Yes, I comparison shop. It is worth it to me because I'm on a budget. My local grocery store (you know who that is, one of the biggest mass merchants around) offer price matching even though it's competitors are 30 miles away. So I make sure that I'm getting the lowest price on my buys.
I only comparison shop on internet purchases and large purchases, like TVs or appliances. I find that doing it on everyday items means I am likely to spend more on gas and waste a lot more time searching for the best price on soap that it is worth.
I disagree with you.. though time has elapsed even more... I can afford my loan but I am shackled to it. For out here in Maryland... my house is almost 200k less than it was in 2007 when I purchased. There is no plans to help us .. that have to move to relocate with work etc. This has gone from one of the best investments you could purchase.. to just about the worst thing on earth.. not only am I down 200k from original purchase price, but out the 100k improvements done on the house too. So figure that out.. Who really walks around with 300k to put on a house to keep it above water. And had I ... put 300k down and had to move.. wow.. sour... thats a 300k loss in 4-5 years...
Good points. I don't own a home, but I'll be ready to buy in a year or two. Now, should we think about buying a home like buying a car? For example, I wouldn't buy a new $30,000 car just because the dealership gave me a 0% interest rate. I'd buy that car if I could afford it. Does it therefore make sense to buy a house that's not within my price range just because the interest rate is low and I could afford the monthly payments? I don't know the answer to that. The conventional thinking about this seems to be that cars depreciate and homes appreciate, so we are supposed to buy the most house we can afford because it will pay off in the end. Does it pay off in the end or are people just deluding themselves into thinking that it pays off in the end because they are rationalizing their home purchase?
Absolutely! I just went comparison shopping yesterday on video games for my son's birthday. With my smart shopping skills, I ended up saving $35! It might not sound like much, but every bit helps! I always "look around" and write down prices whenever I'm out running errands.
Yes, I always comparison shop! I keep a list of staples as well (milk, bread, cheese, etc.) and periodically go through all the local stores to keep it updated. I check it against the fliers that come out so I can make sure we're getting the best price.
Regarding #5-- "Honey, look what I bought us...me...I mean, you!" ;)
Back in the '80s, I discovered Goodwill, and my wardrobe got instantly cool. I can also do basic sewing, so that helps. Now that I'm older, I save money by going the "buy classics" route. Of course, trying to live simply has made me less clothing obsessed!
Yes I do, but I don't have a garden so I just do it in my apartment. I have a small drying rack that I can hang on my door. It's spacious enough for one to two persons, not much more. I don't have room for a dryer, or a washing machine for that matter.
I live in Vermont, which has a "right to dry" laws. I hang laundry outside on nice days, the run it through the dryer for 10 minutes, to kill any bugs that stowed away.
"Some have dared to compare the simplicity of hanging laundry with the art of keeping chickens in your backyard,"
When I lived in the ghetto, I had neighbors who hung their laundry outside and neighbors who kept chickens. Drying laundry didn't smell nearly as bad, or crow for hours on end (yes, they had a rooster). If you want to raise chickens, move to the country.
Okay from your ID Resume Reviewer you just review and look out for mistakes, rather than counsel like Kate is doing here. In your opinion, how would you answer that question? Tell the interviewer that you are sometimes forgetful, or that you sometimes struggle with depression or probably inferiority complex? the very opposite of the kind of person the employer is looking for? Common! Lets be realistic here. Everyone has a dark side which is best kept to himself or herself alone, as long as these weaknesses can be managed without affecting productivity. If you have to tell someone about it, it should be a therapist not a potential employer!
My wife and I got married 8 months ago in Dec. and we did everything in a matter of only a couple of months. She found a pretty (and simple dress which she can wear for other occasions), I wore a nice suite. We got married in our apartment complex, however we were looking at a garden nearby but weren't sure about the weather since it was Dec. and had the reception (which was just our immediate family and close friends, around 15 people) at our favorite restaurant a-la-carte, and it was fantastic! Everyone enjoyed the food, desert (amazing cupcakes) which we made sure we preordered, and a very simple bouquet of flowers. Total cost was under $500 and we loved every moment of it, not to mention our close friend was the one to marry us. :-D
I never line dry. I grew up with crunchy towels and waiting for hours for things to dry and then having them get wet in a sudden rain shower. I always hated how stiff things were and didn't care for the smell at all. So, it's the dryer for me!!
My wife and I line dry, primarily because we don't even have a drier. Although we live in a large city, we live on the outskirts so the pollution isn't too bad and there is a greenway very close to us which I think helps with any pollution near by. But when it gets rainy or humid, which isn't too frequent in Texas, we bring our cloths inside to the spare bedroom to dry. But drying outside is great here in Texas since it only needs to be outside for about an hour, two hours tops if you're drying towels, and then we can bring them in! I've never had trouble with birds, dust or pollen at all. :-) ::Knocks on wood::
@Chris, you probably had too much detergent in the cloths if they felt like a board after line drying them.
@Emily, I'm completely with you, I definitely think a dryer would heat up the house and push the AC even further, all the more reason to not have one! Not to mention the more you own, the more repairs and energy you have to put into them to run properly. I like our simple life! :-D
Yes, I comparison shop. It is worth it to me because I'm on a budget. My local grocery store (you know who that is, one of the biggest mass merchants around) offer price matching even though it's competitors are 30 miles away. So I make sure that I'm getting the lowest price on my buys.
I only comparison shop on internet purchases and large purchases, like TVs or appliances. I find that doing it on everyday items means I am likely to spend more on gas and waste a lot more time searching for the best price on soap that it is worth.
You can also use a service like CashForCuts (http://www.cashforcuts.com). They will pay you for your hair and get you into a great new cut.
Unless something is on clearance I always comparison shop and haggle too when I can. I make vendors work hard to earn my money LOL! :)
I disagree with you.. though time has elapsed even more... I can afford my loan but I am shackled to it. For out here in Maryland... my house is almost 200k less than it was in 2007 when I purchased. There is no plans to help us .. that have to move to relocate with work etc. This has gone from one of the best investments you could purchase.. to just about the worst thing on earth.. not only am I down 200k from original purchase price, but out the 100k improvements done on the house too. So figure that out.. Who really walks around with 300k to put on a house to keep it above water. And had I ... put 300k down and had to move.. wow.. sour... thats a 300k loss in 4-5 years...
I always comparison shop-and I love Wise Bread for making it fun!
~Christine
Good points. I don't own a home, but I'll be ready to buy in a year or two. Now, should we think about buying a home like buying a car? For example, I wouldn't buy a new $30,000 car just because the dealership gave me a 0% interest rate. I'd buy that car if I could afford it. Does it therefore make sense to buy a house that's not within my price range just because the interest rate is low and I could afford the monthly payments? I don't know the answer to that. The conventional thinking about this seems to be that cars depreciate and homes appreciate, so we are supposed to buy the most house we can afford because it will pay off in the end. Does it pay off in the end or are people just deluding themselves into thinking that it pays off in the end because they are rationalizing their home purchase?
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Absolutely! I just went comparison shopping yesterday on video games for my son's birthday. With my smart shopping skills, I ended up saving $35! It might not sound like much, but every bit helps! I always "look around" and write down prices whenever I'm out running errands.
Also, I already like Wise Bread on Facebook. Thanks!
I comparison shop for toiletries, particularly between Target, Giant Eagle/Kroger, and CVS. I also do some comparison shopping for larger purchases.
Yes, I always comparison shop! I keep a list of staples as well (milk, bread, cheese, etc.) and periodically go through all the local stores to keep it updated. I check it against the fliers that come out so I can make sure we're getting the best price.
Regarding #5-- "Honey, look what I bought us...me...I mean, you!" ;)
Back in the '80s, I discovered Goodwill, and my wardrobe got instantly cool. I can also do basic sewing, so that helps. Now that I'm older, I save money by going the "buy classics" route. Of course, trying to live simply has made me less clothing obsessed!
Yes I do, but I don't have a garden so I just do it in my apartment. I have a small drying rack that I can hang on my door. It's spacious enough for one to two persons, not much more. I don't have room for a dryer, or a washing machine for that matter.
Liked this
I prefer locally owned shops that cater to genre. I have found Amazon and Half.com to be very useful whan I am looking for oldar out of print books.
I live in Vermont, which has a "right to dry" laws. I hang laundry outside on nice days, the run it through the dryer for 10 minutes, to kill any bugs that stowed away.
"Some have dared to compare the simplicity of hanging laundry with the art of keeping chickens in your backyard,"
When I lived in the ghetto, I had neighbors who hung their laundry outside and neighbors who kept chickens. Drying laundry didn't smell nearly as bad, or crow for hours on end (yes, they had a rooster). If you want to raise chickens, move to the country.
Never done anything but line-drying...
We don't own a dryer. So it's line dry indoors or take up the road to a laundromat. We got a new HE washer so things dry in no time flat.
My clothes line is in my basement. All problems solved.
Okay from your ID Resume Reviewer you just review and look out for mistakes, rather than counsel like Kate is doing here. In your opinion, how would you answer that question? Tell the interviewer that you are sometimes forgetful, or that you sometimes struggle with depression or probably inferiority complex? the very opposite of the kind of person the employer is looking for? Common! Lets be realistic here. Everyone has a dark side which is best kept to himself or herself alone, as long as these weaknesses can be managed without affecting productivity. If you have to tell someone about it, it should be a therapist not a potential employer!
My wife and I got married 8 months ago in Dec. and we did everything in a matter of only a couple of months. She found a pretty (and simple dress which she can wear for other occasions), I wore a nice suite. We got married in our apartment complex, however we were looking at a garden nearby but weren't sure about the weather since it was Dec. and had the reception (which was just our immediate family and close friends, around 15 people) at our favorite restaurant a-la-carte, and it was fantastic! Everyone enjoyed the food, desert (amazing cupcakes) which we made sure we preordered, and a very simple bouquet of flowers. Total cost was under $500 and we loved every moment of it, not to mention our close friend was the one to marry us. :-D
I never line dry. I grew up with crunchy towels and waiting for hours for things to dry and then having them get wet in a sudden rain shower. I always hated how stiff things were and didn't care for the smell at all. So, it's the dryer for me!!
My wife and I line dry, primarily because we don't even have a drier. Although we live in a large city, we live on the outskirts so the pollution isn't too bad and there is a greenway very close to us which I think helps with any pollution near by. But when it gets rainy or humid, which isn't too frequent in Texas, we bring our cloths inside to the spare bedroom to dry. But drying outside is great here in Texas since it only needs to be outside for about an hour, two hours tops if you're drying towels, and then we can bring them in! I've never had trouble with birds, dust or pollen at all. :-) ::Knocks on wood::
@Chris, you probably had too much detergent in the cloths if they felt like a board after line drying them.
@Emily, I'm completely with you, I definitely think a dryer would heat up the house and push the AC even further, all the more reason to not have one! Not to mention the more you own, the more repairs and energy you have to put into them to run properly. I like our simple life! :-D
i live in the middle of montana... :(