Housekeeper! We've had one since before we could really afford it. She came once a month, then twice a month, and now every week. I hate serious cleaning, hate it hate it hate it. It's worth it to me to pay someone to make my house look beautiful. I love coming home to a clean house.
Even though the fixed rate component is stuck at zero, I want to put another $1,000 into these before the end of the month. I think they're too good to pass up at 4.60%. It's theoretically possible they could drop to 0.00% on November 1, 2011. But if that happens, I'll just cash them in early May 2012. There wouldn't even be a penalty (since they'd be earning no interest during those last three months). In that worst case scenario, they'd still return 2.51% over the 11-month period, which is better than I can do with a CD at my local banks.
About the only convenience I pay for is a car wash. I hate to wash my own car. My dh will spend 2 hours on his in the driveway and the whole time I'm thinking: "For $6, you can get that done in 15 minutes, dear!"
I do pay for some conveniences. When my life gets busy, I'll pay someone to mow my lawn. Sometimes I'll run up to the close by grocery store for a gallon of milk rather than going to the farther away (and with not as good hours) store that is consistently cheaper. I don't chang my own oil and I regularly buy books (at the used bookstore) because it's easier to have a few books on hand that I can read at my leisure rather than going to the library and having to get through a book before it's due back.
About the only thing I can think of that I pay for the convenience is to have a mailing address at the UPS Store. For $20 a month I never have to worry about changing my address when moving (which has happened about 5 times since i've had it), giving out my address, anywhere, or have to worry about someone being home to accept a package. They'll even call me if I ask them when an expected package arrives. I have 24 hour access, auto billing, discounted supplies, witnesses to the time and condition of a package, as well as a built in screen for junk mail, a notary that already knows me, and if my computer/printer/copier goes down I can run in there and use theirs. I've given up everything else, this is staying!
We are working on steering away from the convenience things! For example we now buy whole chickens & cut them ourselves. We used to get our water softner salt delivered until we realized we were paying well over $15/bag when we could get it at the store for $4! Slowly making small changes in our household!
When you get down to it, EVERYONE pays for convenience at some level. Even what we consider "scratch cooking" today depends on products like flour and frozen/canned vegetables which, at one time, were "convenience foods" compared to milling wheat or canning vegetables yourself. Even the car mechanic down the corner who services your car is a convenience rather than having to acquire and practice the skills of parts replacement yourself.
I pay very little for convenience. I do buy the little carrots already washed and scraped, but for 99 cents on sale, why wouldn't you? Other than carrots, there is very little that I buy that is pre-packaged or ready to use. Time, I have, money is short, so I have to do the best for my family and use the resources at hand to the best of my ability, which includes the more-work, cheaper-price options most of the time, which are usually healthier and more cost effective.
I'd say I pay for convenience when I buy frozen foods, but the price is pretty comparable.
I pay for convenience when I get an oil change. Sure, I COULD learn how to change my own oil, but it hasn't happened and it's just easier to let a professional do it.
I pay for convenience by being a car owner. There's a bus and railway; I COULD use other modes of transportation and save money. But I think most people like the freedom of having their own car to go where they want whenever they want. Then again, I'd be severely restricted in my ability to work and go to school, but in general terms, a car is a convenience.
I pay for convenience by living close to my job. Sure, I could find an apartment that's a bit cheaper further out of the city, but then I'd have to deal with a longer commute, and I chose the closer home.
A cell phone is a convenience. People got by without cell phones for ages. I could make all of my phone calls from landlines if I wished. But I like having that phone with me so that I can make a phone call anytime and be reached anytime.
Showers are convenient. With all the water that goes down the drain, it's definitely not cheaper than how they do it in some third-world countries - get a bucket of water and have at it. But it's just easier to step in the shower and let it do its thing.
I used to pay for convenience, but the economic downturn has prompted me to become a DIYer when it comes to MANY services and goods. Depending on the service, if I learn to do it myself, I may even be able to offer my new-found skills to a neighbor, friend, or relative in return for cash or other services/goods of interest. Saving money while also possibly earning money (or other things that save even more money) all while learning something new, staying active and challenged...seems far more valuable to me now than ever before.
Of course - I think most people do but sometimes they think of it as 'necessity'
I pay for someone else to do my lawn, install appliances etc. I also will sometimes buy convenience foods when they're too time consuming to make on my own [and mine aren't as good usually!] like dumplings or calzones - but I make most other things from scratch.
We sometimes buy convenience packages for our kids to pack in school lunches. For example, applesauce in individual serving cups rather than buy a large jar and using plastic storage containers. The extra cost is minimal and worth the tradeoff to us.
I have always valued self-sufficiency rather highly, which in general has amounted to not only gaining a sense of satisfaction with a job well-done after having to learn how to do something myself and trying it out (making it much more likely), but also apparently attracting/ being attracted to people with similar values. So, on average, over the course of a relationship, any project that my husband or I could not accomplish on our own would generally be bartered out to friends or family. That is not to say that I personally WOULDN'T pay for convenience if the situation warranted it (for example, I do not trust my husband or most of my friends to cut my hair), but honestly, more often than not, I have not been in a position to be able to afford paying for convenience if I wanted to...and that, I believe, is becoming the trend for most people! Unfortunately there are many instances in which you just don't have a choice: somewhere along the line you're paying someone to bag your groceries in many areas, or to collect your garbage if you live in a town or city, whether you are willing to do it yourself or not, for example, but I'll let someone else delve more deeply into that subject.
You betcha. You can always earn more money but you can't make more time.
But I don't do it often. It's most likely that I'll buy something I need without doing lots of investigation in advance to find the best price. But I buy so little it doesn't hurt me too much.
Yes, I do pay for convenience. For instance I have never changed my oil even though I know a lot of people that have (I've had friends/family do it for me once or twice though). We buy the fancy pre-sliced cheese at Costco (not the Kraft singles). We have a gardener. And... probably a lot more!
I would love to know which of the other varieties of Dandelion look alikes you can eat. We have a large yard and all these look alikes grow in abundance. Some other weeds that look like spinach leaves are all over; and of course being weed eaters ourselves, we are salivating over the possibility that more in the yard is edible and want some more info.
If you can email me, I will send you a few pictures.
My therapist oh so long ago suggested to make a shield from cardboard and then go through magazines and choose pictures of how I would like to feel. Things that inspire. Things that I love. Never did it, but the above 100 things list in conjunction with the visual may move me out of these days without direction.
A pullout cutting board adds an instant ready to use prep space. Mine, fairly typical, is 27" wide by about 20" deep. Somebody might also be able to make one that flips up with a fold-out leg.
I was surprised not only how quickly I got my money back but how quickly Groupon knew and then told people about the problem with the restaurant. And, yes, I guess I am surprised and heartened when I get good customer service.
Yeah, you never know exactly what happened. The owner ran another restaurant downtown that closed a while back but it was in one of those should-be-great but revolving-restaurant-door locations. Other places in my area seem to be doing fine with the promotions but businesses do need to be careful about making too many deals in order to get customers.
Thanks for sharing your experience not only with Groupon but also with restaurant.com. Many of the restaurant gift certificate programs in my area have been offered by restaurants that seemed to be having financial troubles so I had never bought from restaurant.com; it's good to know that they honor their certificates
Good tips. We really try to avoid any version of status meetings. As you've said, there are a lot better tools available that take less time from everyone. Haven't tried the standing meetings yet, but I have been tempted.
One thing we do is limit meetings to tue and thur afternoon. Serves as a meeting throttle and it has worked well.
Thanks everyone. I was getting ready to purchase from BuyItDigita.com also. I called and the guy that answered the phone was very unprofessional and then transferred me to another guy abruptly who wasn't what I would expect from a reputable company either. Between that experience and your comments I will look somewhere else.
Housekeeper! We've had one since before we could really afford it. She came once a month, then twice a month, and now every week. I hate serious cleaning, hate it hate it hate it. It's worth it to me to pay someone to make my house look beautiful. I love coming home to a clean house.
Even though the fixed rate component is stuck at zero, I want to put another $1,000 into these before the end of the month. I think they're too good to pass up at 4.60%. It's theoretically possible they could drop to 0.00% on November 1, 2011. But if that happens, I'll just cash them in early May 2012. There wouldn't even be a penalty (since they'd be earning no interest during those last three months). In that worst case scenario, they'd still return 2.51% over the 11-month period, which is better than I can do with a CD at my local banks.
About the only convenience I pay for is a car wash. I hate to wash my own car. My dh will spend 2 hours on his in the driveway and the whole time I'm thinking: "For $6, you can get that done in 15 minutes, dear!"
I do pay for some conveniences. When my life gets busy, I'll pay someone to mow my lawn. Sometimes I'll run up to the close by grocery store for a gallon of milk rather than going to the farther away (and with not as good hours) store that is consistently cheaper. I don't chang my own oil and I regularly buy books (at the used bookstore) because it's easier to have a few books on hand that I can read at my leisure rather than going to the library and having to get through a book before it's due back.
About the only thing I can think of that I pay for the convenience is to have a mailing address at the UPS Store. For $20 a month I never have to worry about changing my address when moving (which has happened about 5 times since i've had it), giving out my address, anywhere, or have to worry about someone being home to accept a package. They'll even call me if I ask them when an expected package arrives. I have 24 hour access, auto billing, discounted supplies, witnesses to the time and condition of a package, as well as a built in screen for junk mail, a notary that already knows me, and if my computer/printer/copier goes down I can run in there and use theirs. I've given up everything else, this is staying!
We are working on steering away from the convenience things! For example we now buy whole chickens & cut them ourselves. We used to get our water softner salt delivered until we realized we were paying well over $15/bag when we could get it at the store for $4! Slowly making small changes in our household!
When you get down to it, EVERYONE pays for convenience at some level. Even what we consider "scratch cooking" today depends on products like flour and frozen/canned vegetables which, at one time, were "convenience foods" compared to milling wheat or canning vegetables yourself. Even the car mechanic down the corner who services your car is a convenience rather than having to acquire and practice the skills of parts replacement yourself.
I pay very little for convenience. I do buy the little carrots already washed and scraped, but for 99 cents on sale, why wouldn't you? Other than carrots, there is very little that I buy that is pre-packaged or ready to use. Time, I have, money is short, so I have to do the best for my family and use the resources at hand to the best of my ability, which includes the more-work, cheaper-price options most of the time, which are usually healthier and more cost effective.
I'd say I pay for convenience when I buy frozen foods, but the price is pretty comparable.
I pay for convenience when I get an oil change. Sure, I COULD learn how to change my own oil, but it hasn't happened and it's just easier to let a professional do it.
I pay for convenience by being a car owner. There's a bus and railway; I COULD use other modes of transportation and save money. But I think most people like the freedom of having their own car to go where they want whenever they want. Then again, I'd be severely restricted in my ability to work and go to school, but in general terms, a car is a convenience.
I pay for convenience by living close to my job. Sure, I could find an apartment that's a bit cheaper further out of the city, but then I'd have to deal with a longer commute, and I chose the closer home.
A cell phone is a convenience. People got by without cell phones for ages. I could make all of my phone calls from landlines if I wished. But I like having that phone with me so that I can make a phone call anytime and be reached anytime.
Showers are convenient. With all the water that goes down the drain, it's definitely not cheaper than how they do it in some third-world countries - get a bucket of water and have at it. But it's just easier to step in the shower and let it do its thing.
There are a million conveniences...
I used to pay for convenience, but the economic downturn has prompted me to become a DIYer when it comes to MANY services and goods. Depending on the service, if I learn to do it myself, I may even be able to offer my new-found skills to a neighbor, friend, or relative in return for cash or other services/goods of interest. Saving money while also possibly earning money (or other things that save even more money) all while learning something new, staying active and challenged...seems far more valuable to me now than ever before.
Of course - I think most people do but sometimes they think of it as 'necessity'
I pay for someone else to do my lawn, install appliances etc. I also will sometimes buy convenience foods when they're too time consuming to make on my own [and mine aren't as good usually!] like dumplings or calzones - but I make most other things from scratch.
We sometimes buy convenience packages for our kids to pack in school lunches. For example, applesauce in individual serving cups rather than buy a large jar and using plastic storage containers. The extra cost is minimal and worth the tradeoff to us.
I have always valued self-sufficiency rather highly, which in general has amounted to not only gaining a sense of satisfaction with a job well-done after having to learn how to do something myself and trying it out (making it much more likely), but also apparently attracting/ being attracted to people with similar values. So, on average, over the course of a relationship, any project that my husband or I could not accomplish on our own would generally be bartered out to friends or family. That is not to say that I personally WOULDN'T pay for convenience if the situation warranted it (for example, I do not trust my husband or most of my friends to cut my hair), but honestly, more often than not, I have not been in a position to be able to afford paying for convenience if I wanted to...and that, I believe, is becoming the trend for most people! Unfortunately there are many instances in which you just don't have a choice: somewhere along the line you're paying someone to bag your groceries in many areas, or to collect your garbage if you live in a town or city, whether you are willing to do it yourself or not, for example, but I'll let someone else delve more deeply into that subject.
You betcha. You can always earn more money but you can't make more time.
But I don't do it often. It's most likely that I'll buy something I need without doing lots of investigation in advance to find the best price. But I buy so little it doesn't hurt me too much.
Yes, I do pay for convenience. For instance I have never changed my oil even though I know a lot of people that have (I've had friends/family do it for me once or twice though). We buy the fancy pre-sliced cheese at Costco (not the Kraft singles). We have a gardener. And... probably a lot more!
Dear Weed Eater:
I would love to know which of the other varieties of Dandelion look alikes you can eat. We have a large yard and all these look alikes grow in abundance. Some other weeds that look like spinach leaves are all over; and of course being weed eaters ourselves, we are salivating over the possibility that more in the yard is edible and want some more info.
If you can email me, I will send you a few pictures.
Sincerely,
Shonnie
My therapist oh so long ago suggested to make a shield from cardboard and then go through magazines and choose pictures of how I would like to feel. Things that inspire. Things that I love. Never did it, but the above 100 things list in conjunction with the visual may move me out of these days without direction.
A pullout cutting board adds an instant ready to use prep space. Mine, fairly typical, is 27" wide by about 20" deep. Somebody might also be able to make one that flips up with a fold-out leg.
I have a Scott car DVD player DRX 950. Do you have the code to make it all regions? Thanks. Leco
I was surprised not only how quickly I got my money back but how quickly Groupon knew and then told people about the problem with the restaurant. And, yes, I guess I am surprised and heartened when I get good customer service.
Yeah, you never know exactly what happened. The owner ran another restaurant downtown that closed a while back but it was in one of those should-be-great but revolving-restaurant-door locations. Other places in my area seem to be doing fine with the promotions but businesses do need to be careful about making too many deals in order to get customers.
Thanks for sharing your experience not only with Groupon but also with restaurant.com. Many of the restaurant gift certificate programs in my area have been offered by restaurants that seemed to be having financial troubles so I had never bought from restaurant.com; it's good to know that they honor their certificates
I can't believe that Groupon drove another bistro out of business!
Good tips. We really try to avoid any version of status meetings. As you've said, there are a lot better tools available that take less time from everyone. Haven't tried the standing meetings yet, but I have been tempted.
One thing we do is limit meetings to tue and thur afternoon. Serves as a meeting throttle and it has worked well.
Thanks everyone. I was getting ready to purchase from BuyItDigita.com also. I called and the guy that answered the phone was very unprofessional and then transferred me to another guy abruptly who wasn't what I would expect from a reputable company either. Between that experience and your comments I will look somewhere else.