jul 04, 2022 7:23 am Used Instacart for the first time. Cheaper than alternatives on our current trip away from home. Kinda frugal, maybe ;)
Don't they add a charge on each item over the underlying store (which you cannot see as it is baked into the price) and a delivery charge or monthly fee? Then there is a tip. They may give the first delivery free, but I don't think it is frugal at all. YMMV
Frugal compared to the Uber costs to/from supermarket. First time was free. We happily tipped the driver. Well worth it for this circumstance (no car rental)
“At some point you are trading time you will never get back for money you will never spend.“ | “How do you want to spend the best remaining year of your life?“
User avatar
Picasso
Posts: 528
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2019 1:19 pm

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by Picasso »

Pete12 wrote: Mon Jul 04, 2022 8:40 am
Picasso wrote: Mon Jul 04, 2022 6:53 am I bought 2 excellent bottles of champagne for my wife’s birthday. A $535 investment that will pay dividends on the relationship with her and her family. A frugal investment in good memories.
Outstanding! Hope you paired the bubbly with with a Costco rotisserie chicken, in true Boglehead fashion :D
Ha! We had some pasta and kale salad, but there is always next year to try and grasp that boglehead brass ring!
User avatar
quantAndHold
Posts: 10141
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2015 10:39 pm
Location: West Coast

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by quantAndHold »

Replaced the water pump in the motorhome myself. I had to go to the orange bucket store and get a $15 tool to do it, but I probably saved a couple hundred bucks in labor, to install a $70 part that I bought on eBay. Other than it being a tight fit in the space under the kitchen sink, it was an easy swap.

Owning a motorhome, however, is not frugal.
HoosierJim
Posts: 987
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 7:11 pm

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by HoosierJim »

quantAndHold wrote: Mon Jul 04, 2022 7:28 pm .... probably saved a couple hundred bucks in labor,
AND probably WEEKS of waiting at the RV repair dealer
User avatar
tooluser
Posts: 1557
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2011 7:04 pm

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by tooluser »

A couple of years ago my outside AC unit would not start, and it turned out to be blown fuses. So I bought a couple of extra fuses after that, just in case. Today was that day! From discovery to back in nominal operation was less than 15 minutes. No service call needed. I immediately went online and bought two more, just in case.
Like good comrades to the utmost of their strength, we shall go on to the end. -- Winston Churchill
User avatar
LadyGeek
Site Admin
Posts: 95696
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2008 4:34 pm
Location: Philadelphia
Contact:

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by LadyGeek »

Hopefully, you bought fuses with the same rating. If it happens again, get the unit serviced. Routine maintenance will keep small problems from becoming big ones.
Wiki To some, the glass is half full. To others, the glass is half empty. To an engineer, it's twice the size it needs to be.
User avatar
tooluser
Posts: 1557
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2011 7:04 pm

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by tooluser »

LadyGeek wrote: Sun Jul 10, 2022 5:54 pm Hopefully, you bought fuses with the same rating. If it happens again, get the unit serviced. Routine maintenance will keep small problems from becoming big ones.
It's 14 years old. Oddly enough, the fuses blew the first time shortly after servicing. Same-rated fuse replacements each time. The first time though, the repairman only had one fuse new in box, but found another loose one buried in his truck. Could be part of the problem, but it did work for two years.
Like good comrades to the utmost of their strength, we shall go on to the end. -- Winston Churchill
daehelgob48
Posts: 56
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2015 2:27 pm

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by daehelgob48 »

Returned a new clock/weather station to Amazon because the inside temperature display doesn't work. Then got the old one from the trash bin and cleaned it inside and out. Its working like new for now. Lesson: Try to fix things before buying a new one. Just because its 10 years old doesn't mean its life is over. The computer i am using to post this is 12 years old and the tv/monitor its connected to is also 12 years old.
andypanda
Posts: 2009
Joined: Sun Nov 12, 2017 8:11 pm
Location: Richmond, Virginia

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by andypanda »

Fixed an 8-year-old pull down faucet in the kitchen instead of buying a $310 or more replacement.

I'd replaced the leaking $15 cartridge behind the single lever and that helped a little. Yesterday I took it apart and cleaned a lot of the white grit out and that helped a little more. Then I soaked the so-called Kohler spray wand - the nozzle on the end of the hose - in white vinegar and scrubbed some more with a brass brush. That helped a little more. We were up to 50% water flow.

Sent Kohler a chat message at 2 pm to get the replacement part number because it wasn't on their list on line. Ordered the $31 spray head from Amazon at 3 p.m. and it got here today at 6. Not bad, 27 hours. Unscrewed the old one and put the new one on. Finished.
User avatar
tooluser
Posts: 1557
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2011 7:04 pm

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by tooluser »

Bought some frozen fish (Barramundi) on closeout at a major grocery store.

About 50% of the time the closeout markdowns are not reflected in their database when you check out. If there are enough complaints it even sometimes legally requires the store to put a sign in their window stating that they often mischarge customers, so buyer beware.

When the fish rang up at the higher price, I told the checker that it should be discounted and I did not want to buy it at the higher price. About 9 out of 10 times they fix it on the spot, and that is what happened today. A minimal inconvenience. It pays to pay attention and speak up.
Like good comrades to the utmost of their strength, we shall go on to the end. -- Winston Churchill
michaeljc70
Posts: 10843
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2015 3:53 pm

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by michaeljc70 »

tooluser wrote: Sat Jul 23, 2022 10:30 pm Bought some frozen fish (Barramundi) on closeout at a major grocery store.

About 50% of the time the closeout markdowns are not reflected in their database when you check out. If there are enough complaints it even sometimes legally requires the store to put a sign in their window stating that they often mischarge customers, so buyer beware.

When the fish rang up at the higher price, I told the checker that it should be discounted and I did not want to buy it at the higher price. About 9 out of 10 times they fix it on the spot, and that is what happened today. A minimal inconvenience. It pays to pay attention and speak up.
I find at the two big chains I go to there is a pricing error/discount not given almost 10% of the time. It is difficult to catch at the register sometimes even though I watch like a hawk. While I am putting in my phone # for the rewards/loyalty card to get the discounts, if the cashier rings a couple items the discount wouldn't show at first. Some items are must buy 5 or must buy 3 or multiples of 3 so the discount doesn't show on the first x items until the last one is rung up. Sometimes the discounts show at the end.

If I have a few items I may try and add up the cost (roughly) in my head as I put them in the cart so I know what the expected total should be.

Though it brings its own set of issues/aggravations, I find at the self checkout I have more time to see the price of each item. However, related to above, I've noticed some discounts don't appear until I click "Pay Now" or "Done". I called an attendant over because I knew a discount wasn't applied. They insisted it was. They pressed "Pay now" and it appeared. I said I didn't want to "Pay Now" because I wasn't getting the discount I should have been!

Sometimes, if I think something is wrong I look over the receipt in the car. At that point though I am not going to trek back into the store for a dollar. If I find a big discrepancy I may. The thing is, when you go to customer service and point out an issue they give you your money back but I'm sure they make no effort to report the problem (like to corporate) so others don't have it.

At this point in my life, if they cheat me out of $2 or $5 or even $50 it isn't going to financially impact my life but old habits die hard. There is also the principle of it. Mujlti-billion dollar companies should be able to program a register to work properly.
Wanderingwheelz
Posts: 3145
Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2019 8:52 am

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by Wanderingwheelz »

It wasn’t frugal by me, but I have to hand it to my daughter.

She brought her new car over this morning so I could completely detail it inside and out.
Being wrong compounds forever.
User avatar
LilyFleur
Posts: 3499
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2018 9:36 pm

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by LilyFleur »

As I sip my pour-over coffee (coffee beans are my own mix of 1/2 Trader Joe's, 1/2 from Costco), the only electricity I'm using is my laptop charger and my refrigerator humming in the background. The light is from a wall of south-facing windows. Later today I'll paint with friends who are across the U.S. and Canada on Google Meet, which is free. I buy my acrylic paints factory-direct, and they're professional quality. I'll probably take a walk in the development where I live. No driving today.
Broken Man 1999
Posts: 8626
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2015 11:31 am
Location: West coast of Florida, near Champa Bay !

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by Broken Man 1999 »

First, let us set aside the fact that many folks do not consider eating out to be frugal. :D

Today I noticed that Amazon Prime members can snag a free year of Grubhub+ membership, usually $9.99/month.

Personally we have never used Grubhub, so honestly no idea if this offer will interest anyone.

I did go thru the list of local eateries Grubhub delivers from, and noticed some places I would be fine ordering from that DW would never eat anything on the menu.

Broken Man 1999
“If I cannot drink Bourbon and smoke cigars in Heaven then I shall not go." - Mark Twain
michaeljc70
Posts: 10843
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2015 3:53 pm

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by michaeljc70 »

Broken Man 1999 wrote: Thu Aug 11, 2022 12:48 pm First, let us set aside the fact that many folks do not consider eating out to be frugal. :D

Today I noticed that Amazon Prime members can snag a free year of Grubhub+ membership, usually $9.99/month.

Personally we have never used Grubhub, so honestly no idea if this offer will interest anyone.

I did go thru the list of local eateries Grubhub delivers from, and noticed some places I would be fine ordering from that DW would never eat anything on the menu.

Broken Man 1999
Be aware that anything you order is marked up. In other words, the Grubhub price is not the same as what they'd charge if you called the restaurant, placed an order and picked it up. Also be aware that if you don't tip enough your order will typically not be fulfilled. The drivers see the tip in advance and decide on whether to fulfill your order. They obviously take the orders they will make the most money on in the shortest amount of time.
homebuyer6426
Posts: 1830
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2017 8:08 am

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by homebuyer6426 »

Drove a '99 vehicle with 220K miles on it to work.
Wife made banana bread with bananas that were about to go bad. <$1 per serving
Dinner will be a big pot of leftovers from last night, chicken, potatoes and carrots slow cooked in tomato. <$1 per serving
Yesterday made a pie with homegrown red currants. Nice and tart like a lemon cake. <$1 per serving
Ate peanuts for lunch. ~$0.25
Drank tap water during work. Basically free
On advice of a Boglehead, tax-gain harvested as married filing jointly status now gives me some capital gains in 0% bracket. $1000 tax savings
On advice of another Boglehead, opened a cash management account with no fees.
Eating homegrown tomatoes, peppers, chives, kale - save $1-2 a day.
Walk 4 miles during lunch break - save unknown amount of future medical care.
45% Total Stock Market | 52% Consumer Staples | 3% Short Term Reserves
Broken Man 1999
Posts: 8626
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2015 11:31 am
Location: West coast of Florida, near Champa Bay !

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by Broken Man 1999 »

michaeljc70 wrote: Thu Aug 11, 2022 1:03 pm
Broken Man 1999 wrote: Thu Aug 11, 2022 12:48 pm First, let us set aside the fact that many folks do not consider eating out to be frugal. :D

Today I noticed that Amazon Prime members can snag a free year of Grubhub+ membership, usually $9.99/month.

Personally we have never used Grubhub, so honestly no idea if this offer will interest anyone.

I did go thru the list of local eateries Grubhub delivers from, and noticed some places I would be fine ordering from that DW would never eat anything on the menu.

Broken Man 1999
Be aware that anything you order is marked up. In other words, the Grubhub price is not the same as what they'd charge if you called the restaurant, placed an order and picked it up. Also be aware that if you don't tip enough your order will typically not be fulfilled. The drivers see the tip in advance and decide on whether to fulfill your order. They obviously take the orders they will make the most money on in the shortest amount of time.
Sounds like a good example of capitalism. Charge what the customer will bear, and the drivers eliminating/discouraging poor tippers.

Broken Man 1999
“If I cannot drink Bourbon and smoke cigars in Heaven then I shall not go." - Mark Twain
mary1492
Posts: 716
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2019 3:02 am

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by mary1492 »

.....
Last edited by mary1492 on Thu Sep 29, 2022 11:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
michaeljc70
Posts: 10843
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2015 3:53 pm

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by michaeljc70 »

Broken Man 1999 wrote: Thu Aug 11, 2022 3:57 pm
michaeljc70 wrote: Thu Aug 11, 2022 1:03 pm
Broken Man 1999 wrote: Thu Aug 11, 2022 12:48 pm First, let us set aside the fact that many folks do not consider eating out to be frugal. :D

Today I noticed that Amazon Prime members can snag a free year of Grubhub+ membership, usually $9.99/month.

Personally we have never used Grubhub, so honestly no idea if this offer will interest anyone.

I did go thru the list of local eateries Grubhub delivers from, and noticed some places I would be fine ordering from that DW would never eat anything on the menu.

Broken Man 1999
Be aware that anything you order is marked up. In other words, the Grubhub price is not the same as what they'd charge if you called the restaurant, placed an order and picked it up. Also be aware that if you don't tip enough your order will typically not be fulfilled. The drivers see the tip in advance and decide on whether to fulfill your order. They obviously take the orders they will make the most money on in the shortest amount of time.
Sounds like a good example of capitalism. Charge what the customer will bear, and the drivers eliminating/discouraging poor tippers.

Broken Man 1999
I'm not going to disagree totally....but you usually tip based on the service. This is like tipping before you order at a restaurant. Also, if I order food I want it to come. I have no idea what is considered a good tip. A good tip could be beat out by an outstanding tip. It's like if you went to a restaurant and asked how long the wait was to be seated and they said "well, that depends...how much are you going to tip?" Or you flag down a taxi and one pulls up and rolls down the window and the driver says "how much are you going to tip?" You respond and he takes off!
WhiteMaxima
Posts: 3338
Joined: Thu May 19, 2016 5:04 pm

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by WhiteMaxima »

Used solar panel charged my iPad
IowaFarmWife
Posts: 564
Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2017 9:42 pm

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by IowaFarmWife »

michaeljc70 wrote: Thu Aug 11, 2022 1:03 pm
Broken Man 1999 wrote: Thu Aug 11, 2022 12:48 pm First, let us set aside the fact that many folks do not consider eating out to be frugal. :D

Today I noticed that Amazon Prime members can snag a free year of Grubhub+ membership, usually $9.99/month.

Personally we have never used Grubhub, so honestly no idea if this offer will interest anyone.

I did go thru the list of local eateries Grubhub delivers from, and noticed some places I would be fine ordering from that DW would never eat anything on the menu.

Broken Man 1999
Be aware that anything you order is marked up. In other words, the Grubhub price is not the same as what they'd charge if you called the restaurant, placed an order and picked it up. Also be aware that if you don't tip enough your order will typically not be fulfilled. The drivers see the tip in advance and decide on whether to fulfill your order. They obviously take the orders they will make the most money on in the shortest amount of time.
True this. About an hour ago, hubby and I were going to grubhub some pizza to the house to feed ourselves and our visiting family members. We were looking at the prices on the app and they seemed a bit high. We then logged into the same pizza restaurant's web site and there was a big difference between the grubhub price and the website price. It was large enough that we decided to send one of the kids to pick it up versus having it delivered.
"A nickel ain't worth a dime anymore." Yogi Berra's financial wisdom.
Zeno
Posts: 1042
Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2018 10:44 am

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by Zeno »

following
Last edited by Zeno on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:06 pm, edited 2 times in total.
theron
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Nov 10, 2010 12:29 am

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by theron »

Dried many pounds of plums from our French Prune tree in the dehydrator. Tree has gone crazy this year and there is no way we can eat all the fruit. Moving on to the apple trees soon.
HoosierJim
Posts: 987
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 7:11 pm

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by HoosierJim »

Plastic adirondack chair repair - was about to throw out a chair that had a crack in it. Took 2 steel washers and heated them up with a propane torch and "bridged" the washers over the crack on the underside of the chair. The washers melted into the plastic and welded everything together. Used this to fix an otherwise perfect refrigerator shelf in the past.

Perfect fix and saved the landfill some space.
hmw
Posts: 1246
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 10:44 am

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by hmw »

My RO water tank had very low pressure. I watched a few Youtube videos and managed to fix the problem myself instead of calling a plumber.
2marshmallow
Posts: 71
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 7:28 pm

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by 2marshmallow »

Nectarineman wrote: Sun Dec 24, 2017 11:05 am Since frugality seems to be a way of life, what did you do today that was frugal?

As for me, worked out at the gym, but shaved and took an extra long shower there to save on my utilities.

:D
This wasn't just today, but very recently. I got a quote to trim our 60 foot long "hedge" of cypress trees. They are planted closely together in a row, and being about 17 feet tall, form a dense hedge that needs to be trimmed every few years so they don't get too tall. A professional arborist quoted me $3500 for the job. After my wife peeled me off the ceiling, I came up with another way. I rented a scissor lift and hired a local handyman/day-worker in our neighborhood. I made a 17 foot tall guide from three pieces of wood bolted together. With him on the lift with my guide post and hedge trimmer, and me collecting the cuttings on the ground, we finished in just over 5 hours. Total cost: $750.

2marshmallow
Broken Man 1999
Posts: 8626
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2015 11:31 am
Location: West coast of Florida, near Champa Bay !

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by Broken Man 1999 »

2marshmallow wrote: Fri Aug 12, 2022 3:03 pm
Nectarineman wrote: Sun Dec 24, 2017 11:05 am Since frugality seems to be a way of life, what did you do today that was frugal?

As for me, worked out at the gym, but shaved and took an extra long shower there to save on my utilities.

:D
This wasn't just today, but very recently. I got a quote to trim our 60 foot long "hedge" of cypress trees. They are planted closely together in a row, and being about 17 feet tall, form a dense hedge that needs to be trimmed every few years so they don't get too tall. A professional arborist quoted me $3500 for the job. After my wife peeled me off the ceiling, I came up with another way. I rented a scissor lift and hired a local handyman/day-worker in our neighborhood. I made a 17 foot tall guide from three pieces of wood bolted together. With him on the lift with my guide post and hedge trimmer, and me collecting the cuttings on the ground, we finished in just over 5 hours. Total cost: $750.

2marshmallow
If I had done that, DW would have had to be peeled off the ceiling. Her last job was vetting various trades companies that wanted to provide building services at her employers various locations.

Licensed and bonded is about the only way anyone does work at the casa. Though she has let our yard guy slide.

Glad it worked out.

Broken Man 1999
“If I cannot drink Bourbon and smoke cigars in Heaven then I shall not go." - Mark Twain
Itster
Posts: 326
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2012 9:50 pm

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by Itster »

When my team started working remotely during the pandemic, most bought and set up nice desk arrangements with multiple monitors at home. I'm still happily using my $20 plastic fold-away TV-dinner table from Wally's.
User avatar
Pete12
Posts: 607
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2016 3:17 pm

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by Pete12 »

Instead of spending an hour on hold calling Vanguard to complain about the new website, I used the time to shop around online for new tires for my wife’s car. Found a great deal at Costco and saved $150 versus the local discount tire place!
User avatar
quantAndHold
Posts: 10141
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2015 10:39 pm
Location: West Coast

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by quantAndHold »

Itster wrote: Fri Aug 12, 2022 5:20 pm When my team started working remotely during the pandemic, most bought and set up nice desk arrangements with multiple monitors at home. I'm still happily using my $20 plastic fold-away TV-dinner table from Wally's.
How’s your back/neck/wrists?

Be careful. The reason companies are willing to spring for all that ergonomic stuff is because it’s cheaper than paying all the worker’s comp claims for neck pain and carpal tunnel. Back in the 90’s, it was an everyday thing that people would have to go on disability because their computer was hurting them. Ergonomic workstations fixed all that.
User avatar
quantAndHold
Posts: 10141
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2015 10:39 pm
Location: West Coast

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by quantAndHold »

Made my own sushi.

A load of sushi grade fish came in at the fish market right before we got there, so we made a sushi dinner for 2 with $10 worth of fish. It was yummy, the best salmon I’ve ever had.

When we were cleaning up after dinner, I got wasabi in my eye and had to go to the ER. That part wasn’t so frugal.
neilpilot
Posts: 5005
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2015 12:46 pm
Location: Memphis area

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by neilpilot »

Pete12 wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 9:19 am Instead of spending an hour on hold calling Vanguard to complain about the new website, I used the time to shop around online for new tires for my wife’s car. Found a great deal at Costco and saved $150 versus the local discount tire place!
My local Discount Tire will match Costco
JS-Elcano
Posts: 992
Joined: Wed Jun 10, 2020 7:29 pm

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by JS-Elcano »

AnnetteLouisan wrote: Sun Oct 10, 2021 9:27 pm I used 1x shampoo and 1x conditioner instead of my usual 2x each. But it was to save time. Saving money was a bonus. I also got an additional $350 in my paycheck (and every paycheck going forward) for reducing my term life insurance coverage a few weeks ago. woo! I have no dependents.
That's interesting. May I ask why you carry life insurance at all if you have no dependents?
sc9182
Posts: 2179
Joined: Wed Aug 17, 2016 7:43 pm

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by sc9182 »

neilpilot wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 10:33 am
Pete12 wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 9:19 am Instead of spending an hour on hold calling Vanguard to complain about the new website, I used the time to shop around online for new tires for my wife’s car. Found a great deal at Costco and saved $150 versus the local discount tire place!
My local Discount Tire will match Costco
Discount Tire / America's Tire / Discount Tire Direct -- good company.
Free tire rotation, dirt-cheap flat fixing; fast-service, and of course the vaunted price-match (and Vet/Service discount)

On to the main topic -- my saving for the day: Got a Starbucks Re-fill $0.50 plus tax;
User avatar
AnnetteLouisan
Posts: 7261
Joined: Sat Sep 18, 2021 10:16 pm
Location: New York, NY

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by AnnetteLouisan »

JS-Elcano wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 10:40 am
AnnetteLouisan wrote: Sun Oct 10, 2021 9:27 pm I used 1x shampoo and 1x conditioner instead of my usual 2x each. But it was to save time. Saving money was a bonus. I also got an additional $350 in my paycheck (and every paycheck going forward) for reducing my term life insurance coverage a few weeks ago. woo! I have no dependents.
That's interesting. May I ask why you carry life insurance at all if you have no dependents?
I have a poor family member whom I’d like to benefit if I predecease, I’m not the healthiest, the pandemic, and my life insurance is heavily subsidized through work. But I reduced the amount substantially. Originally my thought was to give the relative a windfall. The rate has been increasing with age and the relative is doing better economically.
JS-Elcano
Posts: 992
Joined: Wed Jun 10, 2020 7:29 pm

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by JS-Elcano »

AnnetteLouisan wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 10:42 am
JS-Elcano wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 10:40 am
AnnetteLouisan wrote: Sun Oct 10, 2021 9:27 pm I used 1x shampoo and 1x conditioner instead of my usual 2x each. But it was to save time. Saving money was a bonus. I also got an additional $350 in my paycheck (and every paycheck going forward) for reducing my term life insurance coverage a few weeks ago. woo! I have no dependents.
That's interesting. May I ask why you carry life insurance at all if you have no dependents?
I have a poor family member whom I’d like to benefit, I’m not the healthiest, the pandemic, and my life insurance is heavily subsidized through work. But I reduced the amount substantially. Originally my thought was to give the relative a windfall. The rate has been increasing with age and the relative is doing better economically.
I see. Thanks. Having no dependents myself, I never considered carrying life insurance to help someone else out financially if I die. They'd get my portfolio I guess :happy
User avatar
AnnetteLouisan
Posts: 7261
Joined: Sat Sep 18, 2021 10:16 pm
Location: New York, NY

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by AnnetteLouisan »

JS-Elcano wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 10:48 am
AnnetteLouisan wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 10:42 am
JS-Elcano wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 10:40 am
AnnetteLouisan wrote: Sun Oct 10, 2021 9:27 pm I used 1x shampoo and 1x conditioner instead of my usual 2x each. But it was to save time. Saving money was a bonus. I also got an additional $350 in my paycheck (and every paycheck going forward) for reducing my term life insurance coverage a few weeks ago. woo! I have no dependents.
That's interesting. May I ask why you carry life insurance at all if you have no dependents?
I have a poor family member whom I’d like to benefit, I’m not the healthiest, the pandemic, and my life insurance is heavily subsidized through work. But I reduced the amount substantially. Originally my thought was to give the relative a windfall. The rate has been increasing with age and the relative is doing better economically.
I see. Thanks.
I don’t support them currently nor did I ever, and I am planning to leave them some investments. But my concern is an immediate cash and time crunch when any family member passes due to costs associated with wrapping up things, possibly having to move, and also maintaining or disposing of real and property. And stuff takes time whereas insurance pays pretty quickly I heard.

They’ll still get 400k under the life insurance that I didn’t cut.
Last edited by AnnetteLouisan on Sat Aug 13, 2022 10:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
sc9182
Posts: 2179
Joined: Wed Aug 17, 2016 7:43 pm

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by sc9182 »

AnnetteLouisan wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 10:51 am ..
I don’t support them currently nor did I ever, and I am planning to leave them some investments. But my concern is an immediate cash and time crunch when any family member passes due to costs associated with wrapping up things and also maintaining or disposing of property. And stuff takes time whereas insurance pays pretty quickly I heard.
Life is lot less static than one would assume; whether you are single today or in future, things could really take a positive upturn .. you never know .. but life is beautiful -- keep it chugging in moderation
User avatar
AnnetteLouisan
Posts: 7261
Joined: Sat Sep 18, 2021 10:16 pm
Location: New York, NY

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by AnnetteLouisan »

sc9182 wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 10:54 am
AnnetteLouisan wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 10:51 am ..
I don’t support them currently nor did I ever, and I am planning to leave them some investments. But my concern is an immediate cash and time crunch when any family member passes due to costs associated with wrapping up things and also maintaining or disposing of property. And stuff takes time whereas insurance pays pretty quickly I heard.
Life is lot less static than one would assume; whether you are single today or in future, things could really take a positive upturn .. you never know .. but life is beautiful -- keep it chugging in moderation
🧐 🤔

I think that went over my head. But thank you.
Last edited by AnnetteLouisan on Sat Aug 13, 2022 11:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
stoptothink
Posts: 15368
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 8:53 am

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by stoptothink »

quantAndHold wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 9:45 am
Itster wrote: Fri Aug 12, 2022 5:20 pm When my team started working remotely during the pandemic, most bought and set up nice desk arrangements with multiple monitors at home. I'm still happily using my $20 plastic fold-away TV-dinner table from Wally's.
How’s your back/neck/wrists?

Be careful. The reason companies are willing to spring for all that ergonomic stuff is because it’s cheaper than paying all the worker’s comp claims for neck pain and carpal tunnel. Back in the 90’s, it was an everyday thing that people would have to go on disability because their computer was hurting them. Ergonomic workstations fixed all that.
I've been working full-time at home since pandemic and wife is hybrid. I work in various places - the kitchen table, the couch, my bed (I do have a folding stand), standing at my kitchen counter - and my wife just uses a folding table and cheap chair she got from work in our spare bedroom. I also severely broke my back in a cycling accident May of '20, which is still an issue (fractures are healed, but disc issues and bone spurns probably never will). I am very cognizant of the issues that can arise from poor working posture, but a nice desk, etc. usually doesn't solve that. Our necks and wrists are fine, primarily because we focus on good posture and not sitting for extended periods.
stoptothink
Posts: 15368
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 8:53 am

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by stoptothink »

Kids are with my in-laws for the weekend and my wife wanted to visit my parents, mostly to hear about my mom's trip to Israel (she got back Thursday). Without the kids in tow, we're going to do the ~60 mile round trip on our e-bikes.
JS-Elcano
Posts: 992
Joined: Wed Jun 10, 2020 7:29 pm

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by JS-Elcano »

AnnetteLouisan wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 10:51 am
JS-Elcano wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 10:48 am
AnnetteLouisan wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 10:42 am
JS-Elcano wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 10:40 am
AnnetteLouisan wrote: Sun Oct 10, 2021 9:27 pm I used 1x shampoo and 1x conditioner instead of my usual 2x each. But it was to save time. Saving money was a bonus. I also got an additional $350 in my paycheck (and every paycheck going forward) for reducing my term life insurance coverage a few weeks ago. woo! I have no dependents.
That's interesting. May I ask why you carry life insurance at all if you have no dependents?
I have a poor family member whom I’d like to benefit, I’m not the healthiest, the pandemic, and my life insurance is heavily subsidized through work. But I reduced the amount substantially. Originally my thought was to give the relative a windfall. The rate has been increasing with age and the relative is doing better economically.
I see. Thanks.
I don’t support them currently nor did I ever, and I am planning to leave them some investments. But my concern is an immediate cash and time crunch when any family member passes due to costs associated with wrapping up things, possibly having to move, and also maintaining or disposing of real and property. And stuff takes time whereas insurance pays pretty quickly I heard.

They’ll still get 400k under the life insurance that I didn’t cut.
That's very considerate of you. I have had similar thoughts about my relatives having to deal with immediate costs that result from my demise, especially because none of them are local. My employer provides 25k life insurance at no cost to me, and I consider this sufficient for this purpose.
Itster
Posts: 326
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2012 9:50 pm

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by Itster »

quantAndHold wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 9:45 am
Itster wrote: Fri Aug 12, 2022 5:20 pm When my team started working remotely during the pandemic, most bought and set up nice desk arrangements with multiple monitors at home. I'm still happily using my $20 plastic fold-away TV-dinner table from Wally's.
How’s your back/neck/wrists?

Be careful. The reason companies are willing to spring for all that ergonomic stuff is because it’s cheaper than paying all the worker’s comp claims for neck pain and carpal tunnel. Back in the 90’s, it was an everyday thing that people would have to go on disability because their computer was hurting them. Ergonomic workstations fixed all that.
No big issues yet. I do regularly get up and move around, and I prop up my seating with several pillows at my back to maintain better posture. The height of the screen is where it needs to be. That said, I do have a few age-related issues to deal with these days.
DSBH
Posts: 740
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2020 3:31 pm
Location: Texas

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by DSBH »

Okay not today but tomorrow.
Broken Man 1999 wrote: Thu Aug 11, 2022 12:48 pm First, let us set aside the fact that many folks do not consider eating out to be frugal. :D
Or going on a cruise :D .

We are scheduled to go on a Carnival cruise next month. A friend of DW's tipped her that if you own at least 100 shares of Carnival stock (NYSE ticker CCL, $10.72/sh), Carnival will give you $50 (/ or $100 / or $250) credit per stateroom if your trip length is less than 6 days(/ or 13 / more than 14) days. So DW asks me to buy 100 shares of Carnival stock tomorrow - primarily for fun's sake - so if we take enough cruises with them before/if they go bankrupt we can be whole, and as long as they don't go BK we have a good discount card to use when cruising with Carnival - but that's not the story.

Out of curiosity I googled Carnival and discovered that they also have stock for Carnival PLC in London Stock Exchange but ADR on NYSE - ticker CUK, $9.75/sh, and basically CCL and CUK are the same except for a few things as mentioned here - https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/04/ ... the-b.aspx - insignificant for our purpose.

As a result the frugal (!) thing that I will do tomorrow is to buy 100 shares of Carnival, ticker CUK instead of CCL and save roughly $97 (~$0.97/sh), worth about 10 alcoholic drinks on a cruise. FWIW I think that Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line have the same shareholder benefit.
John C. Bogle: "Never confuse genius with luck and a bull market".
Broken Man 1999
Posts: 8626
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2015 11:31 am
Location: West coast of Florida, near Champa Bay !

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by Broken Man 1999 »

DSBH wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 1:45 pm Okay not today but tomorrow.
Broken Man 1999 wrote: Thu Aug 11, 2022 12:48 pm First, let us set aside the fact that many folks do not consider eating out to be frugal. :D
Or going on a cruise :D .

We are scheduled to go on a Carnival cruise next month. A friend of DW's tipped her that if you own at least 100 shares of Carnival stock (NYSE ticker CCL, $10.72/sh), Carnival will give you $50 (/ or $100 / or $250) credit per stateroom if your trip length is less than 6 days(/ or 13 / more than 14) days. So DW asks me to buy 100 shares of Carnival stock tomorrow - primarily for fun's sake - so if we take enough cruises with them before/if they go bankrupt we can be whole, and as long as they don't go BK we have a good discount card to use when cruising with Carnival - but that's not the story.

Out of curiosity I googled Carnival and discovered that they also have stock for Carnival PLC in London Stock Exchange but ADR on NYSE - ticker CUK, $9.75/sh, and basically CCL and CUK are the same except for a few things as mentioned here - https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/04/ ... the-b.aspx - insignificant for our purpose.

As a result the frugal (!) thing that I will do tomorrow is to buy 100 shares of Carnival, ticker CUK instead of CCL and save roughly $97 (~$0.97/sh), worth about 10 alcoholic drinks on a cruise. FWIW I think that Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line have the same shareholder benefit.
A DD and family went on a cruise a few weeks ago and bought two adult drink packages. There was a limit of 15 drinks each day.

Broken Man 1999
“If I cannot drink Bourbon and smoke cigars in Heaven then I shall not go." - Mark Twain
User avatar
quantAndHold
Posts: 10141
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2015 10:39 pm
Location: West Coast

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by quantAndHold »

stoptothink wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 11:17 am
quantAndHold wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 9:45 am
Itster wrote: Fri Aug 12, 2022 5:20 pm When my team started working remotely during the pandemic, most bought and set up nice desk arrangements with multiple monitors at home. I'm still happily using my $20 plastic fold-away TV-dinner table from Wally's.
How’s your back/neck/wrists?

Be careful. The reason companies are willing to spring for all that ergonomic stuff is because it’s cheaper than paying all the worker’s comp claims for neck pain and carpal tunnel. Back in the 90’s, it was an everyday thing that people would have to go on disability because their computer was hurting them. Ergonomic workstations fixed all that.
I've been working full-time at home since pandemic and wife is hybrid. I work in various places - the kitchen table, the couch, my bed (I do have a folding stand), standing at my kitchen counter - and my wife just uses a folding table and cheap chair she got from work in our spare bedroom. I also severely broke my back in a cycling accident May of '20, which is still an issue (fractures are healed, but disc issues and bone spurns probably never will). I am very cognizant of the issues that can arise from poor working posture, but a nice desk, etc. usually doesn't solve that. Our necks and wrists are fine, primarily because we focus on good posture and not sitting for extended periods.
So, you’re saying nothing has happened. Yet.

I’m just saying doctors visits and PT are more expensive than an ergonomic chair and a wrist rest.
User avatar
TomatoTomahto
Posts: 17158
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2011 1:48 pm

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by TomatoTomahto »

quantAndHold wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 2:02 pm
stoptothink wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 11:17 am
quantAndHold wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 9:45 am
Itster wrote: Fri Aug 12, 2022 5:20 pm When my team started working remotely during the pandemic, most bought and set up nice desk arrangements with multiple monitors at home. I'm still happily using my $20 plastic fold-away TV-dinner table from Wally's.
How’s your back/neck/wrists?

Be careful. The reason companies are willing to spring for all that ergonomic stuff is because it’s cheaper than paying all the worker’s comp claims for neck pain and carpal tunnel. Back in the 90’s, it was an everyday thing that people would have to go on disability because their computer was hurting them. Ergonomic workstations fixed all that.
I've been working full-time at home since pandemic and wife is hybrid. I work in various places - the kitchen table, the couch, my bed (I do have a folding stand), standing at my kitchen counter - and my wife just uses a folding table and cheap chair she got from work in our spare bedroom. I also severely broke my back in a cycling accident May of '20, which is still an issue (fractures are healed, but disc issues and bone spurns probably never will). I am very cognizant of the issues that can arise from poor working posture, but a nice desk, etc. usually doesn't solve that. Our necks and wrists are fine, primarily because we focus on good posture and not sitting for extended periods.
So, you’re saying nothing has happened. Yet.

I’m just saying doctors visits and PT are more expensive than an ergonomic chair and a wrist rest.
Years ago, I got frozen shoulders from typing with wrong seating/elevation. In addition to costing lots of money to fix, the PT was excruciating (and I have a relatively high pain threshold). I ignored early warning signs.
I get the FI part but not the RE part of FIRE.
Hebell
Posts: 963
Joined: Wed Aug 12, 2020 1:56 am
Location: Boca Raton, FL

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by Hebell »

Roasting cauliflower in a seasoned tahini sauce, as well as pattypan squash with herbs. But what I really wanted to do was eat out.
stoptothink
Posts: 15368
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 8:53 am

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by stoptothink »

quantAndHold wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 2:02 pm
stoptothink wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 11:17 am
quantAndHold wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 9:45 am
Itster wrote: Fri Aug 12, 2022 5:20 pm When my team started working remotely during the pandemic, most bought and set up nice desk arrangements with multiple monitors at home. I'm still happily using my $20 plastic fold-away TV-dinner table from Wally's.
How’s your back/neck/wrists?

Be careful. The reason companies are willing to spring for all that ergonomic stuff is because it’s cheaper than paying all the worker’s comp claims for neck pain and carpal tunnel. Back in the 90’s, it was an everyday thing that people would have to go on disability because their computer was hurting them. Ergonomic workstations fixed all that.
I've been working full-time at home since pandemic and wife is hybrid. I work in various places - the kitchen table, the couch, my bed (I do have a folding stand), standing at my kitchen counter - and my wife just uses a folding table and cheap chair she got from work in our spare bedroom. I also severely broke my back in a cycling accident May of '20, which is still an issue (fractures are healed, but disc issues and bone spurns probably never will). I am very cognizant of the issues that can arise from poor working posture, but a nice desk, etc. usually doesn't solve that. Our necks and wrists are fine, primarily because we focus on good posture and not sitting for extended periods.
So, you’re saying nothing has happened. Yet.

I’m just saying doctors visits and PT are more expensive than an ergonomic chair and a wrist rest.
I'm just a tad familiar with these issues as much of my education and working career have focused on how the human body moves and corrective exercise. My only point is a nice desk and chair have little influence; your own posture, minimizing sitting at all, your strength/stability etc are a lot more important.
User avatar
quantAndHold
Posts: 10141
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2015 10:39 pm
Location: West Coast

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Post by quantAndHold »

stoptothink wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 4:33 pm
quantAndHold wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 2:02 pm
stoptothink wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 11:17 am
quantAndHold wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 9:45 am
Itster wrote: Fri Aug 12, 2022 5:20 pm When my team started working remotely during the pandemic, most bought and set up nice desk arrangements with multiple monitors at home. I'm still happily using my $20 plastic fold-away TV-dinner table from Wally's.
How’s your back/neck/wrists?

Be careful. The reason companies are willing to spring for all that ergonomic stuff is because it’s cheaper than paying all the worker’s comp claims for neck pain and carpal tunnel. Back in the 90’s, it was an everyday thing that people would have to go on disability because their computer was hurting them. Ergonomic workstations fixed all that.
I've been working full-time at home since pandemic and wife is hybrid. I work in various places - the kitchen table, the couch, my bed (I do have a folding stand), standing at my kitchen counter - and my wife just uses a folding table and cheap chair she got from work in our spare bedroom. I also severely broke my back in a cycling accident May of '20, which is still an issue (fractures are healed, but disc issues and bone spurns probably never will). I am very cognizant of the issues that can arise from poor working posture, but a nice desk, etc. usually doesn't solve that. Our necks and wrists are fine, primarily because we focus on good posture and not sitting for extended periods.
So, you’re saying nothing has happened. Yet.

I’m just saying doctors visits and PT are more expensive than an ergonomic chair and a wrist rest.
I'm just a tad familiar with these issues as much of my education and working career have focused on how the human body moves and corrective exercise. My only point is a nice desk and chair have little influence; your own posture, minimizing sitting at all, your strength/stability etc are a lot more important.
Then you’re more special than 99% of the population. Go forth and prosper with your card table. Let us know how it turns out.
Post Reply