I second that! Why have any technological advances if we still have to wash diapers, one of the nastiest household chores.
Clearly written by a man who has never lived with a diaper pail or washed a diaper.
As for cell phones, we didn't allow our kids to have one until high school when they would frequently be away from home or school. For anyone younger, they're not necessary and can cause many problems from high bills to sexting.
We recycle our handbags. Sounds crazy I know! When ever my daughter wants a new handbag, I have her sell her old ones on ebay then we go to the outlet malls and get her a new one. I normally can sell the old handbag for what I paid or more since I get them when they are on sale.
Do more with less by using less hot water when doing the laundry and then line drying. Most clothes will get adequately clean even in cold water (with or without detergent specially formulated for cold water) and you'll definitely realize energy savings. If the weather is cooperative, line dry clothing as much as possible, especially the lighter weight items, and you'll be more gentle to your clothing and your energy bill.
If you've got kids in school, there's a lot of reasons to use paper cheques. I'm not comfortable with sending them all with $48 cash each month for bus passes (besides I seldom have any cash). Then there's field trips, school fees, picture day, etc. Between school and rent, I write at least five cheques a month, even though I use debit for all my purchases and online banking for all my bill payments.
Someone who is clearly in the upper income bracket is talking about how to save money..
Here are some Conveniences that Many could do without to safe a some money and recapture some self pride.
1: Coffee Stores (Starbucks/Tim Hortons/McCafe etc)
$1-$5 for a 10oz -20oz cup of Coffee, when Costs of Making it at home in a percolator costs a fraction of the costs, AND the CONVENIENCE that is worth paying for is the timer on said percolator, though the upfront cost might be $20-$30 more the return on investment is only an added week or 2.
Make your daily cup of coffee, and use a thermos to transport some to work and you'll save Time waiting in Lines, and Money on the heavily inflated cost of a hot papercup of coffee.
2: House Hold Cleaners, many house hold cleaners if one really wants to cut out conveniences and save money can be replaced with multi use cleaners, or products such as vinegar, and baking soda. replacing paper towels with washable rags, or Old tshirts, repurposing products from their primary use to a secondary use. I'm sure many websites are dying to have you visit them and find out ways to use things you throw out.
3: Debit Cards, Debit or Bank Cards usually charge you a fee to use, with no payback, a Credit Card allows you to track online, set daily spending limits, and can pay rewards back, I EARN approximately $1500 per year off of my Credit Card because of dedicated usage and finding the Card that best met my purchasing patterns, Debit Cards Rarely offer anything more than a convenient way to spend money with no returns no extra warranty, and added costs. dump the Debit Card get a Credit Card.
4:Drive Through Windows, the time spent idling in a drive through waiting for food, banking, drycleaning, uses more fuel than parking, or Not using those services, that is a convenience all but single parents, and disabled can really do without. In doing so you save money/ environment and get some exercise walking into buildings.
I heavily DO NOT agree with saying do without a Cellphone, I do without a proper land line, but my cellphone provides far more in terms of services and information than it's actual costs are.
I do not agree with buying a Barebones vehicle, depending on your work life, I'll use an Average Toronto, On. commuter, they spend 88minutes each day each WAY driving to and from work,
that equates to 14h 40 minutes a week Driving, or 29days 8hs a year sitting in 1 SEAT! the importance of good comfort being a properly positioned seat, and support that a premium car can offer far out weighs the cost of time and discomfort recovering from a drive each day because you saved $10000 on a car you'll keep for 5 years, or basically breaking that down $2.84 per hour of sitting in the car, my comfort is easily broken down into $2.84 per hour.
Television has become a very affordable means of entertainment and relaxation, a TV can be had for little more than $300, and use little more than $100/year in energy costs, this can provide more affordable entertainment than buying books when breaking to down over a 7 year life of TV's
What IS an added expense that doesn't NEED to be there is Premium cable services, TV is not the expense, it is paying for Content that is the expense.
i do more with less by using coupons to save money on household products and food..this is a great way to stretch my budget..saying this i do need a new phone and the windows 7 phones seem great..would love to win this
Spend more with the credit card? Not me.. it is, however, super-convenient when travelling abroad since I can withdraw money everywhere at top rates with no cost and the card gives ME interest and costs nothing.. Why would I spend more money on stuff I don't need just because I have it?? (I guess I'll never get it..)
Prediction: No one is going to change their behavior based on this article.
It'll make people feel guilty, sure, but guilt doesn't inspire lifestyle change. It makes you feel bad for a few minutes, and go on living your life the same way.
Plus, it's ludicrous to talk about the money you can save on post-its and dinners when most people can save thousands of dollars on their mortgage/cars by taking simple care of their credit scores.
I do more with less in all aspects of my life...I can take garage sale items and turn them over for a profit on ebay...I also do online searching and surveys to earn Amazon gift cards so I can get my kids what they want. I am very good at making something from nothing!
This guy is seriously questioning disposable diapers? REALLY? Dude, clearly you have NO children, and if you do, you probably sat around while your wife did the diapers. Also, are you insane about WASHING MACHINES being a convenience? Have you ever DONE laundry by hand? I thought not. And, btw, you can also get a washer/dryer for $300 if you get them second hand (Ours are, and they work fine)
Let me remind you that there are things in life NOT worth doing because the money saved is less than the time spent. I'm a career professional working mom. If I waste more than two hours weekly doing menial household tasks that save me less than $20, then it's not worth it. I'm better off investing that time in work, or building my professional image. Tasks like scrubbing diapers, or washing clothes by hand, I am better off NOT doing so I can invest the time in my career, which, in the long run, makes me more money. If I was a stay at home mom, this might be practical advice. I'm not.
On the other hand, it IS worth it to pack lunches and cook dinners. Ten hours weekly of shopping and cooking saves my family over $200 in food costs, plus the priceless health benefits of eating healthy. That's worth it. But seriously...this article is way out of whack. And its ridiculous. There's no mention of the cost/time ratio, or time management issues, that cause people to choose convenience to start with.
I love bargain hunting. It's become one of my new favorite hobbies. We recently found a couch that was a steal on craigslist. This is one definite way I try to do more with less!
I have to agree. As a man who stays home with 3 kids, 2 in diapers, and having tried both disposable and reusable diapers, disposable diapers are worth the extra cost and there are some now which are a little easier on the landfill.
Anyhow, the diaper part reads like 'his wife' uses disposable diapers. Go girl. Also, diapers are not relevant to everyone...
Also, his daughter will have a great argument to get a cellphone and when he realizes the convenience of contacting her in an emergency, it's a no-brainer.
I do more with less by re-using what can be, instead of buying new/used. Think of re-purposing/multi-purposing items instead of single use.
Resealable bags (a la Ziploc) for packing clothes to get the air out, instead of special purpose bags.
Using mason jars and lids for storage/freezing, instead of special purpose vacuum bags or containers.
Just ideas.
I do more with less daily. We cut out $150 from the monthly budget by getting rid of cable and our home phone. I barely even think about TV now. We still get the analog channels so if there's something on the major networks I really want to watch I can! We supplemented with Netflix streaming through our Wii (I'm playing catchup on a lot of TV seasons right now) and we rent movies at the local library which has a surprisingly great collection of new DVD's!
Awesome; spendthrift advice from someone who'll never have to worry about money ever again.
I do need a cell phone, but I'm not dumb enough to ALSO spend money on a land line.
You're absolutely right; you don't need ten TV's. I have one. I save much more money than the cost of another set by not paying for cable. It's a ridiculous waste of money to get crap piped into your house. Pay for internet, watch via hulu or cable channel websites. That's $1500 a year (or more) saved.
Cars: No one needs a new car. Sorry. Get a nice used Honda or Subaru, and deal.
I save money with my card, but only because I have online banking and can track my card online as well. I always pay the card off once I can get home in full and never buy stuff I don't already have money for. I was actually losing more money without it because of ATM fees.
As I said, it's mostly just inertia. I've been writing checks for close on to 35 years now. It's been working fine. Why change? In particular, why should I change my own smoothly functioning processes for someone else's convenience?
Next up on finance tips for the already wealthy: Saving money by replacing your platinum-plated yacht with a more efficient gold-plated model!
Seriously, housekeepers, fancy cars, multiple TVs... sounds to me like your finances are just fine already.
I second that! Why have any technological advances if we still have to wash diapers, one of the nastiest household chores.
Clearly written by a man who has never lived with a diaper pail or washed a diaper.
As for cell phones, we didn't allow our kids to have one until high school when they would frequently be away from home or school. For anyone younger, they're not necessary and can cause many problems from high bills to sexting.
We recycle our handbags. Sounds crazy I know! When ever my daughter wants a new handbag, I have her sell her old ones on ebay then we go to the outlet malls and get her a new one. I normally can sell the old handbag for what I paid or more since I get them when they are on sale.
Thank You!
Do more with less by using less hot water when doing the laundry and then line drying. Most clothes will get adequately clean even in cold water (with or without detergent specially formulated for cold water) and you'll definitely realize energy savings. If the weather is cooperative, line dry clothing as much as possible, especially the lighter weight items, and you'll be more gentle to your clothing and your energy bill.
I'm curious about how much of your annual income is consumed by post-it notes.
Do you really need to BUY post-it notes to write your self a note? Just re-use a piece of paper & then recycle it.
I just took it as being an example of where convenience is being lazy - not that it would wreck your finances.
If you've got kids in school, there's a lot of reasons to use paper cheques. I'm not comfortable with sending them all with $48 cash each month for bus passes (besides I seldom have any cash). Then there's field trips, school fees, picture day, etc. Between school and rent, I write at least five cheques a month, even though I use debit for all my purchases and online banking for all my bill payments.
Someone who is clearly in the upper income bracket is talking about how to save money..
Here are some Conveniences that Many could do without to safe a some money and recapture some self pride.
1: Coffee Stores (Starbucks/Tim Hortons/McCafe etc)
$1-$5 for a 10oz -20oz cup of Coffee, when Costs of Making it at home in a percolator costs a fraction of the costs, AND the CONVENIENCE that is worth paying for is the timer on said percolator, though the upfront cost might be $20-$30 more the return on investment is only an added week or 2.
Make your daily cup of coffee, and use a thermos to transport some to work and you'll save Time waiting in Lines, and Money on the heavily inflated cost of a hot papercup of coffee.
2: House Hold Cleaners, many house hold cleaners if one really wants to cut out conveniences and save money can be replaced with multi use cleaners, or products such as vinegar, and baking soda. replacing paper towels with washable rags, or Old tshirts, repurposing products from their primary use to a secondary use. I'm sure many websites are dying to have you visit them and find out ways to use things you throw out.
3: Debit Cards, Debit or Bank Cards usually charge you a fee to use, with no payback, a Credit Card allows you to track online, set daily spending limits, and can pay rewards back, I EARN approximately $1500 per year off of my Credit Card because of dedicated usage and finding the Card that best met my purchasing patterns, Debit Cards Rarely offer anything more than a convenient way to spend money with no returns no extra warranty, and added costs. dump the Debit Card get a Credit Card.
4:Drive Through Windows, the time spent idling in a drive through waiting for food, banking, drycleaning, uses more fuel than parking, or Not using those services, that is a convenience all but single parents, and disabled can really do without. In doing so you save money/ environment and get some exercise walking into buildings.
I heavily DO NOT agree with saying do without a Cellphone, I do without a proper land line, but my cellphone provides far more in terms of services and information than it's actual costs are.
I do not agree with buying a Barebones vehicle, depending on your work life, I'll use an Average Toronto, On. commuter, they spend 88minutes each day each WAY driving to and from work,
that equates to 14h 40 minutes a week Driving, or 29days 8hs a year sitting in 1 SEAT! the importance of good comfort being a properly positioned seat, and support that a premium car can offer far out weighs the cost of time and discomfort recovering from a drive each day because you saved $10000 on a car you'll keep for 5 years, or basically breaking that down $2.84 per hour of sitting in the car, my comfort is easily broken down into $2.84 per hour.
Television has become a very affordable means of entertainment and relaxation, a TV can be had for little more than $300, and use little more than $100/year in energy costs, this can provide more affordable entertainment than buying books when breaking to down over a 7 year life of TV's
What IS an added expense that doesn't NEED to be there is Premium cable services, TV is not the expense, it is paying for Content that is the expense.
i do more with less by using coupons to save money on household products and food..this is a great way to stretch my budget..saying this i do need a new phone and the windows 7 phones seem great..would love to win this
Spend more with the credit card? Not me.. it is, however, super-convenient when travelling abroad since I can withdraw money everywhere at top rates with no cost and the card gives ME interest and costs nothing.. Why would I spend more money on stuff I don't need just because I have it?? (I guess I'll never get it..)
Someone needs to have bought the car new for it to be sold used later on.
always clip coupons - those savings add up!
Prediction: No one is going to change their behavior based on this article.
It'll make people feel guilty, sure, but guilt doesn't inspire lifestyle change. It makes you feel bad for a few minutes, and go on living your life the same way.
Plus, it's ludicrous to talk about the money you can save on post-its and dinners when most people can save thousands of dollars on their mortgage/cars by taking simple care of their credit scores.
I do more with less in all aspects of my life...I can take garage sale items and turn them over for a profit on ebay...I also do online searching and surveys to earn Amazon gift cards so I can get my kids what they want. I am very good at making something from nothing!
We buy medications for our dog online at e-vets, rather than the local vets' offices, as it is the same stuff, but much cheaper.
This guy is seriously questioning disposable diapers? REALLY? Dude, clearly you have NO children, and if you do, you probably sat around while your wife did the diapers. Also, are you insane about WASHING MACHINES being a convenience? Have you ever DONE laundry by hand? I thought not. And, btw, you can also get a washer/dryer for $300 if you get them second hand (Ours are, and they work fine)
Let me remind you that there are things in life NOT worth doing because the money saved is less than the time spent. I'm a career professional working mom. If I waste more than two hours weekly doing menial household tasks that save me less than $20, then it's not worth it. I'm better off investing that time in work, or building my professional image. Tasks like scrubbing diapers, or washing clothes by hand, I am better off NOT doing so I can invest the time in my career, which, in the long run, makes me more money. If I was a stay at home mom, this might be practical advice. I'm not.
On the other hand, it IS worth it to pack lunches and cook dinners. Ten hours weekly of shopping and cooking saves my family over $200 in food costs, plus the priceless health benefits of eating healthy. That's worth it. But seriously...this article is way out of whack. And its ridiculous. There's no mention of the cost/time ratio, or time management issues, that cause people to choose convenience to start with.
I love bargain hunting. It's become one of my new favorite hobbies. We recently found a couch that was a steal on craigslist. This is one definite way I try to do more with less!
I have to agree. As a man who stays home with 3 kids, 2 in diapers, and having tried both disposable and reusable diapers, disposable diapers are worth the extra cost and there are some now which are a little easier on the landfill.
Anyhow, the diaper part reads like 'his wife' uses disposable diapers. Go girl. Also, diapers are not relevant to everyone...
Also, his daughter will have a great argument to get a cellphone and when he realizes the convenience of contacting her in an emergency, it's a no-brainer.
I do more with less by re-using what can be, instead of buying new/used. Think of re-purposing/multi-purposing items instead of single use.
Resealable bags (a la Ziploc) for packing clothes to get the air out, instead of special purpose bags.
Using mason jars and lids for storage/freezing, instead of special purpose vacuum bags or containers.
Just ideas.
I do more with less daily. We cut out $150 from the monthly budget by getting rid of cable and our home phone. I barely even think about TV now. We still get the analog channels so if there's something on the major networks I really want to watch I can! We supplemented with Netflix streaming through our Wii (I'm playing catchup on a lot of TV seasons right now) and we rent movies at the local library which has a surprisingly great collection of new DVD's!
"You're basically talking about taking all of the pleasure out of life."
If these things seriously constitute ALL the pleasure in your life, I feel quite sorry for you.
Thank you! I have been trying to figure out where all my money goes, and now I realize it's been the Post It notes all along. Damn you, 3M!
Awesome; spendthrift advice from someone who'll never have to worry about money ever again.
I do need a cell phone, but I'm not dumb enough to ALSO spend money on a land line.
You're absolutely right; you don't need ten TV's. I have one. I save much more money than the cost of another set by not paying for cable. It's a ridiculous waste of money to get crap piped into your house. Pay for internet, watch via hulu or cable channel websites. That's $1500 a year (or more) saved.
Cars: No one needs a new car. Sorry. Get a nice used Honda or Subaru, and deal.
Diapers? I wonder if you have kids.
I save money with my card, but only because I have online banking and can track my card online as well. I always pay the card off once I can get home in full and never buy stuff I don't already have money for. I was actually losing more money without it because of ATM fees.
As I said, it's mostly just inertia. I've been writing checks for close on to 35 years now. It's been working fine. Why change? In particular, why should I change my own smoothly functioning processes for someone else's convenience?