We donate gently used adult clothing and shoes to our local Goodwill. We save almost all of our son's outgrown clothing, books, and toys for a twice annual consignment sale called "Just Between Friends."
We take hard plastics to the recycling center and soft plastics (like bread wrappers, etc.) I turn in at the grocery store in the bin where they recycle plastic shopping bags.
And though this happens only infrequently, we donate our old eyeglasses to a local chapter of The Lion's Club. And a couple of times, my wife has let her hair get long enough (I believe they need 10" min.) that she could have it cut and donated to Locks of Love.
Generally, I avoid just throwing away stuff as much as possible.
The comments and reactions to this show is quite interesting. I think most of us can agree that reality TV is not, in fact, reality, but a weird distortion. Just like movies...and sit-coms...and cartoons. Yes, some people have a thousand rolls of toilet paper and a trillion packages of dental floss. And I agree that the type of behavior exhibited is unhealthy. And, yes, shelf clearers are being rude. But I think that many have looked at the extreme and called the whole thing crazy.
Personally, coupons are how my husband and I survive. He is a teacher/my sugar daddy that holds an MA. I also have a Masters, but have not been able to find work yet. Sure, I freelance from time to time, but it isn't stable.
So I have turned to coupons, repurposing items, and hoping that my black thumb turns green.
Yes, I stockpile, as our space and needs dictate. (Yes, to 100 cans of free wet cat food...but only because we have 3 cats and that would last for 3 months. Yes, we have a small office supply store; my husband teaches and I am an academic. It's a given.) But I wouldn't clear a shelf unless there was one item left, and I always let the manager know.
I clip the inserts that comes to my mailbox and grab a few more from the discarded pile in the mail room.
Other coupons I order from a reputable site. Woman-owned small business. :)
I read 2-3 sites for match-ups and to ensure I am within budget.
Organized coupons in hand, I am in and out in about 15-20 minutes per store (1 grocery, 2 drug stores, 2 office supply stores, and a Wal-Mart).
As for healthy foods - we participate in a CSA (community supported agriculture). Not only is it tastier and fresher, but we can chat with our farmer. Oh, and it's cheaper than the grocery store...esp. when you factor in the monetary and environmental costs of non-local foods.
Also, to those that point out that junkiness of couponers foods choices...please don't judge. They may have lived in food deserts all their lives and have never been fully introduced to healthy eating. It's hard to like a green bean if the only one you ever encountered is from a can. While picking up my veggies from my farmer, the person in front of me noted that she had never eaten a fresh green bean. She was so excited by her first taste...and couldn't wait to share with her grandkids. BTW, we live in a fairly rural area - not all food deserts are urban.
And for those that coupon for donations. We do that too, not just because we can't donate, but because non-profits have been hard hit as well. Office supplies, for them, can mean one less lay-off, or even just more time to work with their clients. It's hard to print off grant paperwork without paper, ink, or a running printer.
I think that fully giving up on coupons is like throwing the baby out with bath water. Sure, it can be time consuming at first. But all new skills are time consuming when you are just learning. It took me about 6 months to get my rhythm. Now, I spend about 3 hours a week with many distractions. I think it's worth it - then I can spend less time worrying about bills and loan debt. I am ensuring that we live within our means and build a nest egg.
Personally, it's about balance, priorities, and common sense. The examples on TV, edits and all, depict a lack of these qualities. However, I bristle when the person at the grocery behind me sighs (loudly) when they see my stack of papers. I, too, am frustrated and rather embarrassed when my coupon usage needs manager assistance. If I could shop at midnight, when there is no one else around, I would, but that also seems a little crazy.
I think that a lot of the comments really touched on broader issues, like addiction, food insecurity, social norms, and food/lack of food in the Western world. I just don't think that "extreme" couponers are to blame; they may just be effect.
Sorry to nitpick, but there are two things that need to be corrected.
Some people, more than you might think, do intentionally choose to be homeless. I've done it myself, on purpose, and ran into several people who had done the same, all for varying reasons. Some want away from the rat race, some wish to simply not work, amd some do it for the adventure.
Also, number 17 on your list is not true. Homeless people do laundry too. Maybe not as much, but it's still a necessity.
Hi, Kelly, and thanks for the comment. I now have to try the red pepper hummus on grilled chicken. That sounds great. Doesn't that sandwich look beautiful! Almost too pretty to eat. Almost. ;-)
Good article. I also think it is important to point out the majority of Personal Finance Accounting is based on a Cash Basis Model, and is strictly dealing, as you point out with cash flow. While the author is technically correct, an expense is incurred and booked at the time it is purchased. It later becomes a cash flow and internal transfer at some other point in time. This is accural accounting which is a completely different beast in itself, and difficult to understand for even the best intentioned consumers. No doubt the reason most all of these personal finance budgets deal in Cash Flow/Income Expense. Most personal finance budgeting models do not follow standard accounting practices.
I use ebay all the time. I buy a lot, but I also sell what I don't use. I have gotten incredible deals on ebay. Basically, you have to have patience to wait for that ideal item and for the price to be right. I love ebay. I am definitely addicted!
Everyone needs to make tough decisions. I have worked for welfare in a very very expensive city (it is estimated that a person working for minimum wage here needs to work over 175 hours A WEEK just to make the avg. rent here. Worst in the nation.) and let me tell you that I commend you for having a change of heart in your career and I definitely see the kinds of people you describe as your neighbors all the time and would agree that those people are abusing the system however you are still putting the burden on those of us who are trying to "make it" the legitimate way. You list many things that, while ideal, are still wants not needs in order to get the job done. EVERYONE WANTS (or should want)to have their child to go to the best schools, have more time to spend with them , feed the child the best foods even if they are very expensive, etc. all without the worry about having work get in the way, not worrying about making rent, not having to move to a more affordable area and continue living in a nice expensive area that we can not afford to, etc. The question is if the person paying for all these expenses (taxpayers) for you has to work and sacrifice and probably not have the kinds of options you are afforded why should you deserve to get more for doing less? You do understand that if everyone did what you are doing even if for just a few years, just because they felt like they should just be able to provide for their kid without working on the taxpayers dime, all these social programs would fail right? You accept these peoples tax money without working for it, rub it in over the internet, and then get mad when they judge you? If you don't want to be judged get off welfare and earn your keep.
I go cup-by-cup with a plastic Melitta "perfect brew filter cone" (maybe $6?) and an electric teakettle. It takes the #2 cone filters that you pick up at the grocery. Very, very cheap and makes such good coffee! It takes a little longer and I don't have that sense of coffee abundance that comes with having a full coffeepot in the morning; but this actually allows me to make only as much as I need, and I have been saving money on coffee since I switched to this method. It wasn't snobbery so much as thrift that led me to this method! It's also great to take along on trips. I think pourover is the new French press. I hated cleaning those anyway :)
Hi, and thanks for your comment. I don't think five years (or six, in this case) is a magic number by any means. I do, however, realize that there's a precipitous decline in retail costs after the first or second- generation items have entered the market. And yes, per the article, Dan "was already walking a financial tightrope when he decided to embrace the digital TV revolution."
I just had Cancer surgery, "total Hysterectomy", Should have been home after about 3 days. I ended up being inICU for 4 days because they over dosed me on pain medicine. The ICU nurse told me I was given the "wrong pain drugs and Too much. Now I have a 166,000. in Medical bills and I have been trying to get help. We are retired and live off our Social Security. I am 63 years old and am not eligable for Medicare as yet. My ( day hospitol stay was way over the top. My husband found me inrespitory arrest the attending nurse said I was fine an hour ago.I am very upset by these turn of events and don't quit know what to do. Any one know of help available?
Sadly "starting a business" is not passive income. It is serious hard work. I started my own business and it eats every available moment of time: customers, vendors, inventory, reports, cash, lawyers, government paperwork. Every time you turn around there is someone who wants something. It is anything BUT passive.
When you and I went to college vs. when our children will go to college can't be compared. As you know, college costs are far outpacing cost of living. While our parents may have been able to get away with not saving for us, we will not have that luxury.
While I like pour-over coffee, I've switched to using a Bialetti stovetop espresso maker. It makes what I consider a cross between brewed coffee and espresso. I think it's an even better solution than pour-over because you don't have to buy filters.
Its so true that when you are more active and eat healthier foods that you have increased energy. If you chose to get moving more throughout the day, and get enough sleep at night, your increased energy will translate into feeling better overall. I feel like the problem with people my age (twenties) is that they are just too lazy to get moving! When I don't exercise for a few days, I find it so much harder to get out of bed in the morning. This is a great post that many will benefit from, thanks for sharing.
I've been eating hummus with almost everything these days! I love Roasted Garlic and Roasted Red Pepper hummus with broccoli, celery peppers, and even on grilled chicken. Its also very filling so this is a perfect cool ingredient to center a summer dinner around. I also just clicked on that smashed chickpea sandwich recipe, and um, it looks amazing! I'm definitely going to have to try it out I LOVE avocado. Thanks for these cool recipes!
Not often, but I will be in September for a special project that I hope to get off the ground. I will need contacts to break into a new field and these may help. We'll see.
We donate gently used adult clothing and shoes to our local Goodwill. We save almost all of our son's outgrown clothing, books, and toys for a twice annual consignment sale called "Just Between Friends."
We take hard plastics to the recycling center and soft plastics (like bread wrappers, etc.) I turn in at the grocery store in the bin where they recycle plastic shopping bags.
And though this happens only infrequently, we donate our old eyeglasses to a local chapter of The Lion's Club. And a couple of times, my wife has let her hair get long enough (I believe they need 10" min.) that she could have it cut and donated to Locks of Love.
Generally, I avoid just throwing away stuff as much as possible.
The comments and reactions to this show is quite interesting. I think most of us can agree that reality TV is not, in fact, reality, but a weird distortion. Just like movies...and sit-coms...and cartoons. Yes, some people have a thousand rolls of toilet paper and a trillion packages of dental floss. And I agree that the type of behavior exhibited is unhealthy. And, yes, shelf clearers are being rude. But I think that many have looked at the extreme and called the whole thing crazy.
Personally, coupons are how my husband and I survive. He is a teacher/my sugar daddy that holds an MA. I also have a Masters, but have not been able to find work yet. Sure, I freelance from time to time, but it isn't stable.
So I have turned to coupons, repurposing items, and hoping that my black thumb turns green.
Yes, I stockpile, as our space and needs dictate. (Yes, to 100 cans of free wet cat food...but only because we have 3 cats and that would last for 3 months. Yes, we have a small office supply store; my husband teaches and I am an academic. It's a given.) But I wouldn't clear a shelf unless there was one item left, and I always let the manager know.
I clip the inserts that comes to my mailbox and grab a few more from the discarded pile in the mail room.
Other coupons I order from a reputable site. Woman-owned small business. :)
I read 2-3 sites for match-ups and to ensure I am within budget.
Organized coupons in hand, I am in and out in about 15-20 minutes per store (1 grocery, 2 drug stores, 2 office supply stores, and a Wal-Mart).
As for healthy foods - we participate in a CSA (community supported agriculture). Not only is it tastier and fresher, but we can chat with our farmer. Oh, and it's cheaper than the grocery store...esp. when you factor in the monetary and environmental costs of non-local foods.
Also, to those that point out that junkiness of couponers foods choices...please don't judge. They may have lived in food deserts all their lives and have never been fully introduced to healthy eating. It's hard to like a green bean if the only one you ever encountered is from a can. While picking up my veggies from my farmer, the person in front of me noted that she had never eaten a fresh green bean. She was so excited by her first taste...and couldn't wait to share with her grandkids. BTW, we live in a fairly rural area - not all food deserts are urban.
And for those that coupon for donations. We do that too, not just because we can't donate, but because non-profits have been hard hit as well. Office supplies, for them, can mean one less lay-off, or even just more time to work with their clients. It's hard to print off grant paperwork without paper, ink, or a running printer.
I think that fully giving up on coupons is like throwing the baby out with bath water. Sure, it can be time consuming at first. But all new skills are time consuming when you are just learning. It took me about 6 months to get my rhythm. Now, I spend about 3 hours a week with many distractions. I think it's worth it - then I can spend less time worrying about bills and loan debt. I am ensuring that we live within our means and build a nest egg.
Personally, it's about balance, priorities, and common sense. The examples on TV, edits and all, depict a lack of these qualities. However, I bristle when the person at the grocery behind me sighs (loudly) when they see my stack of papers. I, too, am frustrated and rather embarrassed when my coupon usage needs manager assistance. If I could shop at midnight, when there is no one else around, I would, but that also seems a little crazy.
I think that a lot of the comments really touched on broader issues, like addiction, food insecurity, social norms, and food/lack of food in the Western world. I just don't think that "extreme" couponers are to blame; they may just be effect.
What was old has become new again!
Next will be boiled "camp" coffee with eggshells to clarify the brew.
We use a Melitta brewer. It's hard to drink brewed coffee--sans Peets, after drinking pour-over
Hi, Victoria! I know . . . cheese boards, YUM. I try to eat more fruit than cheese, but am rarely successful.
Sorry to nitpick, but there are two things that need to be corrected.
Some people, more than you might think, do intentionally choose to be homeless. I've done it myself, on purpose, and ran into several people who had done the same, all for varying reasons. Some want away from the rat race, some wish to simply not work, amd some do it for the adventure.
Also, number 17 on your list is not true. Homeless people do laundry too. Maybe not as much, but it's still a necessity.
Hi, Kelly, and thanks for the comment. I now have to try the red pepper hummus on grilled chicken. That sounds great. Doesn't that sandwich look beautiful! Almost too pretty to eat. Almost. ;-)
Glad to hear that -- and you're welcome!
Good article. I also think it is important to point out the majority of Personal Finance Accounting is based on a Cash Basis Model, and is strictly dealing, as you point out with cash flow. While the author is technically correct, an expense is incurred and booked at the time it is purchased. It later becomes a cash flow and internal transfer at some other point in time. This is accural accounting which is a completely different beast in itself, and difficult to understand for even the best intentioned consumers. No doubt the reason most all of these personal finance budgets deal in Cash Flow/Income Expense. Most personal finance budgeting models do not follow standard accounting practices.
My house came with a broken built-in dishwasher - got rid of it - hung a cute curtain and the trash now sits there.
I use ebay all the time. I buy a lot, but I also sell what I don't use. I have gotten incredible deals on ebay. Basically, you have to have patience to wait for that ideal item and for the price to be right. I love ebay. I am definitely addicted!
Everyone needs to make tough decisions. I have worked for welfare in a very very expensive city (it is estimated that a person working for minimum wage here needs to work over 175 hours A WEEK just to make the avg. rent here. Worst in the nation.) and let me tell you that I commend you for having a change of heart in your career and I definitely see the kinds of people you describe as your neighbors all the time and would agree that those people are abusing the system however you are still putting the burden on those of us who are trying to "make it" the legitimate way. You list many things that, while ideal, are still wants not needs in order to get the job done. EVERYONE WANTS (or should want)to have their child to go to the best schools, have more time to spend with them , feed the child the best foods even if they are very expensive, etc. all without the worry about having work get in the way, not worrying about making rent, not having to move to a more affordable area and continue living in a nice expensive area that we can not afford to, etc. The question is if the person paying for all these expenses (taxpayers) for you has to work and sacrifice and probably not have the kinds of options you are afforded why should you deserve to get more for doing less? You do understand that if everyone did what you are doing even if for just a few years, just because they felt like they should just be able to provide for their kid without working on the taxpayers dime, all these social programs would fail right? You accept these peoples tax money without working for it, rub it in over the internet, and then get mad when they judge you? If you don't want to be judged get off welfare and earn your keep.
I go cup-by-cup with a plastic Melitta "perfect brew filter cone" (maybe $6?) and an electric teakettle. It takes the #2 cone filters that you pick up at the grocery. Very, very cheap and makes such good coffee! It takes a little longer and I don't have that sense of coffee abundance that comes with having a full coffeepot in the morning; but this actually allows me to make only as much as I need, and I have been saving money on coffee since I switched to this method. It wasn't snobbery so much as thrift that led me to this method! It's also great to take along on trips. I think pourover is the new French press. I hated cleaning those anyway :)
Thanks for the recommendation! Do you find that the brewing process is labor-intensive, or is it still pretty easy?
Hi, and thanks for your comment. I don't think five years (or six, in this case) is a magic number by any means. I do, however, realize that there's a precipitous decline in retail costs after the first or second- generation items have entered the market. And yes, per the article, Dan "was already walking a financial tightrope when he decided to embrace the digital TV revolution."
These all sound good. Especially the cheese board.
I just had Cancer surgery, "total Hysterectomy", Should have been home after about 3 days. I ended up being inICU for 4 days because they over dosed me on pain medicine. The ICU nurse told me I was given the "wrong pain drugs and Too much. Now I have a 166,000. in Medical bills and I have been trying to get help. We are retired and live off our Social Security. I am 63 years old and am not eligable for Medicare as yet. My ( day hospitol stay was way over the top. My husband found me inrespitory arrest the attending nurse said I was fine an hour ago.I am very upset by these turn of events and don't quit know what to do. Any one know of help available?
Sadly "starting a business" is not passive income. It is serious hard work. I started my own business and it eats every available moment of time: customers, vendors, inventory, reports, cash, lawyers, government paperwork. Every time you turn around there is someone who wants something. It is anything BUT passive.
When you and I went to college vs. when our children will go to college can't be compared. As you know, college costs are far outpacing cost of living. While our parents may have been able to get away with not saving for us, we will not have that luxury.
While I like pour-over coffee, I've switched to using a Bialetti stovetop espresso maker. It makes what I consider a cross between brewed coffee and espresso. I think it's an even better solution than pour-over because you don't have to buy filters.
I roll my own sans the machine. We don't have a branch close enough to us to justify it, but we get the rolls for free from the bank!
That's a good point, Christie Struck! I trust my own counting abilities over a machine any day.
Its so true that when you are more active and eat healthier foods that you have increased energy. If you chose to get moving more throughout the day, and get enough sleep at night, your increased energy will translate into feeling better overall. I feel like the problem with people my age (twenties) is that they are just too lazy to get moving! When I don't exercise for a few days, I find it so much harder to get out of bed in the morning. This is a great post that many will benefit from, thanks for sharing.
I've been eating hummus with almost everything these days! I love Roasted Garlic and Roasted Red Pepper hummus with broccoli, celery peppers, and even on grilled chicken. Its also very filling so this is a perfect cool ingredient to center a summer dinner around. I also just clicked on that smashed chickpea sandwich recipe, and um, it looks amazing! I'm definitely going to have to try it out I LOVE avocado. Thanks for these cool recipes!
I'm gonna try some of these. Thanks. :)
Not often, but I will be in September for a special project that I hope to get off the ground. I will need contacts to break into a new field and these may help. We'll see.