Thanks for the reminder. I also am a big advocate of used baby items on Ebay... but I personally prefer garage sales. I know there are a lot of people that really want to buy new items when their first baby comes (it's part of the excitement.) -- thus my emphasis on new items. But Craigslist, Ebay and freecycle are all great ways to get 2nd hand items! (And I especially appreciate your angle on keeping the environment in mind with purchasing 2nd hand.) Thanks for the comment!
There is a pressure point in the webbed area beween the base of your thumb and index finger. My aunt, a registered nurse, showed me how to pinch and massage that area in a circular manner. It can get tight when you have a tension headache. I looked it up and it's called the Hoku point.
I can't believe you overlooked the best way to save money on babies (other than not having any): buy used baby items! Whether it's boxes full of clothes on eBay, or consignment store items, you are saving money AND recycling. That means less strain on the planet, as you're reducing disposable packaging and manufacturing of new products.
Your kid will look exactly as cute in a preworn outfit as one that is brand new - and they grow so fast, sometimes they only get to wear something once anyway. This goes for toys, clothes, books, strollers, you name it (except carseats, which supposedly get more dangerous over time). Not only do I accept hand-me-downs, I pass them on to two friends in a row, so everything gets plenty of use.
I'm not sure about baby sleeping in this all the time, but I highly recommend having one of these if you travel to see friends or relatives on any kind of regular basis.
To save even more money, I would recommend buying one of these on craigslist. They are always listed on my city's craigslist for around $40, vs at least $100 for retail. The one we have had no basinnet part, and it worked fine for travel with our baby (now almost 2) from birth.
Hi I have a fairly large dent on the front hood of my car and am wondering if either of the 2 methods above will cause paint damage to my vehicle? Apparently, a previous poster, has said that dry ice ruined their paint....anyone else?
Thanks
Amy
Excellent post Linsey. I've talked about this several times on my own blog, for the exact same reasons as you: after going through a couple of layoffs (I work in the high-tech industry, and this is fairly normal), I realized that an emergency fund was definitely in order. After my latest downsizing this past summer, I actually didn't need the emergency stash because of the severance package I received, but that didn't mean I stopped contributing to it. Even with the new job I started last month, I'm still contributing, and will probably increase the contributions, just in case. An emergency fund is always a good thing to have, because as you & your family found out, unemployment can happen at any time. So be prepared.
I've also been to watch his live shows and I can assure you that everything he does is real.
First of all, to select participants, he threw a ring in to the crowd, in totally random places, and his throws weren't carefully directed. He then moved on, in the second half, to people writing a note and placing it inside an envelope in a bowl on stage in plain view of everyone, what he did with these was truly amazing... Awe inspiring even... He then bandaged his head up at the end of the show and got someone to check he wasn't wearing an ear piece and went on for about another fifteen minutes totally blind with the same act.
If you watch his shows, read his books and watch him on T.V. you can learn how to do a few of his tricks... I can make people pick specific cards out of a deck of cards purely by suggestion and I'm a programmer, not a magician...
If you get the chance to see him live, don't miss it!
My family has used Pasporta Servo in Germany, Denmark,and the Czech Republic... and we have hosted travelers from Japan, Germany, and Sweden.
In August 1992 we arrived in Ostrava (where we'd never been before) in the Czech Republic to discover that there was no one to greet our bus. Through a misunderstanding our friends were waiting for us at the train station! They didn't have a phone (common in Eastern Europe then), so I didn't have a way to contact them. And I couldn't find anyone around the bus terminal who spoke English, German, French, or Russian (at least no one who would admit to understanding Russian!). My wife and kids and I were tired and hungry. What to do?
Then I remembered the Pasporta Servo guide in my backpack... And found there were 3 "hosts" in Ostrava, including one who lived near the bus station. I phoned her (after figuring out how to use the pay phone with instructions only in Czech!), and she came and got us and fed us and put us up for the night. She also arranged for another Esperanto-speaking friend to collect us at her flat in the morning and act as guide/translator to get us on the right bus to our friends' village just outside Ostrava.
It sure worked for us! (some of the above is lifted from a posting on Rick Steves's website from 4 years ago; it's late and I'm tired and wanted to save some typing! ;-) )
as completely unbelievable as it may seem, it's legit. Of course, like I said before, he probably didn't show you the many people who said "oy, where's the real money?"
this article has really served as a great wake-up call for me. my husband and i have recently both landed ourselves with higher paying jobs and we've been celebrating for quite too long (about four months now). the story brought me back to the reality that we need to stop celebrating and start saving!!!!
For me, frugality is a means to an end. My family and I were forced into frugality, at first. Due to medical reasons, my wife had to stop working. I was left to support a family of four on my own, which means we had less than half of our previous household income. We had to learn new ways of buying food, clothing, household items, etc. Any "extra" money we have is saved for emergencies, education or retirement. You can be frugal and still have a life. You just have to learn to do things differently. After awhile, you notice that you had been spending a lot more money than you really needed to in order to maintain your lifestyle.
Your post reminded me of all the extra money my husband and I had when we paid off our first cars, a couple of years after we got married. At the time, we were getting a mortgage loan and we were questioned about all the money now flowing into our accounts. No, we weren't money laundering, we were just enjoying not having car loans, which were equivalent to our soon-to-be mortgage payment.
It's also wise not to increase your standard of living as soon as you or someone in your family starts making more money; you can save the money that is given in higher than before pay, merit raises and/or bonuses rather than spend it. Glad you were thinking ahead.
Hey, I have to say I am really HATING my job just now. I came online to find some inspiration (or similar) either to leave or stay and most of the above has given me back some sense of relief I am not the only person who can't stand what they have to do 40 hours a week in order to pay the rent and eat. I can't afford to give up my job but, as I said, I'm really disliking it just now. Thanks in particular to Marcos. A lot of what you say I can relate to.
Thank you for the words of wisdom. I would also recommend some form of term life insurance for the surviving spouse. Bad things happen to good people every day. Invest in preparedness......
Being prepared feels way better than any cool "stuff" ever could. I think it's very interesting you mentioned that it took nearly a year, because I've always felt 3-6 months of savings was not nearly enough. 1-3 years is more what I'm comfortable with (although that includes other savings such as stocking up on things and making sure things are taken care of on the home maintenance front). I've been thinking of doing a post on the issue of 3-6 months of savings being enough or not. . .
I think it is good to educate. Has anyone gotten those email scams about owning a foreign business, they send you a check for a large amount, you cash it, send them most of it and keep a bit for yourself. Every time I've seen those, I wonder, what illegal activity are they doing in order to use me for money laundering. So knowing what money laundering is (which for some reason I knew particulars about the first case, and I'm not sure why that is... scary!) like Philip said, can keep you safe from those wanting to use you to launder money, or those who might be laundering money from you.
But what if the neighborhood takes a dive and along with it goes your home value? You can still get multi-policy discounts with auto, life, renters insurance too you know - you don't have to own a home to get that discount.
I appreciate your opinion as to homeownership is better than renting, but not everyone feels that way. What about the folks who rent a HOUSE?? Things are not always in black and white.
My husband found a job after 10 months (which was a lot longer than we had planned on.) But fortunately, we were prepared. It saved me alot of worry during the time he was unemployed, and my husband was able to stay home and help with the birth of our new son!
I'm sorry to hear that. I will be done paying off credit cards next month and after that I'm going to sock away as much money as possible to save for a rainy day. I'm very excited to be getting out of credit card debt (still got the student loans though).
Interesting--I guess apartments cost a lot less to buy and maintain than houses do; otherwise landlords couldn't make any money.
I really like this analysis and find it much more realistic for people like me who would live in their house indefinitely rather than sell it off.
Of course I was hoping to find a different answer for my situation since I bought a house. Here are some of my (very rough) numbers.
RENT
I'm looking at a 700 sq ft 1-1 in my old apartments
Rent: $540/month
Utilities: $100
Total: $640
BUY
It's not exactly fair, but it's not so easy to buy a large 1/1, so I went for a small (1000 sq ft) 2/1.
Taxes + insurance: 300
Repair and upkeep: 150
Utilities: 200
Total: $650
It's shockingly the same. Other things are different, and here are some of them, in order of importance to me:
1) I can be as loud as I want. I can play the piano after midnight, and I can jump around dancing without bothering anyone. I love, love, love this.
2) I haven't moved in years. I love that.
3) It's easier to have a roommate now, so I usually do. This cuts the price in half. I mostly prefer having a roommate to living alone. (Note: A comparable 2-1 apartment is $650 + utilities, so renting would cost slightly more)
4) I have to take care of the lawn. It turns out I hate this. Bugs! Invasive weeds! Trees falling over! Having to become a vicious plant killer because billions of the same ones are everywhere. (etc.)
5) The neighborhood changed on me. Some of it was good (better stores, no airport), some bad (they ripped up all the nearby highway entrance and exit ramps! and they moved the airport). On the other hand, my old apartments got a new and worse manager. Of course it's easier to switch apartments than to switch houses.
6) I don't have to call in about a leaking roof every year. The repairs I make (or have made) are of much higher quality. And my appliances are of much higher quality. On the other hand, repairs are a much bigger pain in the neck. I can't just report the problem; I have to do research. I have to take vacation time from work if I call workmen over.
7) I don't like my neighborhood association. All they care about is eyesores. It's all about hating your neighbor and making them bend to your will. Ick. And I've heard of much worse neighborhood associations.
8) I don't have to pull everything out of my cabinets periodically so they can spray for bugs. I just use Combat.
9) I can repaint things however I want. Of course I'm used to having all white walls, so my stuff goes with white walls. Most things work fine and do not need to be replaced, repainted, etc. When I do replace things, though, I do get to make better decisions about durability, environmental sustainability, etc. (Note: many people spend loads of money on this that they would never spend if they were renting.)
10) I have no swimming pool. It turns out I never used the pool anyway.
The main thing is I have more freedom and more responsibility and I'm more stuck. It's pretty much a wash except that it feels like I'm diversifying my investments. I could get a reverse mortgage or sell the house and move someplace cheaper (if there were such a place in which I would want to live). Otherwise, all my money would be in stocks and my government pension plan. This way I have my eggs in three baskets instead of two. Definitely if my taxes get too high for me to be able to afford, that means the house is valuable and can be sold for a nice profit.
I'm not always sure I made the best decision, and this helps explain why.
Thanks for the reminder. I also am a big advocate of used baby items on Ebay... but I personally prefer garage sales. I know there are a lot of people that really want to buy new items when their first baby comes (it's part of the excitement.) -- thus my emphasis on new items. But Craigslist, Ebay and freecycle are all great ways to get 2nd hand items! (And I especially appreciate your angle on keeping the environment in mind with purchasing 2nd hand.) Thanks for the comment!
There is a pressure point in the webbed area beween the base of your thumb and index finger. My aunt, a registered nurse, showed me how to pinch and massage that area in a circular manner. It can get tight when you have a tension headache. I looked it up and it's called the Hoku point.
I can't believe you overlooked the best way to save money on babies (other than not having any): buy used baby items! Whether it's boxes full of clothes on eBay, or consignment store items, you are saving money AND recycling. That means less strain on the planet, as you're reducing disposable packaging and manufacturing of new products.
Your kid will look exactly as cute in a preworn outfit as one that is brand new - and they grow so fast, sometimes they only get to wear something once anyway. This goes for toys, clothes, books, strollers, you name it (except carseats, which supposedly get more dangerous over time). Not only do I accept hand-me-downs, I pass them on to two friends in a row, so everything gets plenty of use.
I'm not sure about baby sleeping in this all the time, but I highly recommend having one of these if you travel to see friends or relatives on any kind of regular basis.
To save even more money, I would recommend buying one of these on craigslist. They are always listed on my city's craigslist for around $40, vs at least $100 for retail. The one we have had no basinnet part, and it worked fine for travel with our baby (now almost 2) from birth.
You know I haven't seen a great deal of the family type information on Wise Bread. I'm really glad you did this.
Just curious, why would you disassemble 60,0000 batteries? Were you re-selling?
Hi I have a fairly large dent on the front hood of my car and am wondering if either of the 2 methods above will cause paint damage to my vehicle? Apparently, a previous poster, has said that dry ice ruined their paint....anyone else?
Thanks
Amy
Excellent post Linsey. I've talked about this several times on my own blog, for the exact same reasons as you: after going through a couple of layoffs (I work in the high-tech industry, and this is fairly normal), I realized that an emergency fund was definitely in order. After my latest downsizing this past summer, I actually didn't need the emergency stash because of the severance package I received, but that didn't mean I stopped contributing to it. Even with the new job I started last month, I'm still contributing, and will probably increase the contributions, just in case. An emergency fund is always a good thing to have, because as you & your family found out, unemployment can happen at any time. So be prepared.
I've also been to watch his live shows and I can assure you that everything he does is real.
First of all, to select participants, he threw a ring in to the crowd, in totally random places, and his throws weren't carefully directed. He then moved on, in the second half, to people writing a note and placing it inside an envelope in a bowl on stage in plain view of everyone, what he did with these was truly amazing... Awe inspiring even... He then bandaged his head up at the end of the show and got someone to check he wasn't wearing an ear piece and went on for about another fifteen minutes totally blind with the same act.
If you watch his shows, read his books and watch him on T.V. you can learn how to do a few of his tricks... I can make people pick specific cards out of a deck of cards purely by suggestion and I'm a programmer, not a magician...
If you get the chance to see him live, don't miss it!
My family has used Pasporta Servo in Germany, Denmark,and the Czech Republic... and we have hosted travelers from Japan, Germany, and Sweden.
In August 1992 we arrived in Ostrava (where we'd never been before) in the Czech Republic to discover that there was no one to greet our bus. Through a misunderstanding our friends were waiting for us at the train station! They didn't have a phone (common in Eastern Europe then), so I didn't have a way to contact them. And I couldn't find anyone around the bus terminal who spoke English, German, French, or Russian (at least no one who would admit to understanding Russian!). My wife and kids and I were tired and hungry. What to do?
Then I remembered the Pasporta Servo guide in my backpack... And found there were 3 "hosts" in Ostrava, including one who lived near the bus station. I phoned her (after figuring out how to use the pay phone with instructions only in Czech!), and she came and got us and fed us and put us up for the night. She also arranged for another Esperanto-speaking friend to collect us at her flat in the morning and act as guide/translator to get us on the right bus to our friends' village just outside Ostrava.
It sure worked for us! (some of the above is lifted from a posting on Rick Steves's website from 4 years ago; it's late and I'm tired and wanted to save some typing! ;-) )
as completely unbelievable as it may seem, it's legit. Of course, like I said before, he probably didn't show you the many people who said "oy, where's the real money?"
this article has really served as a great wake-up call for me. my husband and i have recently both landed ourselves with higher paying jobs and we've been celebrating for quite too long (about four months now). the story brought me back to the reality that we need to stop celebrating and start saving!!!!
For me, frugality is a means to an end. My family and I were forced into frugality, at first. Due to medical reasons, my wife had to stop working. I was left to support a family of four on my own, which means we had less than half of our previous household income. We had to learn new ways of buying food, clothing, household items, etc. Any "extra" money we have is saved for emergencies, education or retirement. You can be frugal and still have a life. You just have to learn to do things differently. After awhile, you notice that you had been spending a lot more money than you really needed to in order to maintain your lifestyle.
Your post reminded me of all the extra money my husband and I had when we paid off our first cars, a couple of years after we got married. At the time, we were getting a mortgage loan and we were questioned about all the money now flowing into our accounts. No, we weren't money laundering, we were just enjoying not having car loans, which were equivalent to our soon-to-be mortgage payment.
It's also wise not to increase your standard of living as soon as you or someone in your family starts making more money; you can save the money that is given in higher than before pay, merit raises and/or bonuses rather than spend it. Glad you were thinking ahead.
Hey, I have to say I am really HATING my job just now. I came online to find some inspiration (or similar) either to leave or stay and most of the above has given me back some sense of relief I am not the only person who can't stand what they have to do 40 hours a week in order to pay the rent and eat. I can't afford to give up my job but, as I said, I'm really disliking it just now. Thanks in particular to Marcos. A lot of what you say I can relate to.
Thank you for the words of wisdom. I would also recommend some form of term life insurance for the surviving spouse. Bad things happen to good people every day. Invest in preparedness......
Being prepared feels way better than any cool "stuff" ever could. I think it's very interesting you mentioned that it took nearly a year, because I've always felt 3-6 months of savings was not nearly enough. 1-3 years is more what I'm comfortable with (although that includes other savings such as stocking up on things and making sure things are taken care of on the home maintenance front). I've been thinking of doing a post on the issue of 3-6 months of savings being enough or not. . .
Good for you for being prepared!
It's been so rainy here in Nebraska, that I've forgotten the meaning (and spelling, apparently) of the word! Thanks!
i believe you meant "drought". very inspiring article, BTW!
I think it is good to educate. Has anyone gotten those email scams about owning a foreign business, they send you a check for a large amount, you cash it, send them most of it and keep a bit for yourself. Every time I've seen those, I wonder, what illegal activity are they doing in order to use me for money laundering. So knowing what money laundering is (which for some reason I knew particulars about the first case, and I'm not sure why that is... scary!) like Philip said, can keep you safe from those wanting to use you to launder money, or those who might be laundering money from you.
But what if the neighborhood takes a dive and along with it goes your home value? You can still get multi-policy discounts with auto, life, renters insurance too you know - you don't have to own a home to get that discount.
I appreciate your opinion as to homeownership is better than renting, but not everyone feels that way. What about the folks who rent a HOUSE?? Things are not always in black and white.
My husband found a job after 10 months (which was a lot longer than we had planned on.) But fortunately, we were prepared. It saved me alot of worry during the time he was unemployed, and my husband was able to stay home and help with the birth of our new son!
Congratulations on getting rid of your cc debt!
I'm sorry to hear that. I will be done paying off credit cards next month and after that I'm going to sock away as much money as possible to save for a rainy day. I'm very excited to be getting out of credit card debt (still got the student loans though).
Interesting--I guess apartments cost a lot less to buy and maintain than houses do; otherwise landlords couldn't make any money.
I really like this analysis and find it much more realistic for people like me who would live in their house indefinitely rather than sell it off.
Of course I was hoping to find a different answer for my situation since I bought a house. Here are some of my (very rough) numbers.
RENT
I'm looking at a 700 sq ft 1-1 in my old apartments
Rent: $540/month
Utilities: $100
Total: $640
BUY
It's not exactly fair, but it's not so easy to buy a large 1/1, so I went for a small (1000 sq ft) 2/1.
Taxes + insurance: 300
Repair and upkeep: 150
Utilities: 200
Total: $650
It's shockingly the same. Other things are different, and here are some of them, in order of importance to me:
1) I can be as loud as I want. I can play the piano after midnight, and I can jump around dancing without bothering anyone. I love, love, love this.
2) I haven't moved in years. I love that.
3) It's easier to have a roommate now, so I usually do. This cuts the price in half. I mostly prefer having a roommate to living alone. (Note: A comparable 2-1 apartment is $650 + utilities, so renting would cost slightly more)
4) I have to take care of the lawn. It turns out I hate this. Bugs! Invasive weeds! Trees falling over! Having to become a vicious plant killer because billions of the same ones are everywhere. (etc.)
5) The neighborhood changed on me. Some of it was good (better stores, no airport), some bad (they ripped up all the nearby highway entrance and exit ramps! and they moved the airport). On the other hand, my old apartments got a new and worse manager. Of course it's easier to switch apartments than to switch houses.
6) I don't have to call in about a leaking roof every year. The repairs I make (or have made) are of much higher quality. And my appliances are of much higher quality. On the other hand, repairs are a much bigger pain in the neck. I can't just report the problem; I have to do research. I have to take vacation time from work if I call workmen over.
7) I don't like my neighborhood association. All they care about is eyesores. It's all about hating your neighbor and making them bend to your will. Ick. And I've heard of much worse neighborhood associations.
8) I don't have to pull everything out of my cabinets periodically so they can spray for bugs. I just use Combat.
9) I can repaint things however I want. Of course I'm used to having all white walls, so my stuff goes with white walls. Most things work fine and do not need to be replaced, repainted, etc. When I do replace things, though, I do get to make better decisions about durability, environmental sustainability, etc. (Note: many people spend loads of money on this that they would never spend if they were renting.)
10) I have no swimming pool. It turns out I never used the pool anyway.
The main thing is I have more freedom and more responsibility and I'm more stuck. It's pretty much a wash except that it feels like I'm diversifying my investments. I could get a reverse mortgage or sell the house and move someplace cheaper (if there were such a place in which I would want to live). Otherwise, all my money would be in stocks and my government pension plan. This way I have my eggs in three baskets instead of two. Definitely if my taxes get too high for me to be able to afford, that means the house is valuable and can be sold for a nice profit.
I'm not always sure I made the best decision, and this helps explain why.
Kipkay was the genius who discovered this lovely hack, but I can ask around and do some digging. Watch this space.